In the face of a weakening UK job market, young workers are increasingly using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to secure employment. With vacancies falling and unemployment at a five-year high, Gen Z is adopting unconventional methods to stand out to employers.
Sibusisiwe Khupe, 26, was laid off from London marketing agency Wieden+Kennedy in September. After a four-month search, she landed a senior creative role at Gravity Road by posting a bold, humorous presentation on LinkedIn. 'You can’t afford to not be confident or audacious because a lot of people are in the same boat,' she said.
The global hiring rate has plunged to a five-year low, and the number of applicants per job opening has risen nearly 30%, according to LinkedIn. As companies use AI to screen résumés, graduates are turning to quirky videos and cold emails to reach executives directly. Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, said TikTok videos are 'essentially becoming extensions of gen Z’s résumés'.
In the US, Anya Roodnitsky, 22, applied to hundreds of jobs without success before creating a PowerPoint video that went viral. The video led to 52 coffee chats, 20 referrals, and eventually a job offer as a solar analyst. 'It’s getting bad out there,' she said.
While these strategies can help candidates network and showcase soft skills, Salemi warned they are 'not a replacement to the résumé and structured hiring processes'. The job search is taking a toll on mental health, with 72% of candidates reporting negative effects.
