How to Make a Recruiting Video

“If you want to hire better people, show them why they’d actually want to work with you.”

That’s the whole point of a recruiting video. Not to tell people you’re hiring, but to make them feel something—to help them see themselves in your story.

When we create recruitment videos, whether for a hospital, a police department, or a small landscaping company, our goal isn’t just to fill seats. It’s to connect. To find the people who belong.

Let’s break down how to make that happen.

🎯 Capturing the "Why" in your Recruiting Video

Before you hit record, stop and ask: who is this for?

That sounds simple, but it’s where most people go wrong. You’re not making a video for everyone. You’re making a video for the people who will love this job.

When we worked on a recruiting project for a hospital, we followed one nurse through her day. Not a scripted performance—just her being herself. She talked about her patients, her coworkers, and the quiet moments that reminded her why she loved what she did.

It wasn’t flashy. But it was powerful.

By the end, you didn’t just know what the job was. You felt why it mattered. That’s what you’re aiming for. Emotion beats information every time.

Wondering how much recruitment video production costs? We dig into that in this post!

👩‍⚕️ Example: Healthcare Recruiting

In healthcare, it’s not about showing fancy equipment or long lists of benefits. It’s about people.

Show the moments that make the work meaningful—helping a patient smile, laughing with coworkers, being proud to wear the badge.

If you can make someone watching think, “I’d be proud to do that,” you’ve already won.

🚔 Example: Law Enforcement Recruiting

For police recruitment, the story changes. Culture and community still matter, but so does belonging.

We once filmed for the Auburn Police Department in Maine. One of the officers we interviewed had come all the way from New Orleans. He told us policing in Auburn was a completely different world—slower pace, friendlier community, less chaos.

That story alone said more about why someone would want to move there than any list of benefits ever could.

When you’re trying to recruit people from other states or departments, show them what life is like where you are. Show the community. Show the town. Let them imagine themselves living there.

See how we did the same type of recruitment videos in Burlington, Vermont!

🧰 Example: Trades and Niche Recruiting

The trades are a different challenge altogether. We once worked with a landscaping company that needed CDL-licensed drivers. That’s a tough crowd to reach.

So instead of focusing on job details, we focused on why it was different from other jobs.

These weren’t people digging up city streets in the summer heat. They were building patios, pool areas, and custom landscapes. Their days were more varied, more creative, and less stressful. They knew their coworkers by name.

We built a small ad funnel—intro video, job description, testimonial videos—and got fifteen qualified leads in a couple of months.

The magic wasn’t in the camera work. It was in the message.

🔥 Common Themes to Incorporate in your Recruitment Videos

Across every industry—healthcare, law enforcement, trades, fire departments—there’s one universal truth:

People apply because of people.

They don’t fall in love with job listings. They fall in love with stories. With faces. With pride.

So, in your video, show:

• A real day in the life (not staged)

• Who they’ll work with (real people, not stock footage)

• The community they’ll serve or live in

• Opportunities for growth or learning

• Why it matters—the deeper purpose behind the job

If you can nail those, you’ll attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. That’s what you want.

🎥 Recruitment Video Production Tips (Even If You’re Doing It Yourself)

You don’t need a massive crew or a RED camera to make this work. (Though, full disclosure—we’ve used both!)

Here’s what matters more than gear:

1. Get testimonials from your team. Ask simple questions like, “What do you love about working here?” or “What makes this place different?” Let them talk.

2. Film them doing what they’re talking about. If someone says, “I love working with my team,” show them actually working with their team. Smiling. Helping someone.

3. Keep it authentic. Slight imperfections make it feel real. Overproduced videos can sometimes feel like ads.

4. Edit for emotion, not just information. Focus on pacing, music, and moments that make you feel proud, inspired, or connected.

And seriously—if you only take one thing away from this post:
👉 Start with good content.

You can't fake authenticity and value no matter how good your production is.

💡 Final Thoughts on Making a Recruiting Video for your Organization

Recruiting videos aren’t about showing off your company. They’re about showing who belongs there.

When you tell real stories about real people doing meaningful work, something amazing happens—you stop hiring strangers and start attracting teammates.

And whether you’re hiring nurses, officers, or tradespeople, that’s what makes the difference between just filling a position and finding the right person for it.

If you're looking for more guidance, or to outsource production altogether - check out our recruitment video production page!