This past July, TikTok launched a trial video résumé program to connect job-seekers with more than 30 major companies, including Target, Chipotle and Shopify. The job listings were a mix--for example, a “restaurant team member” for Chipotle and a senior data engineer for Shopify.
The goal was to demo a service that piggybacked on TikTok creators’ career advice channels that have rapidly become popular, like Madeline Mann’s Self-Made Millennial. Since 66 percent of TikTok users are under 30, this seemed to be a digitally savvy way for companies to connect with potential job-seekers for jobs that were going begging for applicants, as well as building brand presence with this demographic. The campaign ran through the end of July and attracted a lot of attention and conversation in the press. Forbes, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times all ran articles.
A little history
Video résumés are not new. They’ve been around since the mid-2000s. A Monster.com career advice article recounts that in 2006 a Yale undergrad posted a video résumé. He didn’t get the job, the video went viral, and there were a lot of snarky comments made. In 2012, Spark Hire tried pushing video résumés as a service offering. That faded away. Today, Spark Hire is a platform that companies use for video-based job interviews.
Dr. Dustin York, associate professor of communications at Maryville University, commented in Forbes that “Traditional résumés are dying and will be completely dead in many fields in the future, replaced by digital ledgers that are more trustworthy and tell a complete story.”
A fascinating concept. We clearly are not there yet.
Will video CVs become a thing?
The TikTok trial raises the question again. During the month of July, it was possible to view TikTok résumés (now that the trial has ended, they are no longer visible). Some of the TikTok résumés were impressive creations, others, not so much. A big hazard was that other TikTok videos a person had posted were also accessible (in some cases, it was a bit TMI in those other videos).
It was quickly apparent the likely amount of time, resources and production skills required to make a video CV both professional and compelling. Articles on how to create video CVs highlight the need to write a script, get decent equipment, edit carefully and rewatch numerous times for messaging and flow. Creating a great résumé in Word is definitely easier and cheaper.
Big questions: First, is this a new avenue for conscious or unconscious bias to enter the hiring process? Secondly, will video CVs potentially impair rather than improve inclusion and diversity because of the cost and skills that skew toward a digitally native demographic, and the fact that video is a medium favoring extroverted personalities and daunting for introverts? Finally, professionals with longer or complicated career histories and accomplishments are not going to be able to compress their work into such a limited CV format. Given that, the format is better suited to professionals with, say, zero to five years of experience.
Hiring managers weigh in
Seeking more input, I spoke with hiring managers in security, IT audit and IT risk to get their thoughts on video CVs. Would they be in favor of video résumés? Why or why not?
Several leaders thought that a digital résumé would be great to further vet presentation skills and personality, and to learn more about the person behind the CV. Other leaders felt that the unlimited time available to candidates to craft a digital résumé before submission might allow them to be polished and appear to be great communicators in that one instance but would not be an accurate representation of their actual soft skills.
The consensus, captured in a few quotes here, was that video résumés are probably not going to catch on in IT audit, IT risk and cybersecurity:
Scott Sheahen, Global Head Information Risk Management: “The more progressive, tech-savvy and innovative companies are probably more likely to want to see these sorts of video résumés than the more conservative, established corporations. And the audit/security/risk roles tend to be populated with folks who probably won't gravitate to the video résumé concept.”
Rene Kennedy, Director, IT Audit & Data Analytics: “In terms of this kind of self-promotion, I feel it is a bit too personal for the audit industry just yet.”
Ramona Ratiu, Program Manager: “Nay, nay, nay. Although it is legal for employers to check social media accounts, the responsibility falls on our side to keep a line between personal and professional life. I like the ingenuity of a video résumé, but for jobs where creativity is key. And that should be on professional platforms, such as LinkedIn, and added in the résumé’s appendix section.”
Importantly, there were definite concerns about the risks of introducing bias and hindering diversity and inclusive hiring practices. Some leaders pointed to the need for policies and governance over how video CVs were used and at what point in the hiring process.
The jury is out on TikTok’s experiment, but we can glean some learnings from the video CV concept. Presentation skills and a gripping elevator pitch are things we all need to practice at every stage of our careers. Improving our creativity also supports our careers in myriad ways.
Are you ambitious?
Here’s a handy guide to creating a TikTok CV: https://www.jobscan.co/blog/how-to-make-a-tiktok-resume/
Try building your own TikTok-like elevator pitch or career summary. Video it on your phone and get feedback from trusted mentors. The input and practice will help you immeasurably in your networking and job searches in future!
What do you think about video CVs? Would you be comfortable with this format? How effectively would a video CV differentiate you from the competition? Drop a line to me on LinkedIn!
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