Generation Z often faces significant overwhelm in the job market. This leads many members of the generation to ghost their potential employers and, in some cases, not even show up to work.
Despite many young people managing to attract the attention of companies, a particular trend seems to be emerging: Despite successful job interviews, Gen Z ignores their potential employers afterward.
This is evident from a survey conducted by the Indeed group, which surveyed 1,500 companies and employees in the United Kingdom. According to the findings, about 75% of all employees have simply ignored their potential employers after a successful application process. This trend goes even deeper within Gen Z.
Gen Z uses ghosting as a necessary means
What distinguishes Gen Z in their approach? In Gen Z, around 87% of the generation reported having disappeared without a trace, having never shown up for work at all. Despite passing the application process and signing a contract, they would simply leave their potential employers in the lurch.
While this practice also appears in all other generations, it is not as pronounced as in this one. Additionally, this type of ghosting seems to follow a system among young people and pursue a specific goal, according to this survey.
For about 56% of Gen Z, they admitted that they would repeat this approach again. Furthermore, 32% of respondents deemed ghosting before a job interview an acceptable tool for career planning, while 28% would even consider this approach legitimate if interviews had already taken place.
Why does Gen Z resort to ghosting? On one hand, it seems to be a measure to “take control of their own career.” On the other hand, this practice is seen as a protest against low wages, poor hiring conditions, and lack of transparency from companies.
A third point could be that this reduces stress, which is already prevalent in job searching. Additionally, companies seem to act similarly, simply ignoring potential applicants while they pick the best candidates in their view.
Why is ghosting a problem? Gen Z complains that selection and application processes are too opaque. Job postings are becoming less competitive in the midst of mass layoffs and an oversupply of overqualified workers. Ghosting as sufficient feedback from companies in response to an application is demotivating and hardly understood as an active rejection.
Gen Z relies on open communication, and ghosting by companies leads to unnecessary stress and prevents affected applicants from reapplying at the same company. Additionally, selection processes are becoming more laborious and time-consuming.
How can the problem be solved? To address the issue, it is necessary for both employees and companies to reflect on the debate and consider ghosting less as a necessary means, but rather to revert to more open communication.
However, companies also often feel stressed by the younger generation. This even leads one in five bosses to consider quitting their job due to this: One in five bosses has considered quitting because they were stressed by Gen Z.
