Okay, it might not be the most appropriate medium if you’re looking for government or provincial officials. And, according to submissions for the Werf& Awards, quite a few employers have already discovered TikTok as a means to connect with talent. But its potential could be much greater than you might think at first glance, as recent research by ResumeBuilder suggests. For instance, a whopping 70% of Generation Z says they receive career advice on TikTok every week, and 1 in 10 of them even trust it more than their parents or colleagues.
@hannagetshired Be a 🦚🦚🦚!!! #careeradvice #careeradvice #careergrowth #jobsearch #professionaldevelopment #career #salarynegotiation #salarynegotiationtips #negotiatearaise #getpromoted ♬ original sound – hanna gets hired
Yes, TikTok is primarily a lot of fun videos one after the other. And a lot of influencers and lifestyle stories. But the platform seems to be gaining more and more importance for the job market as well. For example, 41% of respondents in the survey say they have made a career-related decision based on advice from TikTok. And 1 in 10 even quit their job based on advice from the platform, 15% were offered a job for an opportunity they found on it, and
4 out of 5 Gen Zers used it for professional networking.
Eat your heart out, LinkedIn
You might say: eat your heart out, LinkedIn. While recruiters are still massively scouring this business network in search of talent, candidates seem to be shifting their attention to the Chinese platform. Only 8% of the more than 1,000 Gen Z respondents say they never receive career advice on TikTok. Of those who do receive advice, 8% say they have ‘extreme confidence’ in it, 16% have a lot of confidence, and 55% have ‘some confidence’. Only 18% say they have little confidence in it, and a mere 3% say they have no confidence at all.
Only 21% say they have little to no confidence in the career advice they receive on TikTok.
It’s not just about part-time jobs (35%), but also about standing up for yourself at work (22%), or quitting (10%). “TikTok offers quick and easy-to-follow advice that in many cases can be immediately applied,” says Julia Toothacre, resume and career strategist at the researching party. According to her, that’s not always wise. “There are a lot of people giving bad advice on TikTok.” Yet, only 1% of respondents say TikTok advice has had a negative impact on their life, 86%, on the other hand, talk about a (very) positive effect.
A Different Job Market
The research also highlights the big shifts in the job market in another way. For example, of those who chose a part-time job through TikTok, 34% started as freelancers, 28% became social media influencers, 25% started dropshipping, 24% started gig work, 24% did affiliate marketing, 20% opened an Etsy store, 20% started babysitting or pet sitting, 12% started tutoring, and only 11% found another full-time job through the platform.
Of those who decided to quit their job based on TikTok advice, about 52% did so because they learned they could make a full-time job out of a part-time one. Other reasons: 51% learned that they should follow their career dreams/passions, 48% learned that they deserved better pay, 43% learned about pursuing alternative lifestyles (like traveling the world), and 40% learned that it’s better to work fewer hours and less hard. In that group, 44% refused to work outside of working hours, 34% worked fewer hours in total, 28% turned down projects, and 24% stopped going to certain meetings.
“This generation doesn’t kill themselves over a job like other generations did.”
“This doesn’t surprise me at all,” says Toothacre. “There’s an act your wage movement on TikTok advising professionals to work the equivalent of their pay and nothing more. This generation doesn’t kill themselves over a job like other generations did, and their mental health and quality of life show it. If a company can’t pay a living wage, an employee won’t do everything for you anymore.”
@saraisthreads #greenscreen Acting your wage 101. #fyp #work #working #corporate #corporatelife #corporatetiktok #corporateamerica #corporatehumor #office #officelife #manager #managersbelike #career ♬ original sound – Sarai Marie
Lots of Job Listings
Job listings on TikTok? About 85% say they regularly come across them on the platform (32% weekly, 18% daily, 16% monthly, 10% every few months, and 9% a few times a year or less). And it’s not without consequences. Of those who have come across a job listing, 30% say they have applied for a job they found on TikTok,
and of those, 60% say they received an offer. In total, 80% of Gen Z’ers also say they use TikTok for networking.
Of those who have come across a job listing, 60% say they also received an offer.
“A big advantage of TikTok is the ability to connect with people. It’s a great place to learn about different career opportunities and explore them. But one warning.
Always check potential connections on other platforms before engaging with them in a meaningful way,” says Toothacre.
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