No matter who you're recruiting, SMS is an awesome way to engage candidates and bring best-of-breed talent straight to your door. So whether you're looking to bring in a select group of passive candidates, or you want to keep all your candidate pools engaged without lifting a finger, texting can help.

We've created some templates to help make sure you hit the right note.

Templates to introduce yourself

Let's face it. LinkedIn messages from recruiters are a dime a dozen for top-quality candidates. If you really want to stand out, take the leap and introduce yourself via SMS. Here are a few suggestions to help make the intro feel natural, never creepy.

Hello {first name}. This is {your name} from {your company}. Loved your recent post on {relevant topic}! We have a new project on {relevant topic} coming up and I'd love to get your thoughts. When would be a good time to chat?

Hey {first name}! {Your name} from {your company}, here. Your LinkedIn profile is *super* impressive. We have a new role in our {name of department} opening up and I think it just might be perfect for you. Are you free for a quick chat?

Hey there, {first name}! This is {your name} from {your company}. We have a new role in our {name of department} opening up and we think you might be perfect for it. Here's a link with the details {link to job ad}. Feel free to text me anytime with questions!

Spam is spam. If you reach out to someone for the first time via text or email, you have to treat it the same. More candidates will see your message on SMS, but it doesn't mean more will reply if you're just spamming them. So, make your message personal to them.

Tim Sackett

President, HRU Technical Resources

Templates to nurture and engage

73% of US millennials and Gen Z’ers interact with each other digitally more than they do in real life. True story. If you want a quick and positive reply, you need to speak their language. These templates will help you get the fast and friendly answers you need.

Hey, {first name}! I just saw the news that {recent accomplishment}. Congrats! Are you excited?

Hey, {first name}! I just read this amazing article on {relevant topic} from {relevant publication} and of course, I thought of you. We'd still love to get you in for an interview. Let me know if you'd like to set that up!

Hi {first name}. Did you get a chance to look at the offer I sent you {day of week}. As you can probably tell, we're excited to start working with you! We'll have to close the position by {day of week}, so please feel free to call me anytime if you have questions.

Keep it short and to the point. Don't 'overtext'.

Chris Russell

Managing Director, RecTech Media

Templates to schedule an interview

One of the most natural places for a quick SMS follow up is immediately after the phone screen. But even if you haven't had the chance to chat voice-to-voice, you can still do everyone a favor and skip the tedious group email chains by simply texting your candidate a link to your calendar.

Hello, {first name}! It was great chatting with you today! As mentioned, we'd love to get you in for an interview. Here's a link to my calendar, feel free to grab a spot!

Hey, {first name}! This is {your name} from {your company}. We absolutely loved your test project. Are you free to stop by the office for an interview this week?

Hi, {first name}! {Your name} from {your company}, here. Thanks for your interest in our {name of position}. We'd love to get you in for an interview. Here's a link to my calendar, feel free to grab a spot next week!

Learn how to text. What I mean by that is a good text message is concise. Recruiters need to learn how to send effective, succinct text messages that align with the organization’s brand and are legally acceptable.

Sharlyn Lauby

President, ITM Group Inc. and Founder, HR Bartender

Templates to get a fast reply

Unfortunately, ghosting happens. Make sure no one on the hiring team gets stood up for an interview by reaching out with quick reminders or requests for information.

Hello, {first name}. We haven't heard from you in a while. Are you still interested in our {name of position}?!

Hi, {first name}! It's been a while! Judging by your LinkedIn, you've been busy. I loved your recent update on {relevant topic} and as luck would have it, we have a really cool project on {relevant topic} coming up. Are you interested?

Hey there, {first name}. Just a friendly reminder that we have an interview scheduled for {day and date} at {time}. We look forward to meeting you!

Texting has helped significantly. A lot of our candidates are full-time nurses looking for PRN so they are able to reply quicker with information we need as they are typically at work.

Natalie Leveton

Onboarding Specialist, FlexWise Health

The Dos and Don'ts of Texting Candidates

Still not sure where to start? Don't sweat it. We've put together a quick checklist of all the text messaging dos and don'ts so that, no matter where you get started, you'll kick off on the right foot.

The Dos

Get permission!
Keep it succinct, legal and on-brand
Make it personal
Use SMS to schedule interviews
Use text messages after the first phone screen
Use text messages to get an immediate response
Send texts the same way you'd like to receive them

The Don'ts

Don't send lengthy texts
Don't send a message that could be easily misinterpreted
NEVER use text message to disposition a candidate

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