Video content, including lectures and tutorials, on platforms like YouTube, has become an invaluable source of informal support for computing students. However, with the emergence of short-form videos on TikTok as a new potential resource, we investigated their potential to support students. Our analysis of 100 TikTok videos reveals that content about career pathways included valuable insights about daily job experiences, strategies to secure internships, and advice on navigating the complexities of the tech industry. These videos tended to valorize Big Tech companies over other career opportunities and emphasized values related to making money or working remotely over other benefits, such as doing impactful work or enjoying your job. These biases in content have the potential to shape students’ values and expectations for careers in tech.

Fri 20 Feb

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10:40 - 12:00
Career Paths in Tech: What Students Do, Post, and Code to Get HiredPapers at Meeting Room 102
Chair(s): Gagan Garg Johns Hopkins University
10:40
20m
Talk
Extracurricular Activities Predict CS Internship Attainment
Papers
Christopher Perdriau University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bridget Agyare University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Colleen M. Lewis University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
11:00
20m
Talk
Navigating Computing Careers: TikTok’s Potential Role as an Informal ResourceK12
Papers
Emily Martinez Temple University, Yashi Patel Temple University, Adyan Chowdhury Temple University, Noel Chacko Temple University, Francisco Castro New York University, Stephen MacNeil Temple University
11:20
20m
Talk
The Open Source Resume: How Open Source Contributions Help Students Demonstrate Alignment With Employer Needs
Papers
Utsab Saha Computing Talent Initiative, Jeffrey D'Andria Computing Talent Initiative, Tyler Menezes CodeDay
11:40
20m
Talk
Why Learn This? Visualizing Pathways Between CS Courses and Careers to Engage Students
Papers
Stacey Levine Georgia State University, Anu G. Bourgeois Georgia State University