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Turnover is wild in just about every industry right now, as workers realize their worth and employers scramble to keep pace and keep employees happy when they need them the most.
While GenX and Millennials stick to the tried-and-true routes like LinkedIn, though, younger people are finding new jobs in unexpected places – like TikTok, for instance.
People are using hashtags like TikTok Resumes, Work Life, and Hire Me to post video resumes on the platform, and they’re being searched regularly by potential employers.
Seriously, TikTok is showing people how.
@tiktok Searching for your dream job? Try #TikTokResumes to create a video resume that highlights your experience, career, and best work!
It began with a campaign to launch Tik Tok Resumes, one that had great partners like Chipotle and Target to help it off the ground. They asked users to submit a link to their LinkedIn profile as well as uploading a video resume to TikTok.
One person who took advantage was Brianna Seaberg, who has one of the most-viewed TikTok resumes out there.
Image Credit: TikTok
In it, she walks viewers through her educational and work experiences and lays out her professional goal to “work at the intersection of entertainment and social media.”
“This video gives recruiters an additional part of who I am, and really brings to light both my experience and what I bring to the table, making this video very useful in my job search and application process.”
For Brianna, the experience has totally paid off, because she landed a job with HBO Max!
Image Credit: TikTok
Brianna – and many others – realize that since so many people have a TikTok, it just makes sense to have your resume out there. The right person could stumble across it at any time and decide to reach out.
Buzzfeed spoke with Stephanie Lovell, the head of marketing at the startup hiring app Hirect, to see how they’re using the platform to find people searching for jobs.
She says that they’ve had great success stories after reaching out to potential recruits on TikTok.
“It’s definitely evolving. I think a lot of companies are just trying to meet the Gen Z job seekers where they’re at. My employees who found their jobs through TikTok had been looking for content like tips on interviewing, tricks for finding a company that suits you, and then they were able, through those kinds of searches, to find more granular detail on companies that were hiring.”
Image Credit: TikTok
She says that even though employers are currently targeting younger, entry-level hires through TikTok, she thinks that could change in the future so that mid-level or even advanced career opportunities may be accessible there, too.
“I think that’s what is making TikTok so successful, because people are kind of leaning into the… We don’t necessarily need to be outwardly ‘super professional’ anymore.
It’s more so now about leaning into the actual content that we’re providing and making sure that content is professional.”
That said, there are some downsides and drawbacks to hiring this way.
First, remember that if someone can see your resume on TikTok, they can see the rest of your videos, too – so you’ll want to make sure all of your content is working for you in a professional context and not against.
Image Credit: TikTok
Also, using videos has the potential to introduce even more bias to the hiring process, Lovell admits.
“This is a significant ongoing challenge for all of us in the hiring and recruiting space, and , transparently, one that has yet to be fully resolved. Until then, an important step for companies and hiring managers is to simply acknowledge bias exists, and provide the tools and resources to better identify and understand it.”
Harassment and cyberbullying are also far more likely to occur on TikTok than say, LinkedIn, so that’s something that will always be a nagging worry as well.
Check out here video outlining all of this.
@briseaberg TikTok, here’s my resume📋 #tiktokpartner #tiktokresumes
Like with posting or sending out any resume or cover letter, Lovell reminds people that it’s a good idea to have a trusted friend or co-worker give feedback on your video resume before you post it.
That kind of help can be invaluable to getting it right, and also for avoiding the trolls who are definitely going to be lurking around.
And remember, a video resume gives you a chance to go above and beyond what a company could read on paper – so let your personality really shine!
