Thank you to the almost 2000 amazing people that signed up for this newsletter. This newsletter is for Talent Acquisition and HR professionals interested in growing their brand.

1. Each week, I’ll be interviewing a Talent/Hr/People leader that is doing a great job with their content.

   From Tiktok Influencers to Podcasters, bloggers to video superstars. Each episode will include a short video where they share how building their brand has impacted their career and their life.

2. I’ll then break down how you can use their same strategies to build your brand, so each week you’ll learn and be inspired to create content.

I’ve already lined up some fan favorites and I’m super excited to continue to learn from the best in the industry.

^{About the Author: Joel Lalgee has built a social media following of almost 400,000. In 2019 he started creating content on Linkedin and since then he has expanded to Tiktok and Twitter. He’s also hosted 2 successful podcasts. His content has been viewed over 500,000,000 times and he now coaches recruitment teams on how to create content successfully to win on social media.} 

If you’re interested in sponsoring this newsletter - or working with Joel to get in front of 2,000,000 people a month reach out to [email protected] for collaborations.

This week I’m featuring a creator that if you’re on Tiktok you will for sure recognize: In less than 5 months this creator and friend, has managed to grow to over 50,000 followers, start a successful coaching business, be featured in major publications, and partner with multiple brands. (I’m taking notes on this one too!)

Mike “Realistic Recruiting” Peditto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpeditto/

Mike has over a decade of hiring experience between running large offices, working for 3rd party staffing agencies, and working at multiple early-stage start-up companies. He is also a content creator bringing a human and vulnerable feel to the job search in order to bring transparency to the process and remind frustrated job seekers that there are humans on both sides of the aisle and that they are seen.

He has built a reputation for always going to bat for people who need support and focusing on how things are and how to best navigate them, rather than focusing on how we wish it was.

He is currently focusing on some consulting opportunities as a way to keep doing what he loves while continuing to be there for job seekers in what has become a rough year for talent acquisition.

Joel: How long have you been creating content? Why did you start creating content?

Mike: I made my first TikTok Video on July 22, so less than 5 months ago depending on when this is written. That was my first actual attempt at content creation beyond personal stuff or an occasional Linkedin post.

Honestly, I don’t know why I started. I was 2 days into my new job after a long layoff and I thought maybe some people would benefit by hearing an “expert” talk about his own layoff and search now that it was over. I had no expectations of anything coming from it.

Joel: What channels/platforms do you focus on?

Mike: Most of my content is on TikTok, but I have recently begun trying to pay more attention to Instagram. A big regret of my career which I talk about a lot in my content is that I never focused on Linkedin or building a network there despite my experience. I’ve begun posting (almost) daily on Linkedin and slowly building up my follower count there, but struggle to connect in the same way with people on Linkedin as I do on TikTokI also have plans to concentrate on more long-form YouTube Content but I have not actually started to create it yet

Joel: You started creating and documenting your job search, how did content creation impact your search?

Mike: The support that poured in from people when I made a video about losing my new job blew me away and was the first time that I really felt like I was building something special.

It was an interesting balance to figure out how to keep giving job search tips while also showing and documenting my own job search. I’d be lying to say I never started to doubt myself- especially when comments asked why they should take advice from someone who doesn’t have a job themselves.

But then I started recording myself during interviews or documenting the real human mistakes I made myself- like putting the wrong interview time on my calendar- and realized this stuff is not only helpful for people to see, but serves as a great reminder that nobody is perfect- not even the “experts” so it’s important to give yourself some grace during the search.

Joel: You recently decided to go all into being a solopreneur, how did content impact this decision?

Mike: Content was almost the entire driving force behind this decision, it became very clear that I had a style, an approach and information that people were finding helpful. I started booking 1 on 1 coaching sessions, being invited to do media, being offered speaking and seminar opportunities, and realized that during a terrible job market I had accidentally built something for myself and I wanted to explore it. Now I get to do consulting and pick and choose clients or companies or projects I want to work on from a recruiting and HR standpoint while still doing my content and building on what I’ve been creating to help individuals.

Joel: What tips would you give someone that hasn't seen an ROI yet with content after a few months of creating?

Mike: A big lesson for me has been to stop judging each individual piece of work and just keep going. While my TikTok growth was almost immediate, I have really struggled with instagram and Linkedin. With both them I have started and stopped so many times and know that if I would have just kept going they would also be growing, even if at a slower pace.

The other big thing is to stop deleting content that isn’t performing. I’ve been really guilty of this, especially on Linkedin, but even with TikToks that were underperforming. Nobody is paying attention to every single piece you post, they are paying attention to you as a whole and the things that resonate with them. Even my less successful posts usually have a few people in the comments telling me how helpful it is. If your goal is to help people, then you have to post it and let it hit the people it hits.

Joel: You are growing on Tiktok extremely fast, was that a surprise to you?

Mike: More than I’ll ever be able to explain. I remember celebrating my first 100, 200, 500, 1000! 10,000 etc… I remember the night I hit 10K going on Live to watch it happen. When I first got on TikTok I texted a friend saying I finally did it but I’ll probably delete my account soon. I had 0 intentions of this all happening and really do mean it. I would have never expected this and still kind of struggle to believe it.

Joel: What tips would you give to others on how to approach the platform?

Mike: You have to be yourself and trust it will work out eventually. It’s really easy to see viral videos or people with big followings and think that’s the way way to go, but one of the best things about TikTok is the users crave authenticity. They can sense people lying to them or pushing something on them. Figure out your voice and how you connect with people and start there.

Joel: Has Tiktok been effective for business growth?

Mike: Tiktok is the only reason I have any business!

Joel: Why do enjoy creating content?

Mike: There’s something special about knowing people are connecting with you and learning from what you have to say. I do 50-60 hours of live streams a month because people have found comfort and community there and that means so much to me.

Joel: What do you dislike about being a creator?

Mike: Disconnecting is very hard as I have grown. It’s my instinct to try to reply to everyone and be able to speak to everyone individually but it’s impossible. I’ve struggled to put my phone down and just step away for a while.

Joel: How do you come up with new ideas for content?

Mike: Generally from just listening to what my followers are asking for, seeing what their struggles are and giving my advice on it. With TikTok it’s also important to remember that just because you spoke about it before, it doesn’t mean everyone saw it. Sometimes you have to keep speaking about important things because it hits a new audience every time.

Joel: Who are some creators that inspired you when you start?

Mike: I literally got on TikTok knowing nobody in the industry, I even accidentally ripped off your name. Some of the first people I found were you and Dan from HR and HRMolly. Molly connected me to Farrah and NikkiJazz. I saw this whole world where everyone had their own approach and own style to it and it was amazing.

One of the original creators I found was Amy HackyourHR because we got on TikTok at almost the exact same time, she set a goal to post 3 times every day no matter what, and that dedication inspired me to try to do the same.

Joel: What has been the biggest challenge for you with creating content?

Mike: Continuing to make it on a regular schedule while my consulting and coaching schedule fills up. I make sure to post every day, but sometimes I find myself scrambling to do it, and I have not gotten good at some of the strategies like batching content that experienced people do.

Joel: What is next for you in your content creation journey?

Mike: Youtube long-form content is a big goal for me as well as creating some more robust digital products for people to be able to download and have anytime. I am also focusing on finding more media and speaking opportunities.

Joel: What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out?

Mike: Stop wondering about how people will perceive it and just do it.

Joel: What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you in your journey as a content creator?

Mike: One day a friend of mine texted me and said their coworker showed them my video and had no idea we were friends. They sent me the text to tell me and say “you’ve officially reached Gen Z” I texted back that their coworker is looking for a job. Their coworker left a few weeks later!

Joel: Where can people find you/connect with you?

Mike: @RealisticRecruiting on TikTok/Instagram/Yoututbe/Threads

Linkedin.com/in/mpeditto

Each week I am going to give you a few tips if you want to get started on creating content based on the conversation I’ve had:

The Power of Documenting your Journey…

How do you always have content? This is a question that I get all the time from my coaching clients.

What I love about Mike’s Journey is how he connected with his audience by simply sharing his expertise and journey.

I might be the RealestRecruiter, but Mike is one of the most authentic content creators on Tiktok.

Watch the video above - Zero filters, No music, No lights…

Just a man and his phone, sharing his expertise.

Here are 3 things I’ve learned from Mike’s success.

1. Don’t overthink content. This doesn’t mean you don’t have a strategy. It just means that you don’t overthink the things that don’t matter like:

   What will other people think about me? Get over yourself, no one cares that much.

   The production quality? Even with a basic light setup and iPhone, you can have decent-quality production

   Will people listen? You build an audience over time. Where you start isn’t where you finish.

2. Connect and follow other creators to build relationships. Mike did an excellent job strategically creating reaction videos on Tiktok using Stitches/Duets. This is a great way to leverage a recognizable brand. On Linkedin this could be sharing someone else’s post and putting your thoughts to it. It also helps build relationships and you support other creators which they love! (Some may reciprocate which will help your audience, although this shouldn’t be an expectation.)

3. Try to add value and do something different by being yourself. The power of being yourself and authentic is you will bring a new style. Mike filled a void that other recruiters weren’t able to do. He’s quickly built a loyal audience that has converted into clients.

Thank you for reading this episode:

If you are looking for additional help with your content I’m providing 1 on 1 coaching, corporate team workshops/training, and ghostwriting and advising services. Want to work with me?

You can book a quick call here: https://calendly.com/humanheadhunter/quick-meeting?back=1&month=2023-06

Until next time!

Joel

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