Over the past few years, video marketing has become one of the most sought after means of communication. This is largely down to the growing presence of social media channels like Snapchat, Facebook Live, Instagram Live etc.
The question is; are you taking advantage of it by creating awesome recruitment videos?
Are recruitment videos worthwhile?
Creating a super cool recruitment video might seem like a lot of effort or something you believe is out of your comfort zone, but it comes with a lot of benefits.
According to a leading white paper, Video Technology and the Modern Recruiting Process, more than 50% of businesses that use recruitment videos take less time to fill a position.
While around the same percentage also see an improved cost per hire too – not bad for a quick video eh?
The truth is, recruitment videos are a great way of injecting some personality into your brand as well. Candidates can get a real insight into the staff, the environment and the company itself.
Want to see some examples? Then check out our previous blog: ‘5 of the Best (Quirkiest) Recruitment Videos You’ll Ever See’. You’re guaranteed a laugh or two!
Or if you fancy making a slightly less bonkers equivalent, here are some top tips to make your recruitment video a roaring success.
Get an understanding first
One of the biggest mistakes you could make when creating a recruitment video is to simply pick up a camera and start rolling.
Beforehand, you need to establish who your target audience is, what kind of perception you want to instil and the call to action candidates must take.
If you’re already producing recruitment videos, think about whether they truly reflect your brand and are completed to a high standard.
Talk to your video production partner or ask newer employees what their initial thoughts are on your previous attempts.
On the other hand, if you’re new to video production, you effectively have a clean slate to work with. In which case, consider how you’d create a template formula for all your recruitment videos which:
- reflects your brand
- gets your message across – including details on salary, location, job description etc.
You must also consider who is going to be the face of recruitment videos. Ideally, you want someone who comes across as fun, vibrant and welcoming, as this will give candidates the impression that your company is a pleasant place to work.
However, don’t be afraid to be a little edgy. For instance, if you’re a marketing or web design agency, recruitment videos are an ideal opportunity to showcase your creativity as an employer.
Cover the USPs
Mentioning all of the basics like salary, location and job description is one thing, but what about the juicy unique selling points?
Candidates need a bit of persuading before hitting apply – especially the good ones who are already employed.
So give them something to think about!
If you have snazzy pool tables or offer work from home benefits, make a song and dance about it! Tell candidates exactly why you’re better than your competitors.
Interview segments with existing long-standing employees is another way of showcasing your company’s USPs. After all, if they’ve been there for a long period of time, you must be doing something right – so use them as an advocate of your company.
As a word of warning, while CEOs and directors are important in video marketing pieces, getting them to talk in recruitment ones might actually have a negative impact.
You see, candidates want to see authentic voices, so employees and even fresh-faced interns will help you achieve this.
Only include interesting questions
If you’re planning on using employees to give your recruitment video a bit more oomph, keep the questions relevant.
For example:
- What makes working for [company] better than other companies?
- What are your favourite things about working at [company]?
Once again, these questions will help you pull out further USPs from trusted voices.
Make your recruitment video engaging and concise
While video content is often more effective in grabbing the attention of candidates, you don’t have the same luxury as a Hollywood movie director.
The key to success is to strike early and keep it concise. If you have an awesome USP, don’t wait until the end to showcase it. Give candidates a reason to stop scrolling on their LinkedIn feeds and tune in.
A powerful method of grabbing attention is to start off with a flashing animation and some content which asks a question or makes a statement. For instance, marketing agencies could say:
‘Working in a marketing agency just got better…’
‘Fancy working for a marketing agency in the comfort of your home?’
Obviously, these are very specific examples, but they should give you a flavour of what you need to do. Grab the attention of your candidates and make them take note of the opportunity.
Carefully choosing cutaways is also an extremely important element in the production of your recruitment video too.
So if you have one shot where you’re interviewing one employee, make sure you cut to an outdoor shot or a clip of people working. If you constantly cut from person to person or content slide to content slide, candidates will quickly lose interest. It’s all about pacing and keeping things visually exciting for the candidate.
In terms of length, don’t exceed a minute. Candidates don’t have two, three or even four minutes to listen to you and your employees waffle on about the position.
Think of yourself as a fisher. Add enticing content, engaging visuals and make sure it’s short enough to get the candidate (or the fish) biting.
Summary
And action!
After reading this blog, you have no excuse. The main thing is to relax and give it a go.
It’s actually quite fun once you get into it!
However, if you don’t have the time or resource to put together a quick recruitment video, you might be interested in these other slightly more creative ways to recruit.
Good luck!
