The competition for new talent, and for attracting and retaining high-value employees, is becoming difficult. And smart HR and hiring managers will use the most effective tools available.

As anyone who has been tasked with finding the right candidate for their organization knows, the process is sometimes extremely challenging and time-consuming. As the unemployment rate continues to decline the pool of desirable job talent is becoming smaller.

To attract and acquire top talent to companies, many recruiters will focus on using the best tools they can to ease this process and improve their odds. And video in recruitment is one powerful tool that is being used more and more, from the job posting phase to the offer and onboarding phases.

The Many Reasons for Employing Video

Why video? As one post pointed out,

“It’s a powerful medium that presents a real opportunity for employment branding, content sharing, candidate reach and providing resources. It’s a great way to engage a candidate, tell a story and build a relationship that leads to the most qualified candidate applying for your job posting or joining your talent community.”

And it is important to keep in mind that your videos do not have to be expensive and overly-produced. Aside from basic video best practices, the content simply needs reflect your company's culture, while resonating with the ideal job seeker.

Because talent acquisition is akin to marketing in terms of processes and outcome, it is also important that your video efforts support your company's broader employment branding strategy. That can mean having an active alliance with your marketing team to ensure a consistent branding and messaging strategy is in place. 

It also means no longer approaching the task as "shopping" for talent, as much as "marketing" your company and the position.

This is noted by RecruitingSocial.com,

“At the end of the day, recruiters need to start thinking more like marketers. We have so many resources at our disposal to share how amazing our companies are. We can bring our culture, people, and workplaces to life by giving an inside look into how we work.”

Which is another reason why incorporating video in various stages of the recruiting and hiring process makes so much sense today.

A Brief Overview of Video Tactics for Recruiting and Hiring

Video Job Posts

Video job posting is a great complement to published job posts. You can use your existing job description as a general guideline or script, but you can be a bit less wordy with your video. This is also a great medium for sharing information about your team and the company. You can include a virtual tour to show the work area and even some of the key team members.

Using video in your recruitment process can effectively communicate your company’s expectations and provide a sense of your culture. This approach resonates with many candidates and helps them to determine if it’s a right fit.

Go Social with Video

These videos do not need to be limited to your company website, by the way. In fact, you should utilize your organization’s social media channels by uploading your videos everywhere you can. Possible venues range from publishing platforms like Medium and LinkedIn, company blogs, and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. And don’t forget YouTube.

Remember to invite viewers of your recruiting videos to send their resumes. In addition, viewers on social media can be asked to share videos with their peers, which can extend your talent search across various networks.

Nurture Your Candidate Pool

You probably already have a pool of candidates who have applied for previous job positions. You can leverage these prospects by recording and sending customized videos to them when you have a new position. This is a much more personal way to reach out and encourage them to apply again. In addition, it can help establish long-term relationships with people who want to work for your company.

This also demonstrates in a relatively novel way that you value their efforts. In addition, you can ask them to forward the video to anyone else that may be qualified and interested, in case that recipient is no longer looking for a position.

Use Live and On Demand Video

Live video is easy today and they can engage new viewers and candidates in real time. Facebook is a powerful platform for this approach. Because more than half a billion people around the world watch videos on Facebook throughout their day, you can have a guaranteed audience most any time. The Facebook Live feature allows a recruiter to host job-related or company-related topics in a quick and informal video format.

They also require less production than a more formal recruitment posting video and all that’s really needed is a mobile phone and an idea. And another plus is that these live videos are automatically posted right to your organization’s Facebook feed when you are done. This means you will have it uploaded as a permanent resource for job candidates to view.

Video Introductions

You can ask candidates to submit a video introduction along with their application. These videos can give you a better sense of whether this person is a good fit for the company. This can be a relatively easy process for both parties as there are many programs available for recruiters to use to provide this option.

In addition, an automated reply to an applicant’s submission can be accompanied by a video of your HR or hiring manager thanking the applicant. This video could also include a message from the manager or supervisor of the position being applied for. Technology allows incorporating video into email a great option for responding to your candidates.

Video Interviews

A popular use of video for the recruiting and hiring process is to replace and complement an initial phone interview with a video interview. This can be less stressful for the candidate, far more cost-effective for the recruiter, and provide a permanent record that can be reviewed as needed during the hiring process.

In addition, as more people search for jobs outside their current location, video interviews can be a great tool to reduce costs, save time, and expedite the process. Another type of video format that can be used for interviewing is found with the familiar Skype, Google Hangout, or Zoom platforms, as well as others. These allow for live, real-time interaction and can still be recorded for sharing with other team members, if need be.

The HR Management Team for Your Company

A comprehensive recruiting and hiring process will help your business navigate its obligations and expectations, while providing guidance to managers for hiring and labor law compliance. It pays to take time to understand the law and to prioritize the development of policies and procedures.

Another key step in maintaining HR compliance, while increasing your company's cost-effectiveness, is to consider outsourcing. A professional agency such as Accuchex can provide much-needed help with Human Resources needs and questions.

Accuchex is a full spectrum Payroll Management Services provider offering expertise in Time Management, Insurance and Retirement issues, as well. Sign up for our free "My HR Support Center" tour.