Key Stats About Candidate Messaging Preferences

By Stephen Lecker, Toronto Accounting & Finance Recruiter

How you communicate with candidates matters. Picking up the phone and calling a candidate may seem like the best option, but it is not the only effective way to connect with candidates in today’s job market.

Email, social media, online chat, and even text messaging are all options today. Knowing when to communicate, what to say, and which platform to use all have an impact on the candidate experience. Therefore, it’s important to know which method of communication is best to engage top industry talent.

Job Candidate Messaging Stats

Business 2 Community recently published an infographic from Ideal outlining candidate messaging preferences. Here is what they found:

General Messaging Preferences

• 66% of job candidates are comfortable using artificial intelligence and chat bots
• Two-thirds consider text messaging as an acceptable form of communication
• 58% prefer to be contacted in the morning (8am-12pm)
• 53% trust a company more when it reaches out quickly

Candidates are increasingly comfortable with multiple forms of communication. What is most important is promptly communicating with candidates during the hiring process.

Email Messaging Stats

Email messaging is widely used during the recruiting process. Here are some stats to note:

• One-third prefer an automatic email immediately after they apply for a job online. This ensures they know their application was received.
• 150-250 words is an ideal email length
• 21% will reply to a second email

Using email effectively is important to engage candidates. Communicate regularly, keep it short and sweet, and always follow up.

Messaging and Generational Differences

Who you are contacting matters:

• Millennials prefer email
• Generation X is okay with email or phone calls
• Baby boomers prefer phone calls

Know your audience. Choose the right method of communication to reach the candidate using their preferred method of communication.

More Communication Is Better

Whether you are using email, text messaging, or the phone, candidates want more communication from hiring companies and recruiters. They want to be kept in the loop and updated about developments in the hiring process. Good communication habits also help to improve the candidate experience. Keeping candidates engaged maintains their interest in the position.

More Recruiting Stats and Tips

Gain more insights about the hiring and recruiting process by reading these blog posts by our experienced headhunters:

2017 Recruiting and Engagement Statistics Worth Reading

2017 Recruiting Trends

4 Recruiter Tips to Hit the Ground Running After Labour Day

IQ PARTNERS is an Executive Search & Recruitment firm supporting clients across the country. We help companies hire better, hire less & retain more. We have specialist teams of recruiters in Technology (IT), Accounting and Finance, Consumer Goods, eCommerce and Retail, Financial Services and Insurance, B2B and Industrial, Operations and HR, Professional Services and Legal, Media, Digital and Marketing, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, Emerging Technology and Telecom, and  Sales. IQ PARTNERS has its head office in Toronto and operates internationally via Aravati Global Search Network. Click here to view current job openings and to register with us.