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Isn't it funny and shocking how fast things change? Just when we've wrapped our heads around traditional social media being a thing, there's been a new kid in town shaking things up.
TikTok started as a platform where people posted fun stuff, like dancing videos, fashion hacks, DIYs, pranks, and literally anything that made people laugh.
All that changed when TikTok for Business, a brand marketing solution, was launched. Judging from previous trends, businesses that were reluctant to join Facebook and Instagram attest to missing out on attracting new clients and generating revenue.
When TikTok morphed from entertainment to edutainment space, it marked the last clarion call for them to join the bandwagon. As Paul Barron, the CEO and executive producer at Futuristic Network puts it, "I use social media as an idea generator, trend mapper, and strategic compass for all of our online business ventures."
This article explores TikTok recruiting and how the app can increase your brand's awareness.
Are you working on a social media recruiting strategy?
What is TikTok recruiting?
Recruiting means enlisting potential employees to take up specific roles within an organization. TikTok recruiting is where the brick-and-mortar recruiting process meets social media. HR managers and recruiters are constantly required to identify and attract new talent for the company's betterment.
The only thing that’s changed is that now, a big part of your target audience is on TikTok. Your job is to find the most qualified one for the position.
Who uses TikTok? As of May 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app globally. Its demographics now include millennials and Gen Z. Most TikTok-ers are 39 years old and younger and make up the most energetic, creative, active workforce.
TikTok recruiting combines the creation of brand awareness while also advertising for job openings on the fastest-growing online platform! It’s easy to see why you might consider hopping on this trend.
Benefits of incorporating TikTok in your social recruitment strategy
The internet has made the world a small village. Social media has reduced it to a tiny community. There has never been a better time to network limitlessly than now.
Being on TikTok makes your company visible to a global audience of over 700 million people. You not only have a platform to promote your company but also achieve your business goals.
1. Build your brand
TikTok allows you to show the not-so-serious side of your business. It's a fantastic branding strategy because those fun and relatable videos you'll be posting show your human side. Potential employees, especially Gen Z, love working with people-centric brands.
Also, you don't have to undermine professionalism at the expense of being funny. You can be both. Using the right strategy, TikTok allows you to show your company's culture in 30 seconds. You can also consider going live on TikTok and connecting with your audience in real-time: answering questions, initiating dialogue and putting a face behind your company's name.
2. Audience guaranteed
There's a ready audience on TikTok. Your task is to create content that they resonate with. If you go viral, millions of users will instantly know about you. Should you choose to restrict your search to a specific location, you can set the TikTok ad to only target candidates within that geographic region.
3. Flexibility
You can cross-share your TikTok videos across other social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This increases your demographics, and you can access even more potential candidates.
4. Seeing your candidate
TikTok provides the best first impression because the candidates respond by posting videos about themselves. This is a step ahead of traditional recruiting, where all you had were piles of resumes you couldn't put a face to. TikTok recruiting allows candidates to attract your attention from all sorts of diverse backgrounds who can creatively explain their qualifications and skills.
5. Reaching young recruits
The best place to meet your target audience is right where they are at. Right now, that spot for younger generations is TikTok. So, if your company needs young talent but struggles to reach them, TikTok is your go-to spot.
Disadvantages of TikTok recruiting
Adapting to a new trend can come with its fair share of challenges. Let's address some pain points you may encounter when recruiting via TikTok.
1. Many TikTok-ers aren't looking for jobs on TikTok
The likelihood of someone resorting to TikTok for a job search is quite unlikely. The same audience you're hoping to convert into employees is on TikTok for the fun/entertaining content and may find it weird to be contacted about job opportunities on TikTok.
They prefer you meet them on professional sites like LinkedIn and other job boards. The challenge is to meet your candidates in a way that attracts their attention, despite the fact that they weren’t actively seeking your ad on TikTok.
2. The ad is age restrictive
While the goal is to attract a younger audience, that can also be its undoing. The implication is that you can't use the platform for advertising for all positions. If the opening requires a much older demographic, like senior-level roles, TikTok isn't the best place to scout.
3. The job application method is a bit discriminatory
Remember, most TikTok-ers are viewers and not content creators. What if the best candidate presents a wrong impression because they're not used to talking in front of the cameras? You might miss out on the best talent just because they are not "videogenic." Consider additional ways you can have candidates respond to your ad.
4. The target audience may not even view your videos
TikTok decides what to show you based on your previous videos, the ones you re-watched, liked, or commented on. If the user had viewed such content, TikTok might suggest your video to them. However, it might not be a priority since the content is very niche. Targeting your video is essential to overcome this hurdle.
How to incorporate TikTok in your recruitment strategy
Some companies that have resorted to TikTok recruiting have said it was an effective strategy. For instance, the number of applicants at Chipotle increased by 7% in August 2021.
Here are six strategies to ensure your ad is a success:
1. Set your campaign goals
Why have you included TikTok in your hiring strategy? Do you want to reach more applicants or create brand awareness? Create specific metrics/KPIs to track progress on these goals.
2. Have a budget
Are you planning to spend money on the ad? This decision depends on how much you want to stand out. Using TikTok advertising and influencers is a good idea. Once your brand is established, you won't need to spend as much money on advertising.
3. Create the right content
TikTok videos are brief and fun. People will start noticing your brand if the content is relatable, like addressing something within your industry. Before posting a TikTok video, ask yourself, "is this worth sharing?"
4. Use the hashtag challenge
The hashtag technique is TikTok's most renowned marketing strategy and the surest way to go viral. You create a challenge and invite others to create content that backs up your concept. These challenges are always dancing videos or audio, referring to the primary idea. With a branded hashtag, this tactic can help you reach new candidates. For example, find a creative way to show what your day-to-day activities at work look like, and the users will pick up on the challenge.
5. Collaborate with TikTok influencers
TikTok, like other social media platforms, has influencers too. How about collaborating with them for your message to reach their audiences? Should you choose this route, remember to work with influencers whose values are similar to your company's.
6. Leverage on TikTok Ad Manager
You can create and manage your ads using TikTok Ad Manager tools. Select the campaign's objective then the platform optimizes your ad to reach the potential audience. The more people view your ads, the higher your conversion rate. TikTok will customize the target audience, design your ad, and provide results upon which you can project the outcome of your engagements.
How to get started with TikTok recruitment
Using TikTok can be complicated or straightforward, depending on how deep you want to go. First, create the company's professional account instead of using yours as a recruiter. Invest in lighting and editing for your videos to stand out. While you don't need to go the whole nine yards, at least show your audience that you did put in some effort.
1. Press record
Once you get the company's green light to proceed, set up the account and roll out your creative idea. You'll be nervous, especially if it's your first time, but it's already too late to back out—press record. Deliver the content in a manner that will attract candidates and followers.
2. Create a compelling hook
If you don't capture your audience's attention within the first second, you've lost them. A captivating hook will determine their reaction. Will they watch to the end, apply for the job, start following you, or click away? Remember, both active and passive followers are still part of your conversion.
3. Give value
Is the video motivating candidates to apply? The values you'll have communicated in your content will determine that.
Is TikTok recruitment here to stay?
In the words of Alexis Ohanian, "the social media landscape changes incredibly fast, so you have to be open-minded and nimble to keep up with it." TikTok has a powerful social media presence, hands down.
Is it the best place to seek future employees? You might want to rely on it more for brand awareness than recruitment. However, remember what we said about demographics? If your goal is young talent acquisition, you have an audience.
TikTok also realizes its potential as a marketplace and has introduced initiatives like #TikTokResume; the app tries to connect employees and potential candidates. If you have the right strategy and budget, give it a shot.
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