Authenticity in a curated generation

We’re hiring and being hired by a generation that grew up watching the gap between filtered images and real life — and they’ve gotten very good at spotting the difference.

Gen Z and younger millennials don’t trust polished employer brand videos. They don’t trust the careers page that promises, “We’re like a family here.” They’ve watched too many TikToks of laid-off employees recording final Zoom calls to take any of it at face value.

What they trust: a real person on LinkedIn talking honestly about their day. An employee posting about a hard week and how their manager handled it. A recruiter who says, “This role isn’t right for you,” instead of pushing forward.

A few things I’m seeing actually work: letting your people speak in their own voices rather than approved talking points; being honest about trade-offs (“We pay above market but the work is intense.”); naming who you’re for and who you’re not for; and treating rejection as part of the brand — because how you say no shapes whether the next 50 candidates apply.

This generation isn’t cynical. They just have better lie-detection than we did. The opportunity is real — but only if we stop performing.