So, you’ve used all the hiring sites. You’ve posted on Indeed, and whatever the hell else there is out there today. You even put a flyer on a job board at the local community centre. And what happens every single time? You make a hire, and it lasts for a month at the most.
You inevitably feel disappointed, but you dive back in and try again. Alas, the cycle continues and you keep somehow ending up with a low talent individual who possesses no work ethic and an attitude problem.
Gah! The pain! Why?? “Is it me?” You continuously ask yourself. “Am I the cause of all this suffering?” Well I’m sorry to say this, but yes – kind of.
However! There is a super easy solution that gives you a leg up on the competition to get talented new employees in the door as quickly as possible.
Now, we’ve done quite a few of these videos for local businesses, so today I’m going to give you my top 5 secrets to making a recruitment video in 2023.
1. Know your business. This means writing out everything that makes you special. This is easier if you do it with a partner. Choose someone you trust if you don’t have a business partner and work together on it. You’re going to pretend you’re interviewing yourself. Ask and answer the following questions on paper:
• How long have you been in business?
• What does your business do?
• What sets you apart from other businesses like yours?
• Who are you looking for?
• What does the ideal employee look like to you?
• How can a potential employee get in touch with you?
2. Get your tone right. Now is when we practice. Because you’re shooting this on a cell phone and won’t be using any editing software to splice it all together, you need to get this down in one take. So go over the questions and answers a million times until you feel confident that you can speak candidly to the camera.
3. Use the best light. Alright, now it’s time to shoot. If you don’t have one of those fancy tripods for your iPhone, just set it on a desk against a flower pot – anything that seems to work for you. Do this in front of a big window with an attractive background. Get your framing right and trust your gut. Ask yourself “Does this look good? How does it make me feel when I look at it?” Shoot this video in the vertical orientation.
4. Be patient with yourself. It’s super unlikely that you’re going to get this in the first go. So here’s what I would do: Keep the camera rolling, and make sure it’s set to 4k 24 for the best results. Go through what you have to say to the camera over and over until it feels right. Once you’re done, you’ll know. Then stop the recording, select “edit” (if you’re on an iPhone) and cut out the best take. Save that as a new video and you’re all set.
5. Know where to post. You’ll want to put this on Instagram as well as Facebook. Post the video as a Reel, and pick the music that best suits your tone. Share it to Facebook directly from your Instagram page, and don’t be afraid to throw some money at it – boosting posts will give you some nice reach and get more eyes on your video. Even if it’s not everyone that you’re looking for, they’ll likely share it with a friend or family member who’s looking for a role like yours.
This should be on your website as well! If you’ve done your website yourself, then go ahead and throw the video in there. If getting top quality employees is a high priority for you, I’d put it right on the home page. If you have a company running your site for you, send it over to them.
6. BONUS Tip Give your copywriting some thought. Don’t just put the video up and type “Hey, what’s up… We’re hiring.” with the hashtag #needemployees. Get specific and use all the details you can. Use 10 or 11 hashtags that paint a clear picture of your location as well as your business niche. As far as the description copy goes, just have fun with it. Be yourself. Be thorough and clear, and represent your business in a way that will attract who you’re after. Remember that Meta needs accurate information so it knows how to place your post.
And that’s all there is to it! Anyone can put up a crappy stock photo with cheap cursive text saying “WE’RE HIRING!” in all caps. Everyone is hiring. By creating a custom video about you and your business, you’re much more likely to attract the right talent.
When a potential new employee comes across your video, they’ll see you face, feel your energy and if they’re the right fit – they can picture themselves working for you.
The best part is that if the WRONG FIT sees the video, they won’t even apply – to prevent them from embarrassing themselves. This will save you more and more time in the long run, and your nerves will thank you for it too.
So, there you have it! I hope that this helps. If you have any questions about more of the process, please reach out.
Aside from that, if you’re located in Barrie, Orillia, Muskoka, Toronto or any of the surrounding areas, and you’d like a team of professional videographers to work with you on a recruitment video, then let’s chat!
To Your Success,
Jay Ashcroft
four32 MEDIA