I’m a Career Coach: 3 Things Gen Z Needs To Stop Putting on Social Media To Get Hired
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Kristen Mae
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Even casually scrolling through TikTok these days, you’ll see that Gen Z lives online – quite literally. From sharing their meal prep on live streams to documenting deep-cleaning their homes, seemingly nothing is off limits. On-camera confessionals abound, especially in the ever-popular “get ready with me” videos, where people narrate everything from breakups to job losses while getting ready to go out.
Work lives are also fodder for online content, with many Zoomers recording pieces of their workday — from montages of them typing away at their computers or eating lunch to, concerningly, edited one-sided conversations with managers, co-workers, and even clients. And while viewers may enjoy sipping the tea (in the hot-gossip sense of the word), career coaches are doing spit-takes at what they’re seeing online.
GOBankingRates caught up with a career expert to get her take on what Gen Z should absolutely stop posting online if they want to get hired.
1. Badmouthing Your Workplace
Patrice Williams Lindo, CEO of Career Nomad, acknowledges that Gen Z lives online — but so do their future employers. And one thing a hiring manager doesn’t want to see is a candidate oversharing or talking smack about their current role. Remember, what goes viral on TikTok won’t always thrill potential employers.
“While documenting your workday, venting about your boss, or posting that viral job interview walkout might feel relatable, it could also cost you your next big opportunity,” she said. “Employers aren’t just looking at your résumé anymore — they’re scrolling through your digital footprint, and trust me, they’re taking notes.”
Lindo wants Zoomers to resist the urge to air their grievances about a bad boss, an annoying co-worker, or frustrating customers to their digital audience because it signals a lack of discretion: “If you’ll trash one employer, what’s stopping you from doing it to the next?” she said.
2. Extreme or Sarcastic Takes on Work Culture
What a Gen Zer may consider a casual quip — like joking about how office kiss-ups are the absolute worst — a recruiter may see as a sign of questionable workplace etiquette. Lindo is aware of the many online trends about work, specifically citing the viral “I don’t dream of labor” posts, where people riff on the soundbite “I have no dream job, I don’t dream of labor” as a big no-no.
If you’re bashing colleagues, mocking company policies, or taking jabs at entire industries — or even the concept of work itself — you’re diminishing your appeal to future employers. “Even if you’re joking, it can make hiring managers question your attitude toward work,” she said.
3. Images of Hard-Partying
Nobody is saying Zoomers should have to scrub their social media of all signs of having a social life — indeed, showcasing hobbies and passions can make you more relatable to employers. But that photo of you red-faced and blotto after a night out? Not helping.
Simply put, nobody needs to see that — especially a hiring manager. “You don’t have to scrub your life clean, but if your profile screams ‘work hard, party harder,’ some employers might assume you’re not serious about your career,” Lindo said.
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