Job Recruiters Are Using After-Hour Texts To Test Candidates

A man in a work office communicating virtually with his coworkers. Credit: Unsplash

Imagine this: You finish a job interview, and late that night, you get a text from a recruiter. Do you reply? William Vanderbloemen, who runs an executive search firm in Houston, Texas (USA), uses this test to see if candidates fit roles requiring quick responses. It's not a deal-breaker, but a fast reply is a solid bonus. In other words, quickly replying to this text won't automatically get you the job, but it could increase your chances. This method, inspired by the need for fast turnaround times, highlights the evolving nature of job interviews. As Vanderbloemen says, "It's about finding a match." Vanderbloemen compared the text message test to successfully pulling off an organ transplant through the process of finding not only the best tissue but also the one that matches. In today's competitive job market, unique tests like these are becoming more common for the purpose of finding the right fit. For instance, another common test is the coffee cup test. The interviewer shows the candidates to the kitchen and offers them all a cup of coffee in a mug. Those who don't wash their mugs and clean up after themselves usually earn themselves a lower ranking on the recruiter's preference list. Again, it doesn't fully determine your end result (whether you landed the job or not), but it still makes a small difference. These tests are also testaments to how difficult it has gotten to get a job in the US, despite relatively low unemployment rates. Finally, this fusion of using texts to test job candidates shows that technology is being applied in areas that are completely unrelated. Its outreach gives people the power to make decisions, share information, and do much more, all from extremely common gadgets that aren't any bigger than a desk.