Man's Viral Job Application Video Leads to 'So Many Interviews'

Many have faced job losses and layoffs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—including London-based Jay Beech. However, instead of the usual strategies, involving paper resumes and cover letters, Beech, who specializes in marketing, has taken an unconventional and distinctly-modern approach: using TikTok. His now-viral "Hire Me campaign" has since been viewed nearly 688,000 times at the time of writing, along with 70,000 likes.

The strategy appears to be yielding impressive results. Speaking to Newsweek, Beech wouldn't yet reveal if the clip has landed him a new job. "Where I'm at now and what's next, I can't quite say," he wrote in an email. However, he did coyly admit: "I do have some news coming very soon!"

Shared on Beech's TikTok account earlier this month, the video features a revamped version of Gloria Gaynor's 1978 disco hit, I Will Survive–except in his version, the lyrics have been humorously rewritten to entice potential employers.

"Been made redundant twice this year/My spirit could have died," sings Beech in the highly-stylized clip. "But that's the times we're living in/and, hey, I did choose Marketing/So I stand strong/as I look for another job."

"And so I'm back/Back to LinkedIn," continue the lyrics. "I've got a fire for marketing/and I'd love to keep that going strong."

The 70s-inspired clip features dance moves, creative camera shots, and eye-catching editing. In the final moments of the video, a hashtag appears onscreen: #HireJayBeech.

The recent TikTok is actually the second time Beech has used this approach, having first made a similar video earlier this year. "I first decided to go down this route in March 2021 after being made redundant from my previous role," he explained. "We've all seen so many people being made redundant over the last few years as a direct effect of the pandemic and the financial struggles it brought...When I found myself in the same position, I knew I needed to do something different because I didn't have the financial safety net to get me through months of job hunting."

He added that he had been listening to Diana Ross' I'm Coming Out just prior to receiving the bad news earlier this year. After the call, he said he replaced the lyrics "I'm coming out" with "I lost my job," thus planting the idea for the stunt. The rest of the song and video, posted in May, soon followed.

"Once it went out, things went crazy. The video received 1 million views on LinkedIn and I was inundated with interview offers. I [two] weeks later accepted a new position," he said.

"After being made redundant for a second time this year, I knew a new video had to be created," said Beech on his I Will Survive cover, adding, "I don't think I can ever go back to traditional recruitment."

"Once again, the support I received on TikTok and LinkedIn was incredible," he said. "My inbox was again becoming inundated with interview requests...The day after posting the video I had [seven] interviews and more throughout the week. This time around, I had a clearer idea of what I wanted, so I was able to filter through the interview requests and only accept the ones that could be a good fit for me."

The video clearly resonated with the TikTok community, as its comments section became flooded with supportive messages from viewers (and potential employers).

"Awesome video," read one comment. "I own a marketing company and would love the opportunity to discuss ... if we're both a good fit!"

"Sorry to hear you lost your job again," wrote another viewer, "but I'm glad we got another [one] of these videos."