Why Gen Z candidates drop out faster (and what that says about your company or hiring approach)
“They drop out.”
“They stop responding.”
“After one interview, we never hear from them again.”
We hear it often — from HR, partners, legal directors.
And it’s usually followed by a sigh, sometimes even frustration.
But what if we flipped the perspective for a moment?
What if Gen Z candidates dropping out says less about them…
and more about how you hire?
First things first: Gen Z is not less motivated
Gen Z is often labelled as:
- impatient
- demanding
- disloyal
In our experience, that’s simply not true.
What is true: Gen Z has a lower tolerance for vagueness, wasted time and recruitment “games”.
They don’t drop out because they don’t care
They drop out because:
- they hear nothing for too long
- they don’t know what the next step is
- they don’t get a feel for the team or the role
- they feel like just one of many
And yes, sometimes because they don’t feel taken seriously.
That’s not unwillingness.
That’s a signal.
What we often see in practice
At Legal Staffing Experts, we speak with Gen Z candidates every day.
And what they tell us is remarkably consistent.
They say things like:
- “The interview was fine, but I didn’t really understand what they were looking for.”
- “It felt very distant.”
- “I had to wait weeks for feedback.”
- “I felt like I had to sell myself, but got nothing in return.”
And then they drop out. Quietly. Without drama.
Dropping out quickly is not a lack of commitment
It’s a way of staying in control.
Gen Z has grown up in a world of choice, speed and transparency.
They bring that mindset into their job searches.
In practice, that means:
- they expect clarity
- they want to know where they stand
- they decide more quickly whether something is right for them
Not because they’re superficial, but because they make more conscious choices.
So what does dropping out say about you as an employer?
Dropping out doesn’t automatically mean you’re doing something “wrong”.
But it can point to:
- a process that’s too slow
- insufficient explanation of the role
- too little human connection
- an overly one-sided interview
And that’s not an accusation.
It’s an invitation to ask: how do candidates actually experience this process?
The difference is often in the details
In our work, we see how small adjustments can make a big difference:
- clearly explaining the next step
- giving fast and honest feedback
- explaining why someone does or doesn’t move forward
- showing who you are as a team, not just what you’re looking for
It doesn’t require a bigger budget.
It does require attention.
In conclusion
Gen Z candidates don’t drop out faster because they’re “difficult”.
They drop out faster because they’re willing to make choices.
Those who understand that lose fewer candidates.
Those who ignore it keep wondering where things went wrong.
Want an honest conversation?
At Legal Staffing Experts, we work with organisations to understand how candidates truly experience their hiring process, without judgement, without one-size-fits-all advice.
Sometimes the issue isn’t the market,
but how your organisation is perceived.
📩 info@legalstaffingexperts.be
