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Gen Z workers are changing what it means to network
Article

Gen Z workers are changing what it means to network

AJ Eckstein
Fast Company, 2023
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9

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Generation Z is breaking away from traditional approaches to professional interactions by infusing their connection-making on LinkedIn with authenticity and humor. In this intriguing article, AJ Eckstein interviews 10 gen Z thought leaders to learn why they emphasize peer-to-peer connections and focus on building genuine, community-oriented networks that transcend conventional career advancement strategies. Eckstein thoughtfully uncovers how gen Z’s preferences are setting new standards for professional engagement and redefining the essence of networking in the digital age.

Summary

Gen Z is reframing professional networks as “internet friends.”

Traditional approaches to networking tend to focus on making strategic connections with people who can help boost your career. Meagan Loyst, founder and CEO of Gen Z VCs, notes that gen Z finds the idea of pursuing connections solely for professional gain insincere and off-putting. But this feeling hasn’t kept gen Z from participating on networking platforms like LinkedIn. Indeed, they’re more active on LinkedIn than any previous generation, making “28.7% more monthly connections than millennials, 54.7% more than gen X and 143.5% (over twice as many) than boomers.”

Gen Z’s motivations for networking and ways of making connections stand in stark contrast to their older colleagues, however. Rather than tallying how many links they can accumulate or worrying about presenting a polished professional persona, gen Z aims for authenticity...

About the Author

Author AJ Eckstein is a speaker and writer focusing on generation Z, career advice leadership and the future of work.

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