A new survey of 500 job seekers’ search habits finds that nearly 62 percent of Gen Z respondents found the limited number of employment opportunities as the most stressful aspect of the job search process, while 67 percent of Millennials and 61 percent of Gen X view the lack of communication from employers to be the most anxiety-inducing.
Baby Boomers experienced higher levels of stress related to competing with other job seekers and long interview processes.
The survey, conducted by workforce development software provider Geographic Solutions, explores how Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers approach finding employment in today’s ever-changing job market.
The results also highlight the desire for fully remote roles is on the decline, with only 13 percent of job seekers across all ages preferring this work model.
Though a closer look at the data reveals nearly a quarter of Baby Boomers value remote roles more than in-person and hybrid options.
The majority of Gen Z (57 percent) and Millennials (50 percent) prefer hybrid work models, while Gen X tends to favor in-person positions.
“This data continues to help us understand the journey millions of career-seeking individuals experience each year,” said Paul Toomey, president and founder of Geographic Solutions. “Our goal with this survey is to better inform employers, recruiters, and industry stakeholders on the different approaches each generation takes to find quality employment. This information can help organizations improve their recruitment strategies and ensure a more equitable hiring process.”
Of those who responded, 60 percent admitted to embellishing their resume to increase their chances of landing a role.
Gen Z reported being more likely to embellish their skills on their resume (60 percent), while a majority of Millennials (70 percent), Gen X (65 percent) and Baby Boomers (70 percent) are more likely to exaggerate about their job titles.
Geographic Solutions conducted the survey over several days using Survey Monkey’s Audience Research platform, polling a diverse group of 500 anonymous job seekers. The survey included individuals from various age demographics and gender identities throughout the United States. To ensure the data was relevant and current, all respondents had actively searched for new employment within the past year.