How to Use TikTok to Find A Job (At Any Level in Your Career)

TikTok, like most social media platforms, can be used for a lot of things. It’s a forum where people express themselves, connect with others, and even learn or teach new skills. The app has been dubbed many things, including a grade-A time waster, but at the end of the day, it’s a place to get noticed.

And with the job market being so competitive these days, getting noticed is not something job seekers of any age should take for granted. TikTok is a tool that can be used to help you land your next job as long as you’re willing to get a little creative.

TikTok Resumes

Back in 2021, TikTok launched a program called TikTok Resumes, aimed at helping those looking for work connect with companies or employers in need of new talent. The platform partnered with a few major retailers and businesses, and encouraged users to create videos that highlighted their knowledge and expertise. Job seekers then uploaded this content with the hashtag “TIkTokResumes”, making it easy for employers to search through large pools of candidates in a short amount of time.

While the program itself is no longer officially running, the trend of TikTok users turning to the app to start searching for new career opportunities has only grown in popularity.

TikTok Recruitment

The recruitment world has also been affected by the rise in TikTok’s popularity. Whether or not your next employer finds you on TikTok, you can be sure they’re going to search for you on the app once you send your resume in. Checking an applicant’s social media presence is just another step of the hiring process these days, but in a lot of ways, that’s a blessing, not a curse.

Your social media accounts offer another opportunity to show off who you are and stand out amongst a sea of other applicants.

Recruiters and hiring managers are also using TikTok to advertise their job openings, which means if you don’t have an account, you could be missing out on some great opportunities. One small startup that used TikTok to bring attention to their workplace culture and recruit for open positions, received roughly 7500 applications after a few of their videos went viral.

How to Find Jobs and Apply Using TikTok

If you’re reading this article and feeling overwhelmed because you don’t have a TikTok account, or you feel too old to try and promote yourself using these tools, don't be! We’re here to help.

Tips for Your TikTok Job Search

There are a lot of ways to use key features of the TikTok app to get your content seen by the right people. Here are just a few to get you started:

Make a handful of videos in addition to your official ‘resume’.

You don’t want your page to be completely empty when a potential employer goes looking for more information about you. Think of your TikTok account in its entirety as a potential opening interview, a place where you can demonstrate your skills while also showing off your personality.

Go to the official TikTok account of companies you might be interested in working for and follow them so that you never miss important hiring updates.

Many official business accounts also create content exclusively aimed at showing off their workplace culture, which might provide you with more insight into whether or not you’d actually enjoy working there.

Search for #TikTokResumes, and see how the most popular resume videos are created.

Try to replicate some of the more popular and eye-catching features of the most viral TikTok resumes, while still creating original content and true to who you are.

Be yourself—your professional self. 

It’s important that you be yourself in your content, while also putting your best foot forward. Don’t get too personal with your videos, and don’t post anything embarrassing or unprofessional to your account. A TikTok resume really isn’t that different from a traditional resume. You’ll still want to use professional language and include any and all relevant information, but be careful not to pad your expertise or be dishonest about your skills, education, etc.

Finally, have fun! 

Searching and applying for jobs can be a stressful process, with a lot of ups and downs. If you decide to start using TikTok to aid in your search, then try to do so with a light heart and don’t be too hard on yourself if your videos don’t see a lot of traffic right away. Just take a deep breath, watch a few cute animal videos, and then go back to the drawing board.