An Honest Comparison
A Posting Tells. A Video Shows.
A job posting needs to explain the duties, qualifications, pay and how to apply. A video doesn't replace any of that. What it can do is show candidates what the workplace and the people are really like.
That matters more for some jobs than others. If the role is familiar and you're getting good applicants, a clear posting may be enough. If you're struggling to attract the right people, it may help to show them what working there is actually like.
Side by Side
Job Posting vs. Recruitment Video
| Area | Job Posting Alone | Recruitment Video + Posting |
|---|
| What it shows | Duties, qualifications, pay, schedule and how to apply. | The workplace, the work itself and the people, in their own words. |
| Best for | Urgent single hires, roles with plenty of applicants, highly standardized jobs. | Hard-to-fill roles, unfamiliar or remote workplaces, culture-driven teams, repeated hiring. |
| Candidate questions | Answers the practical ones: what, where, how much. | Helps answer the harder ones: what is it like, who would I work with, would I fit. |
| Where it lives | Job boards, your careers page, LinkedIn. | Your careers page, linked from postings, LinkedIn and recruiting events. |
| Lifespan | Usually one hiring round. | Can support many hiring rounds if the workplace and message stay current. |
| Effort | Writing and posting. Low cost per role. | Planning, a filming day or half day, interviews and an edit. A defined project budget. |
| Limits | Hard to convey culture, setting or why someone would stay. | Doesn't replace the posting, the interview process or a fair offer. |
When to Choose Each
When Each Makes Sense
When a Job Posting Alone Is Enough
Not every job needs a video. If the role is straightforward and you're already getting qualified applicants, focus on the posting and the hiring process.
- An urgent, one-time hire
- Roles that already attract plenty of qualified applicants
- Highly standardized jobs candidates already understand
- Short-term or one-off positions
- Internal postings where everyone knows the workplace
When a Recruitment Video Helps
A video is worth considering when candidates have trouble picturing the work or workplace, or when you regularly hire for the same types of positions.
- Roles that are hard to fill
- Industrial, rural or remote Alberta sites that are hard to picture
- Workplaces where people and culture are a real reason to apply
- Repeated or ongoing hiring for similar roles
- Employers competing with larger centres for the same people
Use the Video and the Posting Together
A recruitment video should support the hiring process you already have, not become a campaign of its own.
- Careers page: the main home for the video, next to your current openings.
- Job postings: link to the video from the posting, or embed it where the job board allows.
- LinkedIn: post it on your company page and share it when roles open.
- Recruiting events and interviews: play it at job fairs or send it to shortlisted candidates.
The posting gives candidates the details. The video helps them picture the job before they apply.
How I Work
How I Approach Recruitment Video
First, I want to understand who you're trying to hire and why the right people might be passing the job by. That helps us decide who to interview and what parts of the workplace to show.
Most employees aren't used to being on camera, so I guide the interviews with questions and follow-ups rather than asking people to memorize a script. I handle the project from planning through filming and editing, and bring in extra crew only when the job needs it.
01
Talk
Which roles, which candidates, and what they need to understand.
02
Plan
Who to interview, which parts of the workplace to film, and the schedule.
03
Film
Employee or leadership interviews and workplace footage, with clean sound.
04
Edit
A finished 2 to 3 minute recruitment video, with two rounds of revisions.
Real Work
A Film About Calling
Concordia Lutheran Seminary
For Concordia Lutheran Seminary, I produced a recruitment film about faith and calling. We filmed at the seminary and at several Lutheran churches in Edmonton and Calgary, using interviews, narration, Scripture and B-roll.
The setting is different from an industrial workplace, but the idea is the same: a written description explains the opportunity, while real people help candidates understand the community and what the work involves. See the Concordia Lutheran Seminary project
Past work across different scales has included CBC, Molson, TELUS, Alberta Health Services, Ledcor and Travel Alberta, along with small and mid-sized businesses across Alberta.
What Does a Recruitment Video Cost?
My Recruitment Video package is published in Canadian dollars, plus GST. The half-day package is $3,500 (up to 4 hours of filming and up to 25 hours of editing) and the full-day package is $4,500 (up to 8 hours of filming and up to 35 hours of editing). Both deliver one finished 2 to 3 minute recruitment video built from employee or leadership interviews and workplace footage.
Packages include my standard production kit, local travel in my service area, licensed music, colour grading, branded titles, captions and two rounds of revisions. I do not add a separate rental fee for my standard kit. Local travel covers Greater Edmonton and communities within about 1 to 1.5 hours of Drayton Valley. Full details are on my video production pricing page.
Common Questions
Recruitment Video FAQ
Does a recruitment video replace a job posting?
No. The posting still carries the duties, qualifications, pay and how to apply. A recruitment video works alongside it on your careers page, linked from the posting and on LinkedIn, so candidates can see the workplace and hear from the people they would work with.
When is a job posting alone enough?
For an urgent single hire, a role that already attracts plenty of qualified applicants, or a highly standardized job that candidates already understand, a clear posting and a good interview process may be all you need.
Who should be on camera in a recruitment video?
Usually a mix of employees and leadership. Employees can explain what the work is really like, and leadership can explain where the company is going. I guide the interviews so people can answer in their own words.
How much does a recruitment video cost?
The Recruitment Video package is $3,500 CAD for a half day or $4,500 CAD for a full day, plus GST. Both deliver one finished 2 to 3 minute recruitment video.
Can you film at rural or remote Alberta work sites?
Yes. Local travel covers Greater Edmonton and communities within about 1 to 1.5 hours of Drayton Valley. Travel outside these areas is quoted before booking.
How long should a recruitment video be?
My Recruitment Video package delivers one finished video of 2 to 3 minutes. That is usually enough to show the workplace and let a few people speak without losing the viewer.
Having Trouble Filling a Role?
Tell me what roles you're trying to fill and what candidates need to know. If a clearer job posting is likely to do the job, I'll say so. If a video could help, I'll explain what we'd need to film.
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