Written By: Matt Fieldman<\/p>\n
This blog is the seventh in a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network\u2019s goal of supporting the growth of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, this series focuses on innovative approaches and uncovering the latest trends in manufacturing workforce development.<\/em><\/p>\n Manufacturing friends \u2013 it\u2019s time that we up our recruitment game, and the best way to do that is through video. Knowing that\u00a075% of candidates<\/a>\u00a0will check out your online brand before applying for a job, I want to encourage your company to create one \u2013 and just one! \u2013 outstanding recruitment video for your website.\u00a0Based on existing research about what job seekers are looking for these days, I created a sample transcript that you can easily copy, paste, and adapt to your company\u2019s needs.\u00a0So, without further ado, here\u2019s that one perfect script for your manufacturing company\u2019s recruitment video. You\u2019re welcome.<\/p>\n [OPENING SCENE \u2013 THE CEO IS WALKING THROUGH THE CLEAN, BRIGHTLY LIT SHOP. AS HE SPEAKS, HIS WORDS HAVE CLOSED CAPTIONS IN ENGLISH AND OTHER RELEVANT LOCAL LANGUAGES, ENSURING EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT HE\u2019S SAYING.]<\/p>\n Hi there and thank you for your interest in joining HFB Industries. I\u2019m Kent Brockman, the CEO here, and we\u2019d love to have you join our team. In the next three minutes, let me tell you why starting your manufacturing career here is such a great choice. First, you may not realize that every day, with every product you help make, you\u2019re making the world a happier place. You see, here at HFB we make the\u00a0Happy Fun Ball,<\/a>\u00a0the best way for families to enjoy spending time together. Every time a child smiles, every time a mother bonds with her toddler \u2013 that\u2019s our product that literally makes someone\u2019s life better.<\/p>\n At HFB, we offer not just a job but, if you want, we can help you advance your career. First, we\u2019ll get you valuable manufacturing certifications like 5S, Lean, and Six Sigma. These may not mean anything to you now, but these credentials allow you to work at a manufacturer anywhere in the country and make a good living wage. Of course, if you stay here, we have numerous opportunities to grow your skills: You can take advantage of our apprenticeship track, switch from production to try other roles in the company, or join our local MEP Center\u2019s Supervisor Training program, so you can eventually move into management. Do you want to get that college degree? No problem! We offer tuition reimbursement, so you can pursue that advanced degree you\u2019ve always dreamed about. You see, here at HFB, it\u2019s not college OR career, it\u2019s college AND career \u2013 if and when you\u2019re ready to go down that path.<\/p>\n And whenever we\u2019re talking about training, we\u2019re not talking about sitting in boring lectures. Here at HFB, we have augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other kinds of interactive training that make learning fun! Our web-based training allows you to learn whenever, and wherever, and is convenient for you. For every class you take, we\u2019ll not only pay you more, but our online platform will track your real-time progress towards that next promotion. Unlike those big online retailers or logistics companies, we have real career paths and a bright future for every worker. Yes, I know that the big manufacturer down the street will pay you a couple of dollars more per hour. But here, we know your name, we celebrate your birthday, and we care about your future. Our employees find that sense of belonging is worth far more than a few hundred bucks.<\/p>\n [CUT TO IMAGES OF DIVERSE PEOPLE WORKING IN MANY CAPACITIES AROUND THE COMPANY]<\/p>\n At HFB, our culture is our competitive advantage. We\u2019re always giving back, with paid volunteer hours and fundraising events that benefit our local community. We\u2019re also making our products as sustainable as possible; we have an active recycling program, use renewable energy, and more. Trust me, you\u2019ll be proud to tell your friends and family that you work at HFB Industries.<\/p>\n But wait, there\u2019s more. You see, when you\u2019re working at HFB Industries, we\u2019re committing to you not just as a worker, but as a person. As I mentioned, we only have 25 employees, so you\u2019re not a number here \u2013 we\u2019re a real team, and we value everyone\u2019s feedback. In a recent employee survey, we learned that everyone wanted better coffee \u2013 so we made that change and have fresh-brewed gourmet coffee every day. That\u2019s also why we offer flexible work shifts, which everyone appreciates. Just the other day, Susan, a working mom, came up to me and raved about her 9 am to 2 pm shift, because it lets her get her kids out the door in the morning and be there when the bus drops them off in the afternoon.<\/p>\n [CUT TO IMAGES OF YOUR PEOPLE WORKING ALONGSIDE ROBOTS, 3D PRINTERS, CODING WEBSITES, IN LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS, AND ANALYZING DATA. NOT EVERY MANUFACTURING JOB IS A PRODUCTION JOB, SO SHOW THAT DIVERSITY OF ROLE IN YOUR PLANT!]<\/p>\n I can tell you\u2019re still a little hesitant, so let me address your concerns. First, maybe you don\u2019t have the math or reading skills to join our high-tech company, or maybe English isn\u2019t your first language, or you\u2019ve been involved with the justice system, or you don\u2019t have reliable transportation \u2026 whatever your challenge, don\u2019t worry! We\u2019ve partnered with our MEP Center and local nonprofits to provide the support services you need outside the plant, so you\u2019re as successful as possible when you\u2019re here. We value diversity and inclusion, and we care about your bright future.<\/p>\n Second, you might be wondering, \u201cThis sounds great, Kent, but won\u2019t a robot eventually take my job?\u201d I\u2019m excited to tell you that, yes, we are actively automating across our plant \u2013 but that\u2019s going to make our jobs better, not fewer. You see, we\u2019re going to need you to set up, program, and maintain those robots. We\u2019ll get you trained up to do that, and these new skills mean \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 more money.<\/p>\n Listen, as America comes back to work, we know you have choices in this highly competitive labor market. That\u2019s why we value every applicant, and care for each worker. I hope you\u2019ll give HFB a shot! Feel free to call, text, email, or just stop by the plant for a tour. Let\u2019s start the conversation, and hopefully this is a great fit not just for you as a worker, but for you as a person. Talk with you soon!<\/p>\n As you\u2019ve probably guessed by now, in this fake video, I\u2019ve tried to share some very real best practices. First, note that the CEO starts with why \u2013 the meaning behind the products that HFB Industries makes. Then, he jumps right into the investments that HFB makes in its workers, distinguishing manufacturing from other industries in its potential for long-term career (and salary) advancement. Further, by pushing the new cool technologies \u2013 AR, VR, robots, 3D printing, etc. \u2013 the CEO is working to change the candidate\u2019s outdated perceptions of manufacturing.<\/p>\n In the second part of the video, the CEO gets a little more detailed, discussing the company\u2019s culture and core values. To engage millennials and Gen Z workers, he talks about\u00a0what they care about<\/a>: giving back to the community, honesty, integrity, and environmental sustainability. Then, he acknowledges that people are multi-faceted, and want to know they\u2019ll be cared for as people, not just workers. To address this, the CEO lists a wide range of perks, from flexible hours to tuition reimbursement. Hesitations about overcoming barriers to employment, and the fear of being replaced by automation, are addressed directly. Most importantly, the CEO acknowledges that companies nationwide are competing for workers, and that every candidate is valuable.<\/p>\n I hope you\u2019ve found this exercise useful as you think about your company\u2019s recruitment strategies. Please copy from this script liberally; my guess is that it will make a tangible difference in your attraction efforts. And if you end up making a recruitment video based on this, please\u00a0let me know!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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