Bel Air Construction is using a novel approach in its quest to fill three sales positions. Hoping to attract more qualified, serious applicants, the Jarrettsville, Md., design/build firm created a want ad video for its Web site. “I wanted to translate [into video] the heart and soul of who we are and the company’s culture,” president Michael Watts says.
Watts hired a video production specialist to create an eight-minute segment in which he outlines the three open sales positions and walks potential applicants through the job duties and company culture, using graphics to illustrate desirable traits such as work ethic and motivation.
It isn’t Bel Air Construction’s first foray into video production. The company’s Web site also features a video segment about kitchens. “[Creating the want ad] was relatively easy compared to that,” Watts says. “There wasn’t as much involved.”
Professional Look
Hiring a professional was the key to producing a polished piece, says Watts, who also helped write the script. One driving force behind making the $3,400 video was to offer a snapshot of the work culture. “I wanted people to get an idea of what it’s like here,” Watts says.
Bel Air Construction employees also taped segments for the video. “That wasn’t scripted,” Watts says. “You hear from them why they like working for Bel Air.”
Watts hopes to use the video ad as a preliminary screening tool to weed out unqualified people. “We live and die on relationships, both internally and externally,” he says. “So it definitely strengthens that aspect of it.”
The Web site also has written job descriptions, and potential applicants are encouraged to phone or e-mail the company. Viewers can download a PDF of the application from the Web site, complete it, and fax it to the company.
Reaction to the video has been positive. The company even hired someone after he viewed it — but not for the position being advertised. “[The applicant] said, ‘I really feel like I can fit in here,’” Watts says.
Watts wants to create more video ads. “The Web is such an important part of the remodeling industry,” he says. “It’s going to continue to become more interactive, both with customers and employees.”
Amy Campbell is a freelance writer in Phoenix.
