Transform Your Recruitment Process with Video Job Descriptions

Editor’s note: This post from 2017 was updated in 2023 with new best practices added. 

The pandemic and the Great Resignation have transformed the way people look for jobs. No longer are they content to submit a resume, then retype their entire resume into a form...or any other baloney. To attract the best talent, your world-class employee experience needs to shine during the application.

Applicants are especially wary of job descriptions. The average job description is confusing, meandering, and packed with buzzwords. With 10.5 million openings to choose from, is yours inspiring? A video job description engages interest, is easier to remember, and more likely to get a response.

What is a Video Job Description?

A video job description is a video-based overview of the role and its responsibilities, but it can also go further. Your unique, branded video job description may showcase your workplace, team, and culture.

Video job descriptions outperform plain text in a number of ways, bringing your company to life:

1. Increased Engagement

Recent research shows that video content increases engagement over plain text by up to 1200%. Nearly 60% of senior executives agree video is preferable for important campaigns; 54% of consumers say they want to see video from the brands they support. This is amplified for job-seekers, who may be applying to anywhere from 20 to 200 roles a week.

2. Humanize Your Brand

More than 80% of hiring managers say a candidate is more likely to stay in a job where they have a good culture fit. An astonishing 73% of professionals have left a job over culture fit. Video done right can communicate your culture clearly and accurately in seconds. It’s the next best thing to being there.

3. Highlight Your Best Features

Your business is more than just a compensation and benefits package. Using video, you can spotlight what it’s like to “live the life.” Do you have modern standing desks, company happy hours, or an office layout that encourages deep work? A video job description lets you share these perks.

4. Ignite Your Omnichannel Strategy

Video job descriptions work across all social media channels, including those where your recruiters are most likely to find candidates. LinkedIn loves video job descriptions, but so do YouTube, Twitter, and video-heavy platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can easily extend your reach with social sharing.

When Do Video Job Descriptions Work Best?

You don’t need to create a video job description for every role to see the benefits.

Video job descriptions work best when:

• Your opening needs a unique personality, specific experience, or unusual combination of skills

• You have high turnover or regular openings, such as call center reps or summer camp counselors

• You want to showcase your unique value proposition from the start to attract better applicants

• You can re-use a small number of customized videos across a large collection of similar listings

Your Video Job Description Production Options

Internal Production

If you need a video that’s fast, easy, disposable, and simple, this might be the right solution for you. If you don’t have an internal video team, you can use a phone or tablet to record a quick video. To some applicants, this can be a refreshing breath of authenticity—but the quality might not be the best.

External Production

For a top-quality, long-lasting solution that delivers compelling storytelling, professional production is the way to go. Edits and multiple shots—with different environments and personnel—will be part of your package with a professional video production firm. With excellent audiovisual equipment throughout, you get a polished final product that communicates your commitment to superior results.

Contact us to learn more about how video job descriptions can work for you.