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RehabCare uses SMS application to recruit employees

When RehabCare realized it was in need of mobile expertise, the firm turned to Blast Companies.

The physical rehabilitation program management services provider needed a better way to communicate with students and new graduates in the medical rehabilitation fields. So Blast developed a text messaging recruiting campaign via its Engage mobile platform to help do that.

"The strategy here is to utilize new technology already embraced by the target audience to better communicate with students and recent college graduates concerning RehabCare job openings," said Chris Torbit, president of Blast, St. Louis.

"[We are trying] to build a database of qualified individuals who are not only interested in a position with RehabCare, but also meet RehabCare's requirements for employment," he said.

The text messaging application allows RehabCare to gather information from candidates that includes their mobile phone number, email address, name, graduation date and specialty.

RehabCare is a provider of physical rehabilitation program management services in about 1,250 hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities throughout the United States.

Blast offers database messaging applications and marketing services in voice broadcasting, email marketing, interactive voice recognition and mobile messaging. The company's text messaging application lets advertisers send short messages to mobile users.

Text messaging will allow clients such as RehabCare to advertise to a more targeted audience and save consumer information for future marketing programs.

Blast's user-enabled text messaging application also lets mobile users communicate with brands by entering keywords and interacting with mobile applications.

"Success [of the campaign] will be measured by the number of participants as well as positions filled during the course of the program," Mr. Torbit said. "Blast Companies will be managing the program -- building the application, providing results -- as well as providing assistance with strategy and promotion of the program."

The RehabCare effort will run through December.

"The campaign will not only allow RehabCare to better communicate with their target audience, but also show prospective employees the company is on the cutting edge when it comes to its organization, its facilities and, now, its recruiting," Mr. Torbit said.