3 Ways to Improve the Recruitment Process

Hourly employee recruitment is not for the faint of heart. Large organizations tend to lose hourly employees just as fast as they hire them. This ends up being a constant cycle of hiring and recruiting people for their team. Plus, finding the right ways to reach those candidates can be tricky. But the good news is it’s never too late to learn new ways to improve the recruitment process.

We’ve got a trick up our sleeves to help you improve the hiring process in a super simple way–texting. Using text can help ease some of the workload by connecting companies with the right applicants in a way that makes things simpler for both the applicant and the hiring manager.

What Is the Typical Recruitment Process?

Every company has a different hiring process they use to attract new talent, but for the most part, the recruiting process typically follows this sort of flow.

For HR Recruiters

As an HR recruiter, the recruitment process usually looks a little something like this:

Identifying the job needs, writing a compelling role description, finding the right candidates, screening candidates, interviewing, offers, hiring paperwork, and then finally onboarding a new team member. That’s a ton of work!

It's safe to say, hiring managers spend a lot of time trying to improve the recruitment process to get their job listing in front of the right candidates.

For Job Seekers

If you’re a job seeker, looking for a new role can be a full-time job in itself too. Here’s how things look from their end:

Job applicants find open positions by searching a job board online or a company website. Once they submit their information, cover letter, and resume, the hiring manager reaches out within the next few days to schedule an interview. They’re that much closer to landing the job!

3 Ways to Improve the Recruitment Process Using Text

If your company isn’t using text-to-apply to reach job seekers, you’re missing out on a large pool of great candidates. Not every candidate has access to email and job boards online. Remove the tech barrier for your potential new hires by reaching them exactly where they are at—on their phones. It’s time to step up your game and improve the recruitment process with these three steps.

1. Texting expands reach so that you get more applicants into your pipeline.

Many hourly employers are hiring for specific locations, which makes it difficult if there isn’t a large population within those zip codes. With text-to-apply, you can connect with the hard-to-reach people—just by advertising that you’re hiring and listing a number to text to see open roles. It’s that easy.

Text-based recruiting makes it simple for applicants to apply on their own time. They can even save the text number to come back to later (if no roles are a fit for their skills). You can easily reach potential applicants that are not actively looking for a new job but may be interested in the opportunity.

So, put your number where you know it will be seen by people who would be a good fit for your company. Here are some ideas to get your wheels turning.

• If you’re hiring truck or delivery drivers, post your number near a gas station, drive-thru, or truck stop.

• If you’re hiring construction workers, try hardware stores or coffee shops.

• When recruiting for retail positions, post your ads near malls, plazas, or local restaurants.

You want your text-to-apply number to find these applicants where they are!

2. Texting creates a better employee experience from their first interaction with the company.

High turnover is pretty common with hourly employees. And because of that, it’s important to start off on the right foot with your team. Text-based recruiting allows you to get your applicants into the hiring process in a way that works for them.

Recruiting with technology your workforce already uses—their phones—keeps these potential employees inside their comfort zone. Think about it: Going online and searching job boards for your post is not ideal for someone who doesn’t spend their days working on computers or in a digital space.

Optimize your recruitment process around who your employees are and allow them to complete tasks in the way that works for them and provides them with a great experience along the way.

3. Texting saves time and money getting workers on the job faster and at a lower acquisition cost.

For organizations hiring (and losing) hundreds of employees each week, HR managers can’t spend a lot of time and money on recruiting one single employee. It’s just not doable. Here’s how text-to-apply can help solve that:

• When you use text in the recruiting process, you direct applicants right to your applicant tracking system. No hoops to jump through here!

• There are no external vendors to think about (where the data sits other than where you want it).

• HR managers aren’t spending all of their time reviewing candidates from job boards either.

When it all boils down to it, text recruiting works for both the applicant and the manager because they are both getting what they want. The applicant wants a simple way to apply for a job (since they are applying to a lot of jobs), and the manager wants a simple way to receive and review applications (while also helping to improve the hiring process).

The less time hiring managers spend screening candidates, chasing them down to schedule interviews, and getting follow-up questions answered—the more time they'll have to focus on other tasks.

When to Avoid Using Text During Recruitment

Texts should be used for accepting applicants, initial information, and quick questions such as scheduling/rescheduling interviews and follow-up questions. But remember, sometimes using text just isn’t a good idea. Here are a couple of rules of thumb:

• Never make offers over text—opt for a phone call or email.

• If the conversation gets too in-depth or lengthy, scheduling a phone call is best.

• If you start talking about complex or legal topics—steer clear. Avoid any miscommunication or potential legal issues by communicating through text.

How much does it cost to recruit an hourly employee?

Hiring a new employee isn’t cheap. Glassdoor estimates that it can cost $4,000 to hire a new employee.¹ And if your large company is bringing on several new hires in a week—that’s a lot of money multiplied by each new team member you add. This means it's not only essential to reach the right folks in the recruitment process for your company overall but essential for your bottom line too.

How many hours does it take to recruit an employee?

Getting your job posting in front of the right candidates and screening those candidates can take up a lot of time for your recruiters. But just how much time is spent? GetHired estimates that anywhere from 35-45 hours are spent recruiting a new employee.²

With that much time being spent to get the right person into the right seat on the bus, it’s important to be sure your hiring process is top-notch. Take some time to see if there are any ways you can improve the hiring process and get access to the right candidates quickly.

Reach Your Job Candidates Right Where They Are Through Text

It’s time to meet job seekers where they’re at (Hint: That’s on their mobile phones). Imagine recruiting, engaging, and following up with candidates easily through text. TeamSense’s text-to-apply feature makes it simple. It’s time to grow your talent pool by busting the tech barriers that keep job seekers from applying for jobs.