Gen Zers want interesting work, good colleagues and flexibility to explore something new

Gen Z interns surveyed by Goldman Sachs say their biggest priorities when taking a new job are what their day-to-day will look like (34%), as well as who their colleagues will be (21%). That’s notably higher than other draws of a job, including salary (13%), the company’s purpose (12%) and opportunities for advancement (8%).

Today’s youngest workers are willing to relocate for a job, and a slight majority believe success means being able to move around rather than setting down roots or becoming a homeowner.

At this stage of their lives and careers, Gen Zers want flexibility in the way they live and work most of all, Cruzvergara says.

“Many new grads want to [work] in-person to have those social connections and community bonds, especially when just starting off in their career,” she says. “At the same time, they like being able to have some flexibility and autonomy to work from home” when needed, whether to fit their schedule on a certain day, to save on gas or to live somewhere with a lower cost of living.

Recession-proofing grad plans

Today’s college students are motivated to figure out what they want and be upfront about it with potential employers. For example, Case has a few strategies for figuring out whether an internship could turn into something more.

She’s clear with recruiters about her career goals in marketing, and asks: Does the company have a budget to hire interns into full-time roles, pending they do well? What are the company’s plans to hire in the next two to four years?

She prefers to interview with larger global companies she thinks can withstand potential economic shocks in the future.

At the University of Arkansas, 21-year-old senior Oliver Sims also has his summer work plans locked in. He recently accepted an offer to return to Dell as a finance intern, which will make his third stint with the tech giant.

He’s optimistic about his future with them after school. This past summer, he says the company told interns they were undergoing an external hiring freeze, but that interns were well positioned to be first considered for any open roles in the future.

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