CBP job applicants sign up for text messages

A six-month-old SMS text messaging program implemented to keep U.S. Customs and Border Protection in better touch with job applicants is transforming the hiring process, according to the agency’s Office of Human Resources Management.

Beginning with its entry-level Border Patrol Agent job opportunity announcements on Feb. 20 and as part of the agency’s online application process, the new system allows CBP job applicants to receive SMS text messages on their mobile device as they progress through the selection process. Of the first 1,000 applicants offered the choice, according to a June 27 statement on HRM’s web page, 343 opted to receive the messages. Applicants can choose to receive or opt out of receiving text messages at any time during the selection process by contacting CBP’s Minneapolis Hiring Center.

With the increasing popularity of mobile phones and tablets, CBP said, SMS capabilities provide the opportunity to connect with the growing number of people who actively use text messaging. CBP officials declined to detail the cost of implementing the new system, but said the agency was pleased with the investment. They stressed that SMS is more familiar to younger applicants than the phone or e-mail as their primary means of communicating, and is often given greater attention than voicemail or other electronic messages.

HRM said it has been using several pre-programmed SMS text message templates, reminding applicants of pending deadlines for required forms or documents, as well as the date and time of their upcoming medical and fitness examinations and interviews. SMS also provides the department with the capability to create and send more personalized messages when needed.

SMS text messaging, said the agency, helps promote timely responses to document deadlines, reduce the number of missed appointments, and increase applicant satisfaction with the hiring process by creating a higher sense of engagement and awareness of processing requirements. It also expects SMS use to boost applicant flow and retention in the process, allowing reductions to overall applicant processing time and costs. HRM said it is monitoring the impact of SMS and planning additional uses for text-based communication, such as providing notification of important changes in an applicant’s status.