Recruiting candidates for a job can be an intimidating process for both recruiters and those being recruited. With so many potential communication methods — such as email, telephone, and text messaging — it can be hard to know which one to use when reaching out to candidates.
In this article, we'll compare the pros and cons of each method so you can make an informed decision on how to best contact potential hires.
Pros:
Quickly send detailed messages with attachments
Relatively easy to track opens/replies
No pressure or immediate response required
Cons:
Messages may go unread or become buried in a crowded inbox
Requires knowledge of proper etiquette
Not great for conversing about complex topics
Email leads the pack for Talent Acquisition
When it comes to recruiting, the most commonly used means of acquiring talent is email. Emails allow recruiters to quickly and easily contact potential job candidates, as well as send pertinent documents or links.
They are easy to track and enable recruiters to keep a conversation going over a longer period with minimal effort.
Furthermore, emails enable recruiters to send messages out in bulk if needed, which can be helpful when trying to reach a large pool of applicants.
Recent studies have found that email is by far the most popular means of recruitment today. According to a survey conducted by Verizon Connect, 90% of recruiters prefer to use email for recruitment communication.
Additionally, recent studies from Marketo and Salesforce report similar results: 85% of recruiters surveyed prefer to use email as their primary channel when connecting with potential candidates.
Furthermore, more than 50% of recruiters noted that they used email more frequently than any other digital channel for recruiting efforts.
These figures are backed up further by data provided by Statista. According to the company's 2018 survey, 70.3% of all employers used emails in their recruitment process — far more than any other communication tool mentioned in the survey (phone calls, texts, social media channels, etc.).
Telephone
Pros:
Generally more personal than email
Easier to convey tone/emotion via voice
Great for complex conversations
Cons:
Requires more effort from both parties
Harder to explain complex topics over the phone
Difficult to track responses/replies
Telephone calls are also an effective tool for recruiting, as they allow recruiters to have more personal conversations with potential candidates. It's much easier to convey emotion and tone over the phone than via email; however, this does require more effort on both parties' parts than email does.
Text Messaging
Pros:
Quick responses are generally expected
Can easily share URLs/attachments
A good way to introduce yourself quickly
Cons:
More difficult to convey emotion over text
Not ideal for extended conversations about complex topics
Sends could get lost in the shuffle of other texts
Text messaging is becoming increasingly popular for recruitment efforts due to its convenience; however, it is not ideal for extended conversations about complex topics. It can be difficult to convey emotion over text, and messages sent via text can often get lost in the shuffle of other texts or notifications.