This TikTok trend could be ‘detrimental' to your career, says job coach of 15 years

As a career coach of 15 years, Jasmine Escalera scrolls through career-advice TikTok just like the rest of us, but with a bit more of a discerning eye about some of the messages out there.

Escalera, a Miami-based expert with Zety who helps professionals find new jobs, says one trend in particular could be particularly damaging: white-fonting on your resume.

White-fonting is the act of copying the text of a job description and pasting it onto your resume in small, white font in hopes of "beating the ATS system," Escalera tells CNBC Make It, referring to applicant tracking systems that help employers organize job candidates.

The idea is that by including all the keywords from the job description on your document, it will be scanned by an artificial intelligence screener, represent a strong match and move you into the next round for interviews.

But resume screening platforms don't work in that way, and Escalera says that being found out could jeopardize your candidacy.

"It's causing professionals to do something that can be really detrimental to their professional reputation," she says. "If somehow a hiring team picks it up, now your professional reputation, your qualifications, the work that you've been able to do, your entire job application, is called into question."

The TikTok career advice she loves to see

While TikTok can feature some questionable career advice, Escalera says it's not all bad.

"I do see some great advice on TikTok that is more around making sure that you're networking right," she says. "Human connections are what could potentially move your job search forward way faster than, for example, rage-applying, where you're so fed up with a situation that you're just like, 'Screw it. I'm going to apply to 50 jobs today.'"

Mass-applying to jobs "without being cognizant of whether your application is the right application, whether your experience is the right experience, or whether this is the right environment for you" can be a waste of time and effort, Escalera says, and could lead you back into a toxic or unfulfilling work environment.

Instead, she says, move away from rage-applying strategies and focus on advice that can help you "build a professional network that's healthy and supportive."

One of the favorite networking strategies she's seen is to prepare your introduction to people that highlights your unique value and how you contribute to work settings.

"A well-prepared introduction can help others understand your skills and goals, making it easier for them to identify how they can support you," she says.

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