Are you putting all your eggs in the LinkedIn basket when it comes to social media recruiting? While LinkedIn is a valuable tool for finding top talent, TikTok recruiting has been rapidly gaining traction in recent years for a good reason.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of TikTok recruiting and provide essential tips to effectively use the platform for your recruitment needs.

How Can TikTok Recruiting Benefit HR’s Recruitment Needs?

Having a strong presence on social media can significantly boost your company’s success in reaching its talent acquisition objectives. Here are a few advantages of TikTok recruiting. 

  • Brand building. Recruitment goes beyond immediate hiring needs – it’s also about positioning your business for long-term success. TikTok gives HR the opportunity to build and show candidates their company culture, employee benefits, mission and values, and how it prioritizes employees. It’s an excellent branding strategy because those short but engaging and relatable videos you’ll be posting show your human side and authenticity. Post-millennials are particularly attracted to brands that are authentic and transparent.
  • Reach Gen Z. Did you know that Gen Z (people born between 1997- 2012) are expected to comprise 27% of the workforce by 2025? Recruiting the right Gen Z talent is essential, and TikTok stands out as a prime destination for HR teams for this reason: out of one billion monthly active users, Gen Zers dominate the platform, making up 60% of the TikTok audience. On top of that, 74% of Gen Zers turn to TikTok for information searches, with 51% favoring it over Google. 1
  • Access to millions of people. Through TikTok, your company has the potential to connect with over 700 million users and prospective candidates. With the ability to target specific regions, you can tailor your TikTok ad to specifically engage candidates within a particular geographic area.
  • Flexibility across social media. Leveraging TikTok’s versatile integration with platforms such as Instagram and Facebook open up exciting opportunities. Sharing your TikTok content across various social media channels can help you grow your audience and connect with a wider range of potential candidates.

What To Consider Before Using TikTok for Recruiting

Before you make TikTok videos, engage with key stakeholders first. It is crucial that recruitment marketing materials align with the company’s brand and showcase it in the most favorable way.

  1. Know Your Candidate: When producing a TikTok video, review the job requirements to identify the message that will strongly connect with your target candidate. Every candidate will have unique pain points or reasons why your job is appealing to them. Be sure your video addresses those pain points.

  2. Fit the Audience: Recruiting through various social media platforms (aside from LinkedIn) will not yield the same results for all the open positions you aim to fill. For example, many senior-level roles are unlikely to be on TikTok, so focusing your efforts there when seeking a CEO or upper-level management candidate might not be the best use of your time. But TikTok is home to a lot of younger candidates so it may be a better fit if you’re looking for an up and coming professional. Key takeaway here: Know your audience before spending time on the app.

  3. Highlight the Brand: Make sure that every video you produce reflects the values and identity of your organization. You don’t want to misrepresent your company to a wide audience of viewers.

How To Use TikTok for Recruiting

Ready to boost your recruitment efforts through TikTok? Explore a few approaches and considerations for your team to craft engaging recruiting content on TikTok.

  • Grab attention – To engage your audience from the get-go, make sure your video kicks off with a hook that grabs their attention instantly. Get creative and think outside the box! Take a page from Chipotle’s book – they brought humor and flair to their TikTok recruiting video, showcasing the company’s four unique perks in a fun and animated way.
  • Drive value – Your videos should drive value and deliver on the value proposition (great salary, benefits etc.) to encourage both active and passive candidates to apply.

    One way to drive value to your audience is through educational resources. Try creating TikToks for your Learn tab that educates candidates, either in your business’s niche or about recruitment. The Hasner Law team uses and recommends the following entertaining video pieces related to jobs and careers:
    • Career humor
    • Job meme
    • POV from the workplace
    • Day in the life of [job title]
    • Professional challenge

  • Use hashtags – The hashtag technique is one of TikTok’s tried and true social media hiring strategies. Hashtags can make your job opportunities more searchable and can be optimized for conversion. According to Recruiting Daily, here’s a list of hashtags for reaching and hiring Generation Z on TikTok:
    • #wearehiring
    • #jobsearch
    • #awesomejob
    • #jobvacancy
    • #work
    • #nowhiring
    • #applynow
    • #graduatejob
    • #youthemployment

      In addition to hashtags, incorporate relevant keywords, compelling captions, and engaging calls to action that resonate with your target audience. Don’t forget to provide links to your website, job board, or other platforms for further information and applications.
  • Collaborate with influencers – Don’t miss the opportunity to partner with trusted influencers. Collaborating with influencers can not only elevate brand recognition but also boost your reputation as an employer.

    You can even work with employees who have a large following on TikTok. The “day in my life working at Instagram” with more than two million views to date is a good example of how current staff can help attract candidates to your company via TikTok.


Bottom line: TikTok offers a host of benefits that can help optimize your social media hiring strategy. Remember, to track and measure what works and adjust your TikTok strategy accordingly to make sure it aligns with your recruitment goals.


(Let’s help with your HR recruitment needs! Looking for top-notch HR talent? Whether you have a job opening now or in the future, book a FREE call with an HRPA rep today to learn more about how Hire Authority can help you tap into the best talent pool in the province.)


Sources:

  1. Gen Z TikTok Search – How It Influences Search Behaviour (absolute.digital)
  2. TikTok recruiting: the complete guide (recruitee.com)
  3. Innovative Recruiting: Utilizing TikTok to Engage with Generation Z – RecruitingDaily