How to Recruit on TikTok: A Complete Guide
- Guest Author
- November 29, 2023
Why is TikTok becoming a worthwhile tool for recruitment?
Popularity and User Base
Gen Z’s Affinity for TikTok
Hashtag Usage
How to Prepare
Identify Your Audience
Set goals
Define your budget
Recruiting on TikTok: 6 Content Ideas
Workplace Tours
Challenges
Employee Takeover
Virtual Hiring Event Promotion
Influencer Recruitment
TikTok Ads
Boosting Your Reach
Hashtags
Popular Audios
Engage
Follow the Trends
AI Tools for Creating Content
Companies using TikTok for recruiting
Final Thoughts on TikTok Recruiting
About the author
Applicant Tracking, Recruitment Marketing, Sourcing and Talent CRM software are powerful alone, but unstoppable when used together!
TikTok has evolved significantly since its inception as a platform for viral dances and lip-sync challenges. It’s now a hub for businesses, influencers, and even recruiters. Whether you’re a healthcare institution seeking nurses or a tech firm looking for developers, TikTok offers a unique blend of reach and engagement.
Plus, its focus on authenticity makes it the perfect platform to connect with candidates on a deeper level. Drawing on my experience running and testing TikTok ads for clients at Nurse Recruitment Experts, I’ve put together this guide on how to recruit on TikTok.
Why is TikTok becoming a worthwhile tool for recruitment?
Popularity and User Base
With 1,2 billion users globally, TikTok’s reach is undeniable. This extensive user base not only increases the visibility of your job postings but also offers a diverse and expansive talent pool to choose from when filling your vacant positions. Additionally, it allows you to tap into a wide range of skill sets and backgrounds. Leveraging TikTok’s extensive user network can help your organization discover unique and creative individuals who may bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your team.
Gen Z’s Affinity for TikTok
40% of Gen Z consider TikTok their primary search engine. And it’s not just about content consumption; Gen Z is actively exploring job opportunities on TikTok. Harnessing TikTok’s influence can be a strategic move to connect with this dynamic talent pool, showcasing your company’s culture and career opportunities in a way that resonates with Gen Z, making them perceive your organization as innovative and appealing.
Hashtag Usage
The hashtag #CareerAdvice drew in over 80 million views per day in February 2023, indicating that users are actively seeking career-related content on the platform. By leveraging TikTok to communicate valuable career guidance, job opportunities, and incorporating job-related hashtags, you can not only increase your company’s visibility but also forge a deeper connection with this engaged audience. Through these efforts, your company can establish itself as a valuable mentor in the professional growth of potential candidates, elevating their recruitment endeavors to new heights.
How to Prepare
Identify Your Audience
Understanding your target audience is the key to mastering recruitment on TikTok. Here’s how to do it:
Use social media analytics tools: There are a number of social media analytics tools available that can help you learn more about your target audience, providing insights into their demographics, interests, and behaviors. You can also use these tools to track your competitors’ audiences and see what kind of content resonates with them.
Craft Personas: Crafting a persona helps in visualizing the ideal candidate. Take “Nina,” for instance. She’s a 26-year-old nurse with a passion for pediatric care. By understanding her likes, dislikes and aspirations, you can tailor your content to resonate with similar professionals. This approach isn’t limited to healthcare; it’s adaptable across industries. Whether you’re hiring tech professionals, designers, or educators, a well-defined persona ensures your content strikes a chord.
FREE E-Book: A Guide on How to Create Candidate Persona
Set goals
What does success look like to you? Is it the number of quality leads, the engagement rate, or the conversion to actual hires? Define clear KPIs to measure your campaign’s success. Each measurement offers a unique perspective on your campaign’s performance; A low Click-Through Rate (CTR) may call for a more compelling campaign, while a high CTR with few leads might point to barriers like lengthy forms.
TikTok’s ‘Ads Manager provides in-depth insights into your campaign’s performance. Regularly reviewing this data can help you understand what’s working and what needs tweaking, ensuring your strategy remains aligned with your recruitment goals.
Define your budget
When it comes to budgeting for your TikTok advertising campaign, there are a few essential factors to keep in mind.
How to allocate your budget: This decision should be influenced by your organization’s broader recruitment or marketing budget. One crucial aspect of budgeting is the need to compare TikTok’s performance with other channels you use such as Facebook or jobboards. Keep a close eye on metrics like cost per click (CPC) and cost per conversion, across all channels. This data-driven approach will help you determine the percentage split of your budget among different platforms. If TikTok is consistently delivering strong results and a favorable conversion rate compared to other channels, it may warrant a larger share of your budget.
Different budgeting options on TikTok: TikTok offers flexibility with daily and lifetime budget options. When it comes to budgeting for your TikTok advertising campaign, starting with a daily budget is often a wise choice. It’s easier to control and allows you to manage your expenses more effectively. Additionally, TikTok’s automatic bidding option is recommended for beginners, as it allows the platform to optimize your bids automatically to help you achieve your campaign objectives.
Recruiting on TikTok: 6 Content Ideas
Content is the heart of TikTok. It’s what keeps users coming back for more. Here are some content ideas to win over your target audience:
Workplace Tours
A sneak peek into the workplace can be a game-changer. Whether it’s a hospital wing, a tech workspace, or a design studio, showcase where your candidate will work. By creating immersive and engaging tours, you provide a tangible sense of the work culture and environment awaiting them if they join the team.
Example video: Workplace Tour Video
In this video, the user @liaporcelli shows us around her workspace at Nike, focusing on the unique perks of working there. The clip was met with 1183 likes and 20K views, indicating that this type of content is effective at engaging viewers.
Challenges
Challenges drive engagement on TikTok. Create challenges that allow users to showcase their skills, share experiences, or reveal a different side to their personality. For instance, nurses could compete in a dance-off or a # CodeIn60Seconds competition that could challenge developers to explain a complex concept quickly.
Example video: Nurse Challenge Video
The video posted by @annmarie.mm shows how a fun dance challenge can go viral with 226.4K likes and 3.2 million views. It’s a testament to the potent combination of engaging content with a relatable and fun challenge that resonates with both professionals and the general audience.
Employee Takeover
Empowering your employees to take over your TikTok account for a day or a series like “Ward Walks” or “Tech Tuesdays” can provide a genuine insight into the day-to-day operations of different roles within your organization. It’s a strategy that can make job opportunities feel more tangible and relatable to potential candidates.
Example video: Employee Takeover Video
In the featured video, employees from the marketing team at AT Mechanical take over the company’s TikTok account to showcase a lighter side of their workplace through a humorous dance routine. The video, filled with fun and energetic dance moves, reflects a playful and positive work culture, making the company appear more relatable and enjoyable to potential candidates.
Virtual Hiring Event Promotion
Promoting virtual hiring events on TikTok is an excellent way to encourage interested individuals to take the next step. Through creative and engaging videos, you can provide a glimpse into what candidates can expect from your event, the roles you’re hiring for, and the culture of your organization.
Example video: Virtual Hiring Event Promotion Video
In this video, a healthcare organization advertises its virtual hiring event, allowing job seekers to get a sense of the company and the available positions. The video has garnered 11.8K likes and 250.9K views, showcasing the effectiveness of TikTok as a platform to promote hiring events. Providing clear call-to-actions and event details can drive registrations and attendance, ensuring the success of your virtual hiring event.
Influencer Recruitment
Incorporating TikTok influencers in your recruitment strategy can help you extend your reach and attract potential candidates. By partnering with influencers whose followers align with your target candidate persona, you can effectively broadcast job opportunities to a wider, yet relevant, audience.
For instance, collaborating with a tech influencer for a # TechTalk series, where they discuss the innovative projects your company is working on, and share the exciting job opportunities available, can be a great way to pique interest and encourage applications.
This strategy not only promotes your brand but also provides a genuine endorsement, leveraging the influencer’s audience to attract potential candidates. Their followers, who often look up to them, will be more likely to be interested in exploring the opportunities you’re offering.
Example video: Influencer at Google
In the above video, an influencer takes the audience on a journey through their day at Google, showcasing the vibrant work environment, collaborative culture, and innovative projects that characterize the tech giant. Through a mix of engaging storytelling and visuals, the influencer captures the essence of what it’s like to work at Google, all while keeping the audience entertained and informed.
TikTok Ads
While organic reach is great, ads can supercharge your recruitment efforts. Here’s how to recruit on TikTok through a conversion campaign:
Setting Up TikTok Ads
Begin with a clear objective. If you’re looking to drive applications, ‘Conversions’ should be your go-to. TikTok’s ‘Custom Audiences’ feature allows you to target users based on their interactions, ensuring your ads are seen by those most likely to be interested.
Ad Formats
Different formats serve different purposes. ‘In-Feed Ads’ are great for storytelling, while ‘TopView Ads’ capture attention instantly.
Lead Forms
Make it easy for interested candidates to reach out. Embedding lead generation forms in your ads can streamline the application process.
Connect to Automation
Integrate your lead forms with CRM tools using automation tools such as Zapier. This ensures timely responses and keeps potential candidates in the loop.
Boosting Your Reach
On every social platform, visibility is key. There are several ways you can increase the chances of your content being seen and engaged with. And the best thing – neither of these requires a crazy amount of extra effort Here’s how to ensure your content gets the attention it deserves:
Hashtags
While generic hashtags have their place, profession-specific tags can narrow down your audience. Tags like # NursingJobs or # TechRoles can help your content reach the right eye. One of the easiest ways to find hashtags is to use the TikTok search bar. Simply type in a keyword or phrase related to your content, and TikTok will suggest relevant hashtags.
Popular Audios
Music sets the tone. Whether you’re showcasing the hustle of a startup or the serene environment of a spa, the right track can enhance your content’s appeal and boost its performance.
Engage
Engagement isn’t just about posting content; it’s about building a community. Host live sessions, respond to comments, and even collaborate with influencers to create a buzz around your recruitment drive.
Follow the Trends
Corporate girlie vs lazy girl: whose side are you on? As work consumes our lives, content creators are finding new ways to share experiences. From “day in the life” videos to relatable moments, every month creates a new job-related trend you can latch onto to reach a larger audience.
AI Tools for Creating Content
Quality content requires the right tools. In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, AI-powered tools are becoming game-changers, offering innovative ways to elevate recruitment content. Here are some tools that could help you ‘up’ your content game:
Whether you’re showcasing a day at the hospital or a tech product launch, these tools can make your content more engaging:
- Vimeo Create offers intuitive tools such as an AI script generator and text-based video editor, allowing users to craft polished videos with ease
- Pencil uses AI to come up with new static & video ad ideas for you, automatically, using your existing branding and assets.
- Speechify AI Video Generator offers an AI-driven video generator tailored for the platform. It can convert text into engaging video content, complete with relevant visuals and animations.
- Nova A.I. offers an intelligent TikTok video maker for easy editing. Add music, sound effects, and subtitles in 40+ languages. Plus, create high-quality slideshows in seconds for those camera-shy moments.
Companies using TikTok for recruiting
Dive into TikTok’s ad library to spark creativity, and monitor leading industry personas and prominent accounts from various domains. Absorb ideas, but always add your unique spin for distinction. Here are some success stories to inspire you:
- Children’s Hospital New Orleans showed staff having fun in a 10-second clip that has received over 21K likes.
- The number of applicants at Chipotle increased by 7% after they started using TikTok for recruitment.
- Emily Durham, a senior recruiter at Intuit, who has over 200,000 followers on TikTok, mentioned that many of the candidates she reaches out to react with, ‘Oh my god, I follow you on TikTok’.
Final Thoughts on TikTok Recruiting
Recruiting on TikTok is both an art and a science. It’s about resonating with the dedication and passion that define professionals across fields. With the right approach, TikTok can be your bridge to top-tier talent and can help set your organization apart from the rest. Embrace the platform and let your recruitment strategy shine!
About the author
Adam Chambers is the president of Nurse Recruitment Experts (NRX). Since 2019, NRX has sourced and hired 10,000s of RNs, LPNs and CNAs for health systems across the United States and Canada. Adam has sat on the Social Media Committee of the National Association of Healthcare Recruiters, the Healthcare Council of the American Staffing Association and currently is a member of ASA’s Direct Hire Council.
Applicant Tracking, Recruitment Marketing, Sourcing and Talent CRM software are powerful alone, but unstoppable when used together!