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I am watching Younger, an American drama. The following exchange occurs in Season 1, episode 1, 16:10:
A :Jane Austen has over 1,000 followers. How cool is that?
B :Am I supposed to congratulate you?
A: No, I just thought...
B: Just expected a gold star for doing your job. That's the problem with your generation.
What does "Just expected a gold star for doing your job" mean?
"Just expected a gold star for doing your job" is an accusation that a person has an exaggerated sense of entitlement. The accused expected special recognition (a gold star) for merely doing something required (his or her job).
