Gen Z is entering the workforce during one of the most complex talent landscapes in modern history. As a national staffing and recruiting firm serving healthcare organizations across the United States, CoreMedical Group works closely with early-career clinicians and professionals who are navigating a system that often feels stacked against them. A growing number of them share a common sentiment: they do not trust the hiring process in the way previous generations once did.
Their concerns are not rooted in entitlement. They are rooted in experience. To understand this mistrust, it is important to first recognize the environment Gen Z was raised in.
The First Fully Digital Generation
By 2030, Gen Z employees will account for 30% of the workforce, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study; an astounding 50 million jobs. They are the first workforce cohort raised fully inside the digital era. Their adolescence was shaped by iPads, Instagram, TikTok, and gaming platforms like Fortnite. They grew up learning how algorithms work and watching curated brands make promises that do not always align with reality. That exposure sharpened their ability to spot inconsistencies quickly. That digital fluency also shapes how they interpret the technologies now embedded in modern hiring.
In hiring, “Many young candidates say the process feels less like a fair evaluation and more like an opaque system governed by automated tools,” according to a survey of young job-seekers. Perceptions of procedural fairness decline when automated employment decision tools (AEDTs) are used. When they submit a resume, they fear it will never be reviewed by a human because it does not contain the right keywords. According to Greenhouse research nearly 36% of Gen Z use the white font trick to bypass applicant tracking systems. They feel there is not another option to get to the interview stage and in front of a human reviewer. Their term for Applicant Tracking Systems is telling, as many refer to ATS platforms as “black holes” because once a resume goes in, they rarely hear back.
Their anxiety is not unfounded. Research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) notes that more employers are increasing their use of AI to screen resumes and schedule interviews. When automation is implemented without transparency or accountability, it can make early-career candidates feel ignored before they even have a chance to speak to someone. Silence and impersonal, automated responses equal rejection to Gen Z. This rejection is directly recognizable by ghosting; Gallagher reports Gen Z cites ghosting and poor communication as reasons for mistrust. And even when Gen Z candidates move past these early barriers, the challenges do not end.
Interviews That Feel More Like Performances
For the candidates who do make it to an interview, the experience often feels more like a high-pressure test than a professional conversation. Gen Z describes interviews as situations where they must deliver a flawless performance rather than engage in a dialogue about strengths, career goals, and organizational fit.
When the emphasis shifts from assessing skill to assessing composure under pressure, trust erodes. Instead of feeling welcomed, candidates feel judged. Instead of connection, they experience scrutiny.
A Generation Shaped by Crisis and Contradiction
This generation came of age during a global pandemic and entered the workforce amid economic volatility, inflation, and widely publicized layoffs. They have watched companies publicly celebrate people-first cultures while quietly reducing staff with little explanation. They have seen employer branding that highlights flexibility, wellness, and empathy while employees share very different stories online.
Gen Z has a front-row seat to these contradictions. They know how quickly reputations can collapse because they have witnessed it repeatedly and often in real time. The result is a workforce that is more skeptical, more vocal, and more unwilling to accept traditional hiring practices that prioritize process over people. A majority of Gen Z candidates, 73%, in the US, have ghosted employers, according to the Greenhous 2025 Workforce and Hiring Report. This is due in part to the above mentioned contradictions and lack of sincerity from companies. Additionally, HR Executive found 44% of Gen Z declined offers due to misaligned values. Together, these behaviors reflect a broader breakdown in trust between Gen Z and the systems designed to recruit them.
What Employers Can Do to Rebuild Trust
At CoreMedical Group, we believe the path forward requires listening more closely to the workforce we serve and adapting to the expectations of a new generation. That includes:
- Making technology transparent. If AI or ATS tools are used in screening, explain how, why, and at what stage a human is involved. Clarity builds confidence.
- Humanizing the interview. Replace high-pressure evaluations with conversations that reflect mutual respect. Candidates should leave feeling informed, not inspected.
- Aligning values with behavior. Employer branding must match internal practice. When layoffs, leadership changes, or restructuring occur, communicate honestly and promptly.
- Creating feedback loops. Silence after an application erodes trust. Even brief updates can make the difference between an engaged candidate and a frustrated one.
Before moving to the broader takeaway, it becomes clear why traditional hiring models no longer meet the expectations of today’s workforce.
Gen Z Is Not Rejecting Work. They Are Rejecting Broken Systems.
What Gen Z wants is not radical. It is reasonable. They want fairness, transparency, communication, and authenticity. They want hiring practices that treat them as individuals, not data points. They want employers whose values are real, not performative.
These expectations are not problems to solve. They are opportunities to lead.
As hiring evolves over the next decade, organizations that modernize with transparency, technology accountability, and genuine connection will be the ones that earn the trust of the workforce and set the new standard for equitable employment.
At CoreMedical Group, we are committed to shaping a future of healthcare hiring that meets these expectations and strengthens trust across generations. When organizations listen to the emerging workforce and respond with integrity, the result is not only better hiring outcomes but a stronger and more resilient healthcare system.
Now is the moment for healthcare employers and leaders across industries to examine their processes, close the gaps, and rebuild the trust Gen Z is asking for. The future workforce is ready. It is our responsibility to meet them with the transparency and accountability they deserve.
