More than 1 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends, family, colleagues anytime anywhere. It is the fastest growing communication app. WhatsApp has already replaced SMS and has become the biggest instant messaging platform.
Best feature of WhatsApp are:
- Real-time conversations through text messages
- Easier to type messages & attach files using a web browser – WhatsApp Web
- Sharing of all kind of files like .pdf, .doc, .docx, .jpg, .png etc.
- WhatsApp calls
- Sending of voice messages
- Group conversation
How Recruiting and WhatsApp go together
There are a lot of things that one can do using WhatsApp. It is changing the way communications happen. When WhatsApp has so many features, then how can we, recruiters, not use it?
1. Source Candidates
WhatsApp is becoming latest platform for Social Recruiting. There are many WhatsApp groups for recruiters. Recruiters’ fraternity is really into helping each other. Daily, about 10 openings are posted on these groups by fellow recruiters and we share our referrals. This is a very effective way of getting relevant candidates for the job openings.
2. Share Job Description
Many candidates cannot access personal emails or take calls during office hours. However, they can use WhatsApp. When candidates say “I can’t open my personal emails in office”, then why don’t we recruiters share Job Description and Company profile with our candidates on WhatsApp itself?
3. Notify Candidates
Send reminders to candidates about their interview process, date & time or any other discussions. WhatsApp is the fastest way to communicate and know that your communication is seen by the candidates.
4. Forward to Multiple Candidates
WhatsApp makes it easy to send the same message to multiple candidates without disclosing that the message is forwarded. We can easily forward JD, company profile, venue details etc. to multiple candidates.
5. Judge Candidate’s Interest
Instant messaging in WhatsApp helps we, recruiters, know if the candidate has seen our message or not. We can then judge the interest level of a candidate in the job thereafter. If they delay their response or are ignoring our message, we can understand that they aren’t that interested in the opportunity and then move to other candidates.
6. Send Call Letters
Sometimes candidates need to show interview call letter on the venue. Sending call letter on WhatsApp saves them from the hassles of carrying a print-out of interview call letters. WhatsApp is also handier than emails.
7. Merge it with ATS
Using WhatsApp Web, we can easily copy paste the whole conversation with the candidate in Application Tracking System. We can even put a screenshot of conversation in comments.
Please share your views and suggestion
WhatsApp is a brilliant tool for a recruiter. It makes our work easier to an extent. I hope you enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to share your views. You can also tweet your comments to @Rezoomex and @aditi_sha26 with #TechHiringBlog
Aditi Sharma is a technology recruiter and an HR blogger with 4 yrs. of experience. She has an outstanding record of sourcing technical talent through traditional as well as non-traditional mediums and she enjoys every second of it.
In her spare time, Aditi loves to explore new places around the globe and writing blog. Currently, she is the Sr. Recruitment Specialist with Rezoomex.