Recruitment has become more challenging in the recent past. Between the tight labor market, increased competition for top talent and an aging population, recruiters have faced new difficulties when trying to find and bring on new hires. Helping your company and open positions stand out is critical in remaining competitive and appealing to talented individuals. Explore our guide to video recruitment marketing and the benefits of utilizing video in the hiring process.
What is Video Recruitment Marketing?
Video recruitment marketing is a technique that utilizes video content to outline the hiring process, what it’s like to work for a company and what to expect. Since video is the most widely shared form of content, it’s worth investing in videos to support recruitment efforts.
Creating recruiting videos might involve outlining what the culture is like at the company, as well as emphasizing the benefits of working there. You could enlist the support of current employees, who can become brand ambassadors in their efforts to encourage others to join the team.
What are the Advantages of Video Recruitment?
Video recruitment efforts can bring a number of appealing advantages.
Say more in less time
Videos can say more in a shorter amount of time, as viewers can watch the content quickly rather than having to invest time in reading it. Research indicates that marketers have approximately eight seconds to grab someone’s attention. A video is more likely to achieve that aim than a piece of written content, as the visual movement coupled with engaging sound are attention-grabbing.
Tailor videos for each step of the recruiting funnel
When you tailor different videos to speak to every step of the recruitment process, jobseekers know what to expect. This information can provide valuable insights and keep applicants engaged. By contrast, if your company doesn’t issue any information regarding what to expect in terms of communication and feedback, jobseekers may lose interest or look elsewhere when they don’t hear from the hiring manager.
Utilize video where text and images don’t work
In areas where text and images simply don’t garner much attention, a video can be a game-changer. For example, more than 300 million people spend time on social media platforms daily, browsing and scrolling through feeds. They may not stop on a text-heavy post, but a video that begins playing before they stop scrolling could cause them to pause and watch. Videos shared by friends and contacts on social media are also more likely to get additional views.
Promote brand image
When you want to promote your brand image and look more established, professional video content can support these goals. With relevant, engaging and concise elements, your company can also stand out in a sea of organizations seeking top talent.
Where Can Recruitment Videos Work Best?
There are many different applications where recruitment videos can add a lot of value. These include:
On your career site: If your business has an established career site, incorporating video can appeal to those who come searching for open positions. This site is a good place to include video testimonials from current employees and content that emphasizes the culture.
In job postings: When applicants get to job listings, they should be able to get a sense of what to expect. Include video content in job postings that is easy to view without navigating away from the application page.
At job fairs and conferences: When participating in job fairs and hiring conferences, consider how you can help your business stand out by utilizing professional videos. Show them on a loop on a screen in your booth or provide a QR code that allows potential applicants to watch the videos instantly.
On social platforms: As mentioned, millions of people are on social media platforms at any given time. Expand your reach by sharing videos through your social networks and encourage employees to do the same.
On video advertising platforms: If you want to put money behind your recruitment videos, consider utilizing advertising platforms geared toward video content.
Throughout the hiring process: Share videos with applicants throughout the process to keep them informed and engaged.
Through employees: Ask happy and engaged employees to take part in the recruitment process by sharing videos with their friends and family. Internal referrals tend to have higher engagement and retention rates.
Examples of Effective Recruitment Videos
Need some inspiration? Check out a few effective recruitment videos:
Apple
This video is demonstrative of Apple’s culture, focused heavily on innovation and creativity. It showcases what the organization does and the value placed on diversity as employees speak various languages throughout.
Zappos
In the recent past, Zappos has adjusted its culture and management structure, replacing the traditional “boss-employee” hierarchy with self-management opportunities. The company’s documentary-inspired recruitment video emphasizes the importance of culture fit.
Starbucks
With more than 28,000 locations across the globe, the massive coffee chain is among the largest restaurants in the world. In this recruitment video, viewers get a sense of the welcoming, supportive environment where every team member is considered a partner.
Dropbox
This video features the perspective of colorful puppets, creating a quirky video that’s sure to stick in the minds of viewers. The humorous expressions on the puppet’s face also provide insights into the playful company culture.
Manage Your Candidates with ApplicantStack
As you consider how to incorporate video into your recruitment efforts, it’s worth thinking about how your business will manage the influx of candidates as they see your videos and apply for open roles. ApplicantStack is an excellent tool for businesses of all sizes, offering budget-friendly pricing and robust features.
Everyone involved in the hiring process can view candidate status, identify next steps and move top talent through various stages with ease. Keep everyone on the same page while keeping track of notes and recommendations in one place. Additionally, ApplicantStack makes it easy to text candidates. Since texts have a 200 percent higher response rate than emails, you can see the immediate value of this feature.
When you’re looking to bring on top talent, you may find yourself scanning resumés for specific skills. We’re outlining nine of the most in-demand skills to look for in 2024, including both hard and soft skills and how they differ.
What are Hard and Soft Skills?
Hard and soft skills are unique abilities that a candidate may possess, supporting their ability to perform the duties of a specific role. Hard skills are more technical in nature, often referring to specialized knowledge that someone brings to a role. By contrast, soft skills represent how an individual approaches their work and handles specific aspects of the workplace.
Why Do Skills Matter?
Hiring for skills is valuable for a variety of reasons. Today’s employers are often looking for applicants who can get started in their roles right away and make meaningful contributions. Specific skills can support these needs and help new hires feel comfortable in what they bring to open positions.
According to a recent Pulse article on LinkedIn, while education provides foundational knowledge, skills bring an individual’s knowledge to life. These practical tools allow people to apply what they learn to real-life scenarios, boosting their value in a professional setting. When you look for people with certain skills, you may find that they’re more successful even than those who have completed educational programs.
Top 4 Hard Skills to Seek in Candidates
Here are four of the most critical hard skills that can bring great value to your organization.
Analytics
As the world continues to be more and more driven by data, analytics skills are essential in the workplace. This hard skill allows for the interpretation of complex data, using that information to glean insights and make informed decisions that benefit the organization.
Sales
Whether your business sells a product or a service, it’s impossible to succeed without actually making sales. A skilled salesperson understands the core fundamentals of this role, which involve building and strengthening relationships to bring in customers. In a shifting economy, individuals with proven sales skills will stand out. The ability to leverage AI tools is an added bonus in today’s market.
Project management
Managing projects is a crucial element of keeping collaborators on track and achieving business goals. The ability to keep tasks organized and moving along is highly valuable in any workplace, and it’s a hard skill worth looking for in candidates who will be involved with projects.
Design
Many roles require design skills, and the ability to put together something that looks appealing while conveying essential information is highly useful. Designers typically understand color theory, typography, and print layout design, and bring skills in the Adobe Acrobat suite.
Top 5 Soft Skills to Look for in Applicants
When searching for top talent, look for these five soft skills.
Communication
The ability to communicate effectively is a necessary skill in today’s workplace. As many workplaces have shifted to remote or hybrid schedules, people need to be able to utilize different platforms to collaborate and stay in contact. Even in-person work requires ongoing communication to motivate and connect.
Leadership
Strong leaders are vital to the growth and success of any business. From supervisors of entry-level individuals to c-level company leaders, those who lead others must have strong skills to motivate and inspire their teams.
Customer service
Although some of the aspects of serving customers can be automated, others should be left firmly in the hands of real people. The ability to cultivate relationships, listen carefully and build trust are among the soft skills of customer service that can’t be outsourced to an AI platform. Look for people who have these skills to fill roles that include customer interaction.
Teamwork
Working as a team may look different than it once did, especially if your workplace has gone remote or hybrid. But even in the face of friction or unique challenges, the ability to collaborate with and support team members is highly useful. Teams that are able to work together remain better aligned, driving results.
Problem-solving
As business leaders and employees encounter new challenges, potentially brought on by shifts in the industry or adjustments to the way they perform their duties, they need to be able to resolve them effectively. Problem-solving skills involve applying strategic and critical thinking, helping each team member to thrive.
Use ApplicantStack to Filter and Manage Candidates
Most people looking for a job can rattle off a series of the most common interview questions without even thinking about it. At its core, the interview process is a way to get to know how your candidate will perform at work. Conventional wisdom says the old standby interview questions will get at those core answers; after all, if they didn’t work, why would people still be using them?
We’d like to suggest that looking beyond the most common interview questions can generate some insightful conversation. A small business owner can’t afford to spend time just going through the motions, especially in a period of exciting growth. Once you’ve identified the best candidates, we have some ideas for the best interview questions to ask.
Leave the Vague Questions Behind
People active in job searching will likely have answered some version of “Tell us your best and worst attributes” many times over. A rehearsed answer may not help the people on either side of the table gain any insight. LinkedIn gathered interviewing feedback from hundreds of participants and the key indicator was that a connection with those going through the interview process is a primary indicator of a job offer.
Far from just a self-help term, connection is the way to engage your candidate so they are comfortable revealing aspects of themselves that go beyond the lines of the resume. It says you’re willing to engage in a dialogue that isn’t just the interviewer asking a question and the candidate giving the expected answer. It invites the job seeker to ask questions during the process, which can demonstrate collaboration and open communication. It can put both parties in the interview at ease and open to meaningful interactions. Connection releases the interviewer from a strict question list. It allows organic conversation that reveals the right person for the job.
Interrogate your list of interview questions with this thought: Do I actually care about the answer to this question? If your answer is “not really,” it’s time for some new questions.
Interview Question Examples
The following examples are for two categories of questions: Behavioral and Leadership.
Behavioral interviews allow the candidate to describe and assess reactions to professional situations. Ideally, they feel comfortable offering candid and introspective answers.
Leadership questions might be used when promoting internally or considering a new role for an existing employee. Since you likely have some experience with the employee’s strengths and weaknesses, you can focus your questions on how they might respond to a promotion or added managerial responsibilities.
Behavioral Question Examples
Describe some of your best working relationships or collaborations. What made them work well? This question shines a light on collaboration as a company value, and lets a candidate show you how comfortable (or uncomfortable) they are with teamwork.
Tell me about a time you were under a lot of stress. How did you cope? Did you take any lessons away from that experience? This question helps you see what situation a candidate classifies as stressful and how they handle it.
Have you ever had a job with numerous responsibilities? How do you keep organized and give appropriate attention to all of it? This question probes the candidate’s ability to multitask and can reveal their personal organizational systems. It can indicate if they are familiar with task management software or applications that your company also uses.
Can you think of a difficult conversation you had with a client or co-worker? How did you handle it and what lessons did you learn? All prospective employees may not be able to answer this question candidly, but what they choose to tell may still be revealing about conflict management style.
Tell me about a professional role model or mentor. What did they teach you? This question gives insight into teachability, how someone values a mentor relationship, and maybe even whether they see themselves as a potential mentor.
What are previous job responsibilities you’d rather not do again? This question invites the candidate to be introspective and honest. It shows empathy for the reality that every aspect of every job isn’t perfect.
What job responsibilities have you enjoyed the most? Conversely, this question offers a chance for them to be positive and describe their talents from a different angle.
What do you do for work/life balance? This question helps you learn about the person’s hobbies (always within legal question parameters) and shows the company values prioritizing life outside work.
Leadership Question Examples
Are you excited by the challenges of leadership? How would you describe those challenges? This question is a fairly direct way of asking someone if they feel ready to take on a more managerial role. Body language may be an important answer along with what’s said.
What is your ideal team structure? This question helps you learn the candidate’s prior experience on teams and how they prefer to work.
Think of a project that hasn’t gone smoothly. How do you collaborate with team members to address issues? This question can help you learn about the candidate’s tolerance for confrontation or avoidance and the methods they use to communicate with co-workers.
What process do you use to determine time requirements for your projects? This question can help you learn what software programs or systems the candidate uses for time management.
Have you ever served as a trainer or mentor? What did you like or not like about that role? This question ideally allows the candidate to be honest about things that did and didn’t work for them in the past. A follow-up question might be something about what they might have learned being mentored themselves.
As the interviewer, there’s room to ask follow-up questions if you want more details, like “How did that change your view of your work?” or “What have you taken from that experience that’s influenced your professional life?” or “Is there anything you would do differently?” Follow-up questions show you’re engaged and listening and fostering the all-important connection during the interview.
Going into an interview organized is vital to encourage efficiency and connection. In particular, employees in a small business often wear multiple hats and need access to hiring information. A tool like ApplicantStack not only helps you keep track of your potential hires, but it can be a place for collaboration on the best interview questions and scheduling interviews with top candidates. When your company is growing, ApplicantStack can help. Try it for free today!
There are few things more frustrating than a tepid response to a newly-posted job description. The time that goes into identifying a need, writing the description, and posting is an investment in the future, and you need quality results. For small business owners especially, that time can be very precious and scarce.
Could it be that a lackluster job description is to blame for an inadequate candidate pool? We’ll consider some ways to improve job descriptions to attract ideal candidates for your open positions.
Common Mistakes in Writing Job Descriptions
Here are a few of the most common mistakes made when writing job descriptions.
Using clichés and jargon. People seeking employment could fill a bingo card with words or phrases in job hunting that have essentially lost meaning. Self-starter. Team player. Rockstar. Paradigm shift. Thinking outside the box. At best, they’re lazy; at worst, they’re intentional choices to obscure facts. It’s worth your time to eliminate the cliché words and phrases altogether.
Absent salary figures. The conventional wisdom that salary can be disclosed later in the hiring process no longer serves the contemporary job seeker. In fact, some states have laws requiring salary transparency in job descriptions. Including these figures shows you’re serious about pay equity and transparency. It inspires confidence in prospective employees that discussions about compensation are not off-limits now or ever.
Recycling old content. The job market is ever-changing. Most companies can define themselves pre- and post-pandemic in dramatic ways. What worked for hiring in one period may be almost irrelevant now, and taking the time to critically edit and revise job descriptions can make a huge difference in the quality of your inquiries. Even if the job you’re hiring for demands a lot of the same responsibilities and qualifications as the last time you posted it, the changing job market means cut and paste may not get you the candidates you’re seeking.
Vague or misleading phrases. Similar to using clichés and jargon, job seekers may be put off by vague or umbrella terms that don’t accurately describe the work. For example, if you’re hiring for call center representatives, it’s misleading to use the term “marketing associate.” Fielding applicants who drop out after they learn the actual responsibilities of the job is a waste of everyone’s time.
Presenting all requirements as equally important. Jobseekers run the gamut of overconfident to underconfident. An ideal job description offers both a reality check and encouragement by ranking requirements or specifying non-negotiables. This information provides meaningful clarity for candidates with a wide variety of education and experience.
Stop the Search With the First Sentence
The first sentence is the hook for the reader. Jobseekers will use this early information to determine whether the position aligns with their abilities, as well as if it’s something they want to do. They will also consider their goals and interests when assessing the first part of the description.
If your job title is “Marketing Specialist” consider the following two descriptions:
“We’re a tech startup growing faster than the speed of light with fresh and innovative ideas for the marketplace, and we need a marketing team to match. We’re looking for a social media rockstar who can hit the ground running on day one.”
or
“For 5 years, our company has seen consistent growth in the domestic application space, including apps for grocery shopping, household chores, and childcare reminders. We’re growing our marketing team in areas of social media, AI, content writing, and advertising. This role falls under the content writing umbrella but would involve collaboration with advertising and social media.”
The quick-talking cliché language of the first doesn’t offer any specifics and may be seen as an oversell without realistic expectations. It might also scare off someone who expects structured onboarding and on-the-job training. The second one briefly explains the company’s products and expands on the marketing specialist term to explain specific responsibilities.
Job seekers will almost always look at websites and social media to better understand what a company does, but this method gives candidates a snapshot into the market you occupy. Someone interested in app development around home organization knows right away that they could be a good fit.
More Quick Tips to Spice Up Your Job Descriptions
Need some more help? Here are some additional tips.
Use specific language. As discussed, clichés and jargon are easy to skim or bypass altogether. Take a hard look at your job description and look for anywhere you’ve used vague words. Explain job responsibilities with clear and specific language. “Travel required typically two weeks per month” instead of “exciting travel opportunities” gives a candidate something realistic to consider.
Incorporate inclusive language. Highlight equity and inclusion initiatives. Use gender-neutral language where applicable and be sure nothing in your description implies favoritism for one group over another.
Be honest about perks and benefits. Don’t try to oversell perks and benefits, especially if they’re not accessible to every worker. On the other hand, candidates can be excited by useful information about a great health plan, office lunches, gym memberships, PTO, and other perks that contribute to your company culture.
Use recognizable titles. The description is where to get creative and specific; prospective employees will search for the title they best recognize in themselves, or one they are seeking. Consider an SEO analysis to make sure you’re appearing wherever job searches are happening.
Be specific about location. One of the first details any candidate will want to know is whether the job is remote or in-person. Make your expectations about daily work, any in-person meeting requirements, and available hours (including time zone) very clear.
Good job descriptions aren’t just for hiring. They support accountability for the company to create a job contract and give the candidate something concrete to refer to during negotiations.Giving your job postings a critical once-over can bring the best possible candidates knocking at your door.
ApplicantStack is a perfect tool to help file away past job descriptions and call them up when the need arises. You can also utilize templates when you need a little extra help, and ensure your listings show up on the top sites and job boards. Try it for free today.
The average tenure of an employee aged 25 to 34 years is only 2.8 years, according to the most recently available stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a pretty quick turnaround that ends up costing organizations money in recruiting expenses, onboarding, training and more.
So, how can businesses improve employee retention and encourage qualified candidates to stick around longer? From the job listing itself to the onboarding process and developing a strong company culture, these strategies can help you achieve success.
What Is Employee Retention and How Is It Calculated?
Employee retention refers to the ability of an organization to keep its employees engaged and satisfied. When retention is high, turnover rates decline—which should be the goal for most organizations. When retention is low, it can cost your organization a lot of money.
According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the average cost per hire is nearly $4,700. Some estimates claim that the total cost of hiring a new employee can be three to four times the salary for the position being recruited. Expenses related to high turnover include not only recruitment costs but lost productivity and disruptions in workflow as well, which is why developing and implementing strategies for better retention can be so valuable.
How To Calculate Average Employee Retention
Calculating employee retention involves measuring the percentage of employees who remain with the company over a certain period, usually annually.
Here’s a simple formula to calculate your employee retention rate:
Employee retention rate = (number of employees at the end of the period – number of employees who left during that period/number of employees at the start of the period) x 100
To break it down further, here’s an example:
Start by determining the number of employees at the beginning of the year. Let’s say the company had 200 employees on Jan. 1, 2023.
Next, determine the number of employees at the end of the year. For example, the company had 180 employees on Dec. 31, 2023.
Calculate the number of employees who left during the year. This is the difference between the number of employees at the beginning of the year and the number of employees at the end of the year. In this case, it would be 200 – 180) = 20
Now, calculate the retention rate using the formula presented above: Retention Rate = ((180 – 20) / 200) * 100
= (160 / 200) * 100
= 0.8 * 100 = 80%
In this hypothetical scenario, the retention rate is 80 percent.
Top Reasons for Employee Turnover
High turnover is seldom a mystery. In fact, employees are pretty good at indicating why they have left or are planning to leave their organizations—and the reasons vary.
According to SHRM, a few of the most prevalent reasons that lead to higher turnover include:
Compensation.
Unsustainable work expectations.
Uninspiring or uncaring leaders.
5 Employee Retention Strategies To Boost Employee Engagement
Having poor retention doesn’t mean your company is doomed. In fact, there are effective ways to help boost your retention rate, most of which involve improving your organization’s offerings and enhancing the employee experience.
1. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
To prevent high employee turnover, it’s important to provide competitive compensation and benefits packages, which are critical to prospective employees. A Forbes study revealed that as many as 40 percent of employers believe their employees have left their jobs to find employment that offers better benefits. According to the same study, only slightly more than half of employees are happy with the perks offered by their current employer.
So, the first part of a successful employee retention strategy is to ensure that employees are being paid fair wages for their work and solid benefits that can support them and their families’ well-being.
2. Offer Career Development Opportunities
Employees don’t want to feel stuck in their roles; they want something to work toward. According to research conducted in 2023, 75 percent of surveyed employees either agreed or strongly agreed that career development was a priority over the past year.
Here are a few ways employers can support employees in their mission to develop as professionals:
Offer ongoing training
Create a mentorship program
Provide more frequent feedback on performance
3. Provide Employee Recognition and Rewards for Jobs Well Done
Acknowledgment goes a long way in the workplace. A recent study by Gallup revealed a correlation between employee recognition and employee outcomes—including a 22 percent reduction in absenteeism, which can eventually lead to turnover.
To facilitate productivity and employee satisfaction, employers should reward employees for their contributions and achievements to their teams and to the wider company. This is done through formal recognition programs, performance-based bonuses or even simple gestures of appreciation like thank-you notes or public praise.
4. Enable a Healthy Work-Life Balance
It isn’t surprising that nearly everyone considers a healthy work-life balance to be important (94 percent), according to a 2023 Randstad survey. But what exactly does that mean today? In the same survey, 82.9 percent and 71 percent of global respondents consider flexible working hours and work locations to be essential, respectively.
Meeting employee expectations, like flexibility and aligning on value—and prioritizing people—will ensure that you’re set up for success in terms of increasing retention.
5. Streamline the Hiring Process
Creating a positive candidate experience directly impacts the employee experience and your retention rate, and it starts with the job listing. According to a Robert Half survey, more than half of qualified candidates lose interest in a position if the role responsibilities are unclear. So, first things first, job postings need to be accurate, updated and attractive.
Tools to help amplify listings; screen, select and interview candidates and onboard newcomers are invaluable. From posting to onboarding, the recruiting process should be informative, engaging and optimized to ensure the best possible results.
Streamlining the Hiring Process With Applicantstack
A company culture that touts values in alignment with employees and puts people first is a recipe for retention success.
Applicantstack optimizes all aspects of recruiting and talent screening to offer businesses and candidates a satisfying, streamlined experience for more engagement, increased productivity and heightened retention. To see firsthand how Applicantstack can help streamline your recruiting and hiring, candidate management and onboarding for a better candidate experience, start for free today.
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