What is Career Catfishing?
It is a term used by Gen Z workers where candidates accept the job offer and confirms to join the organization but does not show up on the date of joining intentionally. The candidates show professional commitment while hiring process but end up being absent at the time of joining without informing the employer about it.
The reason for ‘no-show’ at the time of joining often include securing multiple job offers and choosing the best one, last-minute changes in career decisions, better salary negotiations elsewhere, or simply ghosting the employer due to fear of confrontation. This trend has become more prevalent in the era of remote hiring, where job seekers explore multiple opportunities simultaneously without feeling the need to formally decline offers they no longer intend to accept.
The career catfishing phenomenon reflects the modern workforce’s desire for a positive workplace culture, work-life balance, competitive salary structures, and overall job satisfaction. This also makes the organizations aware of the modern workforce needs and push them to reevaluate their hiring strategies to attract top talents in the organization.
The term is popularly used by the Gen Z generation employees who are focused on reinforcing new-age corporate policies that best suits the employee well-being along with gaining productivity for the organization. Unlike the traditional workforce management, the modern workforce is well-aware of their priority and needs also aligning their personal interests with their professional skills hence enhancing their productive self to fulfill their job responsibilities.
The phenomenon of career catfishing isn’t limited to Gen Z employees. Infact, more than 24 percent of millennial generation employees has been looping in the process from the past. However, the term gained popularity in recent days as the frequency of it has surged with myriad of openings in job markets and the rise of remote work, freelance opportunities, and digital hiring processes.
