Using videos instead of job descriptions
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so what's a video worth?
The days of 3 lines in black typeface in the Classifieds section of the newspaper are long gone. Today's job market is relying more and more on technology to entice quality applicants. Video is the next natural step in this process.
It sometimes takes a wordsmith to develop a description that's true to a job while keeping it search-optimized. With traditional ads often getting lost in a flood of spam and work-from-home scams, quality positions can get lost in the mix. Given these recruiting trials and tribulations, video ads are a way to make your postings stand out from the rest.
Job search sites are leading the way, giving companies the opportunity to profile their open positions with short videos, and create interactive ads that highlight not only the position, but the company as well.
Videos allow for more detailed descriptions of the job while offering an insider's view.
Four to five minutes of video can supply much more information than even the lengthiest of written posts. A video can also get a company's culture across more effectively than a written ad. Those involved in the video can give valuable insight to applicants: the good, the bad and the ugly. This will help weed out job-hunters who know that they wouldn't be a good fit.
Why Video?
Sometimes, a traditional recruiting ad simply doesn't provide the space needed to explain the company or the position. Sometimes, there simply aren't words to describe the work that needs to be done. This is where videos can be helpful. The medium is by nature much better able to communicate both complexity and nuance.
Companies can offer "day in the life" highlights of employees in similar roles, showing what exactly is expected in the position.
Often these types of ads culminate with a call to action, prompting qualified candidates to submit their applications. Ideally, the dynamic visuals combined with details of the position and company, will prompt potential candidates—especially in younger generations, who may otherwise have never seen the ad—to apply.
As an alternative to traditional job-seeker sights, the videos produce a creative way to branch into other venues, such as television, YouTube, and other social media platforms where videos dominate.
Companies can upload the videos onto their websites which not only drives traffic to the site, but also provides even more information about the company, and their products or services.
So, if a picture is worth 1000 words, what's a video worth? If you're seeking a particular person for a complex job, it may well be worth a whole lot more than you ever imagined.
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