4 Ways HR Can Use Video to Improve the Candidate Experience

The world loves video. Every day, half a billion people watch a video on Facebook. Meanwhile, YouTube reports 1 billion hours of video views daily. What's more, 400 hours of content are uploaded on YouTube every minute — that's 576,000 hours per day.Instagram, too, has seen an 80% increase of videos created year-over-year.

When it comes to recruiting, videos have the power to tell your company story effectively, improve candidate engagement and promote your company brand. According to a recent CareerBuilder report, companies that use video in their job posts experience a 12% increase in views to their job posting. What's more, videos get shared 1200% more than text and images combined. That means even if a job seeker doesn't see your post directly, they are likely to see it shared via a friend or other connection. Overall, companies that use video in their job postings get 34% more applicants than those that don't.

With video's potential to improve candidate engagement, you'd assume HR would be jumping on the bandwagon. But when I speak at conferences and ask the crowd if their company is using video for recruitment, I hear crickets. Why? Some say they don't have the time or money. Others claim they simply don't know how. But I say it's time to figure it out.

Today, most people own a smartphone or tablet, which can create high quality images and video content. Most laptop computers also offer standard equipment and software necessary to produce a video, and it costs as little as twenty dollars to subscribe to more advanced services. Ready to recruit candidates more effectively? Consider these four types of videos.

You've probably seen one of those animated videos that feature a hand drawing a cartoon as a narrator preaches a marketing message. Also called whiteboard videos, these explainer clips can be highly effective, educational and engaging. With a little motivation and curiosity, almost anyone can produce high-quality recordings in just few minutes using tools such as Doodly or Renderforest. But if video creation isn't really your thing, you can easily hire an affordable, creative freelancer using a site like Fiverr, Upwork or Thumbtack.

What to record: Use these animations to describe what your company does, especially if you offer a complex product or service. You may also want to demonstrate the inner workings of a team, or illustrate the company culture.

Imagine you're a candidate applying for a job. After clicking "apply," you receive a personal video instead of a standard text email. (By the way, video emails are clicked 96% more than those without video.) If you're a recruiter looking to differentiate your company from the competition, this is a great approach because it helps HR teams build a more personal connection with applicants. Even if it's canned and pre-recorded, a human speaking on video will always feel warmer than an auto-generated email.

Cloud-based software like Loom and Dubb make it simple to create basic, single-person videos. All you need is a webcam or camera-enabled computer. Just add the extension to your browser or download the software. When ready to begin, click, record and click again. Your video will be created and ready for you to share using a unique URL.

What to record: Use this format to record a short "thank you for applying" message from a recruiter or a "you've made it to the interview stage" message from the hiring manager. For really tough-to-fill jobs, consider having your CEO record an introductory message.

Not ready to get in front of the camera? Have no fear! A screenshare video enables you to interact with potential candidates without having to show them your face. Consider showcasing content such as how to apply for an open position at your company, especially if your process is particularly complex.

Creating a screenshare video is simple. Just hit record, then upload it to a video platform or your website using a tool like Screencast-O-Matic.

If you're still feeling overwhelmed by video, you can create montages instead using software like Animoto and Prezi. These programs cost as little as five dollars per month, and offer a variety of templates and background music. Just select the images you want to include and within minutes, you'll have created a video that describes your company and the job you are trying to fill.

What to record: Use images of your office, team members, or photos from that fun corporate event you hosted to really get candidates excited.

Using artificial intelligence, text to video programs like Lumen5 convert your text into a video with suggested images, video backgrounds and music. So how does it work? Simply copy and paste the URL to your career page or an "About Us" page, and within seconds, you have yourself a video. If you don't like the images selected, you can slide and drop from Lumen5's extensive library, or upload your own photos.

What to record: Text-to-video offers a quick and easy way to turn a boring job description into an engaging video that showcases your company culture. Add images about your facility or people, include music that represents your brand and insert captions. Voila! You have a video job listing which could generate up to 34% more applications.

So there you have it: four types of videos that you can use to get your job posting in front of more eyes, accelerate engagement with candidates and convert more jobseekers into applicants. The world has embraced video. It's time HR does, too.

Photo: Creative Commons