Gen Z wants a top-notch tech stack before they will apply for a job

Businesses need to know what millennials and Gen Z expect when this new generation enters the workforce.

Chicago-based talent acquisition platform Yello has released a report covering the way this generation thinks about employment. Its 2019 recruiting study covers the decision-making behaviours of Gen Z compared to millennials and Gen X.

It partnered with SurveyMonkey Audience to survey 700 full-time employees and students in February 2019.

Over four in five (85%) find software to schedule interviews useful, and three out of four (73%) find talent communities are valuable.

Despite their fluency in digital communication technologies, Gen Z candidates appreciate authentic, human connections when vetting job opportunities. Although this generation is tech-first, the research shows Gen Z values personal face-to-face interaction.

Fifty-one percent of Gen Z respondents said they prefer to communicate in-person, and a quarter said they prefer to communicate digitally.

Whilst Gen Z emphasises in-person communication, they expect employers to use technology -- to make the application mobile-friendly.

Forty-six percent of Gen Z candidates have applied for a full-time job or internship on a mobile device compared to 38% of employed millennials and 26% of Gen X.

Over one in 10 (12%) of Gen X and 24% of student millennials would not apply for a job if they could not apply using mobile.  

Over half (54%) will not complete an application if the company recruitment methods are outdated.

Almost half (46%) of Gen Z candidates have applied for a job/internship from a mobile device, and almost one-third of Gen Z values social media as a source they use to inform their job searches.

A company's social media behaviour could deter potential employees from applying for a job with that specific company. More than seven out of 10 respondents across each generation surveyed agreed with this sentiment.

A quarter (26%) of Gen Z candidates say that a lack of technology during the hiring process would prevent them from accepting a job with the company. This completely contrasts with millennials (15%) and Gen X (13%) who agreed.

Scott Brandt, EVP of marketing at Yello said: "To be successful in attracting and hiring the best candidates, recruiters and hiring managers alike should adapt to the changing needs of today's workforce."

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