Yes, Some Applicants Hate Talking on the Phone

Posted by Jonathan Kidder on May 28, 2018January 29, 2023

I have been reading about murmurs around different recruiting communities across the web on focusing on the phone. The trend has been to go back to the basics. Several blogs have belittled talent sourcing tools and claiming that the phone is some forgotten tool.

The phone is not a new discovery. You need to understand the basics of a good phone screen. But, when it comes to prospecting for a new lead you maybe want to consider a different starting point. Millennials communicate through other channels and recruiters need to understand these new challenges.

Let’s face it in most niche fields applicants are being inundated by recruiters. Junior level recruiters spam applicants all the time over email and over the phone. Because of this type of inexperience niche applicants in the IT/Engineering space avoid recruiters at all costs.

I’ve really experienced this change in recent years. Applicants respond to text messages 80-90% percent of the time. When I leave a voicemail it’s a crap shoot. Millennials have grown up with social media and cell phones. There are so many different communication channels the phone will never go away but it’s time to consider the true power of text messaging.

It’s a lot easier to ignore a voicemail message. A text, on the other hand, is sent right to a person’s notifications screen. Maybe direct cold calling works for your niche but from my experience in the IT field, applicants hate talking on the phone with recruiters. The employment rate is fairly low making it even more competitive to find people. That’s why it’s more imperative to shift your focus to what works in your unique niche industry.

Here are some examples I’ve used to communicate with applicants over text:

Hi Joe, what’s a good time to connect this week? -Jonathan (Company)

Looks like we missed each other. When can we connect? -Jonathan (Company)

Hi Joe, I sent you an email today. Would you be open to having a call today? -Jonathan (Company)

Hi Joe, we have an opening that would really match your (Niche) experience. Would you be open to a call? -Jonathan (Company)

I can tell you are an expert in this (Niche field). Wanted to connect over the phone this week if you have time. -Jonathan (Company)

I enjoyed reading your tweet this morning and wanted that chance to connect over the phone. What works best? -Jonathan (Company)

Hi Joe, (referral) suggested that I reach out to you this week. What day/time works for a quick call? -Jonathan (Company)

Tips: Keep it less than two sentences long. Mention your name and company at the end of your message like an email signature. Using a referral name really helps too. Overall, I would say I’ve gotten an 80-90% response rate using the above examples.

I wrote a post about text messaging candidates (here) ←

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Jonathan Kidder

With more than 12 years of recruitment experience, Jonathan has helped startups and small businesses find the talent they need. He runs the blog WizardSourcer, which explores the latest trends in talent sourcing, provides reviews of recruitment tools, and features interviews with prominent figures in the industry.