And they're looking for values-driven employers
Graduating in a time of crisis can be unsettling for workers who are still unsure about their place in the professional world. In fact, the COVID-19 crisis has caused Generation Z workers to rethink their plans: 25% now want to pursue career tracks different from what they had been studying for prior to the pandemic. The findings suggest young workers are actively changing their plans as the business climate evolves.
While a quarter of workers aged 25 or younger are supposedly eager to shift gears, a similar percentage (27.4%) feel uncertain about the direction they’ll be taking after graduation. This anxiety is shaped largely by today’s job market, where there are purportedly fewer opportunities for career starters. Because of this, more than a third of young talent are choosing to skip the job search altogether while the economy struggles to recover.
Read more: Gen Z is bearing the brunt of the virus
“Unsurprisingly, Gen Zers are finding the job market to be a tough one with 34.2% reporting that the pandemic has impacted their search,” said researchers who conducted the study for social app Yubo. But, for those determined to jump into the labour force soon after leaving school, they aren’t going for just any job opening either. When sizing up prospective employers, nearly two in five Gen Zers say they want growth above anything else. This is followed by the chance to upskill (21.2%) and the package of benefits, such as unlimited paid time-off and the offer of work flexibility (13%).
Read more: What will the workplace look like post-COVID-19?
Beyond the usual perks, however, young workers say they are looking for companies driven by their values. “Social causes are also top of mind for these job seekers, at no surprise, with nearly 30% saying commitment to social causes would be the most important value their future company should have,” the researchers found.
Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, most Gen Zers remain hopeful about the future, especially when it comes to their career, “with 55% sharing that they are very or rather optimistic about their future, compared to 23% who felt pessimistic,” findings showed.
