COVID-19 RESPONSES GLOBAL

Research Lead

INSIGHTS

• Gen Z professionals are looking for careers where they can make a difference, find financial security, and experience ongoing professional development.
• 76% of Gen Z believes that they are in control of their own career path.
• 27% of Gen Z plans to stay at their first job for one year or less, while 56% of Gen Z plans to stay at their first job for two to three years.

OVERVIEW

The short answer is that Gen Z professionals are looking for careers where they can make a difference, find financial security, and experience ongoing professional development. Gen Z professionals also have an entrepreneurial mindset and the majority would like to start their own company. Below, you will find a deep dive into my findings.

WHO IS GEN Z and WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?

It's important to note that Generation Z refers to people born between approximately 1995 and 2005. The majority of individuals that belong to this generation are still in high school, with only 3% having entered the workforce by 2015. Therefore, a lot of the research data I have collected is focused on the career decisions that Generation Z "pre-professionals" are planning to make when they have completed their education. As of 2015, 15% of Gen Z was enrolled in an undergraduate program, 10% in vocational training, 3% in postgraduate education, 3% in the workforce, and the remaining still in high school.

CONTEXT BEHIND GEN Z CAREER DECISIONS

Gen Z have watched Millennials try and fail to find a job despite proper job training. Gen Z has also grown up in homes that were likely affected by the Great Recession. These two factors give Gen Z a wary work ethic, understanding the important of soft skills and who you know when it comes to landing a job and expecting a salary and benefits package where they can support themselves and safe money.

GENERATION Z CAREER BELIEFS

Various surveys give us an idea of the overall beliefs and attitudes of Generation Z when it comes to career and making career decisions.

- 32% of Gen Z aspires to be working at their dream job within 10 years.

- Gen Z ranks "opportunity for growth" as the most important part of their first job.

- The next most important considerations for Gen Z's first job are: fulfilling work, stability, friendly work culture, flexibility, and good salary.

- 27% of Gen Z plans to stay at their first job for one year or less.

-56% of Gen Z plans to stay at their first job for two to three years.

-50% of Gen Z expects their employers will respect their opinions and listen to their ideas.

-When asked to rank what benefits are most important to them at a job, Gen Z ranked flexibility above healthcare coverage, and less than 10% said that a 401k was most important to them.

- Gen Z is looking for jobs with "health insurance, a competitive salary, and a boss they respect."

-75% of Gen Z responded positively that work should have meaning above and beyond earning an income.

-76% of Gen Z believes that they are in control of their own career path.

PLACES CAREER DECISIONS ARE MADE

Gen Z is more tech-savvy and dependent than any generation before, including Millennials. They will have a greater ability to multi-task and will spend more time using social media. Gen Z aspires to work in fields they feel passionate about, where they believe their work has greater meaning. The entrepreneurial spirit in Gen Z means many professionals plan to run their own business and see themselves as the primary driver of success in their field. Because of these factors, Generation Z will approach a 40 hour work week differently and are more open to integrating work into the rest of their lives. Social media, already an integrated part of their lives, will play a huge role in influencing career decisions.

CONCLUSION

To wrap it up, Gen Z professionals are looking for flexibility, financial stability and competitive benefits packages, and mutual respect between their employer and themselves. Thank you for using Wonder! Please let us know if we can help you with an additional requests.