Career advice for Gen Z is rare to see, despite them making up the majority of the incoming workforce. Managers and employers regularly express their dislike and disregard for the young population, despite them being the future of the workforce best equipped to keep up with the latest trends. The situation is so dire that this generation is more comfortable turning to ChatGPT for career advice instead of relying on those who oversee their work. According to a survey by INTOO, nearly 47% of Gen Z employees report that they get better career advice from artificial intelligence than their managers.
If ChatGPT is capable of providing more reliable career advice than those of us who have been in our respective industries for years, then we’ve truly let down the Gen Z employees in our workplace. To get a headstart in showing support for the younger population, let’s dive into some career tips that our Gen Z companions can put to use.
Image: Pexels
Career Advice for the Gen Z Workers Set to Enter the Workforce
GenZ or generation Z traditionally refers to the segment of the population born after 1996. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Gen Z will constitute about 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030, and as the years progress, their numbers in the workforce will only continue to grow. Gen X workers make up their older counterparts within the workforce, and these individuals will soon reach the age of 60 starting next year. Many of these workers will begin transitioning towards retirement, even if there are considerable challenges that await them in the process.
Millennials still have a long run and multiple productive years left in the workforce, but in a couple of years, they will find themselves surrounded by just as many Gen Z workers as those of their own generation, with Gen Alpha trapezing into the workforce as well. Supporting Gen Z workers is in everyone’s best interest, and the sooner we help them find their place within the workforce, the faster organizations will begin meeting their productivity goals.
Providing useful career advice for Gen Z workers can help both the workers and the organization grow. These Gen Z work tips also need to go beyond asking them to “do what they’re told” or merely informing them that they need to “work harder.” Gen Z workers do enter the workforce with their own ideologies and preferences, but so does every other cohort. With this in mind, here is some career advice for Gen Z workers entering the workforce or those who have already spent a few years building their careers.
Create Boundaries but Do Not Be Inflexible
The best quality of the new generation is their ability to generate their opinions on critical matters and stick to their guns about their beliefs, even if it comes with some big costs. This is most certainly a strength, but for someone to grow in their career, flexibility is equally necessary.
It is okay to have some firm principles that you do not intend to budge on, but also spend some time considering the areas where you can be more accommodating. If a diverse workforce and a healthy work-life balance are essential qualities of your future job, that’s a fair standard to maintain. But consider if you can be more open to opportunities that don’t meet your criteria in other areas, such as the lack of remote work or a job that comes with a more formal workplace structure.
The nature of work is changing every day and the more flexible you are, the easier it will be to capitalize on the changes. The gig economy has presented a wide variety of opportunities that don’t follow traditional career plans, so be open to considering all the alternatives available to you.
Subscribe to Magazines and Newsletters
ChatGPT might provide some solid career advice, but at the end of the day, it is inauthentic and artificially generated. Even if you don’t fully trust what the “experts” in the field have to say, their opinions and strategies will give you insight into how the industry is shifting. Read about the different innovations in your industry and the various organizations making a difference and you might just find a company you want to align yourself with.
This can be an expensive career tip for Gen Z currently, considering many are not paid as much as their senior coworkers, but you don’t have to invest in every subscription plan out there. Many organizations offer free newsletters and others have blogs that can give you some insight into the quality of their content. Read what they have to say and identify 2 to 3 magazines that feel worthwhile to stay periodically informed.
Keep Pace with Industry Trends
Even if you don’t spend on magazines, there are many websites that provide updated insight on the latest trends. Technological advancements can be the biggest guiding factor on what skill sets you should prioritize and you can work on updating them as fast as possible. Whether you find that “please find attached” phrases are outdated in emails or you pick up on the latest implementation of AI, staying up-to-date is essential for career growth.
Employers will be more willing to hire workers who can bring an insightful perspective to their workplace, so there are many advantages to understanding current or upcoming trends.
Image: Pexels
Put Your Strengths to Full Use
One of the most useful pieces of career advice we can give Gen Z is to put their skills to full use. Employers expect the younger generation to know how to use technology more effectively or believe they can support the social media team in promoting the organization more effectively. Your employers may not be aware of the full extent of your knowledge and insight and hence may never be able to find an avenue for you to put it to use.
This is why it’s essential for you to be an advocate of your own abilities and put them to work where you can. Even with simple initiatives like helping older coworkers acclimate to newer software or offering to show your teammate some shortcuts that help you work better, you might help the organization see the value in keeping you around. Don’t go about telling everyone how to do things all the time—no one enjoys being around a know-it-all—but don’t be dismissive of your own abilities.
Create Your Brand and Work Reputation
As unpleasant as it is to work on a professional profile or make posts on LinkedIn, in this digital era, it is important. Work on creating a formal portfolio or a website documenting your skills and past projects. Keep your resume and professional social media pages up to date, and create a network of others in your industry. Putting yourself out there can be a scary prospect but you will benefit from stepping through the doors that open when you do.
Work on Your Soft Skill
Next in our list of Gen Z work tips, we recommend working on soft skills. Generations of workers have been dismissive of the importance of building these skills and many continue to place these skills in the backseat, but soft skills make a big difference to an individual’s work experience.
If you’re constantly warring with your coworkers, struggling to communicate with them, making rash decisions that don’t sit well with the team, and working solo instead of with your colleagues, you will find it impossible to thrive at work. Even with a perfect understanding of your industry, if you cannot collaborate with others, organizations will find it hard to keep you around. Try to develop your emotional intelligence, conflict resolution skills, negotiation skills, etc.
Ask Questions and Share Your Thoughts—Be Involved
As a generation that doesn’t enjoy picking up phone calls, the idea of reaching out to someone and asking them questions can be intimidating. Still, our career tips for Gen Z workers involve doing just that. When you don’t understand something or feel like you need a broader perspective on a topic, try to ask questions and see the full picture. Not every situation might be right for such an investigation—a heated team meeting on the failure to meet the deadlines may not be the right time to ask why the deadlines were set in the first place, so some discretion is necessary.
With some thought and consideration, however, you should be able to spot the right time to ask questions and share your ideas for future projects. Interacting with your team members is good for building bonds so this is already a useful endeavor, but understanding your organization better and being able to think creatively can also be beneficial. Be involved in your workplace and make your presence felt.
Seek Out Mentors
If there is a formal mentorship program at your organization, make the most of it. If not, do your own research on the experts who work within your organization and seek them out to be your mentors. Even if they cannot take on the role in a formal sense, build your relationship with them and seek their insights when you are faced with particularly complex challenges at work.
They might not be able to solve all your problems, but they will be able to share their experiences, which can provide a treasure trove of invaluable information. They can also help you build your professional network more easily.
Understand the Legal Systems and Regulations
Getting a job may feel as simple as sending in an application, sitting for an interview, and then getting hired, but you should be more mindful of your organization’s reputation and its adherence to the regulations in your state or country.
Familiarizing yourself with the legal systems will also help protect yourself from abuse from your employers. Understanding the laws surrounding bereavement leave in the state or whether non-competes are legal in the region will make it easier to assert individual rights and speak up in case of any violations.
Your employer might have their own rules and regulations that you need to understand in order to fit in more effectively and embrace the work culture. This will help you perform better at work when you know what you are or are not allowed to do.
Financial Literacy Is Essential to Survive
This particular piece of career advice for Gen Z workers isn’t directly related to the experience within the workplace, however, every individual needs to get ahead of their finances. Understanding the different financial support systems and investment plans that employers offer can be very valuable while negotiating a contract with a future employer and seeking what you are owed.
The more you understand your own finances and the financial systems like 401(k)s or how employer-funded educational assistance might tie into your finances, the easier it will be to feel at ease about your future.
These career tips for Gen Z workers are just the start to building a solid reputation and finding a spot within any industry, and following them religiously will help just about anyone get ahead in their careers.