Increase candidate response rate with SMS messages. Do it effortlessly with ATS.
SMS still has some advantages over email communication in the context of recruitment processes. However, in certain situations, SMS messages are irreplaceable in recruitment systems. Here’s why:
The SMS always goes to the phone. The email will be sent to the candidate immediately if the candidate has synchronization with the email box on the phone. Remember that statistically, only less than half of the people in the world use smartphones. Among people who do not have such devices, the most frequent are those with the lowest earnings.
The SMS ends up in the inbox, which typically has less spam and fewer unread messages. It, in turn, affects the faster reading of SMS messages, which you do not need to look for among a large number of other unread messages. Mailboxes full of unread messages are standard today. In this respect, SMS messages look much better.
An SMS is inherently short and takes less time to read. The preparation of the answer also takes a short time. The speed of communication with candidates via SMS is one of the critical advantages of this communication channel in recruitment processes.
When is it worth using SMS in communication with candidates:
- urgent messages
- other messages if there is a risk that the candidate will not receive the email
- reminders about appointments or tasks to be performed
- notification of new job offers
A special situation is a communication with candidates for low-level positions, among which there is the highest percentage of people without smartphones. When recruiting for this type of position, SMS is the surest form of text communication. An alternative to SMS is, for example, Whatsup, Viber, or Facebook Messenger.
Use SMS communication faster with ATS.
If you are choosing the best ATS for your company, then consider SMS messaging to candidates. Sending SMS messages in the recruitment system is much faster and more convenient than by phone. Therefore, an ATS equipped with the SMS sending function is a must-have for all recruiters recruiting for blue-collar positions.
See how conveniently and quickly we have implemented this feature in Element ATS:
DISCOVER ELEMENT!
Maciej Michalewski
CEO @ Element. Recruitment Automation Software
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