Move over Linkedin, is TikTok the future of jobs?

As students head into summer, Tik Tok’s new pilot Resumé feature allows them to showcase their talent and seek out new job opportunities, but will it become the norm? Career expert and Notebook Mentor CEO, Elisa Nardi, provides her insight.

The idea of showcasing yourself ‘socially’ isn’t a new concept. Employers already take sneaky peaks at your ‘on -line life’ to get a sense of who they are hiring. Showcasing your talent on video takes things another step forward and is a simple way to get that all important ‘elevator pitch’ just right — the one where you summarise who you are and your talents in a short 5 minute video.

For those who love Tik Tok this new feature might feel like a natural extension of what they already do on the platform — however it’s worth remembering that you are posting to ‘get a job’ rather than to entertain (not that those two things have to be mutually exclusive!). For employers who are looking for young, technology engaged new recruits it could be a simple way to get a quick sense of someone’s character and style — and how they might fit with the culture of the organisation. Candidates with more experience might be happy selling themselves in this way, however it won’t be for everyone. The concept does raise some questions about inclusivity. Employers looking for a diverse range of candidates will need to think carefully about how this might be integrated with other more traditional methods of recruiting, particularly if they want to attract different personality styles to the workplace. A shy introvert with much to offer an employer might find the idea of a video interview on Tik Tok their idea of hell!

Is Tik Tok Resumé for you?

Used to posting videos? Happy with sharing life stories over social media? Comfortable with taking a video of yourself talking sensibly about what you can offer an employer? If you’ve ticked all these boxes then there’s a good chance that Tik Tok’s new Resumé feature might work for you. If sending a boring CV to a prospective employer sends you to sleep, then this new video feature might be the career-seeking tool you’ve been waiting for. Of course, being on the platform matters first and foremost, and arguably this in itself could rule about a large percentage of the working population who use social media less (or certainly wouldn’t equate it part of the job hunting process). For young 16–24 year olds hunting for their first job, this could be a fun way to put themselves into the job market. Sending out endless CV’s and getting no response is a demoralising process. It will be important that employers using this feature don’t take it down the same path.

More senior employees are often used to appearing in videos, whether as communiques to a team or the whole organisation. Expressing personal opinions, sharing views, being open about feelings — these things won’t necessarily challenge an older generation looking for employment. Recruiters are beginning to cotton on to the idea of video interviewing too. These interviews are less about quickly showcasing who you are and more about talking about what you’ll bring to a new company. Someone with twenty years experience might want to lay out their achievements in a bit more detail. If a video is designed to do this (which would probably take 20 minutes not 5) then perhaps it could work. More experienced workers may however, associate Tik Tok with their social down time. Using Tik Tok to talk resumés just might be too off putting for some. The older generation, nearer to retirement are valuable contributors to our global workforce. Finding ways to engage them with this tool could be fun — such as working through grandchildren. The tool can work for anyone, provided people can use it, and both prospective employees and employers know how it will be managed and monitored.

7 tips for using Tik Tok or other social media as a way of getting hired

• Don’t just apply for anything. Be targeted. Apply for roles that speak to you or make you feel excited. If you’re not really interested in a job, it will come over to a prospective employer.
• Keep things simple — whether you’re uploading a CV or sending a video, leave the reader/watcher wanting to ask more.
• Don’t fabricate — you will be undone somewhere along the line!
• Talk about your values, character and morals as much as your skills? Nowadays employers want people who will get along with others, not just be technically good at their job. Try completing Notebook Mentor’s ‘Getting to know me better’ career journal to help you clarify your thinking before applying.
• Be presentable and polite — why wouldn’t you?
• Practice, practice, practice — before uploading any video or other social content, pause and reflect on what it says about you and your character or style?
• Remember that employers have choices — why should they hire you over all the other people who might apply to them? What makes you a good fit?

It’s worth remembering that the hiring process is hard — no matter how it is done and over what medium. As people we need to learn how to deal with rejection and setbacks — it is part of being human. Building resilience, learning life lessons when things go wrong, is just as important as getting it right and being successful. Job hunters must deal with rejection and live with silence (or a lack of response). It’s generally not personal, but it’s helpful to sometimes step away from the process and give yourself the head space to re-set.