How To Create Great Recruitment Videos to Attract and Win Top Talent

Last Modified

Aug 28, 2024

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Great recruiters know attracting top talent requires more than simply posting an opening. Job seekers want to find companies that value their employees, offer opportunities that match their career goals, and provide an environment where they can grow and thrive.

Recruitment videos have emerged as a powerful tool for organizations to showcase their culture, values, and opportunities in a dynamic and engaging way that catches the attention of top talent.

What Are Recruitment Videos?

A recruitment video is a short film that highlights a business’s brand, culture, career opportunities, etc., to encourage qualified candidates to apply. Companies craft these videos to provide glimpses into what it's like to work with them, with the goal of attracting candidates whose skills and personalities match the organization's needs.

Types of Recruitment Videos

Recruitment video types and styles vary wildly.

They can be short snippets of employee testimonials or longer-form stories about a company’s history and vision.

They can be inspirational or take a humorous approach.

They can be animated, live-action, or simply music over images and text…or a combination of any of the above.

Companies should tailor their approach to reflect the organization’s “personality,” target audience, and recruitment goals.

Why Are Recruitment Videos Important?

Recruitment videos provide storytelling and engagement opportunities that companies can’t achieve using basic text and images on a careers page, job listing, or social post. For example, video content on LinkedIn is shared 20 times more than any other format. And the crucial role it plays in modern talent acquisition strategies is backed by additional data:

Job postings with video have a 34% higher application rate than those without.
82% of candidates look for jobs on mobile, and 87% of mobile traffic is video content.
Nearly 80% of talent pros say videos increase the volume and quality of applications.

(Source: Stories, Inc.)

Recruitment videos allow companies to showcase their culture, values, and mission. They paint a picture of what it’s like to work there and attract best-fit candidates eager to work for and grow with them—beating out competition for top talent.

11 Great Recruitment Videos to Inspire Yours

Knowing where to start and what to consider can feel overwhelming when creating a recruitment video. Here are several standout examples to get your strategic and creative juices flowing.

New Zealand Police (New Zealand)

With 2.1 million views on YouTube, the New Zealand Police clearly did many things right regarding content and engagement. This movie trailer-quality video is probably a budget buster for many companies. Still, it demonstrates some key components any company can adopt: using actual employees, highlighting different career paths, and incorporating humor.

Metropolitan Police Service (United Kingdom)

A fellow law enforcement agency took a different approach to tackle its recruitment challenges in the U.K. This video is one in a series of “Family Voices” snippets that address the societal and cultural concerns candidates and their families face when considering a career in law enforcement.

TELUS International (Canada)

This Canada-headquartered company provides businesses around the world with localized customer support. Narrated by an employee who has risen in the ranks, TELUS acknowledges that many employees may initially work for them as a side gig or temporarily. It then highlights opportunities to grow with the company and how it supports employees.

Citadel (United States)

Citadel also embraced the idea of telling its company story through the eyes of individual employees. In this video, Joon shares how his childhood curiosity about outer space turned into engineering and finance degrees that he uses daily at Citadel.

Grab (Singapore)

Grab shows that a company can capture the spirit of the organization in as little as 45 seconds. Using a combination of music, short live-action videos, text, and graphics, Grab conveys how its company motto to “grab life with both hands” extends to its employees.

LMA Recruitment (United Kingdom)

Tight budgets can prevent the use of any “live” video. LMA shows how a completely animated video can still be compelling. It hones in on the word “growth” and then shows all of the ways it’s important to an applicant. The video ends with "Big enough to do the job. Small enough to care," which feels applicable to both candidates and customers in a great way.

Fiverr (Israel)

Humor, especially the self-referential kind, can make a recruitment video stand out. Fiverr capitalized on that by labeling its video "Another Generic Recruitment Video" and poking fun at familiar tropes and techniques. The video pivots midway to show how the company is looking for talented individuals "who are the best at what they do, make an impact, break boundaries, and stay awesome."

Barclays (United Kingdom)

Barclays's video embraces humor and a little bit of creepiness. Top grads and professionals disappear from view as the company “quietly conquers the world of finance.” It stands out from the traditionally stuffy banking world by taking a funny approach to recruiting videos.

Royal Bank of Canada (Canada)

RBC took a different approach as a financial institution. It focused on the emotional side of employees’ lives. The video asks, “What is your what?” It talks about life, family, hobbies, and “a job you actually like” and ties that to a career at RBC.

Home Depot (United States)

Home Depot embraced its reputation for providing great customer service as it produced this video targeting retail managers. Told through existing managers’ points of view, the narrative is one of caring about employees and wanting them to succeed. The sentiments come across as genuine in ways many other company videos fail.

IKEA (Netherlands)

Okay. This isn’t technically a recruitment video, but it shows a pretty brilliant recruitment strategy. IKEA took advantage of its notoriety for providing “assembly instructions” and transformed that into “career instructions” to fuel a recruitment initiative. You gotta love the creativity!

How to Create a Great Recruitment Video

Creating a compelling video (or series of videos) involves strategic planning and execution. Six essentials for developing recruitment videos that hit the mark include:

Including the Right Stakeholders

Before starting, it’s crucial to get the right stakeholders involved. This may include HR professionals, the marketing team, and other department leaders to provide insights and feedback. Additionally, featuring employees from various levels and departments in the video can give a well-rounded company perspective.

Defining Goals

Outline the primary objectives based on stakeholder feedback. Are you looking to increase overall applications, target a specific type of candidate, or enhance the employer brand? Clear goals will guide content and tone and ensure alignment with recruitment strategies.

Identifying the Target Audience

Knowing the target audience is key to creating content that resonates. Are you targeting recent graduates, experienced professionals, or individuals in a particular field? What are their demographics, preferences, and motivations? Answering these questions will help you craft the right message and tailor the video’s style and tone.

Determining How it Will Be Used

Context is key. Will the video be featured on your company’s careers page, shared on social media, or shown at recruitment events? Understanding where and how the video will be viewed should influence its length, format, and production style. Regardless, think about repurposing video content and sharing it widely. A longer video geared for recruitment events can often be cut down and used effectively on social channels. Conversely, short social snippets could be transformed into a longer video montage.

Keeping It Genuine

Authenticity is critical in recruitment videos. Candidates want to see the real company culture, not a polished, unrealistic version. Showcase the work environment, actual employees, and genuine stories that reflect company values. An honest approach builds trust with potential candidates and sets realistic expectations.

Providing a Call to Action

Every video should have a clear call to action (CTA). Whether it's directing viewers to a careers page, encouraging them to apply for specific open positions, or inviting them to follow the company on social media, a strong CTA guides candidates on the next steps.

Wrapping Up

Recruitment videos offer a dynamic, engaging way to showcase company culture and achievements and, ultimately, attract the best candidates. As the job market evolves, integrating videos into talent acquisition strategies will give organizations a significant edge in competing for top talent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Best Length for a Recruitment Video?

It depends on where and how the video will be used. Social videos should be relatively short (30 seconds or less), while videos used on a careers page or recruiting events can be longer (up to 3 minutes). Regardless, look for ways to repurpose video content across platforms and venues to maximize value.

What Should be Included in a Recruitment Video?

Content should be driven by the video's goals and its audience. You want to share your company’s message while addressing applicants’ needs and concerns. Remember that communication with candidates is a two-way street.

What Do Recruitment Videos Cost?

The cost of any recruitment video depends on many factors, such as its length, complexity, and format (e.g., animated vs. live-action). Additional considerations include music, voiceover, images, and how much can be produced in-house vs. outsourced.

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