When it comes to getting a job, it’s still all about who you know—except you don’t actually have to know those people anymore, according to one former jobseeker’s viral TikTok.
In response to a TikToker who said they’d applied to 557 jobs with no luck, creator Brice Callahan (@rockology) posted a video about how he solved his dead-end job hunt by amassing connections on the social networking site LinkedIn.
“How you get a job in 2023 is a lot different than what it was 20 years ago,” Callahan said in the video, which has already amassed nearly 363,000 views and 42,000 likes since he posted it on May 24.
@rockology #stitch with @Peter #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Brice Callahan
“I graduated with a degree in geology, or geological sciences, in May of 2020,” Callahan explained. “I put out 200 applications over the next 10 months. I had three interviews, and they all led nowhere. Except for one, but they wanted to pay me like $10 an hour.”
Callahan then showed a screenshot of his LinkedIn profile, explaining that he has about 2,000 connections, and about 80% are in the geology field.
“This is what got me a job,” Callahan said.
The creator said his frustration with the job hunt led him to create a LinkedIn profile and add every single geologist he found who worked in mining, his desired field.
Callahan said he asked those new connections to tear apart his resume and offer any advice they had for breaking into the industry. The creator showed his post seeking help and pointed out that it got nearly 10,000 impressions.
“I had a job six hours later,” Callahan said.
In the comments section, viewers shared their thoughts on LinkedIn and networking.
“Once I hopped on LinkedIn, I’m afraid to say I literally almost doubled my income and double the recruiter interactions. I owe linkedin where I’m at,” one commenter wrote.
“I’ve been getting connections on LinkedIn for this route, I’m sick of my Bachelor’s only getting $15 a hour!” a second shared.
“Same story different font,” another wrote. “It’s all about who you know. It used to be who you played golf with or went to church with. Now it’s who you know on social.”
However, Callahan emphasized that he didn’t “know” any of those new connections when he added them.
“I dont wanna have a linkedin tho!!!!!” another viewer said. Callahan replied, “I didn’t either until I had one. I’ve met hundreds of [geologists] who have helped me with my profession. And secret rock hunting spots lol.”
In an interview conducted via TikTok direct message, Callahan revealed his ideas on why people haven’t caught on to the new realities of finding a job.
“People aren’t willing to embrace new ideas or concepts is half of it,” Callahan said. “The other half is they don’t know the concepts even exist. Therefore they go on in life either unwilling to change to make their life better, or feel stupid and worthless because they can’t succeed because they are missing or don’t know about vital information/help that can’t get them to succeed.”
Callahan also gave the Daily Dot some additional advice for jobseekers.
“Make sure if you go to college you are actually ready to be a student or learn to be a better one through YouTube,” he said. “And research your major and what the job life is like after you graduate with that major.”
There’s probably something to Callahan’s strategy. According to a September article from Scientific American, loose acquaintances are more likely to help you score a new gig than friends or family members.
LinkedIn has more than 930 million members, according to public-facing figures provided by the social network. The platform also boasts that 61 million people each week use the site to search for jobs, 117 job applications are submitted every second on the site, and eight people are hired every minute via the social network.
Beware, though: Some users have reported finding fake jobs on LinkedIn. Others say the job market is so tough that they couldn’t get a position even with putting in “40 hours a week on LinkedIn” and submitting over 500 applications in 60 days.
The Daily Dot reached out to LinkedIn for comment via email but did not receive a response ahead of publication.
