What do you think Gen Zs care about most when choosing a job?
A good salary? Nope.
Remote, flexible working? Also nope.
Perks like free food and gym memberships? Wrong again.
All of these are of course great to have, but they’re surface level and in many jobs simply expected. Take a read below to see what they actually want.
- Fulfilment
What Gen Zs want more than anything is a career they’re passionate about.
In fact, according to our After the ATAR 3 report, an overwhelming number of young Aussies (84%) want a career that matches their passions – which is significantly higher than those who take pay into consideration (65%), the opportunity to work remotely (41%) and flexible work hours (34%).
“I am currently pursuing my passion because I want to make sure that I have a fulfilling and secure future with a job that I can be proud of,” a 19-year-old male from Western Australia told us as part of our research.
However, finding a career that aligns with their passion is a challenge for many Gen Zs.
As Rob Kingyens, founder and CEO of yellowbrick.co told Forbes, “(many Gen Zs) lack insight into the kinds of jobs available in the fields they’re passionate about.
“For example, sports fans may not understand how their skills in maths or data science could lead to a career in business intelligence for a sports team.”
- Integrity
Working for an organisation or company that aligns with their values or goals is a top priority for Gen Zs.
When we asked Australian Gen Zs aged 15 to 24 if they would work for a company they knew wasn’t making positive actions for the environment, 73% said no.
And backing up our data to a T, Comm Declare’s 2021 Fuelling Fantasies report found the majority of under 30s (73%) are reluctant to work for businesses or companies that contribute to pollution and global warming.
“Our surveys have shown that agency heads are out-of-step with the climate concerns of their younger workers and that those aged under 30 are being asked to work for highly polluting companies against their better judgement,” the report concluded.
Gen Zs are so committed that two in three Gen Zs will flat out refuse to work for fossil fuel companies.
“(Gen Zs will) vote with their feet, as 70% are actively wanting to work with a company that shares their concerns about global warming.”
- Professional development
“(Gen Zs want jobs that will engage and inspire them – personally and professionally,” Kingyens said.
“They want opportunities to network, to learn from mentors, and to pass down their own learnings to newer employees.”
Put these steps into action and you’ll have the sort of job Gen Zs want.
