Gen Z candidates approach job searching differently than previous generations, and hiring teams that assume otherwise often misread genuinely strong candidates as disengaged or unprepared.
Assuming a lack of formal cover letters or long-form applications signals low interest is often a mistake — many Gen Z candidates simply expect a faster, more direct process than earlier generations did.
Transparency about compensation and process, quick response times, and interview formats that don't feel unnecessarily formal all tend to perform better than traditional, slower processes.
Because many Gen Z candidates grew up comfortable in front of a camera, asynchronous video interviews often feel more natural to them than a traditional phone screen.
Misreading generational differences as lack of effort risks losing genuinely strong candidates. Adjusting expectations, not lowering the bar, is the better fix.