English
Recruitment agencies and other high-volume teams spend much of the day on one task: contacting people. SMS can take a large share of that work off your agents while making it easier for candidates to reply.
Key Takeaways
- SMS lets an agency reach a whole group in one send instead of calling each person.
- Two-way messaging brings candidate replies into one place, so messages do not go unanswered.
- Groups, an API integration and delivery reports make large campaigns easier to manage.
- Always message people who have agreed to hear from you, and give them an easy way to opt out.
Many recruitment agencies get busy with high vacancies as the new year starts
With SMS as a powerful tool to manage the influx of candidates, agents do not end up with more on their plate than they already have. Many SMSLocal customers also use text messaging to support two-way communication.
How SMS changes outbound communication
Post and telephone calls were not as fast or as personal when there were 1,000 contacts to reach. Contacting each person one by one was slow, the same problem many agencies have today. With SMS, shift changes became easier and more efficient, and a two-way channel allowed quick updates about a worker’s status.
With a dedicated inbound number, candidates can reply directly to your messages. SMSLocal makes it possible to reach thousands of potential employees in minutes, and replies arrive instantly, so your message does not go unanswered. Incoming messages are delivered to the URL you set up.
API integration and groups
Agents can share new positions with job seekers in seconds with a single send. Through the API integration, job seeker information can be organized into groups, which makes it easy to reach the right people, and messages can be tailored to a specific contact so they feel more engaging. A confirmation report gives a complete summary of delivered messages.
Where the time is saved
- One send, many people. Message a whole group at once instead of making calls one by one.
- Replies in one place. Answers from candidates arrive together, so nothing is missed.
- Scheduled messages. Plan reminders and confirmations ahead instead of sending them by hand.
- Delivery reports. See at a glance what was delivered.
- Groups. Segment by role or location so each message goes only to the people it concerns.
SMS is creating a real difference in recruitment companies
In the past, the phone handled jobs up to 50,000 monthly, which put huge pressure on resources and increased costs for employers. Our customers booked nearly 80% of all jobs through SMS within minutes. With one simple send, you can save time and money.
Based on our experience with recruitment software, an SMS campaign was a much better way to reach out and get your audience’s attention than calling. It delivered significantly higher response rates than telephone outreach and offered a more straightforward way to manage replies.
Best practices for recruitment texting
- Message only candidates who have agreed to receive texts, and keep a record of their consent.
- Say who you are at the start of the message.
- Keep it short and ask for one action, such as replying Y to confirm.
- Include a way to opt out and honor it immediately.
- Send at sensible hours and segment by role or location.
- Answer replies promptly so candidates stay engaged.
For the wider picture, see our guide to SMS marketing.
Sample messages
These examples are for a made-up agency, Harper Staffing. Each one names the sender, asks for one action and includes an opt-out:
- Harper Staffing: Hi Sam, new warehouse shifts are open Monday to Wednesday. Reply Y to be considered or N to skip. Reply STOP to opt out.
- Harper Staffing: Your interview is tomorrow at 10:00 AM at our Main Street office. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule. Reply STOP to opt out.
- Harper Staffing: Thanks for registering, Sam. Reply YES if you would like shift alerts for your area. Reply STOP to opt out.
Get started
Contact us today if you are interested in how our SMS solution can transform your candidate communications, or sign up for a free account and try it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
SMS lets an agency reach many job seekers at once, so agents are not stuck calling each person individually. Recipients can reply instantly, which speeds up shift changes and bookings.
Two-way SMS lets recipients reply to a message, and the reply reaches you. With a dedicated inbound number, replies from candidates arrive in one place instead of being lost.
It can reduce the time and resources spent on phone outreach, since one send reaches thousands of people in minutes. The post compares it favorably with calling each contact.
A confirmation report gives a summary of delivered messages, so you can see what was sent and delivered.
