How to Use Video Throughout the Candidate Experience

Webster defines Human Resources as one of the toughest jobs known to everyone who has ever been in the workforce. I didn't make that up. (I have a friend named Webster who is in Human Resources.)

Between onboarding, training, benefits, and discipline, Human Resources professionals have a lot on their plate. Add hiring to the mix and, well, I don't need to say anything more. (But I'm going to.)

There are many reasons it's becoming more difficult than ever for you to find and attract the right employees. It's a tough job market for you HR pros. Whether you are a small business or you are trying to appeal to a variety of different generations, there are many challenges to overcome.

This means that you need to stand out — not just early in the recruitment process — but all the way through, until the hire. But, how will you stand out? Video, of course.

Here are five kinds of videos you can use to impress your top candidates all the way through the candidate experience.

1. Start with a Recruitment or Culture Video
2. Send a Thanks for Applying Video (and automate it if you can)
3. Send an Interview Invitation Video
4. Send an Offer Video along with Your Offer Letter
5. Welcome Your New Hire to the Team

1. Start with a Recruitment or Culture Video

So, you have an open position or positions. You do the standard posting of the job description, requirements, and so forth.

The truth is, it's a lot of words and so many job postings are so similar that they start to sound and look the same.

Creating a professionally produced recruitment or culture video can be a great way to stand out from the crowd. This video shouldn't tell prospects specifically about the job and what they will do for 40 hours a week.

Instead, use this video as an opportunity to showcase what makes your company special, unique, interesting. Today's workforce wants to know about your culture.

Zendesk, a company based in San Francisco, does it better than anyone, they put their culture front and center in this video. Check out their Culture Video.

What will it be like at your company? Will your applicants fit in? Do they have a chance to grow? Use your best employees to illustrate what drives people at your company and why they love their job. Highlight the kind of people you'd want to attract to your business.

Are they hardworking? Are they dependable? Are they problem solvers? Do they have a high EQ? What makes people successful in your business?

Creating a video that illustrates your company culture can not only answer the questions that many of your job applicants have, but it can also attract a higher caliber of candidates to your postings.

2. Send a Thanks for Applying Video (Automate it if You Can)

Many companies produce a culture video, but they don't take the time to think about how other videos might help them enhance the application process.

Video can help bring some warmth to a process that can otherwise feel cold and not personalized. Consider sending a video thanking all applicants for applying.

I know what you are thinking, "I don't have enough time or money to create a video for everyone who applies." Not true! You only need to create one video that you can use over and over.

Then, you think, "I don't have the budget to hire a company to shoot all of these videos." While creating a professionally-produced video has its advantages, creating a video yourself is much better than not doing it at all.

Yes, I'm a video producer saying you can do this without the help of a professional video production company.

Keep it simple. This is just a way to show gratitude and engage all those who applied. Remember, you're competing with others for this talent and one of the most frustrating parts of applying for a new job is feeling like you sent your resume out to an abyss and just hoping to hear something in return.

Not only that, but 95% of recruiters and marketers believe the candidate experience has an impact on the employer brand. Timely communication throughout the process will reflect positively on your brand.

Here is a great example from Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

Thank you to the 5,000 people who applied for the PA job on Necker - I wish I could hire all of you but unfortunately our island isn’t that big! Keep an eye on @virgin’s career page for more exciting opportunities

A post shared by Richard Branson (@richardbranson) on May 17, 2018 at 2:16am PDT

Take a minute to consider these two things:

1. If Richard Branson has the time, I'm sure you can carve out five minutes.
2. Notice that he recorded this video with his phone (or laptop) — he's one of the richest men in the world and he still uses his phone for video.

Feel free to play around with this. Maybe you can get your CEO to be on camera. Or, if you'd like, you could do it yourself or maybe even have different employees thank the applicant. You can be creative here.

Need a format to follow? Here are a few things you could include:

• Thank you message: Include a message from your hiring manager, president, or CEO personally thanking applicants for taking the time/interest in applying for your open position.

• Your company's process for follow-up: No one likes to be left in the dark, so help applicants navigate your company's process by telling them what they can expect from you.

• Best practices for the applicant: Every company has slightly different expectations on how they want people to follow-up. If you don't want people to call or email you personally, just let them know!

• Give them some hints: Looking to see who is paying attention to your content and process? Give them some hints on how they can stand out. Do applicants that have a certain certification get ahead? Let your applicants know! If they don't have it, they can still earn bonus points if they start before their interview.

3. Send a Personalized Interview Invitation Video

Once you start getting qualified candidates, video can be a great way to make a great first impression.

I'd recommend you personalize these videos messages: Use the applicant's name, call out a few things that stood out in their resume or phone interview.

You can be creative here — have the manager of the open position introduce themselves or share a message from a potential co-worker. This is a chance to showcase another angle of your company and create a deeper emotional connection before they come in for the next round of interviews.

A video like this will stand out and make your company unique, and I'd bet you will be the only one to do this. You can still call the employee to schedule the interview, but this video is just a way to get the prospect excited about the interview and your company.

Once again, no need for a professional video production company to produce this. The key is the personalization to make the candidate feel like they're special.

4. Extend Your Formal Offer Using Video

In the example above, we reached out to Charlie, (and two others) and had them come in and meet the team. Charlie clearly stood out and we're confident he is the right person for the job, so we want to make him an offer. How about doing so with a video? Check it out.

Again, this a great way to create a personal connection with your new hire! Personalize this video with some thoughts and reasons why you loved their interview and what makes you excited about having them on the team.

5. Welcome to The Team

Once you've chosen your new hire, this is where it gets exciting! Get your team together and record them all saying "WELCOME!" This could be a simple video that just showcases that you are all excited to have a new member on your team.

If you want to get really fancy, think about recording your employees saying what they love most about their jobs. Help new employees learn people's names and roles and get excited to join your passionate team!

Tips for Recording Your Own Video

There are many ways you can record your own videos. Here are some tools that can help:

• Soapbox is a free Chrome Extension that allows you to record video and share your screen. This is one of my favorite tools.

• HubSpot Video works great if you are a HubSpot partner. It's similar to Soapbox.

• Cell Phones have incredible cameras and capabilities. Here are some tips on using your phone to create your Candidate Engagement Videos.

Conclusion

As my friend Webster said, "Finding the right candidates for your company is a challenge." You need to stand out. The key here is being creative. Have fun with the videos. Show your personality. Make sure your prospects are engaged throughout the entire candidate experience.

The application process is a direct reflection on your company, using video throughout the process can help you ensure that you are putting your best foot forward.