You know your business needs an in-house videographer.
Maybe you’ve already tried hiring freelance help or handed the task to an existing team member, only to be left with videos that didn’t deliver, or worse, never even got finished.
It’s a frustrating place to be, and you’re not alone. You’ve seen firsthand how vital video has become for brands today, whether it’s customer education, sales enablement, or brand storytelling.
But who do you hire? What skills matter most? How do you avoid wasting time and money on someone who can’t deliver what your business actually needs?
At IMPACT, we’ve helped businesses sort through hundreds of videographer candidates and know exactly what it takes to make a confident, strategic hire. Whether you decide to ultimately work with us or not, we can still guide you through making the choice that actually works for your business.
In this article, we’ll walk you through exactly how to find, vet, and test candidates for your in-house videographer role so you can make a smart, confident hire and start seeing real impact.
Editor’s note: The best practices in this article come directly from the proven Endless Customers System™. This system has helped hundreds of companies build in-house video teams that create trust-building content and drive real results. If you’re serious about leveling up your video strategy, this framework is the foundation you’ll want to follow. Talk to our team to learn more about getting started!
Technical skills are important, but the momentum happens when you hire someone with the right mindset and attitude.
Your in-house videographer will be collaborating with your team, shaping your brand story, and influencing how your audience sees you. This is someone who will likely interact with every department and get hands-on with the faces of your business, so culture fit is everything.
One thing we see time and time again when businesses start with video is that most people in your organization aren’t climbing over each other for a chance to be in front of a camera.
It’s uncomfortable, it’s unfamiliar, and it can feel like a chore. That means your videographer needs to be outgoing, personable, and skilled at putting people at ease. A big part of their job will be making others feel confident and comfortable.
Just as important, they need to have a growth mindset. While this may seem like a creative role, it’s actually a strategic role. Your hire must be able to accept constructive feedback without defensiveness and be committed to continuous improvement. Those qualities are what make a good videographer great.
Here’s are seven traits to look for in an in-house videographer:
Watch out for:
These are the core traits, but of course, technical ability matters too. Let’s dig into that next.
Great videographers combine technical mastery with a strong creative eye, and both are critical for driving real business results.
One of the first questions we often hear from business owners is whether candidates need to have a degree in video production or filmmaking.
The short answer: not necessarily.
While formal education can be helpful, many of today’s most talented videographers are self-taught or have built their skills through hands-on experience. What matters most is that they demonstrate the practical skills listed below and can apply them effectively in a business context.
Here’s what to assess:
Technical skills:
Creative skills:
Not every candidate will hit every single one of these, but you're looking for someone with strong fundamentals and the willingness to stretch.
And here’s something that’s becoming more important by the day: AI fluency.
While it might have been a "nice to have" in the past, today’s most forward-thinking videographers are leveraging AI tools to streamline their workflows, repurpose content faster, and unlock creative possibilities that weren’t practical before. Whether it’s using AI for transcriptions, automated edits, or generating quick cutdowns for social media, a solid grasp of these tools can amplify the impact of every video they produce.
Candidates who are curious, adaptable, and eager to experiment with AI will help your business stay ahead of the curve and get more mileage from every piece of content.
Before you start interviewing candidates, you need a clear and compelling job post that attracts the right people.
Your job posting sets the tone for what kind of videographer you’re looking for and what the role will involve. Below, you’ll find a practical example you can copy, customize, and use to kickstart your search.
Do you have a serious passion for creating, crafting, and editing video? Is story-telling your gift to the world? Does teaching others to succeed and empowering others to be better in their own role something that you obsess over? Are you looking for a full-time position that allows you the opportunity to create multiple videos every week? If so, then (company name) might be a great choice for you. As the videographer, your job will entail producing video content for our organization that aligns with the brand, mission, and goals of our company. As the visual storyteller for our company, you’ll be responsible for pre-production, shooting footage and editing, managing creative assets, analyzing and reporting, and maintaining all video equipment. As the owner of the video strategy in our company, you will be the trusted resource for implementing and maintaining a culture of video.
You will accomplish the bulk of the technical tasks related to production and post-production. These duties may include the transport, setup, and operation of equipment; and assisting with staging, set preparation, and dressing.
You will work closely with the content manager and sales team to execute projects from concept through completion.
Role Type: Full Time
Salary: X annually
Specific responsibilities include:
- Determining what camera equipment is necessary and obtain equipment if needed
- Transporting, setting up, and operating various production equipment including cameras, audio and video recorders, lighting equipment, props, and microphones for location and studio production
- Owning and executing the principles of Marcus Sheridan’s book, “Endless Customers” for the video strategy
- Operating and maintaining proper levels and calibration of cameras, audio and video recorders, and other production equipment
- Use AI to assist in areas of video production, including, but not limited to: leveraging tools optimizing the production process, automatic color correction, audio enhancements, and smart editing
- Collecting b-roll footage, as well as interviewing appropriate staff and/or clients, and using AI to generate content for use in videos.
- Assisting in the social-sharing of the video content
- Working closely with sales and services teams to determine the topics of the videos and how to prioritize what to produce
- Working closely with the sales team to refine, setup, and optimize their 1:1 and 1:Many videos
- The ability to maintain consistent project management and process that will allow you to create 2-3 videos a week consistently.
- Working with our team as on-camera talent as the subject of your video content
- Creating, uploading, optimizing, and reporting on content for our YouTube channel
- Owning all aspects of production including, but not limited to:
- Pre-production scripting and collaboration
- Production setup, execution, and striking
- Post-production editing and publication
- Reporting on assessing the effectiveness of video content
- Assisting in maintaining the video hosting platform and understanding best practices
- Coaching and educating the team on the latest video technologies, how to use it, and owning the implementation of it in our company
Technical Qualifications:
- Proficient with Video Editing Software (Adobe Premiere or similar)
- Experience with Adobe After Effects or Motion is preferred
- Experience with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator is a plus
- Proficient at storyboarding, scripting, and concepts
- Understand basic and advanced composition techniques
- Understand the fundamentals of branding
- Very detail-oriented and able to identify quality issues in audio and video
- Proficient interview skills and getting the most out of on-camera talent
- Experience with AI tools specifically familiarity with AI-enhanced video editing software or platforms that incorporate AI functionalities, such as Adobe Sensei or similar tools.
- AI Literacy: An understanding of AI principles as they apply to video production, including machine learning concepts and their applications in content creation.
Personal Qualities:
- Attention to detail, quick thinking, and a demonstrated proficiency in shooting video
- Proven experience in working with a team, with a mindset and goal in developing the best video content
- Ability to learn new skills and determine on-going learning opportunities for film techniques
- Excited for coaching and feedback on content, whether it’s complimentary or critical, you always want to know what’s going to make your content better
- Owns the production process and does what it takes to make great content
- Self-starting and treats the brand as as your own
- Great communication skills and able to interview and make people comfortable
- Energetic and able to excite people to be on camera
- Looks at the content from the eye of the viewer to create the best experience
- Lifelong learner and able to identify new learning opportunities
Bonus Points if:
- You have contagious enthusiasm that makes others around you light up when you enter the room
- You are obsessed with improving your personal skills, learning everyday, and embracing new technology as it develops
- You love feedback and are a major team player
You have an entrepreneurial spirit, and therefore treat the position as if it was your own company
You’re awesome. And because you’re awesome, we absolutely want you to be a part of the team at (company name).
After posting your opening to job boards, you’ve narrowed your pool to candidates who look promising on paper and have portfolios that catch your eye.
The interview is where you dig deeper to uncover whether they really have the mindset and approach that fits your business.
Remember, you’re looking for someone who understands how to use video as a tool for building trust and driving business outcomes. The questions you ask should reveal how they think, how they solve problems, and how well they work with others.
Here are smart questions to ask:
While these questions have technical elements, they're also about attitude, adaptability, and alignment with your goals.
Talking is one thing; delivering is another. That’s why we strongly recommend assigning a practical test. Portfolios are nice, but they only show you what a candidate has done in the past, often in very different contexts. This practical test will give you a true sense of how this person will work within your business, your processes, and your brand style.
Here’s a tried-and-true format you can use:
The task: Ask candidates to create a 2–3 minute video about why they love video or why they want to work for your company.
Requirements:
What to evaluate:
This assignment shows their technical chops and also gives insight into their time management, creativity, and how well they understand your brand’s voice.
We recommend offering this assignment only to your top 2 or 3 candidates. Video creation takes time and effort, and you want to be respectful of candidates’ energy and commitment, saving this step only for those you are seriously considering
The hiring process can be a place where a lot of businesses slip up. You’ve done the hard work of identifying what you need and attracting great candidates, but a few missteps at this stage can derail your progress. Here’s what to watch out for (and how to avoid it.)
Treat these pitfalls as lessons learned from others’ mistakes. Taking a little extra care now will set your videographer, and video strategy, up for long-term success.
A great real-world example comes from Sheffield Metals. Rather than outsourcing, Sheffield Metals decided to fully embrace in-house video and brought on Thad Barnette as their dedicated videographer.
With no prior experience in metal roofing, Thad joined the company in 2018 to spearhead a video strategy that positioned Sheffield as a leader in metal roofing expertise.
Thad had a great personality and a knack for video, but wasn't a roofer by trade and knew nothing about the technical aspects of metal roofing. But that was the genius behind it. Instead of trying to act like an expert from day one, he put himself in the shoes of the customer—interviewing members of the sales team and contractors in the field, seeking answers to the questions he knew buyers were asking. His style was approachable, educational, and authentic. Viewers saw someone who was genuinely curious, just like they were, and that built a strong connection.
His efforts led to the creation of over 500 videos on the "Metal Roofing Channel" on YouTube, garnering millions of views and generating more than 60 qualified leads per week. This content didn’t just build trust, it drove over $20 million in sales within a few years, transforming Sheffield's business and establishing Thad as a trusted face of the brand.
Thad was responsible for making it all happen, owning the full production process from idea to execution. He also played a key role in coaching Sheffield's subject matter experts, helping them build confidence and show up authentically on camera, which made the content even more relatable and impactful.
This is what the perfect videographer looks like in action.
You started this journey unsure how to find the right videographer, and now you’ve got the full roadmap. From understanding the traits that matter, to knowing exactly what questions to ask and how to test real skills, you’re ready to take action with confidence.
This is your opportunity to build something amazing—a video engine that puts trust at the center of your marketing and drives real business results.
The tools are in your hands now. Go make your next great hire.
And if you want a partner to help you through the process, we’re here for you. Our team has helped hundreds of companies just like yours build world-class in-house video capabilities. Let’s talk.