In short
- Ask the staff shown before footage goes to an outside audience.
- Pick moments that show real work and people, not staged cheer.
- Make a version for each audience, such as graduates or experienced hires.
- Plan for people who leave, change roles or later ask to be removed.
Event footage can help candidates picture working with you, but only if the people shown have agreed to an outside audience and the video matches daily life. Settle consent and audience first, then choose the moments.
Why staff expectations come first
Staff who attend a company dinner or training day expect colleagues to see the film. They may not expect strangers to see it, or for it to stay online for years. Moving footage from inside to outside the company changes what you have to ask.
If your footage is currently meant for staff, the guide on creating an internal event recap explains that purpose. A recruitment cut is a different edit, with different checks.
Ask before you reuse
For every person clearly shown, confirm:
- They know the clip may appear in recruitment and employer branding.
- They know where it may appear, such as a careers page or social pages.
- They know how long it may stay, and how to ask for removal.
- They have said yes freely. Managers asking a team in person can make “no” hard to say.
Do not use footage of children, family members or guests from outside the company without separate agreement. Our filming and publication responsibilities checklist and the permissions guides list what to check.
Choose the audience, then the moments
A video for graduates differs from one for experienced hires. Write one line per version: who it is for, and what they want to know.
| Audience | What they want to know | Moments that help |
|---|---|---|
| Graduates and interns | Will I learn, and who will teach me? | Training sessions, mentors, team introductions |
| Experienced hires | What is the work and the team like? | Project moments, honest conversation, leadership at ease |
| Specialist roles | Is this a serious place for my skill? | Demonstrations, workshops, real tools in use |
| Returning staff or alumni | Has it changed? | Milestones, long-serving colleagues, new faces |
Use actual work and real conversation. Staged cheering rarely helps a candidate decide.
Be honest about what it shows
A recruitment video makes a promise by implication. If the footage shows a long dinner and a team trip, a candidate may expect these often. Add a line of context, such as “annual dinner”, so the viewer knows what they are seeing. Do not hide how work normally looks.
Plan for change
People leave, change roles and sometimes change their mind. Keep a simple list of who appears in each cut, who agreed, and when you will review it. When the list changes, update the video or retire it. The video decisions and approvals planner can hold this record.
A worked illustration
For illustration only: a company with a training day, an awards night and a family day wants one hiring video. The family day is left out because of the children. The training day and awards night supply the clips. The manager asks each visible staff member in writing, records the answers and replaces two clips where people prefer not to appear.
What we confirm for your event
- Whether the agreement covers use of the footage in hiring material.
- Whether you want a note of who is clearly visible in each clip, so you can seek permission.
- Whether you need separate cuts for graduates and experienced hires.
To film a staff event with later reuse in mind, see corporate event videography and town hall and employee briefing videography. For planning every use, try the post-event asset planner.
Where we can help
For footage you already have, event video editing covers a recruitment cut with only the agreed people and moments. We confirm what is possible after we see your material.
If you have company event footage and want a short recruitment cut, tell us who you want to reach and which teams appear. We can advise on what can be edited from what you have.
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