Young Australians are increasingly turning to social media not only to make purchasing decisions but also to explore career opportunities, research employers, and build professional networks.
New research from Oysterly Media suggests social platforms are becoming an important part of the recruitment journey, particularly among younger generations.
The report, The Changing Landscape of Discovery and Trust, released by Oysterly Media and conducted by Oaktree Insights and Consulting, surveyed 1,200 Australians and found a clear generational divide in how people use social media for career development.
For employers, the findings highlight a growing need to consider social media as part of their recruitment and employer branding strategies.
Across all career-related uses measured in the research, Gen Z and millennials were roughly twice as likely as Gen X to use social media for professional purposes. Nearly a quarter of Gen Z respondents (23.1%) and one-fifth of Millennials (19.9%) use social media to learn about careers, jobs, or professional development, compared with 10.1% of Gen X respondents.
According to Oysterly Media CEO Melissa Laurie, younger Australians increasingly use social platforms to evaluate potential employers in the same way they research products and services.
“For Gen Z and millennials, social media now shapes careers as well as consumer decisions,” Laurie said.
“Employers who aren’t visible risk missing out on attracting both talent and customers. The same channels younger Australians use to research products are also the channels they’re using to assess potential employers.”
Why millennials are leading social media networking
Professional networking is also becoming more embedded in social platforms, with millennials leading the trend.
The research found that 19.2% of millennials use social media for professional networking, compared with 14.5% of Gen Z and 12% of Gen X respondents.
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Laurie said millennials have grown comfortable using platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok for both personal and professional engagement.
“For brands wanting to reach senior decision-makers and emerging leaders, that has real implications for where and how you tell your story on social media,” she said.
Social media is becoming a new employer research tool
Social media is increasingly being used as a research tool by job seekers.
The study found that 13.7% of millennials and 13% of Gen Z respondents use social media to research organisations before applying for or accepting a role, compared with 7.5% of Gen X respondents.
Laurie said younger candidates increasingly expect to see authentic insights into workplace culture, people, and organisational values online.
“Younger candidates are using social media the way previous generations used company websites and review platforms,” she said.
“They want to see the people, the culture, and the work in action. If your company has no story, no people, and no point of view in those spaces, you risk being overlooked before the recruitment process even begins.”
What employers need to do next
The findings come as Australian employers continue to compete for skilled talent in key sectors.
According to the Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 Occupation Shortage List, 29% of occupations remain in shortage, including nearly half of trade roles and two in five professional occupations. Shortages are particularly acute in health, education, and construction.
At the same time, the 2025 LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index found that more than half of Australian professionals are open to changing jobs within the next 12 months.
Against this backdrop, organisations that rely solely on traditional recruitment channels may be missing opportunities to engage younger candidates.
The research suggests that employer brand and consumer brand are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, recruitment, marketing, and communications teams may need to work more closely together to build visibility and trust across digital platforms.
“The companies that get this right are the ones treating their social media presence as part of both their hiring strategy and their marketing strategy,” Laurie said.
For employers seeking to attract the next generation of talent, social media is no longer just a communications channel. It is becoming a critical part of how candidates discover, evaluate, and choose where they want to work.
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