Meet the Roadmap Generation: High-achieving Zoomers are taking an aggressive, long-term approach to planning their careers

• Meet the Roadmap Generation: A professional cohort of recent graduates laser-focused on their futures.
• These ambitious Zoomers are playing the long game as they plan their careers.
• They're taking a holistic approach to the employment experience. 

When Javi Galarce graduated from the University of Iowa in December 2022, she had several good job offers to consider.

Sure, salary was important, but Galarce, 23, was much more concerned with securing a comprehensive benefits package and finding a company that would facilitate her personal and professional development, she told Business Insider.

"For me, salary had an impact, but only to a certain extent. It was more about finding the right work environment and being at a company that would allow me to grow," Galarce said.

Galarce is part of what could be called the Roadmap Generation — a cohort of accomplished recent graduates and early-stage professionals with their eyes firmly fixed on the future. As this ambitious subset of Gen Z launches their careers in the shadow of a pandemic and amid economic woes, some are prioritizing long-term financial security over short-term gains and seeking out values-based workplaces that cater to the entire employee experience with perks like strong 401(k) matching and skills development, according to young workers, older bosses, and data.

Business Insider spoke with two members of the Roadmap Generation and several of the HR professionals and executives who hire and oversee them.

Members of this co-called Roadmap Generation, like those generations that came before them, are driven by a desire to stand on their own two feet, said Astad Dhunjisha, vice president of HR and talent acquisition at AT&T. But these Gen Z employees are taking a more holistic approach than their older colleagues once did in planning out the long-arc of their professional lives, said Dhunjisha, who works closely with new hires.

Much has been made about Gen Z's apparent apathy toward employment. The COVID-19 pandemic hampered scores of early-career aspirations, while student loan debt has limited Gen Z's ability to pursue passion over pocketbook. But even as Gen Z continues to challenge workplace conventions, a growing cohort of recent graduates are eager to prove that they are anything but indifferent about their careers.

According to a 2024 Deloitte survey of nearly 23,000 Gen Z and millennial respondents worldwide, 86% of Zoomers say having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being.

"In many of my conversations with members of Gen Z, I find that they aren't just looking to get any job," Dhunjisha told BI. "They understand a job is part of their identity."

The whole package

Where first-time job seekers may have once been wooed by the loftiest income offer, today's high-achieving entry-level employees are considering both the quantity and quality of a company's employment benefits when choosing a professional landing spot.

Strong 401(k)s, expansive wellness programs, and a company's reputation are all key considerations for many job seekers, said Galarce, who accepted a client solutions position with AT&T soon after graduating.

In other words, the Roadmap Generation is looking for the whole package.

Older executives told BI Gen Z interviewees almost always inquire about benefits and ask pointed questions about retirement options, continuous learning opportunities, and work-life balance.

"They're looking to get ahead," Dhunjisha said. "What kind of job will not just give me emotional satisfaction and fulfill my needs but will also set me up for the long term?"

Gen Z has already lived through several economic downturns and a pandemic. Meanwhile, college costs continue to skyrocket, and student loan debt has ballooned. More than half of Gen Z respondents in a 2023 EduBirdie survey said their biggest fear was never becoming financially stable.

Many members of the Roadmap Generation are trying to set themselves up for future financial success by starting and stoking their portfolios early.

Cassie Fields, president of auto-repair software company AutoLeap, said her Gen Z employees are not only keyed in on securing quality 401(k) plans but also dabble in alternative investment options, like cryptocurrency and ESG funds.

"They're proactive in seeking advice on how to diversify their portfolios and are keen on understanding the long-term implications of their financial decisions," Fields said.

Skills development is another top concern for the Roadmap Generation. Amid an ever-tightening job market and the looming specter of generative AI, Gen Z is eager to stand out and stay ahead, embracing a Jack-of-all-trades mindset, Fields said. Marketing professionals may be a dime a dozen, but a marketing professional with graphic design experience and data analysis skills will likely have the upper hand come hiring time.

A 2021 World Economic Forum report found that skills development and continuous education are central to Gen Z's attitudes toward career progress. About 76% of Gen Z employees at the time said they directly tie learning to future professional advancement — much more than previous generations, according to the report.

Job seekers can sharpen their skills on their own time, but members of the Roadmap Generation want a company that encourages its employees to learn and grow on the clock, whether that be via tailored training, mentorship programs, industry conferences, or company support for further education.

Austin Curtis, 22, who graduated from the University of Oklahoma last year, was specifically seeking a professional development program to kick off his career. After interning for AT&T in college, Curtis applied and was accepted into the company's early-career financial development program. Now a senior financial analyst at the company, Curtis credits the skills development he prioritized early on with his rapid professional growth.

"I think Gen Z expects a challenge. We're not complacent. We want to go out and learn," Curtis said.

Determined and open-minded

Members of Gen Z know what they want and aren't afraid to go after it, BI previously reported.

More than 60% of Gen Z believe they have the power to drive change within their organizations, specifically when it comes to workload, wellness, social impact, and learning and development, according to the Deloitte survey.

The Roadmap Generation is coming into the workplace — be it a job interview, professional development program, or full-fledged career — more prepared and knowledgeable than past generations, Dhunjisha said.

"They are a lot more informed about what kinds of potential careers exist than in the past," he said.

Recent graduates may be better informed about all aspects of their professional lives and workplace rights. Mark Pierce, founding partner of Wyoming Trust and LLC Attorney, estimates that up to 30% of his workforce are members of Gen Z. These younger employees come into the workplace with a deep knowledge of employer obligations around things like overtime pay, benefits offerings, and mental health support, Pierce told BI.

"That's a huge different from previous generations, and one you have to respect," Pierce said.

For all of their clear-eyed assuredness, however, the Roadmap Generation is also open-minded and curious, older bosses said. Gen Z is willing to put in time and effort on the early ends of their careers to figure out precisely what they like to do and maximize their chances for long-term professional success.

Today's young professionals are driven by a desire to experience as much as they can in the workplace and often try on several different positions before settling on their favorite. A 2023 ResumeLab survey found more than 80% of Gen Zers take a "dynamic approach to their careers" that often involves frequent changes. Recent graduates understand that the world is rapidly changing and don't want to corner themselves too early, career experts said.

After graduating, Curtis accepted the AT&T offer because the company's rotational development program allowed participants to spend six months in one department and six months in another area.

"I wanted a job that gave me the opportunity to see multiple views of finance because not all organizations are the same," he told BI. "It gave me the chance to hone my skills in different areas."

With Gen Z's penchant for newness, young employees have earned a reputation for being professionally disloyal and quick to jump ship for a better opportunity.

But Jon Hill, managing partner at Texas-based recruiting firm The Energists, said his younger employees are keenly aware of their generation's negative stereotypes and often go out of their way to try to disprove them.

Dhunjisha agreed and suggested there's a simple way for a company to keep its Gen Z employees long-term.

"Gen Z is more comfortable staying with an organization for a long time — if they're getting what they need," he said.