How to set up two-way texting in ATS Mako for your recruiting team

What this guide covers

This guide shows you how to set up two-way texting in ATS Mako so your recruiters can text candidates and get replies in one place. Two-way SMS is part of the core platform, not a separate tool. Every text and email lands in one conversational inbox, threaded by candidate, so your whole team works the same conversations.

If you are new to the idea, start with what two-way texting in recruiting means. If you are ready to configure, read on.

Before you start: what you need

• A plan that includes SMS. Two-way SMS is included starting on the Tiger Shark plan. Check your plan on the pricing page.
• Your brand assets: logo, colors and domain. ATS Mako is white-label, so candidates see your brand, not ours.
• A way to capture candidate consent before you text. This is your responsibility, even with the built-in guardrails.
• Candidates in your pipeline. A branded apply page with email-to-apply is the fastest way to get applicants in.
• One test phone number you control, so you can check both directions before going live.

Set up two-way SMS step by step

1. 1 Confirm SMS is active on your account Make sure your plan includes two-way SMS. ATS Mako can send and receive across multiple SMS providers rather than locking you to one carrier. If you are unsure how sending is set up on your account, contact support before you text at volume.
2. 2 Apply your branding Set your logo, colors and domain so every text and email reinforces your company. See how the white-label applicant tracking system keeps candidates focused on you.
3. 3 Put consent and opt-out in place ATS Mako supports prior consent capture, an automatic Reply STOP opt-out and quiet-hours awareness. Make sure your application flow asks for consent before anyone texts. Staying compliant remains your responsibility.
4. 4 Build reusable templates Write your core messages once: first contact, interview confirmation, reminder, follow-up nudge. Templates keep messaging consistent across every recruiter and update everywhere when you change them.
5. 5 Send and test your first message Text a test candidate record that uses your own phone number. Reply from your phone. Confirm the reply threads onto that candidate's record in the inbox.
6. 6 Turn on automations Once one-to-one texting works, add triggers based on candidate status, time delays, recruiter actions or calendar events. The moment a candidate replies, the conversation lands in the inbox so a recruiter can take over.
7. 7 Bring in your team Your recruiters and hiring leaders work from the same inbox. Every text and email is logged in one thread per candidate, so anyone can see who reached out, who replied and what comes next.

Hi [First name], thanks for applying for the [Job title] role at [Company]. Do you have a few minutes this week for a quick call? Reply here with a good time. Reply STOP to opt out.

How to confirm it worked

• Your test text arrived on your phone showing your company's branding in the message.
• Your reply appeared on the test candidate's own thread, not in a separate app.
• Replying STOP marked the test candidate as opted-out and excluded them from future automated SMS sends.
• A bulk send to a small test segment routed each reply back to the right candidate's thread.

Troubleshooting common setup issues

When to contact support

Contact support if texts fail to deliver after you have checked opt-out status and timing, if replies do not appear on any candidate thread, or if SMS is not available on a plan that should include it. If you are still evaluating, book a demo to see the setup with your own workflow.