Gen Z has gotten a bad rap in the workplace. Then again, every new generation gets labeled lazy, self-absorbed, and entitled by its predecessors. But what sets Gen Z apart from those so-called lazy generations before them is a greater unwillingness to compromise their values for corporate leadership.
That’s according to Emily Durham, better known as Emily the Recruiter on Instagram and TikTok. She built her platform on demystifying corporate gatekeeping for young workers. Her central argument: Gen Z is resistant to hollow loyalty tactics, the performative gestures that substitute for real rewards like pay raises and promotions.
“They work hard, but they lean on efficiency and they’re not buying BS,” she told Fortune. “It makes them harder to manipulate, which is why the corporate world is so mad at Gen Z.”
As a recruiter, Durham spent her career in finance and tech before accidentally going viral. A casual interview-prep recording in 2020 eventually became a viral hit on social media and a podcast: Clock In With Emily Durham. Now, she boasts an audience of more than 3 million across social platforms, largely made up of Gen Z workers and anxious job seekers, and is one of the top-trending careers podcasts in the U.S., reaching that status within three weeks after launch.
