In this suddenly slower hiring market, many companies have to justify not laying off members of their recruiting and sourcing teams. The temptation is to cut costs under the false belief that without hiring, their talent team must have nothing to do.   

In this series, I will explore some of the value-added tasks that TA teams can be doing during these slow times that will add value now and keep your well-oiled TA team in place, sharper than ever, and ready to flick the switch on a cultivated robust pipeline.  

Employer Branding in Outreach

For the 12 Days of Sourcing last month, I wrote about using video clips in outreach to attract prospects to engage and provided some real example outreaches that worked to attract hard-to-find tech talent during the last hiring frenzy. But what about in these slower times? We can still use this time to do customized bulk outreaches to our talent communities or long lists of prospects, using employer branding video content to build a pipeline of interested prospects already engaged with your brand for when the market picks up. Here are a couple of general pointers on what to consider when picking which content to use.  

Try Video Employer Branding 

Video employer branding is a powerful tool for attracting top talent in the current job market. With the rise of social media and video-sharing platforms, it has become increasingly easy for companies to showcase their culture and values to a wider audience. Research from Bain & Company has found that employer branding can lead to a 25-50% reduction in the cost of hiring and a 50-80% improvement in the quality of hires. 

As a Talent Sourcer, when using employer branding video content effectively in cold outreaches to highly sought-after tech talent, I saw a response rate skyrocket from a meager 4-5% to over 30%! While every response was an enthusiastic “Let’s GO!”, it doubled the number of prospects willing to explore the position while creating a robust pipeline of future prospects now engaged and following our brand.  

Video Employer Branding in Action

Benefits of Video Employer Branding 

The benefits of including video employer branding content are endless, and few stand very tall.  

  1. Increased reach and visibility: Video employer branding allows companies to reach a wider audience and showcase their culture and values to potential candidates. According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, job seekers are increasingly turning to social media and company websites to learn about potential employers. By creating engaging video content, companies can stand out from their competitors and attract top talent.
  2. Improved candidate experience: Video employer branding provides an immersive and authentic look at what it is like to work for a company. This can help candidates better understand the company culture and values and make a more informed decision about whether they would be a good fit.
  3. Enhanced employer reputation: By creating compelling and authentic video content, companies can improve their reputation as a “great place to work” and attract top talent. According to research from McKinsey, companies with strong employer brands tend to have higher retention rates and are more successful at attracting top talent.

In addition to the campaign I highlighted in 12 Days of Sourcing, here are some other examples of successful video employer branding:

  1. Airbnb: Airbnb’s “We Accept” campaign, which featured a series of videos showcasing the company’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, was highly successful in attracting top talent and improving the company’s reputation as an employer.
  2. Google: Google’s “Life at Google” video series gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work at the tech giant and highlights its innovative culture and values.
  3. Deloitte: Deloitte’s “Life at Deloitte” video series showcases the company’s commitment to work-life balance and provides a glimpse into the various career paths available at the consulting firm.

Considerations for Using Video

No doubt, these campaigns have been successful. But what are some general guidelines on what to consider when using video material in prospect outreach? Here are some considerations for using video employer branding:

  1. Clearly define your company culture and values: Before creating any video content, it is important to represent your company’s culture and values to help ensure that your video content aligns with your employer brand and attracts the right candidates.
  2. Showcase the employee experience: It is important to showcase what it is like – “A typical the day” -to work for your company to attract top talent. This can include highlighting company perks and benefits, showcasing team bonding activities, and giving a behind-the-scenes look at daily life at the company.
  3. Use storytelling: Effective video employer branding often utilizes storytelling to showcase the company culture and values. By featuring real employees and their experiences at the company, companies can create a more authentic and relatable image.
  4. Utilize social media: Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, are great channels for sharing video employer branding content. By posting engaging and authentic videos, companies can reach a wider audience and attract top talent.
  5. Seek employee input: Involving employees in creating video employer branding content can help create a more authentic and genuine portrayal of the company. By soliciting ideas and information from employees, companies can ensure that the content accurately reflects the employee experience. Better still, have employees in the video explaining how they do what they do and why they love doing what they do. 

Final Thoughts

If it sounds simple, it’s because it is. Video employer branding is a powerful tool for attracting top talent. By showcasing the company’s story and the employees’ experiences, prospects can better picture themselves working in your culture and, in turn, will more fully engage when they feel that connection.  In this slower market, all we need to do is change the message from “come work here now” to “if you ever consider a position change, you should consider my company.” And funnel responses into organized pools of engaged, ready-to-talk prospects once the hiring machine is cracked back up! And you know it will.  

Recruiting Sourcing
Employer Branding Recruiting Sourcing
Authors
Steven Rawlings

LGBT Inclusion Champion, seeking diverse skilled talent in all fields. Over 25 years of leading in all aspects of Global Talent Acquisition specializing in Sourcing and strategic talent forecasting and recruitment enablement. Please contact Steve at [email protected].