There’s a trend doing the rounds on social media built around a simple idea: “Every workplace should come with a trailer.”
Companies are turning everyday working life into movie-style videos that showcase their people, personalities, culture and the moments that make working there different.
The videos are entertaining, but the reactions they generate are arguably more interesting. People comment that they wish they had known what a company was really like before joining, say they would love to work there or tag friends because the workplace immediately feels like the right fit.
It highlights something we often talk about at Venn: candidates don’t just want to understand the job they’re applying for. They want to understand the company they could be joining.
Isn’t that exactly what a good careers website should help them do?
Candidates Want to Know What They're Joining
A job description can tell someone about the responsibilities, salary, location, required experience and benefits. What it can't always communicate is what working for that company will actually feel like.
Candidates want to understand the people they could work alongside, what the company values, how teams interact, what progression looks like and the type of environment they're potentially joining.
These things can be difficult to communicate through a vacancy alone, but they can make a huge difference to whether someone sees a role and thinks, “I can see myself there.”
That's where your careers website can play a much bigger role in the candidate journey.
Your Careers Website Is Your Company Trailer
A trailer doesn't show you everything. It gives you enough to understand what you're getting into and decide whether you want to know more.
A careers website can do the same.
Rather than simply hosting vacancies, your careers website can bring together your people, culture, values, benefits, progression opportunities and employee value proposition. It gives candidates a clearer and more authentic picture of the organisation behind the jobs.
This is increasingly important because the candidate journey rarely starts and finishes in one place. Someone might discover your business on LinkedIn, see an employee video on TikTok, read a review, search for you on Google and visit your website before they ever consider applying.
Your careers website is where those different impressions can come together into a story you actually control.
More Applications Isn't Always the Goal
It's easy to judge recruitment marketing by numbers: more traffic, more clicks and more applications.
But application volume doesn't necessarily tell you whether your employer brand is working.
A careers website shouldn't try to make every candidate want to work for your company. It should give people an authentic enough view that they can decide whether the organisation is right for them.
For one candidate, seeing your culture, working style and people might strengthen their decision to apply. For another, it might make them realise they're looking for something different.
Both are valuable outcomes.
The goal isn't to make everyone want to work for your company. It's to help the right people recognise that they do.
That means the candidates who eventually reach your application form can already have a better understanding of what you offer, what you expect and whether there is genuine alignment.
Social Media Can Start the Story
The company trailer trend is also a great example of how social media can influence the candidate journey before someone reaches your website.
Employee videos, office content, team events, promotions, new starter stories and behind-the-scenes moments all give people small insights into what it might be like to work somewhere.
The reactions to this type of content matter because they're often based on recognition. People see a workplace, its people or its personality and immediately feel that it either does or doesn't appeal to them.
Your social channels and careers website should build on each other.
Social media can create that initial thought of “I'd love to work there.” Your careers website then gives someone the information they need to work out “Would I actually love working there?”
We created our own company trailer to show what this trend can look like in practice. Watch Venn’s version on Instagram.
What Would Be in Your Company Trailer?
It's a useful question for employers to consider.
If a candidate watched a two-minute trailer for your company before applying, what would you want them to understand?
Would they meet the people they could work with? See what your culture actually looks like? Understand what you value and what you expect from employees? Get a sense of where their career could go?
More importantly, would the company they saw in the trailer feel like the company they experienced once they joined?
Strong employer branding isn't about creating the most polished version of your business. It's about creating a recognisable and authentic one.
Your Application Form Shouldn't Be the Introduction
By the time someone reaches Apply, they should already know something about you.
They've seen your people. They understand what you value. They know what you can offer and have a clearer idea of what working for you could look like.
The application isn't their introduction to the company. It's the next step in a journey that's already started.
At Venn, we build careers websites that turn employer brands into better candidate experiences. They give people the opportunity to understand your business before deciding whether to apply.
Because the goal isn’t simply to generate more applications. It’s to attract candidates who are informed, engaged, and genuinely aligned with your company.
Whether you’re scaling up or growing, we’ll build the careers website that’s right for your business. Explore our careers websites to see how we create better candidate journeys, or follow Venn on LinkedIn for more on careers websites, employer branding and recruitment marketing.
Careers Website FAQs
What is a careers website?
A careers website is a dedicated space where candidates can explore your jobs, culture, people, benefits and employee experience before applying.
Why is a careers website important?
It gives candidates more information about the company behind the vacancy, helping them decide whether the role and organisation are right for them.
Can a careers website improve application quality?
Yes. Giving candidates a clearer picture of your culture, expectations and employee experience can help attract people who are better aligned with your organisation.
What should a careers website include?
A strong careers website should include current vacancies, employee stories, videos, benefits, company values, career progression and an authentic view of the employee experience.