by Sean Devlin, Front Rush
With the latest release of the iPhone 5 and the update to the iPhone OS, we wanted to send out a friendly recommendation to help you use the technology without committing a recruiting violation. This really cool new idea is the Reject a Call with a Text Message feature.
This feature allows you to not only ignore the call, but you can send a text message back to the caller. If someone calls you and you are in a meeting, you can send a message back that says, “Hey, I am in a meeting, I’ll call you later”. This is fine if you know who is calling you. But, you need to be careful not to send the same message every time. This could be an easy mistake as the function can be done with a single click of a button. You need to be sure that you are not accidentally texting back a recruit illegally. Granted, the NCAA rules have changed dramatically about sending texts to recruits. But, these rules are not valid for all sports. So first and foremost, use this feature cautiously.
Similarly, use this feature to your advantage. You can customize the text message that goes back so make sure you write a message that shows your personality and shows your interest in the caller. Instead of using a generic response like “I’ll call you back”, put some effort and more importantly, heart into it. “So sorry I can’t answer right now. I’m in a meeting but will call you as soon as I get out”. Something that shows you actually care and are not just auto-responding.
To get this new function and many more on your existing iPhone, you can plug it into your computer and choose the “update” feature. It takes a bit of time to do the update but it’s well worth it.