The face of Britainís labour market is changing, with more employers posting virtual job ads featuring ëbehind the scenesí tours of their business in a deliberate attempt to woo a new generation of job seekers, new research out today reveals.
The research by Gumtree.com, the UKís largest jobs site, reveals a wide range of companies ñ from banks to florists and pub chains ñ who have gone ëvirtualí by producing online ëfilm previewsí of what lies behind the boardroom door.
While the clips, which average 3 minutes in length, range from high budget professionally-shot films to more cost-effective handy-cam footage, the aim for each savvy employer is the same ñ to sell the company to dream young recruits and entice them to apply for interview.
In just three months, Gumtree.com has recorded a staggering 927% increase in the number of companies using their new classified ëdual toolí, where employers can attach YouTube footage to their job ad.
In starring roles reminiscent of Victor Kyam in his 1980s heyday, senior managers and company owners are stepping into the limelight to front the videos and grab their five minutes of fame. The most popular footage shown is of bosses giving a casual ëwalking tourí of the office, introducing other employees to get a ëfeelí for their personalities, showing off the desk where the new recruit will sit, healthy fare in the canteen, lush cocktails in the after-work bar and even the companyís five-a-side soccer team at play.
Commenting on the trend, Sophy Silver of Gumtree says: ìCompany show reels are the next big thing in recruitment. A three minute video can give an applicant more of an insight into what a boss and the company are really like than a half hour formal interview when the focus is on the job-seeker, not the employer.
Britainís emerging young workforce is extremely tech literate and responds well to online media channels and social networking sites where they can meet their friends, view films and photos and get to know new people in a shared virtual space.
By opting to recruit in this space using popular video technology, companies stand a much better chance of attracting the right calibre of recruit for their business.î
While the benefits for recruits are obvious, there are several benefits for employers too ñ instead of wasting time shortlisting random CVs, they now get to interview recruits who have an understanding of the business and are hungry for the job.
The other benefit is cost ñ the approximate cost of recruiting for a 30,000 post is 4,000 through traditional channels, to include HR time spent interviewing candidates and the bounty fee taken by recruitment agents. This compares unfavourably with the 20 fee to post a job online, with the cost of film footage free if a company uses its own handy-cam footage and uploads free of charge on YouTube.
Language of Generation X and Y
This dynamic new online recruitment trend has turned the tables on the traditional job interview, with employers now the ones under pressure to make the best first impression, not the job seeker.
Sophy Silver of Gumtree.com adds, îBy communicating in a different way to a traditional job advert, companies stand a better chance of attracting the right calibre of recruit for their business.
ìWith a behind-the-scenes preview, recruits avoid any culture shocks and nasty surprises on their first day. Theyíre more likely to buy into the job and the company first online in the early stages, which improves their chances of staying for the longer term!î
Lights, Camera, Action!
Employers turn film makers as competition to hire the next generation of workers hots up
