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Recruiting SMS Templates
What's a short, professional SMS to send a candidate?
Step 1 · Message
Step 2 · Details
Step 3 · Send
Used only in your browser to open the message — never sent to us.
RECRUITING SMS · First contact
English138 characters · 1 SMS part (plain text, 160 per SMS) · 5 [placeholders] to fill
Send from a registered sender ID through a licensed SMS provider, one candidate at a time, and honour opt-outs.
How the SMS templates work
Pick a message, fill in the candidate's name, the role and the details it needs (a date, documents or next step), and the text updates as you type. English messages are written to fit one 160-character SMS with typical details; Arabic messages use Unicode, which allows 70 characters per part, so they usually take two or three parts. Add the candidate's mobile number to open the message in your phone's SMS app — the number stays in your browser.
- GSM-7
- The basic SMS alphabet: 160 characters per message, 153 per part when split.
- Unicode (UCS-2)
- Used for Arabic and emoji: 70 characters per message, 67 per part.
- Sender ID
- The business name shown as the sender of bulk SMS; registered via a licensed provider.
Message length with the sample details
Each template rendered with the sample candidate (Fatima, Sales Executive, Al Noor Trading, Dubai).
| Message | English characters | English SMS parts | Arabic characters | Arabic SMS parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First contact | 129 | 1 | 107 | 2 |
| Interview invitation | 149 | 1 | 145 | 3 |
| Documents request | 146 | 1 | 142 | 3 |
| Follow-up (no reply) | 136 | 1 | 105 | 2 |
| Moving forward / next steps | 157 | 1 | 163 | 3 |
| Not selected | 144 | 1 | 120 | 2 |
Longer names, places or document lists add characters. The counter in the tool measures your actual message.
Before you send
- Send one candidate at a time, on working days and in working hours.
- Use a registered sender ID and a licensed provider for any bulk or automated SMS.
- Never ask for passport or ID numbers by SMS — ask candidates to upload documents securely.
Other channels
Need more room? Use the WhatsApp recruiting messages, the Arabic recruiting messages or the recruitment email templates.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a recruiting SMS be?
One standard SMS holds 160 characters of plain English text. Anything longer is split into parts of 153 characters each and joined on the phone, and each part is billed. Arabic uses Unicode, so one SMS holds 70 characters and longer messages split into parts of 67. The counter under the message shows the characters and parts as you type.
Why does my English SMS count as Unicode?
Some characters fall outside the basic SMS alphabet — curly quotes, the long dash, emoji and accented letters pasted from Word or a phone keyboard. One of them switches the whole message to Unicode and cuts the limit from 160 to 70 characters. Retype quotes and dashes as plain characters to fix it.
Do I need a registered sender ID to send recruiting SMS in the Gulf?
For bulk or system-sent (A2P) SMS, yes — Gulf regulators require business sender names to be registered through licensed providers; in the UAE this sits with the TDRA framework and in Saudi Arabia with the CST. Your SMS provider handles the registration. Texting one candidate from your own work phone doesn't need it.
Should recruiting SMS include an opt-out?
For unsolicited first contact and follow-ups, yes — 'Reply STOP to opt out' is short and respectful, and many providers require it for marketing-style traffic. Interview confirmations and document requests to active applicants don't need one. Always honour a stop request.
SMS or WhatsApp — which should I use?
WhatsApp is the everyday channel in the Gulf and allows longer messages and attachments. SMS still works when a candidate isn't on WhatsApp, for short confirmations and reminders, and when your ATS sends messages automatically. Many teams use both: WhatsApp for conversation, SMS for reminders.
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