Recruitment Video Practices for Hiring the Best Team

Editor's Note: This blog was updated for relevancy and accuracy on August 13, 2024.

Finding the right person for your company is getting more and more difficult. Not only does the candidate need to have the appropriate skill set that will help them succeed, they also need to be a culture fit. Hiring the right people begins with attracting the right people! Similar to marketing videos, not only is this a powerful medium to showcase your business, it’s also the best way to introduce your organization to someone without unnecessarily having to invest time in the candidate. 

Remember, just like prospective customers, prospective employees go through a "buying" process - from discovering your business to considering and exploring specific roles to becoming passionate followers who want to join your team. In today's digital world, it's not enough to have one video that says it all, Talent Acquisition professionals should consider multiple messages that meet candidates "where they are" in their journey. When building a video strategy, consider a series of short videos that can be used for specific situations based on the interest of a candidate.

1. Anthem Videos

Often people are looking for career opportunities before they know what businesses to target. For example, tradesmen are looking for opportunities in a specific trade and then find the companies. Marketers are looking for marketing jobs and find the companies that are hiring. Ironically, the most effective and attention-grabbing recruitment videos don't mention details of a specific job. The most memorable videos make the viewer feel something. These videos may be the 60-second movie trailer of a business that makes a viewer want to learn more and take the next step.

2. Showcase an employee

When a candidate takes the next step in their journey, they may read reviews on websites like "Glassdoor" or they may look to better understand what a "day-in-the-life" of a team member looks like. Ideally, in these cases, you showcase the type of person at your organization that you would like to duplicate. Feature an employee who is thriving at your company and have them tell the viewer why they love their job. Show the viewer what it looks like to perform this job and why it's important. Not only does this provide the candidate real insight into a job they are considering, it also serves as a valuable testimonial for the position and the company.

3. Show how your organization makes a difference

People want to work for a company that stands for something. They want to know that their employer has a passion with which they identify. When a candidate is seriously considering a position at your company, it may be helpful to illustrate how your business interests extend beyond the P&L. When searching for this angle, focus on your unique cause, or belief, and how the team rallies behind it. A number of businesses have produced service videos that tap into the passion of the company which hopefully resonates with the viewer. Take the cosmetics company, Aveda, for example. They have a partnership with Charity Water, a nonprofit organization committed to clean water. Aveda makes their corporate social responsibility clear for all who are interested in partnering with their organization:

4. Dynamic work environments

Again, future employees want to understand your work culture when in the consideration phase, especially if there's flexibility in work locations. Many businesses offer a flexible work environment that allows employees an opportunity to work in different settings. Yet, not all businesses are the same and while some businesses provide a great deal of autonomy others do not. By showcasing a top performing employee who personifies your flexible work culture you have the ability to show a prospective employee a typical work day. Conversely, a business that requires team members to be in the office during the week, it's a chance to show a prospective employee what that arrangement looks like.

4. Empathize with the viewer

Whether a candidate is first learning about your business or is a finalist for a position, your video should speak to the qualities of your organization that will resonate with your viewer, answer their questions and address their concerns. When producing company videos, businesses often lead with the many virtues or features of their operation, but that doesn't always connect with a viewer. Remember, video is a visual medium and it's important to create an emotional connection with a viewer when possible. HubSpot, a marketing software company in Cambridge, MA, is consistently among the top places to work in the United States. In their hiring videos, they focus on the benefits of the company's strongest qualities. The recruitment video below highlights the impact one can make while working on a small, driven team (while also showcasing their open, pet-friendly work environment). Look at your organization from the viewer's perspective - what are the benefits? Would you want to work for your company?

Additional Considerations

Of course, not all recruitment videos are going to fit into a nice, neat little box. There are countless approaches, tips and tricks to help you stand out in when producing hiring videos. Here are some ways to help distinguish your company from the competition:

Add Humor. Nothing is harder to pull off in video than humor. Just because you and your co-worker think something is funny doesn’t mean the masses will share your enthusiasm. However, when done well, not only is it memorable, it’s shareable and then you have other people pitching your job opening for you!

Talk About the Good and the Bad of Working at Your Company. If you’d like to hire the right person for your company, create "day-in-the-life" videos and be fully transparent about the position and your company. If that means sharing the good and the bad and ugly, so be it. Hiring the wrong person is often worse than hiring no one at all. 

Promote Your Recruiting Video. Yes, it's important to make sure the video is on your website, but also make sure it’s easy for people to find on your social media channels and via online job posting services. The more people can find your video, the better chance you have of identifying the right person. 

Attracting the right people for your business is essential to the success of your company. Depending on the size of your organization, one bad hire can change the make-up of your culture. Today, we go online to gather information about products, services and, yes, careers. Not only is this good for your prospective employees, it will also save you from spending time with candidates who are not the right fit for your business.