"Thank you for your application to the position. Unfortunately, I am sorry to inform you that you have not been selected for an interview as you do not meet the requirements for the position…Best wishes in your job search"
………………………………………………………..
"Excuse me, I was wondering how you would know without even giving an interview, I believe a cv is just a piece of paper and it wouldn't hurt to spare at least 5 minutes getting to know your applicant, that's what's wrong with today, how would you know I'm not fit for the position without even meeting in person? Everything is passive these days, that's what's wrong with today's society. Thank you for proving me right yet again."
As a Gen Z, what are your thoughts on this all too real email response to a rejection letter?
That is the root of this article that I will cover in two parts. In this part, I will get into the Gen Z debate, from a Gen Y Perspective.
These discussions of different generations can be useful, not because the generations change but because the managers are getting older, and they start to forget how they themselves felt and behaved when they entered the workforce.
On a practical level, these discussions about generations tap into the fact that, as we become more distant in age from the people who are entering the workforce, we find them more and more mysterious and find more challenges in relating to them and their approaches.
The Gen Z and Gen Y
Depending on who you ask, Gen Z are people born from1996 to 2000 while Gen Y are from 1980 to 1995. In Kenya, Gen Z make up 33.42% of the population in comparison to Gen Y millennials who make up 22.05%. The uniqueness of Gen Z is that they are the first generation to grow up fully immersed in the internet, portable digital technology and social media.
As a Gen Y, I got into this research knowing that most of my peers view Gen Z as lazy, entitled, selfish and superficial. A notion that was soon disproved by data. Turns out Gen Y grew up with so many participation trophies that going into the workforce we believe in rewards in a shorter time span (2 years) than our predecessors, the boomers. This in turn has birthed an even more demanding and narcissistic people in Gen Z, who think monetary rewards and promotions should come within a year of working in a position.
Nature being what it is, threw a spanner in the works and balanced out this car crash in waiting by exposing far more issues to Gen Z. During their upbringing, Gen Z experienced the global financial recession of 2007 and 2009, in which they witnessed the struggles by their parents and communities with employment and finances and are now living through a COVID-19 pandemic in what would be their introduction to adulthood.
Gen Z is now joining the workforce and your strengths and weaknesses are truly showing. We applaud the positive growth brought on by your strengths and are not going to hold back in calling out your generation’s weaknesses that spit in the face of corporate culture and decorum. So here goes:
GEN Z STRENGTH ONE: Structure
As Generation Z, you are an independent group preferring to move up the corporate ladder preferring challenges and career development without too much risk.
A survey by InsideOut Development, a career coaching firm, found that 40% of Gen Zs want jobs with security and stability. Companies that can give them both an entrepreneurial environment and stability stand to win.
These may range from job autonomy, direct participation in decision making, supervisor support in terms of being recognised and supported to further their careers or being given promotions and salary increases.
GEN Z STRENGTH TWO: Bold Conversations on Mental Health
Where previously most people would suffer through a toxic job for centuries, as Gen Z-ers you are not afraid to shift workplaces when an organisation’s demands affect your overall mental health.
Your generation is actively showing us that taking mental health days should not be a source of stigma.
You prioritise a good work-life balance as you truly see the value of personal time outside working hours and its effect on the overall productivity.
GEN Z STRENGTH THREE : Great Culture of Inclusion
Gen Z is not only more diverse, but you have defined diversity more broadly.
In a recent Deloitte study on Gen Y millennials versus Gen Z, Gen Z not only put emphasis on the importance of diversity of gender, age, disability and education, but also put emphasis on diversity relating to LGBT identity and religion than their elders.
The Deloitte study found they have a higher expectation for ethical behaviour on the part of their employer.
Now onto your generation’s weaknesses:
GEN Z WEAKNESS ONE : Informality/ Lack of Decorum
Most of Gen Z’s interaction all day is through a screen and this has led to the breakdown of authority importance.
You are so comfortable with technology, for instance, that you sometimes have a hard time recognizing when a face-to-face conversation is more appropriate than an email exchange or text message.
As Gen Z, you expect great results from a poorly worded text to the HR department of a potential employer. As witnessed by the myriad of applications we get at Café Construct.
Going as far as leaving jobs unexpectedly with a quick text reply on your absence when the supervisor inquires on your whereabouts.
GEN Z WEAKNESS TWO: Minimal Research
Despite having access to technology, you often forget to carry out due diligence for a role in your pursuit for employment. Thus, missing some key factors that a role might or might not need. Are you and the organisation a match?
You are not aware of information that should be self-researched prior and go asking questions that should be yours to answer.
If you are comfortable sending an Instagram Direct Message requesting for employment, you really need to stay on for Part Two of this Article.
All in All, Gen Z, you are not all bad, neither are you all good. In your quest for uniqueness, you may want to take heed of what you can do to accommodate the existing environment.
Our advice as Café construct is to pay attention, ask a lot of questions, learn from your colleagues and be respectful of the fact that you don’t know what is going on. Just like joining a new school for the first time, you conform, then you adapt and finally trail blaze.
In Part Two we shall get into how to eliminate Gen Z weaknesses while not disregarding your strengths as a generation. The article will guide you to be aware of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable and how to handle the inevitable rejection letters as you search for your first or next job.
Don’t be that guy, the guy we sampled at the start of this article!
Disclaimer: We recognise that you cannot fit people into a box and therefore this is not by any means a classification of all Gen Z. These are just observations, opinions that we have come across.
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