Wanted: Cautious Grads Seeking Adventure

Corporations are trying to lure Generation Z with promises of something more than just a safe job.

- Adam Piore

Generation Z may be known for pragmatism and a desire for stability, but corporations who want to hire them are trying to lure them with the promise of adventure and meaning.

Merck and Genentech tout the opportunity to cure disease. Lockheed Martin recruiters are selling engineering graduates on the chance to serve the nation—and maybe help put an astronaut on Mars. And at IBM, marketers emphasize the opportunity to help combat climate change, apply computing power to health care and upgrade the backbone of financial services.

Just because Gen Zs want stability doesn’t mean they don’t also yearn every bit as much as their older brothers and sisters for something more. Employers have picked up on these trends and have made an effort to emphasize mission and opportunity in their recruiting pitches.

At Merck, during “intern days” when hundreds of Gen Zs converge on headquarters, “what they want to hear about it is how we’re solving cancer or what are we doing for river blindness,” says Tracey Franklin, vice president of talent recruitment for Merck. “They believe that they can actually change the world, and they want to work for a company who does change the world. I think it’s there within millennials. But it seems to be a stronger pull than previous generations.”