Think Twice Before Using It

I’m all for getting career advice online. I know there are a lot of human resource companies that do just that. But now I find out that an increasing number of Gen Zers and millennials are using TikTok for career advice. I was intrigued when I read about a survey from Resume Builder that discussed just how important this trend is to the employment of those from a generation certainly different from mine. We got career advice from parents, teachers, and a career counseling office at school.

There are a growing number of TikTok creators with various backgrounds, according to the survey. TikTok has spawned a variety of career trend such as “lazy girls,” "bare minimum Mondays,” and “quiet quitting.” I have blogged about quiet quitting before but know nothing about the others.

In July 2022, a TikTok user with numerous followers posted that he recently learned about quiet quitting and said: “You’re not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond. You are still performing your duties, but you are no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work must be our life.”

The concept of a “lazy girl” job is the latest employment term trending on TikTok. Similar to quiet quitting,  it’s an idea that tends to resonate with many Gen Z and younger millennial workers, and can be seen as a response to the “girl boss” ideal prevalent in the past decade.

Lazy girl jobs typically consist of work that is not challenging and often remote, and that doesn’t offer many growth or promotion opportunities. However, it pays the bills and provides a comfortable enough life that you have time and energy left over for pursuing fulfillment outside of work.

Getting Career Advice from TikTok: A Good Idea?

Here are some of the results from the Resume Builder survey.

• Half of GenZers, millennials are getting career advice on TikTok.
• 20% have made decisions based on advice from TikTok creators.
• 88% say these decisions have had a positive impact on their lives.
• 11% say they’ve paid TikTok creators for career-related services.

More specifically, 77% of Gen Zers (21-26 years old), 59% of younger millennials (27-33 years), and 54% of older millennials (34-40 years) use the social media app. Overall, 27% of users get career advice frequently, 38% say sometimes, and 22% say not very often. Only 14% say they never do.

Despite most consumers of this information saying they are trusting of the information; the majority say they do-encounter misleading career-related information. Twenty-five percent say they encounter misleading information frequently, and 53% say they sometimes do.

I was surprised to learn that some users have paid TikTok influencers for career coaching services as much as between $500 and $1,500. I find it hard to believe someone would do this rather than seek out career advice from a professional.

Who are Zillennials?

I was also surprised to come across the term, “zillennial.” I hadn’t heard it before. Logic dictates it’s a mix between millennial and Gen Zers. But it goes much deeper than that.

Zillennial are a linguistic mash-up of Gen Z and Millennials. "Zillennial" is a micro-generation, encompassing just 10 years. It's group members are too young to be a Millennial, but too old to be a Gen Z'er. The Pew Research Center puts the defining line at 1996. Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is a millennial, and anyone born between 1997 and 2012 is "Generation Z."  Zillenials spent their tween and teen years in the 2010s, when social media was on the rise but not yet in its heyday. The point is zillennials may find new ways to access career advice online so this is a rapidly changing area in the realm of workplace advice.

Caution: There Could Be Danger Ahead!

I wondered what the drawbacks are of using TikTok for career advice. Here are some:

 1.Chinese Influence Elicits Privacy Concerns.                                                                                             

 2. The Dangers of TikTok for Your Brain.                                                                                               

 3. TikTok is riddled with censorship.                                                                                                  

 4. The Dangers of TikTok Challenges.                                                                                                

 5. TikTok's Data Collection Is Suspect at Best.                                                                                    

 6. Users Experience Security Vulnerabilities.                                                                                  

 7. Worrisome content makes TikTok bad for youth.

Time does not allow for a discussion of each of these cautions. I was interested in the dangers for the brain and found out that TikTok's format of short videos has been linked to decreased attention spans when the app is used for more than 90 minutes a day.

If you are seeking career advice, I suggest you read more about it by clicking on this link.

The best advice I read comes from Adrienne Tom. She talks about sharing advice by putting certain words in white font on your résumé. Tom says it doesn’t improve your chances of getting the job. “That’s bad advice. Recruiters know that candidates do this and that it’s frowned upon. It’s misleading and unhelpful to people who are really looking for support during their job search and careers.”

While TikTok and social media can be useful for career advice, it is crucial to approach the content with caution and consider the limitations. The brevity of TikTok videos may lead to oversimplification or lack of depth in complex career-related topics.

Posted by Dr. Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on October 31, 2023. You can learn more about Steve’s activities by checking out his website at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/ and signing up for his newsletter.

I wish to thank Resume Builder for permission to cite its survey.