According to Zety’s latest Gen Z Career Trends Report, a striking 76% of Gen Zers (born between 1997 and 2012 )rely on Instagram for career advice—more than twice the number using LinkedIn (34%). 95% of Gen Z say a company’s social media presence impacts their decision to apply, with 48% citing DEI initiativesas the type of content that would increase their likelihood of applying. (Based on the current political climate, companies may be forced to look at other initiatives going forward.)
Zety’s survey questioned nearly 900 Gen Z employees, and the results show how these digital platforms have become vital career resources for this modern workforce in 2025. Here are some finding that might surprise recruiters from other generations.
- 46% of Gen Z has secured a job or internship through TikTok.
- 92% trust TikTok for career advice, yet 55% admit to following misleading advice on the platform.
- Popular TikTok trends like Quiet Quitting (47%), Career Cushioning (48%) and Job Hopping (55%) continue to shape Gen Z’s career mindset.
- Gen Z is also more likely to connect with peers, mentors or industry professionals on Instagram (66%) compared to LinkedIn (35%).
Gen Z is more likely to base their performance on their own needs and goals rather than their employer’s, according to the survey. They’ve embraced trends such as Bare Minimum Monday: Minimal effort to avoid burnout (42%), Act Your Wage: Setting boundaries based on pay (37%), and Rage Applying: Mass applications after frustration (21%).
Companies who want to attract, retain, and engage this generation should be thinking about creating career content that speaks to Gen Z’s real-world experiences, blending both practical advice and personal storytelling, which is what they say they value most.
Gen Z workers said that content highlighting company achievements (62%), workplace culture (61%), employee day-in-the-life videos (50%), DEI initiatives (48%) and job openings (43%) would increase their likelihood of applying.
Recent surveys of recruiters, though, say that their primary social platform for connecting with applicants is still LinkedIn, where 72% use it for job postings and finding passive applicants. Their investment in apps like TikTok have been small and experimental, in part because solid but less compelling career advice may get lost amid the clutter of so much other content. LinkedIn’s advantage has always been that it’s focused almost exclusively on careers and employment, rather than social trends.
Companies may start dividing their resources between engaging videos about company culture and “day in the life” content from current employees, including links that lead to their recruiting pages. If I were serious about recruiting this new generation, I’d promote internal influencers to create content and be rewarded for increases in qualified applicants. This is different than having the Marketing Department create professionally produced corporate videos; this content should be organic and authentic – and easily distinguished from job scams and bad advice. #careertok
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