- Chelsea Williams started her workforce-development company in 2018, after 10 years on Wall Street.
- Williams said Gen Z job seekers have higher demands because they have more access to company data.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Chelsea Williams, the founder and CEO of Reimagine Talent Co., an Atlanta-based workforce-development company that specializes in educating the next generation of professionals. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
We have a nasty habit of stereotyping entire generations. You know what I'm talking about. Baby boomers? Resistant to change. Gen Xers? Lost in the shuffle of the generations sandwiching them. Millennials? Entitled (As a millennial, I take issue with this).
I started my company after nearly a decade of working on Wall Street, where I led, managed, and supported global human capital. One of the most pivotal parts of that experience was the opportunity to build an early talent program, which brought me to higher-learning institutions across the country to develop the college-to-career pipeline.
I loved getting an insider's peek at workforce development through a Gen Z lens, so it only made sense for me to do this kind of work when I started my company, Reimagine Talent Co., four years ago.
My workforce-development company offers individualized career coaching and a career jumpstart program. After supporting hundreds of Gen Zers since starting my company, I have in-depth knowledge around their experiences navigating the job market and the offer process. Based on my professional experience, I refuse to feed into the stereotypes that paint this generation as inattentive and lazy.
Each generation is influenced by what's taken place in the world during its formative years. For Gen Z, we can't overestimate the impact of the pandemic, social unrest, and an ever-increasing attachment to technology. All of these factors inform the way Gen Z moves through all kinds of spaces, including the workplace.
Gen Z's approach to negotiating salary is different than what we've seen in generations before — and for good reason
I'm not prepared to make a blanket statement about whether Gen Z is asking for "too much" or "not enough" during the job-search process. What I can say is that this new group of professionals is more comfortable asking about compensation than its predecessors.
Millennials, for one, would've been more apt to simply accept an initial offer — even a low initial offer — based on a company's flashy name alone. When they were graduating from college and transitioning into the career world, status was more typically conflated with industry stability. Thanks to Gen Z, that notion of "getting your foot in the door" with an impressive employer and a low paycheck is falling to the wayside.
The ease and confidence with which this generation seeks and sorts through information online means that they enter the job search with more data on their side. They know how to access salary details from almost any industry or company. With a little research, they can reasonably estimate the value that their particular skill set will bring to a role.
As a result, they have more leverage when it's time to negotiate with an HR manager. Gen Zers are also more focused on their identity, values and vision in the workplace, which may make them even less likely to accept a lackluster initial offer at face value.
Gen Z professionals certainly have higher expectations than those that came before them
It's about more than just salary. In my experience, Gen Zers are savvy about other categories of compensation as well. When making their ask, a Gen Z job candidate is likely to include their expectations about time off, remote work, and access to other corporate resources.
They understand the importance of mentorship and might inquire about that before accepting an offer. I've heard from many people in the industry that Gen Zers are eager to ask how long they might expect to wait before earning promotions and raises. In part, this has to do with the fact that shifting models of work have offered younger folks a clearer picture of their value to an organization.
With the gig economy and remote work on the rise, a Gen Zer may have already dabbled in freelancing prior to looking for a full-time job. They've already assigned a price tag to their skills and services. By the same token, if they're not comfortable with an offer from a potential employer, many of these job seekers know they can turn to these other work modes until they find the offer that's most attractive. They're more empowered to walk away.
It's important to remember that Gen Z's tendency toward higher expectations is also related to the responsibilities they carry
I work with many students and young professionals who were the first in their families to go to college, who come from underprivileged backgrounds, and who are forging new financial paths for the people they love. Toss in the economic impact of the pandemic and inflation, and it's no wonder that Gen Zers are comfortable asking for more money — they need it to provide more for the people who cared for them.
It's too soon to tell how the recent announcement about student-loan forgiveness will affect Gen Z's approach to making these asks, but I'm hopeful that it will mean positive things for them. With less pressure to pay back hefty loans, they may have more wiggle room in the job search. This wiggle room may allow them to test out lower-paying opportunities in the workplace so they can gain valuable work experience.
Between 2017 and 2022, 11% of 22- to-27-year-olds with bachelor of arts degrees worked jobs that paid $25,000 a year or less.
For companies looking to attract Gen Zers, I recommend prioritizing clear communication about what a new hire can expect to gain from the company
How does the company support their values? How does it affirm the identity groups they represent? How does it provide mentorship and growth opportunities? How quickly can they increase their earning power? Companies must address these questions in order to effectively negotiate with and bring Gen Zers into their organizations.
Older generations might find these questions presumptuous, but I'd encourage a reframe. Gen Zers ask them because they're savvy, ambitious, and motivated. Why wouldn't we want those qualities in our workforce?