Josh Tolan“When I first walked into the office, I immediately noticed the atmosphere. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there.”
That’s what Ben Stein, one of our rockstar sales development representatives, had to say about our company culture in a recent feature article. From the bright color of our walls to the smiling faces of his future co-workers, Stein immediately felt welcomed — and we’re proud of that.
We work hard to create a culture of belonging filled with fun and passionate team members. So, when I hear that’s exactly what drew an employee in, I get excited. Unfortunately, like many companies, showing off our atmosphere isn’t always possible during the early stages of the hiring process.
When we’re trying to attract the right candidates for our culture, or first “meet” them via video interview, they’re not interacting with us face-to-face. That’s when video becomes a crucial recruiting tool.
Here’s how you can use video to give candidates an insider-glimpse into your company’s atmosphere:
1. Show them around on a virtual tour
Your wall colors, office design, and workspaces radiate a specific energy. Candidates want to envision themselves working at their desk or grabbing a cup of coffee with co-workers in the break room. If you wait too long to help candidates realize these visions, you’re missing opportunities to connect on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Set your company apart by taking candidates on a virtual tour. Let them see what it’s like to walk through your doors each day, where the hallways lead, and the dynamic spaces where they can make magic happen.
Consider your team’s favorite part of the office when designing the tour. From paint color to lighting, or the ultimate boardroom, it’s important to highlight the smallest details that make your atmosphere unique.
2. Let them say hello to the team
Your team is the most valuable aspect of your atmosphere. If potential hires don’t meet them in the early stages of the hiring process, they won’t get an accurate feel for the company’s overall energy and passion.
Give your team the freedom to show off their personalities — and have a little fun! Ask them to introduce themselves in selfie-style videos that you can use at any time during the recruitment process. Get a couple employees from each department to create a video, allowing candidates to get a personalized glimpse of their potential future co-workers.
Ask each person to share specific details about their role. What does their day-to-day look like? Do they interact directly with customers? If so, what do customers say about the company? Is there something special about the company’s mission that motivates them every day?
These small moments of interaction create openings for immediate bonds that impress the candidates you want to join your team.
3. Create a company culture video
There’s one rule when it comes to creating a company culture video: there are no rules. You can be as creative, professional, off-the-wall, and personable as you want — that’s what makes them so great.
One of my favorite examples is CloudLock’s KungFu style culture video. Of course, the video is entertaining. However, it also gets down to the nitty gritty and truly showcases the company’s culture.
With our company culture video (which we plan to update this year) we give candidates a detailed look at our mission, what our team is passionate about, and what our customers say that keeps us motivated and moving forward.
Obviously, the styles of these videos are very different. And, most likely, yours will be too. There’s no clear right or wrong way to go about culture videos. However, here are a few things to consider when deciding how yours should look:
- What’s the message you want viewers to take away from it?
- What emotional reaction do you want to evoke?
- Does the majority of your team agree with the messaging and emotional reaction?
- How long does the video need to be to keep the message concise, but powerful?
Once you have these questions answered, it’s time to start writing a script. Get your team involved by making the writing process a contest. Whoever writes the script that gets picked, receives a day off, a gift card, or simply office bragging rights.
How do you incorporate video to impress candidates in the hiring process? Let us know!
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