Looking for career advice? GenZ turns to AI for help

Looking for career advice? GenZ turns to AI for help is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• Nearly half of Gen Z employees surveyed by an outplacement services firm indicated they’d trust a chatbot like ChatGPT for advice over their manager.
• Gen Z employees are engaging more in “AI Career Coaching” and claim to get their best career advice from ChatGPT.
• Toxic work environments and limited internal upward mobility contribute significantly to employee dissatisfaction. Employees attribute these issues primarily to the behavior of their managers.

An outplacement services firm surveyed nearly half of Gen Z employees, revealing that many of them expressed more trust in seeking advice from a chatbot like ChatGPT than from their managers. The lack of perceived support for career development from managers was cited as a key reason for this preference.

Also read: Meta is Unboxing “Sassy” Bots to Win Gen Z Over

Toxic working environment

According to the Intoo survey, which involved 800 employees and 800 HR leaders, poor treatment and limited career advancement opportunities are prompting an increasing number of workers to actively seek new employment. The survey, conducted between Nov. 19 and Dec. 2, 2023, and updated recently, aimed to identify toxic workplace factors and strategies for fostering positive work environments.

The primary contributors to toxic workplaces, as indicated by 46% of surveyed employees, are managers showing favoritism and 42% highlighted managers or leaders disregarding employee feedback.

Also read: TikTok Tries Google Search Integration to Appeal More to Gen Z Users

GenZ’s choice is understandable

In collaboration with Workplace Intelligence, a survey revealed that Gen Z employees are increasingly turning to “AI Career Coaching,” with ChatGPT being their preferred source for career advice. About 47% of Gen Z respondents trust chatbots more than their managers for guidance. Moreover, a significant portion of both employees (77%) and HR leaders (79%) reported encountering toxic workplace characteristics.

Lydia Frank, VP of Marketing at Chronus, noted that Gen Z’s reliance on generative AI stems from their upbringing with the internet as an integral part of daily life. She highlighted dissatisfaction with current company learning programs and the lack of traditional professional networks as reasons for Gen Z’s preference for ChatGPT. Frank emphasized the importance of mentorship, especially in remote work settings, prompting many Gen Zers to seek guidance from ChatGPT to navigate workplace challenges.