The prospect of landing a job fresh out of college is stressful. Compared to a few years ago, many recent grads say it seems harder than ever to find an open position in their chosen field. Most entry-level jobs require years of experience and we’re entering a job market that isn’t too eager to hire recent graduates. So even though our generation is predicted to account for over 40% of the workforce by 2031, you may find that you’re one of a few Gen Z employees at whatever first job you end up taking.
While this might be a little daunting, there are many things you bring to the table as a member of Gen Z that your coworkers and employers may not recognize. You might be counted out of big projects because of your age, dealt entry-level work well below your abilities, or excluded from certain work-related conversations. But in today’s modern workplace, companies need Gen Z if they want to remain relevant. Your ability to understand pop culture, contemporary consumption, technology, and youth politics is like no other, and your position in the workplace deserves to be respected. But if you don’t have much experience in the working world, you may not know where to start.
Teen Vogue spoke with career experts and leadership trainers to provide you with some guidance for navigating your first “real” job as a Gen Z employee and everything that comes with it.
Be prepared for generational differences.
“Gen Z demands authenticity and purpose in everything that they do,” says Kaitlin Manion, manager of Generation Hired, a platform designed to give college students and recent grads a running start in their careers. “Overall, we have seen Gen Z shift away from the ‘girl boss’ millennial persona and toward living out their authentic selves and values not just in their personal lives, but also in the workplace.”
This call for authenticity and transparency may sound exciting, but differing work-related values are bound to create friction between you and your older coworkers and employers. According to Melissa and Johnathan Nightingale, founders of The Raw Signal Group, a management and leadership training organization, that may be because many people who are in leadership positions today rose in a workforce that rewarded loyalty and longevity, which aren’t necessarily things that Gen Z workers put at the top of their minds when it comes to job-hunting. Years of the, “Just keep your head down, do your work, and don’t make your boss mad” advice that may have worked for older generations doesn’t always translate into today’s workplace.
To overcome these kinds of conflicts, Johnathan Nightingale suggests asking questions is a good place to start. “So many of the generational and big seniority gaps that we see turn into conflict in organizations come from nobody making the expectations clear,” he says. “You hear all the time that young people coming into the workforce today are so entitled…but our counter is always, ‘Well, has anyone explained how the organization works?’”
But don’t worry, Gen Z’ers, understanding all the ins and outs of your company doesn’t mean you have to compromise your values. In fact, your attention to work-life balance and focus on sustainable opportunities makes the workplace — well, a better place. “Gen Z cares a lot about who they work for, who their boss is going to be, whether the [values of the] organization they work for [and their own] values are aligned,” Melissa Nightingale says. “We should all care about that.”
Be clear about your boundaries.
Another factor in overcoming generational conflict is being clear about your personal boundaries. Kyyah Abdul, the founder of Career Savage and author of The Prepared Graduate, says that keeping your age, career goals, and personal life to yourself is a simple way to create a boundary between you and your coworkers, especially if you happen to be the youngest employee.
“You have a whole generation that’s had access to the internet, access to education, and access to opportunities in unorthodox ways,” Abdul says of Gen Z, “so there’s going to be a little bit of bitterness, a little bit of jealousy from older coworkers. That’s why I say don’t say your age at work or don’t share what your career advancements are. Only you need to know what your strategy is for your career.”
In addition to creating personal boundaries, Manion says whether or not you share information with your coworkers, it's important to remember that you earned your position and you're there for a reason. “Your experience, skills, and character should be what employers use to determine if you’re fit for a leadership and management position, not age,” she says. “If you feel as though you’re being treated unfairly due to your age, talk to your supervisor. If it’s your supervisor treating you unfairly, consult human resources.”
Find mentors you can connect with.
Whether you’re seeking first-time career advice, figuring out how to use confusing office software, or simply wondering what the best lunch spot near the office is, the career experts Teen Vogue spoke with agree: A good mentor is essential to succeeding.
“When choosing your mentor, look for someone who can offer a valuable point of view and who you can personally connect with,” Manion says. “When mentors are aligned with you in these ways, they can craft inclusive, opportunity-building and customized pieces of advice for you.”
While finding a mentor might sound challenging, Abdul emphasizes it’s a process that happens naturally, not something you should force. “You will naturally gravitate to someone that you feel you can turn to. That might be a boss, that might be a friend, that might be someone on a different team in your company,” she says. “You don’t have to DM a bunch of people on LinkedIn. You don't have to send a bunch of emails. Looking at the landscape of people in your life is where I would start.”
Melissa Nightingale points out that having multiple mentors might be a good way to gain more well-rounded knowledge in the workplace. “The big lie of mentorship is that you need one mentor,” she says. “Our recommendation, when we’re talking to folks early in their career, is to be as specific as possible.” In other words, think about the areas of your life where you feel you need mentorship and work from there. What is the specific thing you’re looking to learn? What skill are you looking to improve? The more narrow and focused you are in your goals, the more likely you are to find people who can act as mentors.
You’re more than your imposter syndrome.
That nagging feeling that you don’t belong? Yeah, that’s imposter syndrome and you’re not the only one experiencing it. The truth is that most people, even those in high positions at successful companies, struggle with imposter syndrome at some point. It’s a normal part of your career and there are a few ways you can overcome it.
Abdul says recognizing that everyone is human helped her overcome the feelings when they arose. “I think observation helps you tackle imposter syndrome. And what I mean by being observant is observing others, your older counterparts,” she notes. “When you really sit and observe the reality of life, you start to recognize that every single person is just trying to figure it out.”
Surrounding yourself with people who will give you honest feedback can be another way to mitigate imposter syndrome, according to Annie Wang, cofounder of Generation Hired. “Often, imposter syndrome stems from fear of a mismatch between your reality and someone else’s,” she says. “Those who can generously give you honest feedback are so valuable.”
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