Gen-Z workers driven by career advancement and work environment

As Gen Z, born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, look to build their careers, opportunities for advancement and a suitable work environment are top of mind.

Young students looking for job opportunities at the 2024 Youth Job Fair in Hanoi. Photo: Tran Oanh/The Hanoi Times

Bui Viet Huy, born in 1997 and a resident of My Dinh 1 Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, is a graduate of the University of Engineering and Technology under the Vietnam National University - Hanoi.

He's decided to quit what he's doing, programming for a foreign company. He worked there for four years, earning US$1,500 a month.

While working there, the 27-year-old graduate realized that the corporate culture didn't suit him.

There was little sharing and working as a team. There was a preference for individual work rather than teamwork.

Dissatisfied with his colleagues, Huy is now looking for a new job. He wants to be part of a place where everyone is encouraged to share their opinions in order to get the job done.

"Career advancement is the most important thing for me when looking for a new job, followed by salary," said Huy.

"At the moment, I don't see a future where I can improve myself. I'd like to learn new processes and technologies to update my skills.

Two months after graduating, Pham Nguyen Thi Van Anh is still looking for the right job.

Instead of rushing to job boards like her friends, Anh spent her time after graduation thinking before accepting a potentially career-changing job.

Anh has a strong professional background in marketing and has worked for many companies at the age of 21.

In her last job, she worked as a marketing content developer for a private company in the field of online education.

For the past two months, she was looking for a workspace that offered a friendly, open and interactive environment.

"Being in the office is not a big deal. I see the office as a place where I can do my best and contribute to the success of the whole organization. That's why I need an open workplace that makes me fall in love with my company," she said.

According to a mid-2023 report by employment research firm Anphabe, Gen-Z employees and students are more concerned with career development than salary. They expect that the early stages of their development will make it easier for them to build their own businesses in the future.

Of the 73,500 Gen Z respondents, 73% are looking for a fun and active environment. Some 71% want an interesting, attractive job.

Gen-Z students and employees also expect an excellent work environment with good benefits, good vision and strategy, good care for employees' physical and mental health, reputable brands, and a high level of job security.

Other key factors include the company's strategy, vision, core values, and work flexibility policy.

Nguyen Thi Ha, director of the Center for Career Orientation and Business Cooperation at East Asia University of Technology, said students have changed the way they build their careers.

"In the past, salary and income came first. But now students want a workplace where they can gain positive experience and learn from managers," she said.

"They want opportunities to prove themselves, get promoted and develop their skills. This helps to explain why companies with a clear plan for career development are often the preferred choice in the job market."

Bui Viet Huy, a young resident of Nam Tu Liem district, receives guidance on how to find a job. Photo: Tran Oanh/The Hanoi Times

Local companies are now trying to make better products with higher value through technology, Ha said, stressing that this is the strength of the younger generations who have been born and raised in the world of modern technologies.  

Students have had the opportunity to work as corporate interns, so they are used to the office environment and are more demanding when it comes to choosing the right job, she added.

Knowing that young employees are hungry for career development, many companies have developed special programs for them.

According to Vu Ngoc Quang, director of the Hanoi branch of Viettel Post JSC, the company opens a training class every month and every quarter.

In these classes, students are given the opportunity to showcase their skills and be promoted, he said.

"For example, a postman can become a post office manager. After that, he or she can become a regional manager," Quang said.

According to Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, head of the recruitment department at FPT Telecom, those who have developed a clear career path are well motivated to achieve their set goals.

"There is an extra point for such candidates when they are interviewed to join the company," she said. "Many of them are promoted to manager level after six months or a year, and even to director level after two years."

"At FPT Telecom, we have a clear policy on career development so that everyone gets a chance to work at a higher level," said Ngoc.

For Gen-Z employees, job hopping is now becoming a common thing as they can reach better jobs and higher-paying positions.

For some business owners, job hopping is a nuisance. They feel "betrayed" after spending time and money training their employees, only to lose them to another company. For others, it is understandable.

According to experts, a young employee should stay in one job for two to three years to gain full experience. At that point, he or she will have a better idea of whether it is the right path for the future.