Texting Guide for Recruiting

Recruiting moves fast. Candidates respond on their own time, and roles can close within hours. TextUs helps recruiting teams reach candidates quickly, confirm interest, and keep each conversation personal at scale.

How TextUs Fits Recruiting Workflows

Recruiters use TextUs Campaigns to contact targeted candidate lists from the ATS while keeping every message short and actionable. You can attach a PDF or image for job descriptions, shift calendars, or onboarding checklists.

Keywords like APPLY or YES route high intent replies into short Sequences that confirm next steps.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox so coordinators and recruiters can assign ownership and respond with Templates. Integrations with systems like Bullhorn, Avionté, and JobDiva log messages automatically. You can measure deliveries, replies, and clicks in TextUs, then export CSVs to reconcile with placements in your ATS.

What to Set Up First

Connect your ATS so contacts and conversations sync between systems. Turn on opt-out handling so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE are processed automatically. Confirm your business numbers are registered for 10DLC to protect deliverability.

Create Templates for your most common recruiting moments. Examples include availability checks, job details, document requests, and onboarding reminders. Assign Shared Inbox coverage so someone owns replies during working hours.

Build focused segments in your ATS that map to active demand. For example, create lists for certified nurses, forklift drivers, or Java engineers by location. Keep lists small enough that the job type, rate, and timing feel relevant on first touch.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment from your ATS, such as “Active Candidates This Week.” This makes sure your messages reach the right people.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, quick one. Are you available for a [Job Type] role in [Location] starting [Date]? Reply YES if interested or NO if not available.”
3. Attach media: Add a PDF with job details or an image of the weekly schedule. Attachments help candidates decide faster.
4. Set up an A/B test: Create a second version that changes one element, like the opener or the call to action. Send both to see which gets more replies.
5. Schedule your campaign: Pick a send time that matches your talent pool’s routine. Many teams text early morning for healthcare or mid-afternoon for light industrial.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as APPLY, YES, or SHIFT and reference it in your message. When a candidate replies with that word, TextUs will recognize it automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Confirm interest and request documents. Step 2: Follow up 24 hours later if documents are not received.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, monitor reply rates, and review which version performs better. Follow up quickly through the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto reply): “Thanks for confirming. Please reply with your latest resume or certification so we can finalize placement.”
  
  
• Step 2 (reminder): “Checking in. Did you get a chance to send your documents? We would like to confirm your assignment today.”
  
  

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by availability, skill, certification, and geography so every message matches real demand. Use ATS filters that add and remove candidates automatically as statuses change. Sync segments to TextUs on a schedule so lists stay current without manual work.

Personalize lightly to keep messages accurate at scale. First name and one contextual detail, such as job type or start date, are usually enough. Keep one clear call to action so candidates know exactly how to respond.

Audit segments monthly to maintain quality and compliance. Remove recent opt-outs and placed candidates. Track performance by segment to adjust cadence before response rates fall.

Template Library for Recruiting Scenarios

Store a small set of Templates for high-volume moments so your team can move quickly without rewriting.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, quick one. Are you available for a [Job Type] shift in [Location] starting [Date]? Reply YES or NO.”
  
  
• “Thanks for confirming. Please text your latest resume or certification so we can submit you today.”
  
  
• “New opening for [Role] at [Client]. Pay is [Rate]. Reply APPLY if you would like the full details.”
  
  
• “Reminder. Your [Job Type] shift at [Client] starts at [Time] tomorrow. Reply READY to confirm.”
  
  
• “Your assignment ends Friday. Would you like to be considered for another placement next week? Reply YES to stay active.”
  
  

Review performance monthly and retire Templates that stop performing. Keep tone simple and direct. Use attachments only when they remove friction.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs each week. Join that file to ATS data by phone or email to connect replies to submissions, interviews, and placements. Label campaigns with clear names so analysis is simple later.

Track reply to submission and submission to placement conversion for each segment. Preserve the campaign variant in your ATS record so you can see which message style wins. Include attachment and keyword fields to understand which elements move candidates forward.

Use a short weekly report that shows delivery rate, reply rate, click rate, and placements from replies. Add notes on copy, segments, and timing changes so improvements are easy to attribute. Over time, these trends guide which segments to scale and which to pause.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies land in the Shared Inbox for full visibility across the recruiting team. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so candidates get a single point of contact. Templates keep responses consistent while a personal line maintains trust.

Handoffs are simple when notes are clear. If a candidate needs credentialing, tag compliance, and forwarding the thread with a short summary. If a candidate goes quiet, move them into a re-engagement Sequence that checks back later with a helpful prompt.

Keep notifications on during work hours so no candidate waits. Fast responses raise fill rates and create a better candidate experience. Clear ownership prevents duplicate outreach and missed confirmations. 

Tracking Results and Improving Performance

Check delivery and reply data a few hours after each send. Delivery below 95 percent suggests list or compliance issues that you should fix before the next batch. Compare A and B openers and keep the higher performer for the following week.

If you included a link or job description PDF, review click activity as a signal of interest. Export CSVs and reconcile with ATS submissions and placements to prove downstream impact. For example, after one week, the conversational opener reached a 15% reply rate versus 10% for a formal tone.

Use these learnings to refine cadence by segment. Some roles respond best to early morning messages, while others prefer midday. Keep tests small and frequent so insights accumulate.

Compliance and Deliverability for Recruiting

Use registered 10DLC numbers to keep carrier trust high. Leave opt-out handling on, so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE are processed automatically. Include a short line in the first message, such as “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid spam triggers by limiting links, excessive punctuation, and all caps. Send within local hours for each region. Keep attachments lightweight so they load quickly on mobile devices.

A weekly availability or job update cadence works well for most recruiting motions. If you need daily notifications, use short messages and make sure candidates opted in for that frequency. Deliverability improves when expectations are clear.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Recruiting

Can I attach documents or images to my texts?

Yes. TextUs supports PDFs, images, and GIFs for both campaigns and one-to-one messages. Recruiters often attach job descriptions, onboarding packets, or shift calendars to reduce back and forth.

Can I schedule recurring job update campaigns?

Yes. You can schedule campaigns and set them to repeat on daily, weekly, or monthly cycles. Many recruiting teams send weekly availability checks or daily shift reminders using recurrence.

How do Keywords and Sequences help with confirmations?

When candidates reply with a keyword like APPLY or YES, TextUs can enroll them automatically in a Sequence. The first step confirms interest and asks for the needed documents. A later step follows up if there is no response.

How does the Shared Inbox keep teams aligned?

All replies appear in one place so recruiters can see context and avoid duplicates. You can assign ownership and use Templates for consistent answers. Notes and tags make handoffs to compliance or payroll straightforward.

What metrics should I track to prove value?

Start with delivery, reply, and click rates to measure engagement. Export CSVs and join them to ATS submissions and placements to see conversion impact. A simple weekly report shows which segments and messages drive the most placements.