Recruiting Magic

TikTok could be just the ticket to your next new hires.

If you think that TikTok is all about silly dancing videos, think again, says Tannetje’ Crocker, DVM. “My goal is to get people thinking differently,” says the emergency veterinarian and social media consultant, who in just a few months managed to build up a TikTok following of 149,000 (and climbing). She also gained about 79,000 followers on Instagram since she started posting there in 2019.

“Some people say it’s unprofessional or that they’d never do it,” she says. “But I’m not talking about using social media personally. I’m talking about using it professionally.”

A vibrant presence on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram helps set your practice apart, particularly in today’s competitive hiring landscape, Crocker says. In fact, once you get it up and running, social media functions as a low-cost tool you can use to recruit potential hires you might not otherwise reach.

Why to Try It

Creating and posting social media content, says Crocker, is not as hard as it may seem. “People think it’s a lot of work and time, but I can tell you it’s not—especially the better you get at it,” she says. “At this point, I can make five videos in 20 minutes.” There are multiple reasons to strongly consider jumping into using social media if you haven’t already, she adds:

• Applicants are looking for it. A vast majority of job seekers—79%—are likely to use social media in their job search, according to Glassdoor. “Social media is the first thing people will check to see who you are,” says Crocker. “Especially if you’re looking to hire those young, energetic veterinarians. They’re going to be using social media.”
• It’s cost-effective. For example, say you have a technician who gets really good at posting on social media, and you pay that person $18 to $25 per hour. “If all it takes is a couple of minutes a day or a couple of hours one day a week to set things up and post, and you get another technician out of it in the future, I’d say that’s valuable and a good return on your investment,” Crocker says. “A job ad would cost much more than that to post, and the people you get from the job ads aren’t necessarily the people you’re looking for.”
• More touchpoints. When you broaden your community on social media, you reach more people and have more touchpoints to find future employees. “I’ve had people reach out through my social media when they’re moving to the area and ask if we’re hiring,” says Crocker. “They know what our practices are like, and they know we have fun and take care of our people, because they’re watching our videos.” Instead of having to recruit, you could have people coming to you, she says, essentially creating a waiting list for your hospital.
• Marketing magic. Social media allows you to showcase your good team dynamics, putting them on open display through the videos and photos you post. “It lets you show clients and potential future employees how awesome you are, not just tell them,” says Crocker. “There is power in that!”

And if your team members love their jobs, instead of going home and posting that they’re completely wiped and had the worst day ever at work, they might post, “Oh my gosh, my team came together and we saved this animal and it was amazing. Listen to what we did!” This boosts your business reputation in the eyes of a community that includes your clients and your potential future hires, she adds.

So, if you’re short-staffed and looking to hire, consider brushing up your social media presence for a powerful recruiting tool.