Gen Z is ‘career catfishing’ in power move to irk corporate employers

They’re getting Z last laugh — kinda. 

Generation Z’s recent foray into the corporate world has been an eye-popping escapade plagued by their “annoying” workplace habits and helicopter parents accompanying them on interviews. 

Now, newcomers to the 9-to-5 grind are inflicting a fresh new level of hell onto the workforce with a trending act of defiance known as “career catfishing.” 

The messy movement sees Zoomers, young adults ages 27 and under, accepting a job offer but not showing up on the first day, according to a January report via CVGenius, an online résumé building platform.  

“Our survey found that Gen Z workers, in particular, reported opting for creative ways to put themselves first before their jobs,” explained the UK-based experts, who polled 1,000 employees across all generations. 

Researchers found that a staggering 34% of 20-somethings skip Day 1 of work, sans communicating with their new employer, as a demonstration of autonomy. 

After drudging through the ever-exasperating job hunting process — which often includes submitting dozens of lengthy applications, suffering through endless rounds of interviews and anxiously awaiting updates from sluggish hiring managers — the Z’s are apparently “catfishing” jobs to prove that they, rather than their prospective employers, have all the power. 

But the rebellious babes aren’t the only ones pulling fast ones on new bosses. 

A surprising 24% of millennials, staffers ranging in age from 28 to 43, have taken a shine to career catfishing, too, per the findings. However, only 11% of Gen Xers, hirelings ages 44 to 59, and 7% of baby boomers, personnel over age 60, have joined in on the office treachery. 

Unlike their older colleagues, Gen Zs are apparently more concerned about prioritizing their personal needs and goals than kowtowing to the demands of corporate culture. 

Empowered by fads such as “quiet quitting”— doing the bare minimum at work — to “coffee badging” — reluctantly commuting into the office long enough to have a coffee and swipe their badges before returning home to complete the workday — youngsters on the clock aren’t afraid to take liberties. 

Even if that means being unemployed until the right job — and salary — comes along.