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While it is a truth universally acknowledged that the internet was created for videos of our pets doing cute things, video is increasingly becoming the content of choice for consumers and by extension job candidates. It can seem overwhelming to try to keep up with all of the trends in hiring and recruiting but video is one trend that is here to stay.

It’s important to learn how to leverage video to elevate your employer branding.

If the concept of employer branding is new to you, go back and check out our blog on why you need both employer branding and recruitment marketing for a more in-depth discussion of the differences between the two and why they are important. The short version is that the purpose of employer branding is to make your company a desirable place to work for those high-quality candidates you wish to attract. 

What to include in your employer branding videos

Your employer branding should capture your company culture and not only what it is your company does but also the why that drives your company. The best way to achieve this is not by writing about it on your About Us company page or on your social media accounts. 

The best way to showcase your company culture is by showing it through video.

When making video content to help elevate your employer branding, the most important thing to concentrate on is being authentic. Be authentic to your core values and what your company culture is really like. We love this video from Netflix for several reasons. First off, it shows interviews with real employees from a range of departments and levels within the company. Secondly (this is where it gets juicy), it asks them what the core values of freedom and responsibility mean to them and how they relate back to the work they do.

This is winning the employer branding game on so many levels. Not only do these employees actually know what the company’s core values are but they feel engaged and empowered. I don’t know about you but after watching this video, I almost want to go check out their careers page.

Another great employer branding video is by Flexport. This one checks so many boxes. It explains what it is the company does in a clear and relatable way. No corporate jargon or buzzwords. Hooray! But more importantly, it really dives into the company’s why. In doing this, they also peel back the curtain and show what it’s actually like to work there and it’s extremely authentic! They readily admit that it can be an extremely stressful and demanding job. But because they are so transparent and relatable I still want to learn more.

Being aligned with a company’s values and their purpose is increasingly important to not only consumers but also to job candidates as well. However, candidates still want to know what’s in it for them. What makes working for your company better than working for the one down the street? 

You can answer that question with a video about some of the benefits of working for your company. Etsy nails this one with a video about their paternal leave policy. Again, this one is a double whammy. It showcases their generous paternal leave policy but we also hear from real employees from the CEO to account services. Raise your hand if you want to go work for Etsy now. 

How to use your employer branding videos

You’ve created your awesome employer branding videos but now what do you do with them? The short answer: you post them everywhere.

Of course, you want to put them on your About Us or your Careers page, but that is probably the least important place to put them. Where you can really gain traction with video is on your social media accounts. By posting to social media, your videos are more accessible. Let’s be real. Who isn’t on at least one social media platform every day just browsing? When was the last time you went to a company’s website to just read up on them?

The other great thing about social media is that your videos are easily shared. Just like with those cute cat videos, people will share a great company video or tag a friend who they think will be a perfect match for your company further increasing your reach.

Video content is evergreen. You can post it once and let it keep working for you. This is especially true if you post your videos on YouTube which is the second most popular search engine. If you have read our blog about creating a candidate pipeline even when you’re not hiring and you’re not sure where to start, video is one of the best ways to get your message out there to start attracting your ideal candidates.

When it comes to hiring, there are two important places to use your employer branding videos. The first place is in your job posting. Again, you want to give the candidate an idea of what it is really like to work at your company. Not only will you attract those ideal candidates but some candidates may realize that your company is not a good fit for them. This is a good thing! You don’t want to spend the time and effort on a qualified candidate that isn’t a culture fit. 

Once you move beyond the job posting, the next place to drop in an employer branding video is in your interview process. Even before social distancing, we were huge fans of one-way video interviews as part of the hiring process. Now they are even more important than ever. 

We encourage our clients to record a brief introduction and welcome that we insert before the candidate starts recording their responses to the interview questions. One-way video interviews can feel awkward (trust us we totally understand) but we’ve had so many candidates reach out to say that having that video message really helped them feel more comfortable and connected to the company. Wow! That is powerful!

We know that creating video content can be difficult, that’s why we’ve partnered with Geffner Productions to create a crash course on How to Film Your Own Hiring Videos. With this course, you’ll receive a template to help with the script and video coaching and editing from the Geffners. Contact us to learn more about creating your own employer branding videos and start bringing your unique culture to life.