Hiring Gen Z Talent? Check Your Assumptions At The Door

I’ve been focusing lately on the other side of hiring: the job seekers and what strategies they can follow on their career search. But recently I’ve been at events where the topic of Gen Z inevitably comes up — and along with it, a whole range of questions about how to best attract them into the talent pool, keep them interested throughout the application process, and convince them to accept a job with you if offered. Gen Z and millennials together comprise some 38 percent of the global workforce — expected to be 58 percent by 2030. And Gen Z itself will account for some 27 percent of the global workforce by 2025. In other words, the future of work has a lot to do with Gen Z.

So hiring teams and recruiters, this one’s for you: 5 effective strategies for successfully hiring Gen Z. Some of these run counter to prevailing assumptions, such as “meaning matters more than money.” I think it’s a lot more useful — and constructive — to get beneath the surface, and not rely on the same old stories.

1. Salary Is Paramount

This isn’t complicated: Gen-Z are well informed on certain factors when it comes to working, and salary is one of them. It’s no secret that U.S. organizations are continuing to increase pay — on average, 4 percent for 2024, according to WTW research. As companies maneuver to stay on top of a tight labor market, salary raises will continue.

Even the youngest job-seeker is aware on some level of the basic rules of supply and demand, so this isn’t a good opportunity to offer less than your competitors. The study found that 70 percent of U.S. employers had budgeted for pay raises to be either the same or higher in 2023 than 2022. The bottom line is this: Employment is practical, and Gen Z are a practical bunch. Being an outlier in this regard could cost you.

2. Remote And Flexible Matter

This one isn’t a surprise — we know Gen Z are digital natives who consider a remote work environment as just as legitimate as a physical work environment, and have a different sense of what a workday should entail. While some organizations are trying to reverse the move to remote and flexible workplaces — including Amazon, Apple and Google — there may be some consequences here in terms of losing traction with Gen Z.

A recent study in Ireland found that well over half (55 percent) of 18-24 year-olds felt that remote and hybrid work had a positive impact on their career. Another study by SMRS found that 38 percent of this cohort preferred flexible and hybrid working arrangements because the arrangement saves them money; 37 percent felt they were happier than they would be in an office. Again, practicality reigns, but so does work-life balance. The lesson here: Offer remote and flexible if you want to attract Gen Z. Infuse it into your hiring process as well. Offering video interviews and/or VR simulations that let potential applicants try a job on for size is a clear sign your company is remote-friendly.

3. Growth Is Table Stakes

Gen Z are well aware that they are starting their careers, and learning is a critical part of their trajectory. It’s also rare that a job is applied to as if it’s a dead end — more often than not, it’s considered a rung on the career ladder. More than three fourths (76 percent) of Gen Z in a LinkedIn study connect learning to success — and they know it’s directly correlated to the ability to move up.

LinkedIn also cited the top three reasons Gen Z wants the opportunity to learn on the job: to improve their performance, make more money, and get promoted. These are practical considerations any employer has to factor into how open positions, job postings and career pages are presented. If Gen Z is going to invest their time and energy in your organization, you need to invest in their development. Essentially, learning isn’t a perk to this generation when it comes to working. It should be a given. It can come in many different forms, from mentoring to training to career advancement opportunities, but what’s most important is an overall culture of learning, development, and growth.

4. DEI Is A Core Gen Z Value

It is true that this is the most diverse generation in history – 48 percent of Gen Z individuals are considered “racial or ethnic minorities” according to Pew Research. They’re shifting gender norms with the use of neutral gender pronouns and a new, more inclusive view of gender identities. An employer that values diversity and honors inclusiveness certainly has a better shot at attracting Gen Z to its workforce. A Monster survey found that 83 percent of Gen Z candidates said that a company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is important when choosing an employer.

But it’s not just a matter of populating the workforce and leaving it at that. It’s crafting a work culture that celebrates individuals for what they bring to the team — regardless of their gender identity or their ethnicity, and builds a sense of belonging regardless of age, religion, gender, race, sexual orientation, or physical ability. In the face of that recent SCOTUS decision, it may also mean new strategies for recruiting diverse talent on the basis of skills, not degrees — if the end of affirmative action also drains the student body of some promising young minds, and it may very well. (FYI: If you’re considering back-burnering your DEI initiatives based on recent news, I’d advise against it: most of Gen Z is not thrilled with SCOTUS.)

5. Communicate With Integrity

You may have been assuming the last factor here would be reachout out to Gen z on fancy digital platforms with tons of technology and bells and whistles. It’s not a secret that Gen Z is seamless when it comes to tech — they can shift from channel to channel with incredible speed and facility. If you’re not leveraging digital tools to reach them, you will miss them — meaning social media, online platforms, texts. It also means that you need to create a consistent digital presence across the board.

But that’s not enough. If you want to truly attract, recruit, engage and hire Gen Z, you need to be real. No matter how you reach out, there are some lines you don’t want to cross. The consequence is the dreaded ghosting — where suddenly, that prospective applicant you’ve been communicating with is just gone. A few cautions:

• Don’t wait too long between communications: Gen Z are used to instant responses, and time just hits different: their social-media-driven culture has shortened the expected time in digital conversations. While as a recruiter you may be used to taking a week to get back to someone, don’t do that here. Wait too long, and when you’ve got the offer in hand, they may not respond. They may not even be interested anymore. If you don’t have any news, then find ways of sharing information and helpful content throughout the hiring journey to keep their interest and stay on their radar. Check in frequently. Reaching out is a sign you care.

• Don’t misrepresent the job or its responsibilities: If halfway through the process or once the job is offered, the responsibilities, compensation, work environment and team are different, that may feel like a bait and switch. Similarly, if the job description isn’t clear enough, that can also create mistrust and disengagement. I’ve seen this firsthand and it’s deadly when it comes to hiring success. Be clear about the details, expectations, and conditions, and make sure it’s all consistent.

• Don’t take an impersonal approach. Personalization isn’t just a matter of using a new name on top of the same template. That’s an over-simplistic way to conduct your outreach. Customize your messaging to fit the people you’re dealing with. Know who they are and if you don’t, find out. Ask them. Use that information in future communications. I know this can be hard to do at scale. But as with nearly everything in the Gen Z universe, there’s an app for this.

When I was a tech recruiter, I realized something about the whole process that allowed for empathy and responsiveness: we’re all trying to find each other. As you’re trying to find your next wave of great talent to take your organization into the future, that talent is looking for the equivalent.

Where things go south is when we can’t empathize or respond at scale, or forget that bias may be perceived even if it was never intended, or lack a well-considered approach. This is a great time for some due diligence and self-reflection. It’s a great time to get your hiring teams together and look at what could be done better. It might take a moment, but it will pave the way for some great new talent.