​Gen Z Employees

Hi everyone, I need some perspective here. Am I in the wrong?

Every time I try to hire a new employee under the age of 25, I struggle to get them to commit to signing a contract. I don’t face this issue with older generations, but with Gen Z, it seems like they have a completely different mindset when it comes to work. We’re a digital media company, and our work involves creating Instagram Reels, TikToks, and other content that young people often say they enjoy. We’re also competitive in terms of pay—offering €16 per hour, which is in line with the big brands in Stuttgart. For working students, this should be a great opportunity, especially compared to other local industries that are mainly car-centric.

Yet, despite these efforts, I can’t seem to attract the right talent. We do get people applying, but they often have little to no experience, fresh out of school and not really equipped with the skills we need. Or, they’re university students with unrealistic expectations, like wanting to work remotely from Bali for two hours a day while expecting a full salary. This isn’t a one-off either; we’ve had several incidents like this.

Most recently, I was excited about a candidate who I thought would be a great fit, only for her to turn around and say she’d prefer to work just three hours a week—which is far from enough to meet our needs.

I don’t understand why so many Gen Z candidates have this attitude. I’m sure it doesn’t apply to everyone, but the contrast in work ethic is stark. Maybe I’m just a bit frustrated, but I’d appreciate any advice or insights.