Generation Z is making waves in the workforce.
Job seekers in Gen Z , people born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, have different interests than the oldest millennials, according to “What Jobs Are Winning the Interest of the Next Generation to Enter the Workforce?” This recent Indeed report analyzed job search patterns among Gen Z graduates. It found that while older millennials in their late 30s are taking leadership positions, Generation Z prefers something else.
The study found that Gen Z has a strong infatuation with “future-proof” jobs, jobs that provide stability. This doesn’t compare with millennials’ “job-hopping” stereotype. Generation Z is here to stay, and for a long time.
Paul Wolfe, senior vice president of human resources at Indeed, has a theory for why Generation Z is mainly interested in job stability.
Also read: Everything Old Is New Again for Gen Z
“Having grown up during the Great Recession, the idea of job instability was the norm for much of this age group,” Wolfe said. “Because Gen Zers grew up in a time of economic turmoil, their parents probably instilled the idea that hard work and dedication is necessary for success.”
Unlike millennials, who grew up with landlines and AOL, Gen Z had access to smartphones during their childhood. The report claims Generation Z may be the first true “digital natives.”
Indeed conducted a popularity index, which evaluated how much more frequently graduation-aged Gen Zers clicked on certain full-time jobs compared to all other job seekers. The index provided a list of the top 15 job interests in that age group.
It consisted of mostly tech jobs, like iOS developers, computer vision engineers and machine learning engineers. Gen Zers’ digital native reputation just became more credible. Wolfe believes this has a lot to do with what Gen Zers experienced in their childhood.
“This is the first generation to grow up with an iPhone,” he said. “[Gen Zers] were 10 years old when the iPhone launched, so they have a different experience with technology than the previous generations.”
Another common interest among Gen Z was health care jobs. Anesthesiologist and associate dentist cracked the top 15 most coveted jobs.
Also read: What HR Leaders Need to Know About Generation Z
It’s no coincidence that these two career options resonate with Gen Z’s future-proof craving. Technology and health care jobs are in fields that have suffered major talent shortages over the past couple years. This young generation is looking into the right departments and could significantly benefit from their desired fields’ job security.
Although Generation Z has some popular, common job interests, not all Gen Zers share the same traits. A shocking finding from the index was the number 10 job — bookseller, a job that contradicts Generation Z’s digital native narrative.
Knowing Gen Zers have various interests, Wolfe has a firm idea regarding how that can help them in the future.
“Because we know this generation is marked by looking for future-proof, secure jobs, they likely understand the need for constant skills development in order to grow in their careers,” Wolfe said. “This generation is expected to be hard working, but they will want to be rewarded for their efforts.”
Also read: Advice for Gen Z: Demand a Better Workplace Than We Did
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