The coronavirus may be a defining experience for Generation Z that shapes its outlook for decades to come — disrupting its entry to adulthood and altering its earning potential, trust in institutions and views on family and sex.
Why it matters: College students are losing internships, summer work and first jobs vital to build networks and careers. In a College Reaction survey, 91% cited concerns about the economy and job market, and more than half worried about their finances. The economic impact will be severe, too. Gen Z was looking at a graduating into a strong economy and low unemployment.
“That’s all been turned on its head” Kim Parker, Pew Research Center’s director of social trends research
My Advice:
01. Write something.
Because it will force you to have an opinion, have a point of view and you will learn what it takes to rally people behind that point of view.
02. Try to sell something.
Because it will force you to think about how you approach everything from marketing, finance, design, copy writing to analytics, and what it takes to make something really remarkable.
03. Join a sub-culture.
Because being a part of / or observing people online obsessing over something provides you with an understanding of the nuance of how fan communities work, and what it takes to ignite a movement. (Think: sneaker culture, comic books, fan fiction, underground music, etc.) If you do these three things, I feel like you will learn a ton about culture, what it takes to emotionally connect with people and make them move in your direction — which is what we do in the marketing.
Beyond that, go ask a ton of questions.
Go Deeper: Gen Z defines job security completely differently from the rest of us
