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. (Read more about our research here.)
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.
In response to the findings, one CEO said: “This explains exactly why we can’t hire.” A hospital executive put it more bluntly: “We are now hiring two or three new docs to replace a retiring one. They tell us we should not be expecting them to work hard because life as a cardiologist isn’t what it used to be.”
One head of HR summed all the comments up with the line: “This is crazy. And confirming.”
