Chipotle Mexican Grill, long an innovator among restaurant brands on TikTok, is now using the video-based social media platform to recruit workers, the fast-casual chain announced Thursday.
Chipotle is an early adopter of the new TikTok Resumes platform, which allows prospective employees to “showcase their authenticity and true passions in unique ways outside of a traditional resume or sit-down interview,” the company said in a statement.
“Given the current hiring climate and our strong growth trajectory, it’s essential to find new platforms to directly engage in meaningful career conversations with Gen-Z,” said Marissa Andrada, the chain’s chief diversity, inclusion and people officer, in a press release. “TikTok has been ingrained into Chipotle’s DNA for some time and now we’re evolving our presence to help bring in top talent to our restaurants.”
TikTok Resumes is a pilot program launched this week by the social media platform. Job candidates are encouraged to “creatively and authentically showcase their skillsets and experiences,” according to TikTok.
Chipotle has previously said it needs to hire 20,000 new employees this year to keep up with its growth goals. After several hiring pushes, it has adjusted that number down to 15,000.
In May, the Newport Beach, Calif.-based chain said it would raise its average hourly wage to $15 while also adding referral bonuses.
That month, Chipotle also hosted a virtual job fair on the communications platform Discord—popular among gamers. Some 3,700 people signed up for the chain’s Discord server and up to 850 people participated consistently in the hiring event, the chain said.
Chipotle will accept submissions via TikTok Resumes through July 31. Candidates must use #TikTokResumes in their captions when posting their videos.
On July 15, the burrito chain will double down on its hiring push with its second Coast to Coast Career Day at Chipotle restaurants around the country, the company said.
As they emerge from the pandemic, restaurants are facing unprecedented hiring challenges. The industry added 194,300 jobs in June, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. But the sector remains almost 1.3 million workers shy of pre-pandemic numbers.
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