Do you text often? Are your texting skills lacking or do you “rock” it?
According to Jobvite’s 2018 Recruiter Nation Survey, 43 percent of hiring managers have communicated with job candidates via text. This trend will continue to increase. So it is in your best interest to brush up on the texting skills and be prepared to respond should a hiring manager contact you.
Text Messaging Tips
How do you ensure that you can present yourself as positively as possible when you have to be short and succinct? These tips might help:
Don’t Initiate Text
Let the interviewer or recruiter be the first to use text between you. Send your initial job application and resume through traditional channels, and communicate afterwards via email or phone.
If the interviewer reaches out to you via text, they will be expecting a response. At that time it is fine to return a message via text.
Don’t Ignore Messages
If an interviewer texts you, they can usually see when it was read. So be prompt in responding. If it will be a while, let them know you are currently working and will respond in an hour or whenever.
Keep It Professional
It can be tempting to just give them a one or two-word answer, use abbreviation, emoticons, etc. Don’t do it. Use complete sentences, full words, and a professional tone. You are not texting family in a relaxed tone. Keep a degree of formality and professionalism in job search texts.
Check your Text “Signature”
If you have a text “signature” that is sent at the bottom of every text message, make sure it’s appropriate for use in professional communications.
Spelling and Punctuation Matter
Check and re-check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and watch out for auto-correct errors.
Stay Within Business Hours
Because texting, like phone conversations, is “real time” communications, only send your text to a recruiter during normal business hours.
Double Check Who You are Sending to
Before you hit send, check that you’re sending the text to the right person. We have all heard the horror stories of messages being sent to the wrong person.
You want to keep your text message as short as possible, but don’t be afraid to convey information that will showcase your abilities and heighten the interviewer or recruiter’s interest in you. You want to appear professional regardless of what tool is used in the job search process.
If you would like to learn more, I found this article about what it is like to apply for a job via text to be very interesting.
Do You Need Help
If you need help preparing for the job-hunt, contact your Career Coach, Rachel Schneider, at Career Find for an Introduction Call. I can help you create a resume that will differentiate you from the competition, develop a unique job search strategy, and help you to feel confident as you begin the job search process.