TikTok hiring: How to improve your hiring strategy

In today’s world of technology, the ubiquity of social media may seem like it has been there forever. But did you know that the first recognizable social media platform was only created in 1997? Even then, the concept of social media did not pick up until the early 2000s when sites like Friendster and Facebook gained traction as more people started registering themselves on the platforms. While some of these sites are still relevant today, others have dwindled to be replaced by new ones. One of the newer and more popular ones today is the short-form video app, TikTok.

Holding the top position for the most downloaded app worldwide in May 2021, TikTok is used primarily by millennials and Gen Zs. Almost 80% of users are below 39 years old—so if you're looking for a way to reach this generation of individuals, you know where to go. This platform’s appeal spans across various demographics, making it an ideal platform to connect with a diverse audience.

TikTok first garnered popularity for its insane dance challenges and in-app filters. But as more users climb on board this platform, the content shared is becoming more diverse as well. Gone were the days when TikTok was used only for entertainment purposes. Now, professionals are using the platform to share useful how-tos for the budding generation entering the workforce soon. Likewise, promising young talents are also using this platform to get some tips for their career growth and even to look for job opportunities. Sounds like a great platform to recruit your potential hires, right?

As TikTok gains more popularity day by day, many companies are using its reach to recruit talent in various fields. From content creators to project managers, TikTok has become a platform of choice for companies seeking diverse skill sets. Additionally, marketing managers are tapping into TikTok's potential to enhance their digital marketing strategies, utilizing the platform to reach broader audiences and boost e-commerce businesses.

TikTok hiring may sound unconventional, but it's likely to become the norm shortly. In this article, we'll discuss how the social media app can be used for professional goals and how you, as an employer, can leverage this to amp up your hiring strategy!

The up-and-coming working population: Gen Z

Before we get started, let’s talk about our up-and-coming working generation, Gen Z. In case you’re unsure, this is the generation of people born from 1997 to 2015, which means they have either just started working or will eventually start looking for jobs in the coming years. More notably, they make up the bulk of our hourly or part-time workforce and should be your hiring manager’s right market. This is especially so if your business depends on hourly staff who are usually college students looking for a side income to support their living expenses.

Individuals from Gen Z are known as our first “digital natives”—that is, they grew up with technology and live and breathe it. So it's unsurprising that more than half (60%) of TikTok users in the US are Gen Z-ers. And with 74 million people making up this generation in the US next year, Gen Z-ers will be the trendsetters of the country as they will form the largest generation.

In today's dynamic job market, staying informed about new job opportunities is essential for job seekers. Platforms like TikTok can serve as effective channels for job alerts, providing timely notifications about available positions like content creators and any job titles that match a candidate's interests and qualifications. With TikTok's wide reach and engagement, job alerts can reach a diverse audience of potential candidates, ensuring that new job opportunities are quickly disseminated and filled.

Similarly, for businesses looking to attract top talent, utilizing TikTok to promote job alerts and showcase new job openings can be a strategic approach. By leveraging TikTok's platform, companies can effectively target job seekers across America, reaching a broad audience of American professionals and encouraging them to explore new career opportunities. With TikTok's popularity among American users, businesses can maximize their recruitment efforts and connect with a vast pool of talented individuals actively seeking new jobs.

That being said, if you're looking for ways to reach this particular population, incorporating TikTok job alerts and new job postings into your hiring strategy should be on your list of considerations. After all, what better way to stay ahead of the competition than by leveraging innovative recruitment methods and reaching potential candidates where they are most active?

Going beyond entertainment

Getting interview and career tips

We’ve mentioned how TikTok users utilize the app to access professional tips when securing a job. Sure, there are other ways one can do that, even without using the app. So what makes TikTok job content any different?

Well, for one, educational content posted on TikTok is more digestible and engaging. According to Ms. Ordonez Celi, her key point was learning a lot in just 15- or 60-seconds. Experts in the field often create these videos and they can usually be found under the hashtag #CareerTok. Ms. Emily Durham, a senior recruiter at Intuit, for example, decided to upload videos to equip interviewees with basic interview skills after encountering many lacking candidates. Below is one of her TikTok uploads.

TikTok's platform offers a unique space for professionals to share insights and advice, making it an invaluable resource for job seekers whether full-time or part-time. From program managers to product managers, experts across various industries leverage TikTok to provide valuable career guidance and interview tips. Moreover, the TikTok content format allows users to consume information quickly, ensuring that job-related content is easily accessible and actionable.

Furthermore, TikTok's algorithmic features, such as meta and LinkedIn platforms, ensure that relevant career content reaches the right audience at the right time. Unlike traditional job-seeking platforms, TikTok is a more effective platform for jobs and career tips, providing users with a diverse range of perspectives and strategies for navigating the job market.

Using it as a recruitment platform

Aside from its purpose of spreading useful advice, TikTok has recently developed a pilot program that can help job seekers connect with employers using the hashtag #TikTokResumes. Though most of its users are still young and lacking experience, they will eventually be looking for jobs as full-time or part-time working adults who are still going through college. In other words, it provides hiring managers with another recruitment platform to attract the younger generation.

The program allows users to directly apply to a group of companies, which includes Chipotle and Target, by submitting a video resume using the app. This allows recruiters to get to know the applicant better, as their personality will likely be reflected in their videos. As a guide, the TikTok Resume page will also feature outstanding video resumes and users who create content relating to career advice.

TikTok's emergence as a recruitment platform signifies its evolution beyond entertainment to a hub for career-related content. With features tailored for content creation and content moderation, TikTok serves as an ideal platform for influencer marketing and social media marketing initiatives. Businesses can leverage the platform's wide reach and engagement to promote job opportunities and attract top talent. Additionally, TikTok's integration of features like TikTok Shop and business development tools provides hiring managers with innovative ways to showcase company culture and attract potential candidates.

Furthermore, TikTok's platform offers various roles such as media specialist, social media manager, and account manager, allowing companies to recruit individuals with expertise in managing online presence and customer relationships. By tapping into TikTok's diverse community and dynamic content ecosystem, businesses can enhance their recruitment efforts and connect with a broader audience of job seekers.

Example of #TikTokResumes

Staffing your store can be difficult. However, by using an alternative platform like TikTok for jobs, you can widen your reach for candidates and possibly gain more success in hiring employees for your business. What’s more, with the unconventional recruitment process, you can even make hiring more interesting.

Incorporating TikTok into your hiring strategy

With programs such as #TikTokResumes being implemented, naturally, TikTok serves as a viable platform for you to hire hourly employees. But how does this improve your hiring strategy? Well, for one, it allows you to learn more about your candidate and thus lets you decide whether he/she is the right fit for the job. And as we’ve mentioned before, the majority of the Gen Z population is on it. Using TikTok for jobs increases your brand awareness and broadcasts your hiring campaign to more people. E-commerce giant Amazon uses TikTok's diverse user base and engaging platform for creative and targeted ad campaigns to reach potential candidates. Where there is a marketing campaign from any company there is the job. You can try out to reach certain brands for promotional jobs.

TikTok recruiting has proven effective for some brands. Chipotle, for example, saw a 7% increase in applicants last August after posting their recruitment video. This was part of the fast-food brand’s recruiting strategy to hire 10,000 new employees. And it does help that their content was hilarious and entertaining enough to rope in more viewers, ultimately allowing the video to reach a wider audience. Check out their TikTok video below.

In addition to traditional recruiting methods, incorporating TikTok into your hiring strategy offers unique opportunities for optimization and engagement. By leveraging features like TikTok Live and social media content creation, businesses can showcase their company culture and values in real time, fostering authentic connections with potential candidates. Moreover, TikTok's algorithmic capabilities enable targeted optimization of recruitment campaigns, ensuring that job postings reach the most relevant audience and maximize applicant engagement.

Whether through live recruitment events or optimized job postings, TikTok offers a dynamic platform for companies to connect with the next generation of job seekers and build a strong employer brand presence.

So how exactly should you start using TikTok for jobs? Here are three easy steps you can follow to ensure that you reap the full benefits of TikTok hiring:

1. Set Goals for Your Campaign

First and foremost, set a goal for your TikTok hiring strategy. Is your main purpose to increase your number of applicants by garnering a wider reach through social media? Or do you wish to create higher brand awareness?

If it’s the former, you may consider creating video content that shows the step-by-step application process. If you use automated hiring tools such as those provided by Workstream, you can show how streamlined your hiring process is by portraying the minimal steps they have to take to apply for a position. Setting a goal helps to steer you in the right direction when planning your content calendar.

2. Plan Your Budget Wisely

After you’ve set your goals, decide where you want to spend your money. To gain followers on TikTok, you first need to get your content in front of as many users as possible. You can do this either via TikTok advertising or through influencers. 

When done right, TikTok advertising will help you achieve a higher reach by finding the right users who engage in content categories related to your brand. And if they like your content, they will come back to stay updated with your page and might even share your videos with other users. Eventually, you'll gain a loyal following and won't need to spend as much to advertise your account.  

As for the use of influencers, Candice Beck, Senior Manager of Social and Digital at Chipotle, advised getting someone who is a genuine fan of your brand so that they can create authentic content. Ensure that their followers engage with their posts as well, since the main point of employing influencers is so that your brand can get a more widespread audience. 

3. Post the Right Content

Before you dive straight into creating content for your company, be sure to set your brand’s voice as you would want to ensure your content is in line with it. For example, if your company is looking to hire people with a sense of humor, upload comedic skits to reel them in. 

To attract potential hourly workers on TikTok, it's crucial to create engaging and authentic content. Avoid using scripted or overly promotional content. Instead, showcase your company culture, work environment, and the benefits of working with your organization in a fun and creative way. Authenticity is key to resonating with potential hourly workers and getting them interested in joining your team.

You should also use hashtags. Using relevant hashtags can help your content reach a wider audience. Research popular hashtags related to hourly work, such as #hiring, #jobsearch, or #hourlyjobs, and incorporate them into your TikTok videos. This will help your content get discovered by potential hourly workers who are actively searching for job opportunities on TikTok. Consider creating a catchy branded hashtag. This reflects the company culture and will inspire new content if the hashtag takes off. 

You can also encourage your staff to use the hashtag whenever they post something relevant to your brand. This can give potential hourly workers a glimpse into what it's like to work with your organization and help build trust and credibility. Employee-generated content can be highly authentic and resonate with job seekers looking for insights from current employees before applying for a job.

4. Collaborate With Influencers

Identify influencers whose content aligns with your company's values, culture, and industry niche. Look for influencers who have a strong following and engagement on TikTok, as they can effectively amplify your message to a broader audience. Collaborate with them to create engaging and authentic content that highlights your employer's brand, job opportunities, and company culture.

Encourage influencers to share their personal experiences working with your organization, showcasing the benefits and opportunities available to employees. Authentic storytelling can help humanize your employer brand and attract candidates who are genuinely interested in joining your team.

In addition to promoting job openings, influencers can also provide valuable insights and advice to their followers about career development, resume tips, interview techniques, and more. This educational content not only positions your company as a thought leader in the industry but also adds value to the TikTok community.

FAQ

How do I get Hired by TikTok?

To get hired by TikTok, start by creating an account on TikTok's careers site. You'll find options to log in using various methods. It's recommended to utilize the careers site for a fair assessment. TikTok values excellence, teamwork, forward-thinking, open communication, and a passion for technology. In your application, highlight these traits based on your experiences.

Do TikTok Employees Work from Home?

TikTok has tightened its stance on remote work, following a trend seen in many other tech companies. Remote employees at TikTok have been cautioned against living too far from a physical office, as this could lead to termination. This move aligns TikTok with other tech firms that are also reducing remote work options.

Can you Work at TikTok Without a Degree?

At TikTok, there are no strict requirements regarding academic achievement, such as GPA or specific degrees. However, including your academic achievements on your CV/resume is recommended. While a degree may not be mandatory, showcasing relevant education and skills can strengthen your application and demonstrate your qualifications for the role.

Is TikTok the Future of Social Media?

According to market research company Insider Intelligence, TikTok is expected to outpace other major social media platforms in growth. Projections indicate a rapid expansion of 9.3% between 2023 and 2024, followed by 7% between 2024 and 2025. In contrast, Facebook's growth is anticipated to be less than 1% during the same period, contrary to Zuckerberg's predictions.

What are the Available Career Opportunities at TikTok?

TikTok prioritizes content creators, valuing the creative potential of every user. Whether you're crafting content on the app or seeking a career opportunity within TikTok, everyone is a creator. Explore TikTok's diverse career paths below:

• Marketing

• TikTok content creator

• Account Manager

• Content Writer

• Social Media Manager

• Client Services

• Operations

• Operations Associate

• Sales

• TikTok Ads Expert

• Content Executive

• Content Moderator

• Software Engineer

Where are TikTok Offices?

TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore. TikTok has offices worldwide, located in various cities such as New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Summing up

TikTok has gained many users in recent years, most of whom are Gen Z-ers. As they are the ones who will be joining the workforce soon, having your hiring campaign on TikTok may be more effective than using traditional methods. With initiatives such as #TikTokResumes, this unconventional way of hiring allows you to know your applicants a bit better through videos. Likewise, they will also have a better idea of your company culture through your company’s TikTok account. In TikTok, anyone can find a job through specific job communities or companies, whether they are English or Spanish or anywhere in the world.

When using TikTok to hire hourly workers, it's important to make the application process as easy as possible. Include a clear call-to-action in your TikTok videos, such as directing potential candidates to a link in your bio or providing instructions on how to apply. Keep the application process simple and user-friendly to increase the likelihood of job seekers taking action and applying for your open positions.

If you are a hiring manager looking for hourly workers, consider utilizing TikTok for your recruitment. You never know, this approach might just become the norm soon.

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