Episode: 71

Episode Title: Gen-Z Is Pivoting

A recent survey asked 10,000 students about their perspective on work. A lot has changed since the pandemic—stay tuned for more.

Ep 71 show:
Hello—you’re in The Perna Syndicate! On the cusp of their professional lives, Generation-Z was looking forward to joining the workforce in the midst of a strong economy. Enter COVID-19—and all of that changed overnight.

A recent survey asked nearly 10,000 high school and college students about their shifting perspectives on work and what’s important to them in their first full-time position. Compared to last year, young people are significantly more likely to prioritize financial stability, hone their networking skills and consider moving for the right offer.

This represents a major shift—one that would normally take place over years, even decades. Now, it’s happening over the course of a few months.

Gen-Z watched as the pandemic essentially closed down industries like hospitality, while others, like supply chain logistics, were overwhelmed. These massive shifts are leading many students to adjust their career plans and expectations to better align with the job market.

The speed with which this generation has pivoted is one positive takeaway for employers from the COVID era. It’s especially good news for skills-gap industries like manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, transportation and others. These and many other industries have been struggling to close their skills gap and attract qualified talent for over a decade now.

Gen-Z’s flexibility indicates that the future workforce is willing to adapt to find the right job. The challenge for employers is to be as nimble as Gen-Z in convincing them that your organization is it.

And there you have it: today’s insight from The Perna Syndicate. For more free resources, connect with me at MarkCPerna.com.