Hirers and Hirees Texting Up a Storm.

• Position: THE HIRING PROCESS

For many people, texting is the favored--and sometimes only--way to connect with friends and family. Research from Robert Half Technology, Menlo Park, Calif., suggests that it also may be a common communication method between employers and job candidates.

Sixty-seven percent of IT decisionmakers surveyed indicate that their organization uses texting as a way to coordinate interviews with prospective job candidates. Some 48% of U.S. workers polled in a similar survey say they have received a text message from a potential employer.

When asked about the greatest advantage of texting during the hiring process, quick communication was the top response among IT managers and workers. They also acknowledge the greatest drawback is the possibility of miscommunicating.

"Managers are taking steps to speed up the recruiting process," notes Ryan Sutton, a district president at Robert Half. "Using texting as part of your hiring efforts may mean the difference in getting to your top candidate first and fast, especially at a time when that individual could be receiving multiple offers."

Sutton offers these texting tips for managers and job seekers during the hiring process. For hiring managers:

Ask permission. While most job seekers would be happy to receive communication in any form from prospective employers, verify they are open to text messaging.

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