How to acquire top talent with TikTok recruiting
TikTok recruiting can help you reach, engage with, and attract new employees — especially younger talent like Gen Z professionals. Below, we explain how to acquire talent through TikTok recruiting.
Table of contents
Welcome to the era of social recruiting, a time when a swipe or a tap can mean the difference between a missed opportunity and the perfect hire.
TikTok, once just a playground for creative self-expression, is now also a powerful tool in talent acquisition. Below, you’ll discover how TikTok is rewriting the rules of recruiting and how you can leverage this platform to attract the next generation of talent.
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Why recruit on TikTok?
TikTok has grown into a global phenomenon with 151.6 million users worldwide. In Germany alone, the app boasts 20.9 million users, of whom recent statistics show 61.9% are between 18 and 24 years old (source in German). That’s why recruiting Gen Z on TikTok is so effective: it takes place where the target audience is already active.
This new generation wants engaging and authentic content in recruiting. How a company presents itself plays just as significant a role in TikTok recruiting as direct communication for talent acquisition.
For HR departments, using TikTok in recruiting can be a goldmine. TikTok for HR means taking creative approaches to convey company culture. A well-made TikTok video can say more about a company than a dozen traditional job adverts.
And that’s precisely how TikTok recruiting works; companies share short videos to directly address potential candidates.
TikTok is the place where young talents can be collectively targeted and won over early on through targeted TikTok recruiting strategies. Gen Z TikTok users spend an average of 95 minutes a day on the platform and, being almost exclusively users of mobile devices, the app also hits the mark in the area of mobile recruiting.
In addition to talent acquisition on TikTok, companies also benefit from building their employer brand on TikTok, known as employer branding on TikTok. It enables companies to create an emotional connection while simultaneously strengthening their corporate image.
No wonder even companies with a somewhat outdated image are leveraging the app to engage in Gen Z recruiting on TikTok. Take Volksbank, which demonstrates that despite years of tradition, it can still be attractive to potential applicants today.
Ways to use TikTok for recruiting
There are several ways in which you can recruit and attract potential candidates via Tiktok.
1. Build your brand and try to go viral
TikTok thrives on originality. Creative recruiting on TikTok means creating authentic and entertaining content that resonates with your target audience.
You can use the viral nature of TikTok to spread your message and stay up-to-date with recruiting trends on TikTok. This way, you can indirectly spark interest, attract potential employees, and establish a strong employer brand.
2. Try influencer marketing
Are you looking to quickly gain more reach for your social media recruiting with TikTok? In this case, you can consider influencer marketing.
This strategy is not only well-known in sales, but it can also be used for talent acquisition on TikTok, where familiar faces can be helpful in generating strong interest in your company.
3. Promote your job ads
With TikTok recruiting ads, you can actively hunt for talent. They allow for precise targeting and direct measurement of your campaign’s success. Actively invite candidates to apply for specific job vacancies and to get in touch with you.
Thanks to the algorithms, you can achieve a tremendous reach even without many followers. Sign up to JOIN now and try for yourself.
Practical steps for using TikTok in recruitment
To get started with your TikTok takeover, take these points into consideration as you try to create your online brand.
Set up your account
Create your TikTok Business account today to establish your employer brand on TikTok by tomorrow. Numerous evaluation tools and statistics assist you in tracking successes and engaging more effectively with your target audience.
Develop a workflow for your TikTok application process so that you not only draw potential applicants’ attention, but also quickly engage and win them over for your company.
Striking the right tone
A professional TikTok employer account should match the tone of the platform: Fresh, friendly, and authentic. TikTok recruiting tips recommend presenting yourself in a manner that reflects how you wish to be perceived by your future employees.
That said, also don’t force it too much or your efforts may have the opposite effect. A well-known example is former British prime minister Theresa May who wanted to show her informal side and appear less stiff. Instead, her dance moves went viral for all the wrong reasons.
Rethink your job ads
Video job adverts on TikTok are an innovative way to promote open positions. They can provide a glimpse of the workplace and can engage candidates on an emotional level.
Conducting TikTok recruiting can be as simple as showing snippets of your workday. Which employee arrives at the office when? What do your workspaces look like? What dynamics exist among colleagues? With this strategy, you’re assured an authentic external image.
Setting up effective recruitment campaigns
TikTok offers a bunch of options to optimise your adverts. From choosing the right format to budget management – every decision contributes to success. Set your objectives in advance so you can select the advertising goal that suits you.
Some metrics to consider:
- Reach
- Traffic
- Lead generation
- Video views
- Community interaction
- Conversion
Besides the previously mentioned influencer marketing, you can also boost your talent pool on TikTok by launching your own challenge – with a dance, a tough or amusing task, or a creative challenge. If your challenge goes viral, you can find the right talents from many participants.
Alternatively, you can use the JOIN job multiposting tool and combine posting on online job boards with your TikTok job advertising.
Examples of recruiting on Tiktok
One example of using TikTok in recruiting is the start-up Circula. There, you’ll find creative content that helps the start-up stand out, thereby attracting potential talents.
To stay current, even established large corporations use the app to strengthen their employer brand and win over Generation Z, both as a brand and as an employer. Have a look at how Deutsche Telekom has built its TikTok presence, for instance.
An important note to conclude: In the world of online recruiting, data protection and compliance should not be overlooked. The TikTok application process must be transparent and comply with the law. Particularly, data protection should be a priority for your company to protect both itself and the applicants.
Social media recruiting and mobile recruiting are shaping the workplace of tomorrow. Where private use and job searching blend, it’s crucial for employers to build a strong and attractive brand and encourage potential employees of tomorrow to interact.
Dive in and become even more successful in building your talent pool with your TikTok recruiting strategy. Gen Z is waiting for you!
Mia Worts
Mia Worts is a Junior Content Marketing Manager at JOIN. Finding solutions for companies to increase their employee retention in a sustainable way is one of her favorite topics to write about. Not only does she care about the future of work but also about creating a sustainable life aside from the job world by cooking animal-free foods and choosing sustainable alternatives.
