It’s Graduation Time. What Does Gen Z Want in a Career?

Gen Z-ers want meaningful careers, not just jobs. As an employer, building awareness of what candidates look for in the ideal position is key to connecting with the applicants. If you’ve been out to any campus recruiting events, you’re well aware that as a group, Gen Z is focused on values first and specific roles second. Having a better understanding of the needs and values of these recent grads can help bridge the gap in employer recruiting while improving the chances of making good hiring decisions.  

But what precisely is it that Gen Z and this new crop of grads want?

Employer authenticity. Does an employer have strong values and care about and respect their employees? Are they transparent in their goals and vision?

Mission-driven organizations. This goes to authenticity but is more a question of company culture. Does the company “walk the talk” regarding its stated mission, and does that mission align with employee, customer, and community values?

Companies that take a stand on social/political issues. Gen Z does not have the apathy of their Gen X parents. They are activists. They are passionate. If you want to attract young people to your workplace, you need to demonstrate that you care about the things they care about. Your position needn’t align with the left or right, but they want to know that there is a corporate stance. Companies that maintain neutrality will lose out on the next generation of talent. 

Flexibility. Gen Z spent their last 2 years living life virtually. They don’t want to be tied to an office, specific working hours, or even a rigidly defined role. Gen Z wants the latitude to explore, test assumptions, make mistakes, and learn from them. 

Awareness of mental health in the workplace. When Elizabeth Wurtzel’s memoir Prozac Nation was published in 1994, mental illness—and taking medication to treat it—was still widely stigmatized. Gen Z, whose parents are primarily of Wurtzel’s generation, considers mental health an integral part of total health. They want to know what programs are available to employees. Are accommodations available without jumping through flaming hoops? Is there transparent conversation and open support for mental health issues?

Higher salaries than ever before.  Research shows that Gen Z-ers prioritize money-based incentives above the more intangible perks Millennials often seek. To complicate matters, Gen Z’s salary expectations are also higher than the national median salaries commensurate with their experience levels.

Hands-on experience that is immediately transferable to a future role. “Job hopping” no longer carries the negative connotation that it did a generation ago. The average tenure in a position is 2.8 years, which would have raised eyebrows as recently as the 90s and early 2000s. Gen Z looks at employment through the lens of the gig economy. What can I learn in this role that will help me succeed in my next role? 

Companies that walk the talk regarding corporate social responsibility and DEI. Most companies have DEI and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Few companies do either very well. Gen Z is going to demand that companies do better.

As has been said of the generations that came before them, Gen Z is a different breed. Their entrance into the workforce will fundamentally reshape the very nature of work, just as previous generations have done. Gen Z, however, has a unique passion for doing what is right, a relentless focus on their values, and a staunch sense of the temporary nature of what prior generations have regarded as permanent institutions. Companies that wish to remain competitive and develop this next generation of talent have much work ahead of them.