Opinion

They Love Self-Care, Hate Hustle, and Need a Job — a CEO’s Advice for an ‘Unemployable’ Gen Zer.

Suzy Welch headshot

By Suzy Welch

There’s a sharp divide between what Gen Z values and what hiring managers are actually looking for.

My team at Becoming You Labs recently conducted a study using our values-assessment tool, The Values Bridge, which ranks 16 values using 100 behavioral questions. Since May, over 77,000 people have taken it. We then cross-referenced the study with a national survey of 2,100 hiring managers across industries like tech, consulting, banking, and professional services.

The disconnect was clear — and pretty stark: Gen Z’s top three values are self-care, authentic self-expression, and helping people. The people hiring them, on the other hand, are looking for employees who value achievement, learning, and hard work. When you cross-reference the two studies, only 2% of Gen Z shares their bosses’ priorities.

Read the full CNBC article.
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Suzy Welch is Professor of Management Practice at NYU Stern.