What’s the outlook for – and the verdict on – TikTok Resumes?
TikTok launched this pilot program last summer, enabling users to create video resumes and send them directly to participating recruiters and hiring managers. The program closed on July 31 and as of September, it appeared that the TikTok resume website had been taken down, with any new rounds of positions and companies or a new submission period yet to be announced. So, the jury is still out on whether or not it will be a permanent fixture in the recruitment world.
Possible Advantages
Should TikTok Resumes resume – no pun or word play intended – and become a tool in hiring managers’ arsenals, it would make sense in an era when more and more people consume digital video content and the labor market leans heavily in favor of job seekers. Companies and recruiters need to get creative and think outside traditional boxes to stay in the competitive game – and especially among Gen Xers, video is highly relevant.
- Members of Gen X don’t want to spend time filling out job applications. It’s not in their nature, plus, the word is out that applicant tracking systems might block them from even making it to a real person for review. Plus, making videos is just more fun and more familiar to them.
- For employers looking to connect with candidates under the age of 30, the 10 to 29-year-old demographic makes up almost half of TikTok’s 80 million monthly users. For those focusing on better workplace gender diversity, about 60 percent of those users are female.
- TikTok resumes are essentially video introductions to candidates. Some experts have called them replacements for cover letters, but offering more personalization to what could otherwise become a cold process, right down to that ATS filtering issue. Videos also give candidates an additional venue to showcase their communication skills.
- TikTok resumes could work well for roles where personality is a relevant deciding factor and in creative industries like marketing and design, and for customer-facing roles in areas like hospitality, retail and sales.
The Downside
In many ways, Gen Xers are the harbingers of workplace change. But even among this demographic, with its passion for technological autonomy, not all are convinced that video resumes are a the be all and end all.
- According to one recent study, the comfort levels of Gen Xers to relying on video resumes were mixed. There was agreement that the media might not be as effective for introverts. And, study participants pointed out that video could increase bias in hiring. Other demographic groups likely share these concerns.
Stay Tuned
Where TikTok Resumes is going remains to be seen. But at the very least, it’s a good idea for recruiters to keep it and similar video tools in mind. While its initial resume submission period has ended, watch the TikTok newsroom for updates.
What’s your best social recruiting strategy? Haley Recruitment Marketing can help you figure it out and customize a plan around it and the other pillars of your ongoing success. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.
