‘Career catfishing’: Bizarre phenomenon impacting Aussie workplaces

Aussie bosses are being “catfished” by new Gen Z hires – and the bizarre phenomenon is happening a lot more than you may think.

Employers are being “catfished” by young workers, with recruiters supposedly seeing it happen “all the time” in Australian workplaces.

‘Career catfishing’ occurs when someone accepts a job offer but then fails to show for their first day of work with no explanation.

A recent survey conducted in the UK of 1000 workers found one in three Gen Z employees have admitted to career catfishing in the past.

One in four Millennials also admitted to this act, according to the 2025 Future of Work Survey from CV Genius, compared to just 11 per cent of Gen X and seven per cent of Baby Boomer workers.

But this isn’t just a phenomenon impacting workplaces overseas, with Australian recruitment expert and career coach Tammie Christofis Ballis having seen this exact scenario play out multiple times throughout her career.

“It happens all the time. That is absolutely normal in recruitment,” she told news.com.au.

It is such a common occurrence that recruiters will often ring new hires the week and day before their start date to remind them to turn up for their first day.

Even then, there are still situations where people just never show up.

MORE: How to quit a new job if something better comes up

“I think now with the new generations, where they’re scared to pick up the phone, they might have found another job, and they don’t want to let the other person down, so they just ghost and don’t turn up,” Ms Ballis said.

The career coach warned engaging in career catfishing can have an impact on your future job prospects.

Ms Ballis has even experienced a situation where a candidate applied back to the same company after previously being hired and not turning up for their first day on the job.

She also warned that many industries aren’t very big and word can easily spread about these types of behaviours.

“You’ve got to be careful with your reputation. Just do the right thing,” she said.

“If you’re too scared to call, just email say, ‘Look, I’m so sorry. I’ve had a change of heart, or I’ve been offered another position. I’m no longer going to be starting anymore. Thank you so much. I wish you all the best’.”

If you do this, Ms Ballis said at least you have closed the relationship off in a professional manner and, while the company will likely be unhappy, it gives them an opportunity to find another candidate.

MORE: Top 4 benefits of quitting before finding a new job

Another professional who has seen this trend first-hand is Matt Loop, VP and Head of Asia at HR platform start-up Rippling.

Speaking to news.com.au, he said another reason the trend could be gaining traction is because Gen Z workers are using it as a “form of silent protest against unsatisfactory work environments, vague job descriptions, or opaque hiring processes”.

“In this competitive, often brutal hiring environment, some candidates might see this as a way to reclaim the balance of power, by challenging traditional workplace norms and prompting companies to reassess their recruitment strategies and workplace cultures,” Mr Loop said.

This type of behaviour is playing into the fears some employers already have about Gen Z employees.

Thirty-one per cent of Aussie bosses worry about younger worker’s lack of long-term commitment or loyalty to the company, according to a survey of 500 Australian business leaders including in Rippling’s Australian State of Hiring: Expanding Horizons in 2025 report.

Of those surveyed, 28 per cent are concerned about Gen Z expectations for rapid career progression and promotions and 25 per cent fear that young staff will “quiet quit”.

Matt Loop, VP and Head of Asia at HR platform start-up Rippling. Picture: Supplied

Apparently these kind of interactions happy more regularly than many may think.

Mr Loop said, while some of these concerns are rooted in genuine changes Gen Z are bringing to workplaces, he would caution bosses against painting all workers in this generation with the same brush.

“Many of them are incredibly driven, resourceful, and loyal to businesses that invest in them,” he said.

“Rather than mere ‘fears’, I think these concerns reflect a shifting reality in how we work, how quickly skills become outdated, and how young professionals are trying to keep pace.”

In terms of the career catfishing trend, Mr Loop believes it is a reflection of broader shifts taking place within workplaces.

The rise of the Gen Z workforce has already brought in massive changes, with work-life balance, flexible arrangements and open communication held in high regard with younger workers.

“My advice to employers is to stay proactive, rethink traditional recruiting and onboarding strategies, and leverage data-driven insights to understand what Gen Z workers value,” Mr Loop said.

“Those who adapt will not only navigate these changes but also build stronger, more engaged teams in the process.”