Texting Could Land You Your Next Big CEO

As a recruiter, you’re bringing all the new staff into the company. It’s those that you hire that can help with the overall success of the company and keep it fresh. It could also be the ones you hire that tank the place. No pressure.

With that in mind, the best thing you can do is gather a large pool of applicants. This gives you a wider group to choose from, and stops you from ever getting desperate in your hiring process. To attract that large pool though, it’s more important than ever to embrace some new methods. This is where texting applicants could help you.

Let’s Start with Some Stats

Nearly everyone has a cell phone these days, and the statistics associated with that are astounding. Even just texting, it really is such a big part of everyday life. It makes sense then, that text messaging could be the next big thing in the world of recruiting. Globally, 8.3 trillion text messages are sent in a year. 97% of Americans alone admit to sending at least one text message a day. Out of all those text messages sent, they have an open rate of 98%. This is massive compared to the fact that only 20% of all emails sent are opened. You just have to consider these statistics to realize that texting is an important part of life. So why not embrace it in your recruiting?

It’ll Save You Time

Let’s circle back to the opening rate of text messages versus emails. Emails are widely used in many recruiting processes, but with an open rate that low they can be a waste of time. They can also drag the timeline of your process out as well. Texting is a relatively quick process. You can still include all the information you need. You can also include links to online forms if it’s really needed. It opens the room for communication too. People can reply if they need further information. You can also reply if you need clarification on something they’ve sent through. Text messages also have a response rate of 45%, which is considerably higher than the 6% rate that emails get. When used correctly, texting has the potential to streamline your overall process. It helps to eliminate wasted time and gives you a direct connection to your applicants.

Let the Poaching Begin

Text messaging has long been considered a discreet form of communication. It can be done without drawing attention to yourself like a phone call does. This could be what attracted so many people to using it. Regarding recruiting, this is perfect if the person you’re looking at already has a job. More than likely, they won’t want to advertise to their current boss that they’re looking elsewhere. So, they won’t be giving you their work email address or answering your phone calls during business. This really limits your communication with them. With text messages though, they will be more inclined to answer you during work hours. They’ll appreciate the discreet factor behind this method too.

In Conclusion

Using text messages can do wonders for your overall hiring process, for all the reasons discussed. It’s important though to use it correctly. Keep your messages professional and relevant. Make them as personalised as possible. By keeping these things in mind, you may just land your next big CEO through text messaging.