Gen Z Applicants Demand Pay Transparency in Job Postings

A lot of things have been said about Gen Z, but there seems to be one thing this generation is doing right: knowing their worth and value. In a recent article from Fortune, a survey says that 44% of Gen Z job applicants shared that they didn’t pursue a job application if the interviews didn’t mention salary ranges. 

Thanks to Gen Z, gone are the days when a vague “salary commensurate with experience” would cut it. They want transparency, and they’re not apologizing for it. 

Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster, said in an interview with Fortune, “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.” Aside from pay transparency, young applicants also have several requirements they want from a future employer, such as wanting to join a company that shares the same political values as them, a company with diverse leadership, and hybrid working options. 

For some, these applicants might seem entitled or even rude, given that some of them don’t have the necessary work experience yet to be demanding, but for Gen Z, they’re just being real. Salemi added, “These incoming workers are redefining the where and when of the workplace.” 

Scott Blumsac, Monster’s chief marketing officer, added, “The message is clear: today’s graduates are ambitious, intentional, and values-driven. Employers who adapt to these priorities by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways to growth will be best positioned to attract and retain the next generation of top talent.” 

However, according to the New York Post, 6 out of 10 bosses have already fired new Gen Z hires. The new hires seem to lack “basic professionalism” that older generations have, like being at their desks when they’re supposed to. This generation also seemed to be inclined to take “mini-breaks” during the day.  

Grace Garrick, who is behind the PR and branding agency MVMNT, tolerates her Gen Z staff’s “sugar break.” She believes it to be “more than just getting over that afternoon slump,” rather, “it is a moment of self-care and indulgence.” Garrick added, “When you’re ‘adulting’ there feels like a constant to-do list. The 3 p.m. sugar break lets us go back to simpler times of childhood, like getting a sweet treat at the local corner store, among the whirr of corporate life.” 

Workplace expert Roxanne Calder mentioned she’s not against these mini-breaks in theory. She believes “the real issue” is the number of micro-breaks that might become “micro-avoidances.”