Engineering & Tech Professionals want better, less intrusive communication in recruitment…
A recent Matchtech survey of over 1,400 STEM professionals reveals a clear preference for non-intrusive communication that allows them to respond on their own terms and at their convenience.
Strong preferences remain for communication by email (as highlighted by (88%) or phone (56%).
…email communication
…phone communication
They also prefer secure messaging (e.g. WhatsApp) (29%) over either texting (22%) or live chat (20%). The findings highlight the need for smarter, candidate-friendly communication strategies that respect individual preferences while improving the recruitment experience.
…texting
…live chat
Communication preferences of STEM candidates
Email 88%
Phone 56%
Messaging - WhatsApp 29%
SMS - texting 22%
In-person meeting 21%
Live Chat 20%
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
Taking a sample of STEM professionals across key STEM sectors, there are relatively small – but still important - differences in the communication preferences.
Communication preferences of STEM candidates
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
While email remains the preferred method, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work in attracting talent. Those currently between assignments prefer immediate communication methods, such as phone calls or secure messaging, to move quickly in their job search. However, for candidates between assignments, face-to-face engagement (such as meetings or interviews) holds greater value than for those already in a role suggesting that career fairs, networking events, or in-person consultations could be a key differentiator in attracting and engaging active job seekers.
Communication preferences of STEM candidates by employment status
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
Additionally, whilst there are slightly higher levels of interest in instant communication channels amongst Technicians and Skilled Trades workers than engineers, email is their preferred communication channel – as highlighted by a notable 92%.
Communication preferences of STEM candidates: Engineers & Skilled Trades
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
The findings make it clear that communication should be tailored to each candidate’s needs and circumstances. This is where partnering with a specialist recruitment consultancy like Matchtech adds value through expertise and deep industry connections that ensure candidates receive relevant opportunities, clear insights, and a recruitment experience that works for them.
STEM candidates also emphasised the importance of having detailed company insights—including project information and associated technologies—before deciding to apply.
Need for detailed company profiles: level of importance to STEM candidates
Very important 46%
Important 31%
Moderately important 17%
Slightly important 5%
Of no importance 2%
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
Rating of usefulness on careers & agency websites
Detailed job description 4.07
Easy job search & filtering 4.01
Once-click application process 3.98
Application process tracking 3.80
Direct contact with recruiters 3.80
On a scale of 1 (least) to 5 (most) useful feature to STEM candidates
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
According to our Candidate Survey, comprehensive job descriptions were rated the most useful feature on careers and recruitment websites. Application tracking also ranked highly, coming in 4th out of 15 key features candidates find valuable.
And when it comes to recruitment apps, their perceived usefulness in terms of enabling two-way communication comes to the fore.
Percentage of STEM candidates rating the feature useful in a recruitment app
One-click applications 68%
Instant jobs alerts 59%
Application status tracking 58%
Direct messaging with recruiters 52%
Interview scheduling 50%
Source: Matchtech Candidate Survey, November 2024
As companies turn to AI to streamline their hiring processes, there’s huge potential to improve communication through automation. In fact, the latest LinkedIn Future of Recruiting 2025 report shows that GenAI is already making its mark in internal recruitment teams.*
“Adoption among recruiting teams is growing, with 37% of organisations now ‘actively integrating’ (11%) or ‘experimenting’ (26%) with GAI tools - up from a combined 27% a year ago.”
LinkedIn Future of Recruiting 2025
…adoption
…‘actively integrating’
…‘experimenting’
…a year ago
Right now, companies adopting GenAI in recruitment are prioritising efficiency over candidate experience. 70% expect AI to speed up hiring, while only 37% see it as a way to improve the candidate journey. The hope is that once efficiency gains are achieved, the focus will shift to enhancing the candidate experience and unlocking AI’s full potential in recruitment.
Top expected benefits of adopting GenAI in recruitment
Improving hiring efficiency 70%
Boosting job post effectiveness 47%
Expanding talent pools 39%
Enhancing the candidate experience 37%
Increasing the quality of hires 33%
Source: LinkedIn, Future of Recruiting 2025
Key takeaways and recommendations:
To stay ahead in the competitive STEM talent market, it's crucial to tailor recruitment communication strategies to suit the preferences of different candidate groups. Leverage automation where possible to streamline processes and improve hiring efficiency, but ensure that personalised, two-way communication remains at the heart of candidate engagement to help attract the best talent and build stronger, more trusting relationships with candidates.