🚀 Will TikTok kill LinkedIn for Gen Z? Should a product be 10 times better to achieve product/market fit?

🚀 Will TikTok kill LinkedIn for Gen Z? Should a product be 10 times better to achieve product/market fit?

In recent years, TikTok has become a popular platform for Gen Z to express themselves creatively. With its short-form videos and viral challenges, it has captured the attention of millions of users worldwide. But can TikTok also be a platform for professional networking and job hunting? The launch of TikTok Resumes suggests that it might be.

TikTok Resumes is a new feature that allows users to create video resumes and apply for jobs directly on the platform. This taps into Gen Z's desire to be authentic and showcase their creativity in all aspects of life, including their work. Video resumes provide a dynamic way for candidates to showcase their energy and creativity, which can be difficult to convey through a traditional paper resume or cover letter.

However, despite the potential benefits of TikTok Resumes, its adoption has been relatively slow. Many candidates are hesitant to share their TikTok profiles with potential employers, as it blurs the line between personal and professional content. Additionally, creating and editing a video resume can be intimidating, especially for candidates who are not accustomed to appearing on camera.

On the other hand, Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, argues that a product must be at least 10 times better than its closest substitute to achieve product/market fit. This means that it must offer a significant improvement in some important dimension to convince users to switch. While this principle is often applied to technology startups, it can also be relevant to the success of TikTok Resumes.

For TikTok Resumes to truly compete with platforms like LinkedIn, it needs to offer a more efficient and valuable solution for job seekers and employers. Simply providing a platform for video resumes may not be enough to convince users to switch from traditional job search methods. The added value of TikTok Resumes must outweigh the potential switching costs, such as the time and effort required to create a video resume and the potential risks of sharing personal content with employers.

To maximize the chances of achieving product/market fit, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Understand the target audience: Gen Z has unique preferences and expectations when it comes to job search and professional networking. By understanding their needs and preferences, TikTok Resumes can tailor its features and user experience to better serve this demographic.

2. Focus on added value: TikTok Resumes should strive to offer a significant improvement over existing job search platforms. This could include features like AI-powered job matching, personalized career advice, or interactive networking opportunities. By providing added value, TikTok Resumes can attract users and convince them to switch from traditional methods.

3. Collaborate with employers: To gain credibility and trust, TikTok Resumes should collaborate with employers and showcase success stories of candidates who have found job opportunities through the platform. By highlighting real-world examples, TikTok Resumes can demonstrate its effectiveness and build a strong reputation in the job market.

In conclusion, while TikTok Resumes has the potential to disrupt the job search and professional networking space, it needs to offer a significant improvement and added value to achieve product/market fit. By understanding the needs of Gen Z, focusing on added value, and collaborating with employers, TikTok Resumes can increase its chances of success. Whether it will ultimately kill LinkedIn for Gen Z remains to be seen, but it certainly has the potential to shake up the industry.