Generation Z is already starting to flip the job market on its head by being more vocal about expected salaries and focusing on transparency in their job searches. Unlike their predecessors, this group does not shy away from conversations about pay. Because they no longer have to glance at their feet during interviews when they ask, What’s the salary.
With the 2025 graduation season right around the corner, that’s exactly what almost 75% of those graduates have done. They won’t take jobs with firms whose political values are incompatible. This trend represents a bigger promise to values and alignment with workplace culture. Kate Duchene, the Chief Executive of RGP, shines a light on the greatest value of Gen Z. They are willing to walk out the door for better opportunity if their needs are not catered to.
Salary transparency has grown into a litmus test for Gen Z’s. According to a recent study, 44% of Gen Z college graduates have expressed disinterest in job interviews that do not mention salary ranges. One in three people in this cohort said they would reject an offer from a company with no diversity in its leadership. Influencing the market are new salary transparency laws in states such as New York, California, and Colorado. These laws have raised awareness and led to frank discussions about salary.
Professionals advise that Gen Z’s strategies and tactics when looking for a job vary greatly from their older counterparts. Vicki Salemi, an Indeed career expert, says employers have gotten into the habit of putting salary ranges in job descriptions to avoid doing unnecessary work. When employers don’t put this information up front, Gen Z candidates might not even click on those jobs in the first place.
“Since so many job descriptions provide it as a common practice, when other employers don’t, graduates may simply gloss over these job listings that don’t share it.” – Vicki Salemi
Beyond pay expectations, Gen Z is raising the bar for workplace culture. In fact, 42% of this generation looks for hybrid work scenarios to be a necessity. They are tied all together through-market, on those wide, Scott Blumsac, Chief Marketing Officer at Monster.
The path to their new, professional lives hasn’t come without hardship and struggle. Fact sheet indicates that 60 percent of employers reported they have terminated Z workers. The problem? They can’t master fundamental professionalism, like showing up on time and consistently checking in. Even with these disappointments, Gen Z is unwavering in their demands on how their workplace culture should look.
Duchene emphasizes the importance of listening to this generation:
“They aren’t afraid to push back a little bit and then put their money where their mouth is and leave if they don’t feel heard or listened to.” – Kate Duchene
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