We aren’t sure how much to believe this new date but it is eye-catching. Is TikTok really that embedded in jobs? Zety thinks so.
Zety®, a career service dedicated to helping people improve their resumes and cover letters, has released the findings of its 2025 Gen Z Career Trends Report. The in-depth survey of nearly 900 Gen Z employees offers a deep dive into how social media, specifically TikTok, is reshaping career decisions and job search strategies for the generation that grew up online.
The results show how these digital platforms have become vital career resources for this modern workforce in 2025.
Key Findings
- 46% of Gen Z has secured a job or internship through TikTok.
- 92% trust TikTok for career advice, yet 55% admit to following misleading advice on the platform.
- 76% rely on Instagram for career content, over twice as many as LinkedIn (34%).
- 95% say a company’s social media presence impacts their decision to apply, with 48% citing DEI initiatives as the type of content that would increase their likelihood of applying.
- Popular TikTok trends like Quiet Quitting (47%), Career Cushioning (48%) and Job Hopping (55%) continue to shape Gen Z’s career mindset.
- 48% feel social media creates unrealistic expectations about career growth and success.
Social Media as a Career Hub
Gen Z sees social media as an essential career resource, prioritizing platforms like Instagram and TikTok over traditional tools like LinkedIn:
- The majority of Gen Z (76%) use Instagram for career advice and content, over 2x more than LinkedIn (34%), while 52% use TikTok.
- Gen Z is also more likely to connect with peers, mentors or industry professionals on Instagram (66%) compared to LinkedIn (35%).
- 46% have secured a job or internship via TikTok – 56% have done so on Twitter or X and 64% on Instagram.
The Rise of CareerTok
TikTok has become a dominant platform for career advice and trends among Gen Z, offering a mix of valuable insights and controversial guidance. While 92% of Gen Zers trust TikTok for career advice, 55% admit they’ve followed misleading advice on the platform.
Gen Z has widely embraced TikTok career trends, including:
- Job Hopping: Switching jobs frequently for better opportunities (55%)
- Career Cushioning: Exploring backup opportunities while employed (48%)
- Quiet Quitting: Only doing what’s required (47%)
- Bare Minimum Monday: Minimal effort to avoid burnout (42%)
- Act Your Wage: Setting boundaries based on pay (37%)
- Rage Applying: Mass applications after frustration (21%)
Career Content Preferences
From job search tips to DEI initiatives, Gen Z is drawn to social media content that provides tangible value, personal stories and a sense of connection.
They’re interested in material that’s practical, relatable and connected to their values. The type of content they engage with most includes:
- Job search resources (e.g., job postings, resume and interview tips) (60%)
- Career advancement advice (e.g., networking tips, professional development) (61%)
- Personal experiences (e.g., success stories, day-in-the-life videos) (57%)
- Workplace culture insights (e.g., company reviews, DEI initiatives) (50%)
- Industry trends and updates (e.g., emerging job market trends, AI topics) (41%)
- Inspirational/motivational content (e.g., affirmations, work-life balance tips) (16%)
Social Media in Hiring
A company’s online presence matters:
- 95% of Gen Z consider a company’s social media presence when deciding to apply.
- Content highlighting company achievements (62%), workplace culture (61%), employee day-in-the-life videos (50%), DEI initiatives (48%) and job openings (43%) would increase their likelihood of applying.
Influence of Personal Branding
With 78% of Gen Z believing that employers review candidates’ social media profiles as a critical part of evaluation, maintaining a polished and professional online presence is key amongst this generation.
The rise of career-focused influencers has further amplified this trend:
- 75% of Gen Z follows multiple career-focused influencers or creators on social media.
- 84% say the career influencers they follow are between the ages of 26-39, while 22% follow those under 25 and 12% follow influencers aged 40 or older.
- 48% strongly agree that social media promotes unrealistic expectations about career growth or success.
“Gen Z is not just using social media for entertainment—they’re turning to it as a trusted career resource,” said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at Zety. “This generation is redefining how companies interact with potential employees, and social media is often the first place they go to get a sense of what a company stands for and how it aligns with their values.”
Methodology
The findings presented were obtained by surveying 896 U.S. respondents who are Gen Z employees (born between 1997 and 2012). The survey was conducted January 14, 2025 using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were queried about their social media usage, preferences and involvement in career-related trends, responding to various question types, including yes/no questions, scale-based questions gauging agreement levels, and questions that permitted the selection of multiple options from a list of answers.