Today’s marketplace for talent is not the same as it was just a few years ago. Shifting employee demands and priorities as a result of the pandemic caused many people to leave their jobs, or their industry altogether. What’s now known as “The Great Resignation” only accelerated the shortage of skilled workers that was already coming as aging generations of Baby Boomers retire. Today, there are more open jobs than there are people willing to fill them, and while that gap is lessening, it’s not going away any time soon.
All that is to say: The labor market has changed dramatically in recent years, so if you haven’t also changed your hiring practices in recent years, you’re going to have a tough time landing the top talent on the market.
While CompanyCam is known for their world class visual documentation — particularly for internal and client-facing communication — it plays well with other softwares too, such as TeamEngine, in recruiting good talent.
One of the biggest hiring trends that’s quick and easy to adapt to is the shift to engaging through technology for applicant communication. Here are 6 reasons why you should start integrating tech into your hiring process.
1. Your workforce is already using their phone to complete work
If you’re a CompanyCam customer (or considering becoming one soon) then it’s likely that your organization’s culture is tech-savvy and open to doing their work in new and unconventional ways. Using text messages to communicate in the hiring stage is a great way to evaluate whether or not a candidate will be receptive to your tech-forward culture.
If you have your doubts about texting with job applicants because you’re fearful that they might not even have a cell phone to receive the message, you can lay those worries to rest. The Pew Research Center has found that the vast majority of Americans (97%) now own a cellphone of some kind.
2. Applicants won’t answer phone calls from numbers they don’t recognize
There might still be a few unicorns out there who will answer calls from unrecognizable numbers, but the reality is that most folks won’t pick up a number they don’t have saved in their phone — even when they’re actively job-hunting or lost on top of a mountain.
A very practical work-around for this phenomenon is to send a text message to the applicant that explains who you are, why you want to speak with them, and asks when would be a good time to call. (They’ll pick up if they’re expecting the call.)
Even if you can leave a voicemail message, there’s no guarantee the recipient will listen to it. So you’ll have to keep calling back, keep leaving messages, and keep hoping they’ll take the initiative to return the call. Unlike voicemail inboxes, text message inboxes don’t hit capacity, so a text message sent to an applicant will definitely be received.
3. Applicants are more likely to respond to a text message than return a voice message
Why? Because it’s physically and mentally easier to reply to a text message. Returning a phone call requires the undivided attention of the applicant, who may be busy with their current job obligations during the day. It also requires an appropriate setting from which to call, which is another barrier for applicants who are currently employed.
But a text message? They can fire back a reply during a meeting or on their mid-morning break. And the best part is you don’t have to be waiting on the other end of the line to receive it!
4. Applicants are 4x more likely to open a text message than an email
Text messages are almost guaranteed to be opened and replied to in a matter of minutes. According to Simple Texting, one in three people check their text notifications within one minute, and 51% of people reply within two minutes. And while 53% of people check their text messages 11 times per day, only 29% check their email at the same rate.
5. Your phone tree might be confusing or complicated to reach the right person
An automated phone tree can be difficult to navigate for some people. And for those in early hiring stages who haven’t built any rapport with your organization’s hiring manager, why bother messing with a company that makes it hard to get in touch, when there are others waiting who make it effortless? It’s hit-or-miss if applicants will return a phone call to begin with, but if they do and they’re met with obstacles, you can bet they’re moving on to another (easier) opportunity.
6. Texts can be automated and speed is important in the hiring process
At a minimum, you can use technology to pre-schedule text messages to send on the appropriate day, so you don’t have to remember to do it when it needs to happen. As an example, once you’ve confirmed an interview with a candidate, you can pre-schedule a reminder text to send the day before and day of the interview.
More advanced texting solutions like Team Engine come equipped with built-in text message automations that are triggered by events in the software, such as an application submission or a user clicking “interested” on a new candidate.
A year ago, Home Depot announced an accelerated hiring process claiming that applicants could receive an offer within one day of applying. Home Depot isn’t the only company out there with a new laser focus on time to hire, either. So if you aren’t reaching out to start a conversation with an applicant the same day they apply, they could already have a job somewhere else by the time you do. Automated text messaging is one of the best ways to make sure that outreach happens when it should.
At the end of the day, the channel of communication matters less than adhering to the best practice of getting in touch with applicants — whether interested in hiring them or not — as soon as possible. So if calling still works well for your industry and organization, keep doing it! But if you’re being timely on your end and still not connecting with candidates, try sending them a text to see if you get better results. I’m willing to bet you will.
And of course, after hiring quality employees at the speed of light, don’t forget to add them to your CompanyCam account or get your team started today with 25% off your first two months, thanks to TeamEngine.
