Gen Z more likely to apply for jobs via social media, study shows

Young people aged between 18 and 30-years-old are the most likely demographic to apply for jobs on social media, according to a survey from KAM and Hospitality Rising.

Research from the industry-wide recruitment campaign and jobs board revealed nearly 80% of this age group wanted to see innovative ways of submitting applications, while another 67% stated that writing a CV or cover letter was ‘tedious'.

Seven in ten respondents recalled abandoning a job application in the past because the process was too long.

Modernised application methods to attract Gen Z candidates have included Instagram shout-outs, TikTok ‘hire me' videos, or even a direct message on WhatsApp.

A fifth of young people had already used TikTok to find jobs, while 37% had sourced opportunities via Facebook, the survey found.

It comes as over a quarter (27%) of the world's workforce is predicted to be Gen Z in less than two years.

Commenting on the results, Mark McCulloch, founder and campaign director of Hospitality Rising, said: "We're reaching 18-30 year olds like no one else and it is clear they do things differently to to other audiences.

"We'd seen social posts from Gen X dismissing traditional recruitment application journeys and realised that their access to tech and a different outlook dramatically changed behaviours and expectations when applying.

"By understanding this audience and creating shorter, friction-less application processes, it's possible to get better engagement with this group of future hospitality superstars."

Hospitality Rising launched last October in a bid to fill the sector's growing job vacancies and change young people's perceptions of a career in hospitality. It has since attracted over 120,000 job applications through its platform.