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Beep Bop Boop. Do Your Automations Sound Canned? Candidates Can Tell 

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Using your platform’s canned messaging?

You may be turning candidates off. Here’s how to take your emails and texts from good to great. 

Match the message to the audience. 

When done well, automation can create a better experience for the candidate. Start on the right foot by using the right messaging for your audience. 

  • Text or email? Consider factors like age, job, and skillset when you are deciding whether to send a text or email. If you’re recruiting candidates in the 18-25 age range, try a text first. Recruiting experienced executives for direct hire? Consider sending an email and then a friendly follow-up text to let them know you reached out via email. There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing your delivery method. The best way to get it right is to do your research and experiment. If a text doesn’t get a good response rate, try an email. Keep an eye on the analytics and make adjustments until you see results. 
  • Tone. Your messaging is an opportunity to showcase your brand. If your firm is ultra-professional, then stick with more formal language. Does your firm pride itself on a casual and friendly atmosphere? Bring that across by using phrases like: 
    • Hey there <FirstName>
    • Just checking in, <FirstName>
    • What’s up, <FirstName>?

Keep it short and simple. 

If the first thought a candidate has when they see your message is, “I don’t have time for this,” then you’ve already lost their interest. Show candidates at a glance who you represent, how they know your firm, what’s in it for them, and how to get in touch with you. There’s a time and a place for detailed messages, but it generally isn’t in an automation, especially if you are only looking for a show of hands. Try something like this: 

Hi <FirstName>! It’s Amanda from <Staffing Agency>. Are you looking for healthcare work? Reply YES, and I’ll put you at the top of our list for jobs with competitive pay and great benefits. 

Be relevant. 

Remember, your candidates may be in contact with several staffing firms simultaneously. Make sure your messaging is relevant to where they are in your recruiting cycle and how long it has been since you’ve been in touch. The goal is to create a better experience for the candidate (which will lead to faster placements and more jobs filled for the staffing firm). Messaging that makes a candidate feel valued—like you know where they are and what they’re going through—will lead to more engagement with your firm.  

Hi <FirstName>, it’s been two months since your last IT contract with <Staffing Agency>, and we miss you! We’ve got a list of fantastic placements for consultants with your skills. Interested? Reply YES, and your recruiter will be in touch soon! 

Be human. 

Some candidates will know they are talking to a “robot,” but that doesn’t mean you have to sound like one. Use your messaging to stand out from the herd by sounding human—the more human the better. Use your employment brand and your knowledge of your audience to create personalized messaging for each automation journey. 

Hey there <FirstName>, it’s Amanda from <StaffingFirm>. Happy birthday! We hope your day is filled with good wishes, great cake, and meaningful work! (And if you need help with that last one, let me know. Amazing people like you deserve awesome jobs.) Have a great day!  

Test it out. 

Unsure of how your messaging will sound to a candidate? Try it out on yourself. Go through the touchpoints as a candidate to see where there’s room for improvement. Better yet: create an audience of colleagues and ask them to give feedback on the journey before it goes live. 

Looking for another set of eyes while you learn to get the most out of your automation platform? We can help! Our automation optimization experts can teach you how to build journeys that will improve candidate engagement and get jobs filled! Let’s get to work.

Learn more about marketing automation:

How to Choose the Right Automation Platform for Your Staffing Firm

5 Things You Should Do When You Implement an Automation Platform

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