- Gen Z is not afraid to take a stand when it comes to salary transparency, with over two in five graduates willing to ghost an employer if compensation is not disclosed. But despite high expectations for their early career, Gen Z may be in for a rude awakening—some employers aren’t afraid to sack recent grads.
If you’ve recently been on the job hunt, you may have felt like you struck gold if a post listed the salary range. But for Gen Z, wage transparency is much bigger—it’s a non-negotiable.
Some 44% of Gen Z college graduates say that they would pull out of an application—even by ghosting the recruiter—if the salary range was not disclosed during the interview process, according to Monster’s 2025 State of the Graduate Report.
While their behavior may seem entitled, especially during a rocky job market, it’s part of a growing trend among young people to talk about pay in the workplace, which has long been viewed as taboo by previous generations. The shift is in part thanks to some 10 states—including California, Colorado, and New York—that have passed laws in recent years mandating salary transparency.
Now, Gen Z may not even entertain a job posting without the salary range, Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster, told Fortune.
“Since so many job descriptions provide it as a common practice, when other employers don’t, graduates may simply gloss over these job listings that don’t share it,” Salemi said.
Gen Z has high job expectations—and they’re willing to wait for the right role
Over 4 million Gen Zers find themselves jobless, so it may come as a surprise that young people have such high expectations for the start of their careers. However, with so many well-adjusted to living at home with their parents, they want a job that checks all of their boxes rather than a big paycheck.
Nearly three out of four class of 2025 graduates say they would be unwilling to work for a company whose political values conflict with their own, and 35% would refuse to accept a job offer from a company without diverse leadership, according to the Monster report. Moreover, 42% won’t accept a job that does not have hybrid working options.
These incoming workers are redefining the where and when of the workplace, said Salemi. But despite having their high expectations, not all of Gen Z is so sure they’ll find the perfect role off the bat. Over 80% of graduates believe they will find a role at some point, but only 63% believe they have leverage in the job market.
Companies are still trying to figure out Gen Z in the workplace
Kate Duchene, president and CEO of global professional services firm RGP, previously told Fortune that Gen Z wants more flexibility and transparency. And if they don’t get it, the generation is willing to put up a fight for it.
“They aren’t afraid to push back a little bit and then put their money where their mouth is and leave if they don’t feel heard or listened to,” she said.
In fact, nearly half of Gen Z grads said they would quit if the workplace became toxic, and 39% would leave just to seek a healthier work-life balance, according to Monster.
However, some bosses have still not caught on to Gen Z and are unhappy with their behavior. Some six in 10 employers have reportedly fired young college graduates in part due to a lack of professionalism, organization, and communication.
Despite generational tensions, some employers are taking note of how to best address the wishes of the Gen Zers, said Monster’s chief marketing officer, Scott Blumsac.
“The message is clear: today’s graduates are ambitious, intentional, and values-driven,” he wrote. “Employers who adapt to these priorities by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways to growth will be best positioned to attract and retain the next generation of top talent.”
