Why Gen Z are filming themselves getting sacked before sharing it to TikTok… and why it could STOP them getting another job

The rapid rise of TikTok has meant that more than ever, people are sharing private details and moments from their lives.

However, a new trend has seen this be taken to a new level, as people are beginning to record themselves having important career conversations and posting them to social media.

The TikTok hashtag #layoffs has amassed more than 366 million views and almost 19,000 posts – with most of the firings happening remotely from the workers own homes.

Brittany Pietsch, a former mid-market account executive at Cloudflare, went viral after posting a video of herself being fired by two HR employees via Zoom call on January 10.

The nine-minute long clip captioned, ‘When you know you’re about to get laid off so you film it’ sees Brittany be told she’s ‘failed to meet expectations for performance’ by two company representatives she’s never met.

She defended herself and her work, reminding them of the positive feedback she’s recieved and demanded more answers – but she didn’t find out anything more.

The video was shared around social media on multiple accounts and the viewership of the reposted clips amounts to adds up to nearly 6 million social media users.

Her bold choice flung her into the spotlight, with people debating whether it was the right thing to do or not, but the account executive stuck to her guns.

Posting on LinkedIn after the incident, she revealed she’s recieved more messages than ever, from people who wish they did the same.

She wrote: ‘The most incredible outpouring of support has honestly restored my faith in the corporate world. 

‘However, the most common message I’m receiving is how many people have experienced something shockingly similar. Cold, unexplainable firing by people they’ve never met – even after years of loyalty for some.

‘All people saying they wish they would have stood up for themselves as I did. Heartbreaking stories of people’s lives suddenly changing with no explanation and just told to “deal with it”. What??? I’ll never be able to wrap my mind around it. 

‘We as employees are expected to give two weeks notice and yet we don’t deserve even a sliver of respect when the roles are reversed?

‘I’ve also read some comments about how I’ll never be able to find a job now because I’m a “loose cannon employee”. 

‘I’ll tell you what, any company that wouldn’t want to hire me because I shared a video of how a company fired me or because I asked questions as to why I was being let go is not a company I would ever want to work for anyway. If I don’t stand up for myself… who will?’

Even some of those who are getting laid off in person have opted to record themselves getting ready, one video with the caption: ‘Get ready with me to get laid off!’

Another user posted a video alongside the text: ‘POV You work in tech and HR just added a 15 minute ‘company update’ to your calendar’. 

Of course, the increase in these videos is not out of the blue – there is a widespread trend of tech layoffs in the US as customers scale back spending on services and advertising, and providers grapple with inflationary pressure.

eBay announced last week that it will begin to cut 1,000 roles, accounting for nine per cent of its workforce, in a desperate effort to position the company for sustainable growth. 

Speaking about the spike in firing TikToks, career coach and founder of City CV, Victoria McLean, explains: ‘I think this trend is reflective of a broader shift towards transparency and authenticity in the digital age.

‘And of the way in which it’s very common these days to share or overshare every aspect of your life. 

‘Social media is all about sharing personal milestones, and I think some young people see hiring and firing as no different – and more than that, I think it’s also reflective of the fact that they feel digital platforms are a place to seek support. 

She remarks: ‘Of course, this can also have a negative impact with a lot of people disagreeing that this kind of thing should be public, and making their opinions known in the comments. 

‘I actually don’t like this trend – I think hiring and firing is very much an employer and employee experience, and you simply can’t tell from one video all the context and backstory that there might be. 

‘The person filming the video is going to want to put themselves in the best possible light, after all’.

The career coach warns that any recruiter or hiring manager will be looking at candidates social profiles and something like could result in them being completely disregarded.

She comments: ‘This is a line that I don’t think should be crossed. There should be privacy and discretion in the handling of these types of things. 

‘It’s also a complete breach of trust to be filmed without your consent in any context really, and especially one in which you’re doing your job but could really be painted in a bad light. 

‘Additionally, for employees who are filming firing videos, they may really be shooting themselves in the foot by making public something that they’re contractually obliged not to talk about’.

However, she does see one positive impact to the situation: ‘To make employers who might not be playing by the book pull their socks up’.

Victoria says: ‘If they’re concerned enough that they might be filmed, hopefully they will do better. 

‘Of course, it shouldn’t be the risk of being filmed that makes them do better, but it may be a good outcome for some employees. 

‘I think this trend shows that there’s a growing demand for transparency and accountability in the workplace. 

‘It’s an opportunity for employers to reflect on their practices and try to create workplaces in which such drastic measures are not seen as necessary for employees to feel heard or supported’.

Daniel Wolken, a Human Resources expert and Talent Acquisition Specialist at DailyRemote, agrees: 

‘We are witnessing a generation that seeks digital validation for all things they do; get a degree, post it on social media; had a good day, social media; had a bad day? even more social media. 

‘That’s the digital prison we live in. Of course, being laid off or hired is a significant life event that stimulates strong feelings, some positive, some negative, so the digital validation rule of this generation is to share it. 

He continued: ‘As a HR professional, I’ve onboarded hundreds of new hires each year, so I grew very familiar with candidates’ experiences during the recruitment process. 

‘Likewise, rapid expansion also led to occasional downturns that necessitated layoffs – a difficult part of the job I grew adept at handling professionally yet compassionately.

‘For some, sharing these experiences online could serve as a coping mechanism in dealing with the emotional impact of losing their job or the excitement of a new opportunity. 

‘Transparency is also being forced or sought through recordings. In many scenarios, phone recordings are used to denounce and seek justice; this is no different’.

However, the expert adds that ‘not everything is positive’ and ‘while publicly sharing career moments holds potential benefits, it also presents ethical challenges that merit consideration’.

He adds: ‘Raising awareness through open discussion of real workplace experiences can be positive. Videos portraying employee terminations or hirings give candid glimpses into often obscure organizational procedures and dynamics. 

‘Firsthand accounts offer authentic perspective that established media and companies may not provide. They give a “seat at the table” to parties directly involved but not speaking through official channels. 

‘This can fill information gaps and bring overlooked issues to light. When handled maturely and factually, public disclosure aids transparency.

‘However, disseminating private work dealings also involves ethics. Participants deserve privacy regarding personal data and situations given in confidence. 

‘While intentions may be acknowledgment or advice-seeking from networks, content once posted loses control and context. Reputations could unfairly suffer from misinterpretations outside full context or later career stages.

‘Legal protections like consent and accurately portraying all perspectives become difficult on open platforms. While whistleblowing protects the public interest, less serious grievances may be better addressed through established internal or regulatory processes’. 

But it’s not just layoffs that are being filmed, as viewers are also getting a front row seat to watching people bagging their dream jobs.

One TikToker from the US, who goes by @urfriendjojo on the app, shared a clip of the moment she found out she got the job she interviewed for, captioned: ‘Hubspot, here I come!’

The employer on the other end of the Zoom call says, ‘I know you’ve been waiting long enough so I don’t want to delay any further. 

‘I just want to cut right down to the chase and say I am calling you with great news today, I’m calling you with an offer for the role – congratulations’.

The poster grins and celebrates at the camera upon hearing the news, celebrating with the thousands of people that watched the clip. 

Commenters penned: ‘Omg who was your recruiter she sounds SO sweet I need help finding a job’ and ‘what company is this?? she sounds just like the recruiter i worked through!’

Dr Susan Kahn, a business psychologist and author, believes that sharing these kinds of videos can ‘alleviate suffering’.

She reveals: ‘Endings are tough, particularly when they are unexpected, and it can feel difficult to accept that you have been made redundant. 

‘We may confuse the loss of the job with a loss of ourselves, this can hit hard. When we are stressed or emotionally heightened it is difficult to think and we may console ourselves in destructive behaviour. 

‘The attention, strokes and positive affirmations that accompany such a public revelation may appear both seductive and something in our control, at a time when we have lost control.

‘Filming being hired is at the other end of the spectrum and offers a platform to celebrate success, to mark a key moment in life.

‘Yet those watching these recordings might also wonder about the authenticity of the conversations, being camera ready and angled perfectly to catch the moment might invite accusations of a script rehearsed rather than capturing a pivotal moment’.

The expert continues: ‘Gen Z and millennials are used to recording and sharing life’s moments – the highs and the lows.  It is often a curated version of their lives but nonetheless it is the norm. 

‘Communicating the way in which organisations don’t treat their employees fairly or well might provoke a more thoughtful and ethical approach from employers’.

Although, she also agrees that there os the potential for sharing moments like this to have negative repercussions in the future.

The business psychologist advises: ‘Our digital footprint is hard to erase. Something expressed in hurt and anger may not be something you wish to share with a future employer. 

‘Your pain and vulnerability is nothing to be ashamed of but having it exposed without filter means that it can be accessed widely and without context. 

‘The notion of psychological safety is relevant here – platforms where personal stories of job loss or unexpected redundancy may feel like a welcome place to express yourself, but you are also vulnerable to judgement and attack at a time when you may not be feeling at your strongest’.