As we think about enabling better hiring at scale, it can be overwhelming to create a human-centric process for an abundance of candidates.

• The first solution most people come to is to throw more bodies at the problem. However, it’s not always sustainable, it is inconsistent, and the sheer volume can be overwhelming and messy for the recruiters involved.
• Alternatively, you can move towards an entirely automated process. With an almost endless amount of softwares and technology-based products, you can hire without ever actually speaking to your candidates.

Both options will solve the inherent problem, but they also come with a price to your staff or your candidate’s experience.

When we think about how to create a better, faster, simpler hiring process, we’re seeing most of our customers opt to rewrite the handbook for high-volume hiring completely.

The goal for their new processes? Create hybrid systems to automate the mundane tasks and enable them to get candidates interacting with a member of the team faster.

In the recruiting world, you need to get in touch with candidates fast! The market moves so quickly now. Texting candidates is a useful tool that I love!

– Angie S.

For some teams, texting has become the primary communication channel; however, for others, it’s a tool they use to help expedite the logistical tasks and get them into an interview asap.

 

Where can you use technology as an enhancement not a replacement?

Our friends at Dick’s Sporting Goods say they think about technology usage as a way to facilitate a seamless process, similar to how other companies think about simplifying their checkout processes.

“I’m thinking about how I can make the application process as easy as Apple Pay! How do we make our process auto-populate all the important information at checkout? What can we do to make it easier, so we don’t lose the sale?”

– Rick Jordan

When it comes to creating a harmonious candidate experience, many people see success with using SMS as the main channel of communication.

 

How can SMS be used in your high volume recruiting process?

Our customers say leveraging texting helps them:

 

Showcase team personality and build better relationships

Using automations coupled with intentionally curated templates can allow you to create personalized and professional touch points throughout the process. With texting being less formal than email, this is an opportunity for your team to leverage emojis to create a warm and inviting experience! This can sound like quite the feat, but with the right tools, it’s easier than you think!

 

Stay top of mind and shows your candidates you value them

No matter how hard we try to rewrite our brains, whatever information it can distill first is most likely to create a bias in our brains for that company or product.

When it comes to candidates applying for jobs, the first company they hear back from will naturally be assumed as better.

Finding a way to quickly and effectively meet the needs of the candidates in your pipeline will help you enhance your candidate experience and supercharge your high-volume hiring.

 

Provide visibility and quickly communicate what’s next

34% of candidates ghost when the interview process is confusing, challenging, or unclear.

By leveraging SMS, you can easily help set expectations and reasonable timelines with an automated text as simple as, “hey there, we got your application, and you can expect to hear back from me in 48 hours or less!”

These ideas seem great in practice, but with our recruiters already stretched thin, without the help of automation, this method simply doesn’t scale.

 

So, what does texting candidates look like in action?

It can be whatever you want it to be! You can use text as an additional communication channel where you follow up as needed, or you can opt to redesign your hiring process to promote a text-based communication style.

Our customers see the greatest impact from texting when they integrate it into their core processes with automations, nudges, and reminders, all sent round the clock to enable a more personalized and communicative experience for your candidates.

When it comes to maximizing your candidate engagement and minimizing ghosting, what’s better than engaging with candidates on a platform they already use and love?

 

DoorDash uses texting to:

Build personalized relationships with their candidates and help them move through the pipeline at a pace that feels right for them.

 

GardaWorld uses texting to:

Instill respect and dignity into their candidates from day one; they aim to make each applicant feel like a team member from the get-go.

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods uses texting to:

Quickly and efficiently get applicants into an interview where they can interact with a team member face-to-face to build a personal connection with the team.

 

Amazon Pharmacy uses texting to:

Automate and expedite their hiring process to shorten their time to fill and make it easier for recruiters to manage larger requisition requests.

Maybe it’s time to consider a new approach to picking software for TA teams. What if we decided based on what made it easier for the candidate to engage with the process? Perhaps, it’s time we meet them in the middle, where they are, on their phones!

 

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