How to record a baker video job ad

Step 1: Open with the Opportunity

Start your video by answering the question every baker candidate is asking: "Is this real baking — craft, technique, pride in the product — or just production work following recipes someone else wrote?" Bakers are craftspeople. They care about their craft, about the quality of what they produce, about working with dough and seeing the results of their skill. Your job ad needs to speak to that identity, not just list tasks.

This matters because baking attracts people who genuinely love the work. Unlike some hospitality roles where people are primarily seeking employment, many bakers specifically chose this craft. They've accepted the early mornings and the physical demands because they care about making excellent bread, pastries, or viennoiserie. If your bakery offers genuine craft work — developing skills, producing quality, taking pride in the output — lead with that. If it's primarily production following set recipes, be honest about that too; some bakers prefer the consistency.

The fundamental question baker candidates ask is: what will I actually be making, and will I be developing my craft? There's a significant difference between an artisan bakery where bakers shape every loaf by hand and develop their own sourdoughs, versus a production environment following standardized recipes at volume. Neither is inherently better, but they attract different bakers. Be clear about which you are.

Your goal is to make them think: "This is the kind of baking I want to do."

Use this 3-part approach:

1. Lead with the type of baking

Bakers specialize and have preferences. Be specific about what this role involves so candidates can assess whether it matches what they want to do.

Clarify the baking focus. Is this primarily bread? Pastry? Viennoiserie? A mix of everything? Some bakers are bread specialists who live for sourdough and crust; others are pastry-focused, preferring the precision of lamination and delicate work. Some want variety; others prefer depth in one area. State clearly what this role primarily involves.

Describe the approach to baking. Is this artisan craft baking — small batches, hand-shaping, developing recipes, attention to fermentation and technique? Or is it production baking — consistent output following established recipes, focused on efficiency and volume? Is there room for creativity and development, or is the goal perfect replication? Be honest about where you sit on this spectrum.

Explain what they'll actually make. List the products: sourdough loaves, baguettes, croissants, Danish pastries, cakes, tarts. Be specific enough that bakers can picture the daily work. "Bread and pastries" is vague; "hand-shaped sourdoughs, traditional baguettes, and a full viennoiserie range including croissants, pain au chocolat, and seasonal Danish" gives them a real picture.

Address the quality level. What standard are you working to? Artisan quality for discerning customers? Consistent good quality for volume? Award-winning exceptional? The quality expectation shapes the baker's experience and pride in the work.

2. Understand what matters to bakers

Bakers have specific concerns that differ from other kitchen roles. Understanding these helps you speak to what they actually care about.

Craft and quality typically matter most. Bakers who've chosen this career usually care deeply about their craft. They want to produce excellent work, develop their skills, and take pride in what leaves the oven. Opportunities that offer genuine craft development — learning techniques, improving skills, working with quality ingredients — are more attractive than those that are purely production.

The type of baking matters for skill development. Bread bakers and pastry bakers often have different trajectories. Some want to specialize deeply; others want breadth. Some are drawn to the long fermentation and crust development of sourdough; others to the precision of laminated pastry. Be clear about what your role offers for their specific interests.

The hours are a known factor, but details matter. Every baker knows about early mornings — it comes with the territory. But there's variation: 3am starts are different from 5am starts. Consistent schedules are different from rotating shifts. Finishing by midday and having afternoons free is a genuine advantage of baking hours. Be specific about your schedule because bakers are assessing how it fits their life.

Working environment affects the experience. Baking is physical work in warm conditions. But there's variation in how pleasant the environment is: well-equipped bakeries with proper proofing equipment and maintained ovens versus makeshift setups with unreliable kit. Space to work properly versus cramped conditions. These practical factors affect daily experience significantly.

Team and culture matter, even in small bakery teams. Will they work alone or with others? Is there a head baker they'll learn from? Is the environment collaborative or isolated? For many bakers, the social aspect of the work — even in small teams — affects job satisfaction.

3. Differentiate from other bakeries

Baker candidates may be comparing your role to other bakeries, to pastry chef roles in restaurants, or to different career paths entirely. Give them a reason to choose you.

Differentiation for baker roles is usually about the type of baking and the craft opportunity. If you're a genuine artisan bakery producing exceptional product, lead with that — it attracts bakers who want to do their best work. If you offer learning and development under a skilled head baker, that's valuable. If your equipment and setup enable great baking, highlight it.

Consider what makes your bakery distinctive. Do you work with heritage grains or unusual flours? Do you have stone-deck ovens that produce exceptional crust? Is there a signature product or technique you're known for? Do you give bakers creative input into seasonal products? Whatever genuinely distinguishes your baking, name it.

If you're primarily a production environment, be honest about your advantages. Consistent hours, reliable income, clear processes, less pressure than artisan environments — these have genuine appeal for some bakers.

Tips if you're unsure what to say

Ask your current bakers what drew them here. What do they tell friends about the baking? What would make them leave? Their honest answers reveal your actual selling points.

Think about what a skilled baker would gain from working with you. New techniques? Better equipment? Exposure to products they haven't made before? Quality of ingredients they couldn't access elsewhere?

Consider what type of baker thrives in your environment. Is it someone who wants creative freedom, or someone who prefers clear structure? Someone developing their craft, or someone who wants to execute consistently? The answer shapes how you describe the opportunity.

Example: Artisan Bakery

We're looking for a baker to join our team producing hand-shaped sourdoughs, traditional French breads, and a full viennoiserie range. This is genuine craft baking — small batches, long fermentation, hand-shaping every loaf.

We mill some of our own flour from heritage grains. Our sourdoughs ferment for 24-36 hours. Every croissant is hand-laminated. If you care about the craft of baking — not just producing volume, but actually making excellent bread and pastry — this is the environment for it.

You'll work alongside our head baker, who trained in France and has been developing our range for six years. There's genuine opportunity to learn: lamination techniques, sourdough development, the nuances of fermentation. Our last baker moved on to open their own place after three years here.

The hours are early — 4am starts, finishing by midday — but that's baking. If you want to develop your craft in a bakery that cares about quality, this is it.

Step 2: Show Your Venue Personality

Now help candidates picture themselves working in your bakery. For bakers, this is about the baking environment: what's the setup like, what's the team like, what's the approach to the craft.

Video works particularly well for bakeries because you can show the space, the equipment, the products. A glimpse of well-shaped loaves or a professional deck oven communicates more than words. Bakers are visual and tactile — they respond to seeing quality.

Your goal is to help them picture what baking here actually feels like.

Use this 3-part approach:

1. Describe the bakery environment

Give candidates a concrete picture of where they'd be working.

Describe the physical space and setup. What equipment do you have? Deck ovens, rack ovens, a proofer? Mixers and sheeters? Is there space to work properly, or is it cramped? Is the equipment well-maintained and reliable? Bakers care about their tools; good equipment enables good baking.

Talk about the scale and volume. How much do you produce? How many loaves, how many croissants, on a typical day? This tells them about the pace and workload. A small artisan operation producing 100 loaves is very different from a bakery supplying multiple outlets with 500.

Address the approach to ingredients. Do you use quality flour? Any special suppliers or ingredients? Do you mill your own grain? Bakers who care about craft also care about what they're working with. Quality ingredients are a selling point.

Explain the production environment. Is this a standalone bakery? Part of a restaurant? A production kitchen supplying retail? The context shapes the baker's experience.

2. Share the baking culture

Culture in a bakery is about the approach to the craft and how the team works together.

Describe the approach to quality. Is there genuine attention to every loaf, or is it about getting product out? Is there time to do things properly, or constant pressure to cut corners? Bakers take pride in their work; environments that enable quality attract them.

Talk about learning and development. Is there a head baker or experienced colleague they'll learn from? Is there openness to trying new things, developing new products? Or is it strictly following established recipes? Both can be valid, but they attract different bakers.

Address the team dynamic. Is there camaraderie among the baking team? Do people work together or in isolation? Is there mutual respect for the craft? For bakers who spend early morning hours together, the team relationship matters.

Be honest about pace and pressure. Some bakeries are calm and methodical — there's time to do things properly. Others are high-pressure — constant deadlines, rushing to get product out. What's yours genuinely like?

3. Introduce who they'll work with

Baking often involves small teams. The colleagues matter.

Describe the head baker or supervisor if there is one. Who leads the baking? What's their background and approach? Will they actively teach and develop junior bakers, or mainly need execution?

Talk about the team composition. How many bakers? What's the mix of experience? How long have people been there? A stable team suggests a good working environment.

Address how bakers work together. Is there collaboration and mutual support, or do people work independently on their own products? Do experienced bakers help develop less experienced ones?

Tips if you're unsure what to say

Ask your bakers how they'd describe working here. Their language is often more authentic than management descriptions.

Think about what distinguishes your bakery culture. What would a new baker notice that's different from other places they might work?

Example: Artisan Bakery

The bakery is purpose-built — stone deck ovens for bread, a dedicated pastry area with proper marble surfaces and a sheeter, a temperature-controlled proof room. The equipment is maintained properly; you won't be fighting with unreliable kit.

We produce around 150 loaves and 200 pastries daily, supplying our shop and two café accounts. It's busy but manageable — there's time to shape properly, to check fermentation, to care about the output. We're not cutting corners to hit volume.

The approach here is craft-focused. We use heritage flour from a mill in Shropshire, maintain three different sourdough cultures, and hand-laminate all viennoiserie. There's room to develop new products — seasonal specials, new bread varieties — if you have ideas and the skill to execute them.

The team is small — head baker, two bakers, and a Saturday helper. The head baker's been here since we opened and genuinely wants to develop people. He trained in Lyon and brings that technical foundation. The other baker's been here two years and is now leading our pastry production. It's collaborative; people help each other and share the early morning hours together.

Step 3: Paint a Picture of the Role

Give candidates a realistic preview of what the baker job actually involves — including the early hours, which are the defining characteristic of baking work.

Realistic previews matter because the hours are unusual. Anyone can say they're fine with early mornings until they're actually getting up at 3am. Being specific helps candidates genuinely assess whether this schedule works for their life.

Your goal is to help them understand what their days will actually look like.

Use this 4-part approach:

1. Describe what a typical shift looks like

Walk candidates through the actual rhythm of a baker's day.

Be specific about timing. When does the shift start? 3am? 4am? 5am? There's meaningful difference between these. When does it typically end? What's the total shift length? Being precise helps candidates assess the reality.

Explain the flow of the shift. What happens first — mixing doughs that have been retarding overnight? Starting new mixes? Shaping loaves that have proved? Walk through the sequence of tasks as they actually happen.

Describe the different phases. Early hours might be focused on bread production — shaping, proving, baking. Later might shift to pastry work or preparation for the next day. What's the rhythm of activities through the shift?

Talk about how the day ends. What time do they finish? What's the state of the bakery when they leave? Do they prep for the next day, or does another shift handle that?

2. Explain what they'll actually be doing

Be specific about the baker's tasks and responsibilities.

List the production responsibilities. What products are they responsible for? Are they doing the full process — mixing, shaping, proving, baking — or specific parts? Do they handle bread and pastry, or specialize?

Describe the hands-on work. How much is hand-shaping versus machine-assisted? How much mixing and dividing? What's the physical nature of the work? Bakers want to know whether this is craft work or operating machinery.

Address any non-baking responsibilities. Cleaning, prep for next day, receiving deliveries, any shop or customer interaction? What percentage of time is actual baking versus other tasks?

Talk about the level of autonomy. Do they work independently, responsible for their own products? Or closely supervised, following direction? Do they have input into recipes and methods, or execute what's given?

3. Describe the working conditions

Practical conditions matter, especially given the unusual hours.

Address the physical demands honestly. Standing for long shifts, working in warm conditions near ovens, lifting bags of flour and trays of product, repetitive physical work. These are inherent to baking.

Talk about the environment. Temperature near the ovens, early morning conditions (is the bakery warm when they arrive or cold until ovens heat up?), noise levels, air quality.

Address breaks and facilities. Is there a genuine break during the shift? Somewhere to sit and have coffee? Staff food? These matter for wellbeing during early morning shifts.

4. Be honest about the hours

The early hours are the defining characteristic of baking work. Be completely honest about what this means.

State the start time clearly. No ambiguity. If it's 4am, say 4am.

Acknowledge the lifestyle impact honestly. Early mornings mean early nights. It affects social life. It takes adjustment. Candidates who've baked before know this; those new to it need to understand what they're signing up for.

But also present the positives. Finishing by midday means afternoons free. Many bakers love having daylight hours while others are at work. The city is quiet at 4am; there's something peaceful about early baking.

Be honest about schedule consistency. Is the start time the same every day? Are there variations? What days of the week?

Tips if you're unsure what to say

Walk through a recent shift yourself, noting what happened when. The specific details are more compelling than general descriptions.

Ask your bakers what candidates need to understand about the hours. What do people not realize until they've done it? What helps them manage?

Example: Artisan Bakery

As baker here, your shift starts at 4am — genuinely 4am, not "around 4." You'll arrive to ovens preheating and overnight doughs ready for shaping.

The first two hours are bread-focused: shaping sourdoughs that have cold-proved overnight, loading the deck ovens, managing the bake rotation. By 6am you'll have the first loaves out and be starting on baguettes and smaller breads.

Around 7am, focus shifts to pastry: finishing croissants and Danish that were laminated the day before, baking them fresh for the shop opening at 8am. From 8am-10am you're producing for the morning rush — topping up bread, baking off pastries, managing the output.

By 11am-noon, you're finishing up: cleaning your areas, prepping doughs and laminated products for tomorrow, doing any mise en place needed. You'll typically be done by 12:30pm.

The hours are what they are — you'll be awake when most people are asleep, and you'll need to sleep in the early evening. It takes adjustment. But you'll also have every afternoon free while other people are at work. Many bakers come to love that rhythm.

The physical demands are real: standing from 4am, working near hot ovens, lifting flour bags and loaded trays. You need to be physically able to do this work.

Step 4: Be Honest About What You Need

This section tells candidates what you're looking for. For bakers, this means being clear about the skill level required and the commitment to the hours.

Your goal is to help candidates assess whether they're right for this specific role.

Use this 4-part approach:

1. Define essential requirements

Be honest about what someone genuinely needs to start this role.

Address experience requirements clearly. Do you need experienced bakers, or will you train? If you need experience, what kind — bread specifically, pastry, production? How much experience? Be specific so candidates know whether to apply.

Clarify technical requirements. What skills must they have from day one? Sourdough experience? Lamination skills? Bread shaping? What can you teach versus what do they need to bring?

State any certifications needed. Food safety qualifications? Any specific training requirements?

Be direct about the hours requirement. They need to be genuinely able to work the hours — not just willing, but actually able to restructure their life around a 4am start. This isn't negotiable for baking roles.

2. Describe what you're looking for in a baker

Beyond technical skills, what makes someone succeed in your bakery?

Talk about relationship to the craft. Do you need someone who genuinely cares about quality, or is consistent execution the priority? Do you want someone with ideas and creativity, or someone who follows recipes precisely? Different bakeries need different approaches.

Address reliability and consistency. Baking requires showing up at 4am regardless. Doughs don't wait. How important is absolute reliability to your operation?

Discuss physical capability honestly. The work is physical; candidates need to be able to do it. This isn't discriminatory — it's practical honesty about job requirements.

Talk about working style. Do you need someone self-directed who can work independently? Someone who works well in a small team? Someone who takes feedback and direction well?

3. Be clear about flexibility

State where you're open to candidates who don't tick every box.

Address experience flexibility. Will you train a less experienced baker who has strong potential? Will you consider someone from a different baking background (bread baker moving to pastry, or vice versa)?

Talk about scheduling flexibility if you have any. Are there different shift options? Any flexibility in start times?

4. State deal-breakers

If certain things genuinely won't work, be direct.

The hours are usually the main one. If someone can't work early mornings, baking isn't for them. Be clear about this.

Any non-negotiable skill requirements. If you genuinely can't train certain things and need them from day one, say so.

Example: Artisan Bakery

Here's what we need:

Experience: You've baked professionally before — at least a year in a bakery environment. You understand fermentation, you can shape competently, you know how to manage oven temperatures and timing. We're not a training bakery for complete beginners.

Skills: For this role, bread experience is essential — you need to be confident with sourdough shaping and baking. Pastry skills are valuable but we can develop these if your bread foundations are strong.

What we're looking for: Someone who cares about the craft — who notices when a loaf is right and when it's not, and cares about the difference. Someone reliable, because doughs don't wait and the team depends on everyone showing up. Someone who can work independently but also collaboratively in a small team.

What we're flexible on: Specific pastry experience — we'll train lamination and viennoiserie if you're a strong bread baker keen to learn. Production bakery versus artisan background — we care about skill and attitude, not just where you learned.

What won't work: If you can't genuinely commit to 4am starts, this isn't the right role. Baking requires early mornings; there's no way around it. If you're not sure you can manage the hours, be honest with yourself before applying.

Step 5: Make the Offer Compelling

Sell the package, acknowledging the unique demands of baking hours while highlighting the genuine advantages.

Your goal is to make them think: "This is a baking job worth taking."

Use this 5-part approach:

1. Be transparent about compensation

State pay clearly. Hourly rate or salary? What's the realistic annual figure?

Acknowledge that baking pay should reflect the unsocial hours. If you pay above standard hospitality rates (which you should, given 4am starts), highlight that.

Explain any additional earnings — tips if customer-facing, product allowances, overtime rates.

2. Detail the benefits

Staff food/product — do bakers take bread home? This is standard in many bakeries and valued by bakers.

Any other practical benefits — equipment provided, uniform, pension.

3. Address the hours honestly

Acknowledge the early starts are the trade-off. Don't pretend it's not significant.

But present the genuine advantages: finishing by midday, afternoons free, the peaceful early morning hours, being done while others are still at work.

Talk about schedule consistency — is the pattern predictable? Same days every week? This matters for life planning.

4. Explain development opportunity

What will they learn? New techniques? Different products? Is there progression potential?

If you have a skilled head baker, learning from them is a genuine benefit.

5. Differentiate where you can

What makes your baking job better than alternatives? Quality of baking? Learning opportunity? Equipment and environment? Team culture?

Example: Artisan Bakery

The package:

Pay: £32,000-£36,000 depending on experience. That's above standard hospitality rates — early mornings should be properly compensated.

Hours: 40 hours across five days. Shifts are 4am-12:30pm, Monday to Friday with rotating Saturdays (one in three). The schedule is consistent — you can plan your life around it.

Benefits: Take home bread daily — fresh loaves for you and your family is a genuine perk of bakery work. Proper breaks during shift with coffee and food. 28 days holiday plus bank holidays.

Development: You'll work with a head baker who trained in France and genuinely wants to develop people. There's room to learn lamination if you're bread-focused, or deepen sourdough work if you're already skilled. Previous bakers have gone on to open their own places.

Why us: Genuine craft baking in a well-equipped bakery with a head baker who teaches, not just supervises. Quality ingredients, time to do things properly, and pride in every loaf. Yes, it's 4am starts — but you'll be home by 1pm with fresh bread under your arm.

Step 6: Tell Them How to Apply

End with a clear, simple call to action.

Your goal is to make applying straightforward.

Use this 4-part approach:

1. Keep it simple

CV and brief message about their baking background is enough. Don't require extensive applications.

2. Explain the process

Tell them what happens next. A conversation? A trial shift? What does the trial involve?

For bakers, trial shifts often mean working an actual shift to see both skill and ability to handle the hours. Be clear about what this involves.

3. Provide a direct contact

A real person they can reach. Bakers often prefer direct communication.

4. Address timing

If you need someone soon, say so. If you can be flexible on start date, mention that.

Example: Artisan Bakery

If this sounds like the right bakery for you, get in touch.

Send your CV and a few lines about your baking background to tom@artisanbakery.com. I'm the head baker — I'll read it personally.

What happens next: A phone chat first to talk about your experience and what you're looking for. If that goes well, we'll arrange a trial shift — one morning, 4am-12pm, paid. You'll work alongside me so you can see how we bake and I can see your skills and how you handle the early start.

We're looking to have someone in place within the next month. If you're keen and can start soon, we can move quickly.