The TikTok subculture #CareerTok has boomed in popularity over the past years. It has already accumulated 1.3 billion views. Employees, workers, entrepreneurs, job seekers, and freelancers turn to the community for relatable career advice.
With that said, not all TikTok tips work. Let’s discuss nine popular CareerTok videos and how to apply them in real life.
1. Writing Resumes
In this video, Jerry Lee criticizes his old college resume. He explains that job applicants should replace weak verbs like worked and utilized with descriptive, powerful ones. The video mentions Harvard Law’s list of action verbs as a reference.
You need this tip if you tend to abuse resume buzzwords. Many first-time job applicants think that terms like career-driven and motivated will cover up their lack of work experience. Ironically, overusing them makes you look incompetent.
Studies show that recruiters only spend seven seconds scanning resumes. Don’t waste their time with marketing fluff. Most will automatically reject your application unless you replace the buzzwords in your resume.
2. Job Hopping
Job hopping has become more common nowadays. Charlotte Chaze shares in this clip that her salary jumped from $28K to $175K in just four years after working for different tech companies. She encourages employees in various fields to try the same technique.
Although you won’t instantly hit six digits, switching jobs helps increase your income much quicker. CNBC says most job hoppers get a 10 percent pay bump. Meanwhile, according to PayScale, employees only get a three to five percent raise if they stay with the same employers.
Note that your actual offer also depends on your competence. For employers to consider your salary expectations, you must bring value to the company.
3. Negotiate a Higher Salary
New applicants aren’t sure how to ask for higher pay. Content creator Ilinka shares that she never met her salary goals when she was rambling during negotiations. Fixing this bad habit helped her earn more. Instead of talking nonstop, state your expectations in a sure, confident tone.
This tip is simple but effective. Silence is a powerful negotiation tool—remaining calm lets you steer conversations in a favorable direction. People tend to overexplain when they’re nervous or unsure.
This isn’t to say you should stop talking altogether. Active listening lets you see things from the other party’s perspective, but persuasive skills convey your message.
4. Staying Longer at Companies
Job hopping has its upsides. However, Evan Carmichael reminds employees that companies value loyalty and tenure. Switching jobs too often will reflect poorly on you. Some even see serial job hoppers as irrational individuals solely focused on themselves.
Several factors affect your employability. No universal hiring practice says employees must not exceed switching jobs more than X times in X years. Employers look for varying skills and values.
You can still switch jobs—just know when to stop. Otherwise, employers would think you can’t commit to your roles, plus you won’t learn if you keep leaving.
5. Answering the Greatest Weakness
Job applicants often answer this question by mentioning a “good” weakness that implies positive traits. They could call themselves perfectionists or workaholics. Although a common practice, Erin McGoff shares that job hunters must fix this bad habit.
Separate yourself from the mistake. Instead of labeling yourself as X, explain how this trait affects your performance and what you can do to resolve it. Show that you wholly understand your shortcomings.
Avoid overusing generic “good” weaknesses—recruiters have heard them thousands of times. Set yourself apart from the rest.
6. Removing “Just” From Statements
Career coach Anna encourages people to stop using “just” in work messages. It sounds unsure and weak. Instead of saying, “I just wanted to follow up on my request,” say, “I’m following up on my request.”
While filler words sound unprofessional at times, don’t drop them altogether. Learn to use them properly. Eliminating words like “just” from your vocabulary might make you appear rude rather than confident. Choose the proper phrasing and tone in professional settings.
7. Answering the “Why Should We Hire You” Question
CareerTok channel CareerVidz shows how to answer the infamous “Why should we hire you?” question. Basically, you should explain the value you bring to the company. Highlight your skills without sounding arrogant. Employers often skip haughty job applicants who are unaware of their shortcomings.
Likewise, read up on other common job interview questions. Inexperienced applicants fumble during assessments because the questions take them by surprise. It’s hard to describe yourself, after all. Deceptively simple questions about your personal experiences could seem impossible to put into words.
Practice your answers whenever possible. Taking communication courses, following career coaches, and journaling helps employees prepare for job interviews.
8. Most Lucrative Degrees
Evan Carmichael touches on the topic of lucrative college degrees. There’s an increasing demand for creative roles in various industries—more students should look into BA and BFA degrees. Storytellers and marketers can make as much as engineers nowadays.
As the video says, don’t let stereotypes dictate your education. Instead of signing up for supposedly high-paying college degrees, choose one that suits you. Build a career path around your skills, talents, and interests.
Note: Career advancement involves lifelong learning. Apart from getting your college degree, work on acquiring online certificates that are useful in the modern job market.
9. Adding Coworkers on Social Media
In this video, Valerie J. emphasizes that you should never add coworkers on social media. Only follow them after you’ve left the company. Otherwise, malicious employees and supervisors might use your posts against you.
While Valerie has a point, many feel uncomfortable rejecting their coworkers’ friend requests. It’s hard to do so without being rude. You might have trouble building deeper relationships if you constantly show distrust and skepticism.
Instead of rejecting coworkers, consider making a new social media account. Keep your feed professional. Use this account to network with industry professionals, share work-related news, and interact with coworkers.
Should You Listen to #CareerTok Advice?
CareerTok is a helpful community for working adults. Whether you’re sending job applications or switching careers, you’ll find relatable advice. Feel free to explore these videos. Just take them with a grain of salt—many creators publish unverified content based on rumors.
Also, CareerTok videos only touch on the basics of career advancement. You won’t upskill by watching short videos. To achieve your professional goals, visit legit career advice websites and study advanced, in-depth technical resources.
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