Video: it just works

Video is a much more inviting format than text: a few simple frames can explain things that would require a reader multiple paragraphs to fully understand. And video scores big online: on average, people stay 2.6 times longer on pages that have video. As more and more recruitment takes place in fast-paced, mobile-first environments, video is quickly becoming an essential part of any recruitment marketing strategy. If you want to stand out from your competitors then creating videos is the way to go.

Moreover, we live in a post-advertising society: simply saying your company is the best employer just won’t do anymore. Job seekers want to see real people, each with their unique personalities and expertise, and hear them tell real stories about their experience working at your company. So not only is the best way forward to create video, you’ll have to create a meaningful video that gives your audience a good idea of what your company stands for! 

We know this can all sound daunting, but there is some good news: your last name doesn’t have to be Spielberg to record one of these! As long as you keep a few essentials in mind, anyone can do it. Let’s have a look  

First, let’s get your film set in order

1. The camera

To shoot a video you’ll need a camera, right? Luckily, many of us have a pretty great camera in our pocket. You’d be surprised how many videos are shot on high-end smartphones these days! Lady Gaga shot one of her videos using an iPhone, Bentley used it for a commercial, and director Sean Baker even used it to shoot his full-length feature “Tangerine”.  As long as you’re not showing your video in a 4K movie theater, these little cameras give you all the image quality you need. 

2. Other equipment that will help

What you might want to invest in is a so-called “gimbal”, that will keep your camera steady. A steady camera makes any video look more professional. Are you planning to shoot several videos that involve moving around? Then buying (or renting) something like a DJI Osmo or Ronin (€80-€250) will improve your end result massively at little cost. If you’re shooting only static video, then any cheap tripod will do the trick. 

Next to that, check if you like the quality of the audio your phone records. Are there lots of crackling noises, or will you be shooting in noisy environments? Then it might be good to buy or rent a professional audio recording device from Zoom or Tascam. 

3. Helping hands

Do you have some budget left over, and are you feeling slightly nervous about doing this all by yourself? Then definitely don’t hesitate to hire a freelance videographer to help you out. Having someone with experience around will speed up the process and improve the end result and allow you to focus on the message, rather than the execution. 

Shooting your shot 

1. Let’s get inspired

First step: draft a rough idea of what you want your video to be like. This means looking at style and feeling, and perhaps even creating a moodboard for what you’d like it to be. Make sure this lines up with your company identity: a “fun” video will not work on an otherwise serious website, and vice versa. At least you won’t have to look far for inspiration: there are numerous examples of recruitment videos already out there. Here’s a visually interesting one from Dutch advertising agency DEPT. This one from Apple is straightforward and honest. And this video from Fiverr takes the funny route to attract attention. You can tell that each company chose an approach that fit their identity – and the type of person they’re looking to attract. 

2. Develop a storyboard

Come up with your storyline first. What will you show, and why? Write a loose script for what you want people to say or do. Keep in mind that drawing up a very strict script almost never works if you’re not working with actors. 

Make a rough shot list and distinguish between optional and essential shots. If you’re shooting a factory floor or office space with a lot of action, unexpected things will happen. Leave some room for these spontaneous moments, and don’t turn off the camera too soon. 

Then think about how you can improve these shots: is there extra movement possible? Can you use a certain camera trick for a transition? 

3. Collect your people and props

Find good models. An open call in the company app group or mailing list usually gets you a few good faces. Pick someone with a positive attitude and a friendly face. Don’t get pressured into letting the CEO claim half your video for a monologue about employee happiness. Choose real people, and ask them for input. You might stumble upon a great story! 

Having trouble picking someone? If you know your company you’ll probably know one of the following: 

• An employee who has been with the company for a while and has progressed through the ranks. 
• An ambassador, someone who simply loves working at the company and is vocal about it. This can also be someone who is a social driver among employees. 
• Someone who has been with the company for a year
• An employee who is working on new and exciting things, who can talk about the future. 

Based on who you pick, decide which objects or locations are essential for your video. Make sure these look clean, but keep it real(ish): you don’t want to create false expectations about the workplace. If everyone’s working from home, show the empty office anyway, and follow it up with how your company helps employees. For instance by delivering an extra screen or chair to their house. 

Into the editing suite

The last and perhaps most important part of creating your video is the edit. You’d be amazed at how much you can fix in this final step! Take out all the mistakes, add some fitting music, play around with the running order… go nuts. 

A few simple pointers for the edit: 

• Before you start, decide where this video will be shown as this will decide its length. Instagram and Facebook videos work best under 30 seconds and the same goes for the front page of your website. Longer versions of 3 to 4 minutes can be shown on your career page, LinkedIn or YouTube where viewers have a higher tolerance for long-form video. 
• Whatever the platform, make sure that the first 10 seconds of your video make it very clear who and what it is about. Attention spans are short, especially online. 
• Alternate between fast and slow shots. If an interview lasts too long, edit the sound of the interview over an action shot. This keeps your viewer interested and engaged. 
• Keep your storyline and goal in mind at all times. Make sure your end result corresponds with the feeling you’re trying to bring across. 
• Don’t be too afraid of adding some “human” moments, like people going off-script, or making jokes. These real moments give your video colour! 

These tips should help you create an amazing recruitment video with little to no budget. And once online, we assume you’d like to collect as many views as possible. That’s where Wonderkind can help. Our easy-to-use platform makes it simple to spin up creative ads in minutes with campaign templates, a library of stock photos, and instant image cropping. Once ads are running, keep track of performance and spend across all social channels in one overarching dashboard. 

Ready to turbo-charge your talent sourcing? Check out how Wonderkind works or see it in action.