Corporate Social Responsibility, Employer Brand, Employee Benefits, and Career Development on Generation Z’s Intention to Apply Job: The Mediating Role of Corporate Reputation

Generation Z, now emerging as the dominant segment of the labor market, demonstrates increasing selectivity in evaluating potential employers, underscoring the importance of understanding the determinants of job application intentions. This study examines the effects of perceived CSR implementation, employer brand, corporate reputation, perceived employee benefits, and perceived career development on Generation Z’s intention to apply for a job, and further assesses the mediating role of corporate reputation. Using a quantitative survey conducted in Surabaya, Indonesia, as an important urban labour market context, data were collected from final‐year undergraduate students and fresh graduates, yielding 218 valid responses. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that employer brand, employee benefits, career development, and corporate reputation significantly influence job application intentions. The results also confirm that corporate reputation mediates the effects of CSR and employer brand on intention to apply. Furthermore, perceived CSR implementation does not exert a direct effect on intention to apply but has an indirect effect through corporate reputation. These findings contribute to the human resource management literature by advancing understanding of employer attractiveness among Generation Z and provide practical insights for organizations in designing recruitment strategies that align with the values and expectations of young job seekers in emerging labour markets.