Even before Molly Johnson-Jones graduated from Oxford University in 2015, she felt the pressure to land a “prestigious” job in a high-powered industry. She and her friends at university believed that certain sectors, particularly finance, consulting, medicine, and law, were seen as prestigious. This led Johnson-Jones to work in investment banking for two years after graduation, even though it didn’t feel like the right fit for her.

These “very traditional industries” have indeed been seen as prestigious, says Jonah Stillman, co-founder of GenGuru, a consulting firm that focuses on different generations in the workplace. Stillman, a Gen Zer himself, says that this mindset is common in higher education. However, he adds that many people across generations have felt pressured to pursue these paths, often influenced by family members or high school counselors.

“We’ve just grown up with this expectation,” says Andrew Roth, 24, who graduated from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, US, in 2021. “When I got to Vanderbilt, I was quickly drawn into the path where it seemed like all roads led to finance and consulting. It just feels very easy to go that way… everyone’s doing it.” Roth says he felt pressure from the competitive atmosphere at his university, as well as from peers and alumni in powerful positions in these industries.

As Gen Z enters the workforce, experts and young workers suggest that the idea of a prestigious job is expanding and may even be becoming less relevant. While some young workers still see making money as prestigious, especially as the cost of living rises, and believe that working for certain companies or in specific industries can shape their careers, many are also focusing on other factors. These include corporate values, flexibility, autonomy, and freedom from long hours and high-stress environments.

Danielle Farage, a 2020 graduate and 24-year-old, says she also felt there was a narrow definition of what made a job prestigious while she was at the University of Southern California. There was intense pressure to secure an elite job, especially from her peers. “It’s very much there, and it’s so intense because everyone posts about their jobs,” says Farage, who is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Many Gen Zers, especially those who attend elite universities, still choose high-profile industries. Farage agrees that many new graduates still “want to follow the traditional path.” She knows several peers who are still “very much into the prestige because everyone around you is like, ‘oh, I need to get a job at a top consulting firm… I’m going to intern at this big bank next summer.'”

But Farage has also seen many Gen Zers redefine what it means to have a prestigious job. For some, it now means having a job that allows them to live the lifestyle they want—whether that’s becoming an entrepreneur, working in an industry that aligns with their values and passions, or securing a job that allows them to build their personal brand on the side. Farage is an example of this; while holding a full-time job as a director of growth and marketing at a startup, she is also focusing on building a side business as a work futurist, with a focus on the experiences of Gen Z.

To be able to “gain skills in an area of business and build your passion—that’s what I consider prestige,” she says.

Roth, too, found himself moving away from the expected path of finance and consulting, especially when Covid-19 hit during a semester abroad. During the pandemic, he realized that “a lot of organizations were having a hard time listening to and understanding the needs of young people.” After graduation, he shifted his plans towards entrepreneurship and started dcdx, a Gen Z research and strategy firm.

“It’s like our idea of prestige has changed,” says Roth, who is based in New York. “Prestige used to be about following traditional paths. But I think there’s a whole rejection of that idea, especially among this more progressive generation.”

Some data suggests that Gen Z is indeed moving towards more meaningful work. According to April 2023 data from LinkedIn, which surveyed more than 7,000 workers globally, 64% of Gen Z workers in the UK, France, Germany, and Ireland now consider it important to work for companies that align with their values. The data also shows that these young workers prioritize work-life balance and career growth when choosing potential workplaces.

As Gen Z’s attitudes shift, along with their embrace of entrepreneurship and emphasis on values, this change in mindset may also be influenced by the evolving job market, says Josh Graff, managing director of EMEA and LATAM at LinkedIn. With more jobs being posted online, “people have much more access to information today than we did when we were applying for jobs 20-plus years ago. This allows you to see a wider range of roles,” he says. “This shift in the workplace and workforce is leading people to understand that there are more options out there.”

Now 30, Johnson-Jones says that the changing definition of prestigious work is also reaching older generations, including millennials like herself.

She left investment banking “for her health” and eventually started her own company, Flexa Careers, a global directory of companies offering flexible work. She believes that older workers are beginning to think like Gen Z, reconsidering what defines an elite job and redefining it as a career that enables a better lifestyle.

However, Johnson-Jones notes that many millennials are re-imagining this definition out of necessity, often after being worn down by the very competitive, long-hours industries they felt they “had” to enter after university. “We don’t need to be working 60 hours a week in an office just for a title or decent pay,” she says. “Because how many people even have time to spend the money they earn?”

Roth also believes that many of his friends who took the traditional prestigious route are now rethinking their decisions. “I think a lot of them are actually looking at me with a little bit of envy and saying, ‘I wish I had done something similar to what you did.’ People are starting to come around to that mindset.”