Hiring Via Text Message: Employer Trend on the Rise?

We’ve heard of job seekers getting creative to make themselves stand out, particularly in light of the recession, but what about employers? In today’s economy, is the utilization of unique or out-of-the-ordinary methods to find candidates a smart move? In the oft-uttered words of Sarah Palin, you betcha. But how?

Teimlo’s story

Mobile phone content provider Teimlo’s method of hiring for a marketing position is a bit, well, different. The Wales-based company is requiring those candidates interested in working as a marketer for Teimlo to apply via a single text message (and in typical mobile-phone-text-limit fashion, to do it in 160 characters or less). If a candidate makes it to the next hiring round, he or she will get a response from Teimlo — also via text message (duh).

The company explains this move by saying that they want candidates who work well with mobile phones. How do you prove your superior mobile abilities? Well, according to a recent article on Reuters, the company is looking for a myriad of traits. “If you are qualified, sassy, good with words, dynamite at events, Adobe compatible, having working knowledge of mobile and social mobile, and are a determined multi-tasker and networker we want to hear from you,” the company said.

That’s a lot to prove in 160 characters or less. But Teimlo also said the 160 character limit would help sift the “more savvy” about providing content from those who “just want any job.” The company says it wants people who are genuinely interested in their job — not just any job — and that this limited use of characters will force applicants to be creative. The job application process is open until September, so candidates have ample time to come up with their biggest string of Internet slang abbreviations most illustrious words to land that job.

What we can learn

Teimlo is not the only company dreaming up new methods to attract not only candidates — but well-matched candidates –  in today’s job market, but they are a great example of a business taking stock of the current economical environment, changing technologies, and the evolving online habits of job seekers to take their hiring process in new directions.

Successful candidates may express their excitement in short bursts of text as well, I imagine:

OMG guess what? Just got intvw w/that co.! Call me l8tr! xoxo

Or, you know, not.

So what do you think? Applying via text: Genious or just gimmicky? And if you could only get 160 characters of text from a candidate’s application, what would you want to hear?

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• Posted by: Amy Chulik on July 9, 2009
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• Categories: Employee Attraction, Innovation, Technology