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Recruiting Gen Z: why the language of your job advert matters
Alastair Greener FPSA
Generational communication expert, author and President of the PSA UK and Ireland 2026
To recruit Gen Z, speak their language: be open about pay, culture and progression, advertise where they are, and be honest about flexibility. In our Communication Habits and Preferences 2024 survey, 81% of Gen Z workers aged 18 to 27 wanted career advancement, against 20% of Baby Boomers. Alastair Greener sets out how to write job adverts and run interviews that reach them.
Do you have to speak their language to attract the best young talent? My answer is a resounding yes, and it starts with the job advert. Gen Z are ambitious: in our Communication Habits and Preferences 2024 survey, 81% of Gen Z workers aged 18 to 27 want career advancement, against 20% of Baby Boomers and 33% of Gen X. An advert that buries the progression, hides the pay and reads like a policy document is talking to somebody else.
Base: UK workers Source: Communication Habits and Preferences 2024
Many employers ask why they should change the way they communicate. If organisations want the best people, they need to look at how they are attracting them, and that often comes down to communication.
Why does the language of a job advert matter to Gen Z?
Gen Z have grown up in a digital world, immersed in social media, with a constant stream of messaging, and that makes many of them quick to detect inauthenticity or outdated communication styles. I believe they value authenticity, transparency and purpose, and they look for organisations whose everyday communication matches the values in their policies. If a company does not live up to that, it risks losing good candidates to competitors who do.
It also helps to think about where they spend their time. In our 2024 survey of 4,067 people, 74% of Gen Z used Instagram and 61% used TikTok to communicate with other people. A block of formal text on a careers page is a long way from the way many of them talk to everyone else.
81%of Gen Z workers aged 18 to 27 want career advancement, against 20% of Baby BoomersCommunication Habits and Preferences 2024
32%of 22 to 27 year olds would prefer to network onlineCommunication Habits and Preferences 2024
20%of UK Gen Z name work-life balance as their top career goal, the most common answerDeloitte Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2026
12%of Gen Z would leave a voicemail if a call went unansweredCommunication Habits and Preferences 2024
What should a job advert for Gen Z say?
Be transparent. Clear, honest communication about your values, your culture and career progression builds trust. In practice that means putting the salary in the advert, describing what a normal week in the job looks like, and being specific about training. If the job needs particular experience, say exactly what, and leave out requirements the job does not need.
Highlight growth. In my view career development and work-life balance are key drivers for Gen Z, so show the route: what someone in this role could be doing in two years, and who will help them get there.
Be honest about flexibility. Deloitte's 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, published on 13 May 2026 with 504 Gen Z respondents in the UK, found work-life balance was the top career goal for 20% of UK Gen Z, the most common answer. Say what flexibility you really offer, and what is fixed.
Write it the way you would say it. Short sentences, plain words and "you" rather than "the successful candidate". Our Generation Z guide has more on how this generation communicates.
Where should you advertise to reach Gen Z?
Use digital, interactive channels. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn are where Gen Z engage, and interactive content such as live Q&A sessions or behind-the-scenes stories can humanise your company. Let your own younger employees show what the work is really like.
Online events are worth considering too. In our survey, 32% of 22 to 27 year olds would prefer to network online, so a virtual open evening may reach people who would rather not come to a careers fair.
How should you run interviews for Gen Z candidates?
Explain the process at the start: how many stages, what each involves, who they will meet and when they will hear back. Then keep to it. Silence after an interview sends a message about your culture too.
Think about how you get in touch. In our survey, 53% of Gen Z would send a message if a call went unanswered, and only 12% would leave a voicemail. A quick message to agree a time is likely to work better than a surprise call and a voicemail they may never play.
Use the interview to talk about their goals as well as yours. Henry Farr was a 23-year-old entrepreneur when he joined me for What Gen Z wants at work and why it matters, and the notes for that episode sum up what Gen Z value as open dialogue, psychological safety and flexibility. Emily Stone, a senior analyst at Deloitte, joined me in October 2026 for Apprentice to analyst: what Gen Z actually wants at work.
Finally, remember that Gen Z are not all the same. The same approach will not suit every candidate, of any age, and our comparison of Gen Z and Millennials at work shows how much even neighbouring generations differ. So, with competition for the best talent, are you adjusting your language according to who you're speaking to?
Frequently asked questions
How do you attract Gen Z candidates?
Speak their language. Be transparent about pay, culture and progression, advertise on the platforms they use, such as Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn, and be honest about flexibility. In our 2024 survey, 81% of Gen Z workers aged 18 to 27 wanted career advancement, so show them where the role could lead and who will help them get there.
What should a job advert for Gen Z include?
The salary, a plain description of a normal week, the training on offer, the route to progression and an honest account of flexibility. List only the experience the job really needs. Write in short sentences and address the reader as "you". Deloitte's 2026 survey found work-life balance was the most common top career goal among UK Gen Z.
Should recruiters phone Gen Z candidates?
Message first. In our Communication Habits and Preferences 2024 survey, 53% of Gen Z would send a message if a call went unanswered and only 12% would leave a voicemail. Agree a time by message before you ring, and if you do call, follow up with a message rather than relying on voicemail.
Do Gen Z want career progression?
Yes, most do. 81% of Gen Z workers aged 18 to 27 in our 2024 survey wanted career advancement, against 20% of Baby Boomers and 33% of Gen X. Show the route in the advert and at interview: what someone in the role could be doing in two years, the training on offer and who will help them get there.
Explore 64 facts from our UK research on how each generation communicates, free to cite.
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