The Velocity team examines the significance of work for Gen Z, both on and off-campus. They share personal experiences, from finding fulfillment in customer service roles to pursuing creative passions. Balancing work and education is a challenge, but the diverse perspectives shed light on the importance of finding purpose in one’s career.

From a young age I’ve always dreamed of being an adult and having a job. Finding a place where I know I am needed and people who will count on me to fix and make things right. I always knew I was meant to be in charge.

Now that I am practically an adult, surprisingly I have worked my way up to being in charge. I truly surprised myself. So many amazing things have come with being in charge. Understanding management, fixing errors, working with all types of people, making new friends, and overall the enjoyment of my word holding some sort of power!

All those things might be great, but the downside of being in charge is dealing with all the problems on the floor – specifically with older customers. 

You would expect older shoppers to be sweet, friendly and understanding. Although there are many who are that way, the majority, unfortunately, are not.  Being a younger person who is part of management you often are being told “you just don’t understand” or “this system is easy to work for you because you’re young. For us elderly this is pure torture. We can’t get the sales without some stupid fancy app.”

I try to apologize and let them know I understand their frustration. I also like to mention to them that this isn’t necessarily “my system.” 

During their tantrums it seems they have forgotten I am just an employee. I, too, once had to learn the ways of the app and play around with it. No matter what I just get told how stupid I am. I noticed that my age did, in fact, play a part in their attitudes.

The same grandmas that yell at me and have gone as far as calling me names are the same ones who smile at my older coworkers who are part of management. Do I just remain polite and try to understand their frustration? Or do I give the same attitude back and satisfy myself? And that’s the beauty of customer service: meeting customers half way. There’s nothing wrong with a slick comment. Just make sure you end it with a smile. Take advice from me, a pro.

As someone who loves structure and feeling productive in my life, I am lucky to be someone who enjoys working. I am a graphic design student, and I currently work two part-time jobs, one on campus and one off campus. My campus position is a lab aide between two rooms in the art building. On Mondays and Fridays, I work in the digital lab and on Wednesdays, I work in the printmaking room. 

Aside from being able to work on my own assignments, I also am there to help students who come in to work on their own projects. My off-campus job is as a sales associate at The Bridge Thrift Store in Tinley Park. I have been at The Bridge for more than two years, and it has been so amazing to help facilitate the thrifting process. I am lucky because my jobs are flexible and I’m surrounded by amazing coworkers who I have even gained as friends. 

As an outgoing person, I thrive in retail and customer service settings. Whether I am stocking clothes, working at the jewelry counter or checking guests out at the register, I love interacting with people. I can’t say the same for my friends and peers. I sometimes feel like the odd one out because I enjoy my job so much. I have my days where I might not be in the mood, but I’ve had nothing but good days when I work. 

My parents also raised me with strong ideas about what makes a good worker. For example, you should never call off unless you’re on the brink of death, and get to work early because early is on time and on time is late. Although these mindsets can cause me anxiety, I feel like they do help my work ethic. I always strive to get things done on time and with clear communication to my leads and managers every step of the way.

As I grew up, I often heard the phrase “If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.” I never thought it would apply to me, but now that I’m navigating the workforce, I realize how true it is. 

In second grade, I wrote in my journal after attending my friend Katie’s birthday party at Build-A-Bear Workshop expressing my desire to work there someday. Thankfully, my parents prioritized my education over work, so I gained some work experience by helping my mom at her job, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also earned a few bucks on the side.

Once I settled into school, I applied to Build-A-Bear, and I couldn’t be happier. Since childhood, I’ve been impacted by the “Bear Builders” who made my experiences special –  including one who is now my manager. Now I get to be that person who makes someone’s experience at Build-A-Bear special and memorable.

I’m fortunate to work with kind colleagues. I’ve already made great friends and memories, including one when a customer named a hedgehog that I stuffed after me. I feel incredibly lucky to work for a company I’ve admired for so long and to brighten people’s days.

I am a 20 year-old entering the workforce who is trying to get a footing in my career. In comparison to generations before and their outlook on work, I believe Gen z offers a unique perspective. I noticed more people than ever before are embracing the flexibility of working from home, pursuing multiple career paths and having a stronger sense of self worth that drives them to stay away from jobs that are not fulfilling.

As an artist and creative individual, my biggest priority is to always be working a job that provides me a creative outlet and fulfilling experiences. I value education and personal growth above a paycheck because that allows the money I am able to make through my work have so much more value in my eyes.

Currently, I am pursuing a career in theater design and filmmaking. Being able to go to work and create something tangible that I know other people will find value in is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. I have always been passionate about the performing arts and videography. As I have grown older, I have learned to pair these interests with job opportunities and find ways to make money through my passion.

I don’t expect to become a millionaire, but I do expect to be happy and fulfilled. I feel as if we don’t have enough time on this earth to only chase a certain amount of money. Rather, we should chase the experience, education and creativity.

Work to me means not running on borrowed time. It means being mentally present without being trapped in a loop of memories. Work has taken on many meanings for me.

Work means being comfortable asking for help, which is definitely something I must begin engaging in.

Work means to me that an individual has the proper blood flow to both hemispheres of their brain to allow them to be a fully operable human. One of the biggest drives for me to work is understanding that work still needs to be done even when mental and physical setbacks occur.

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Featured image graphic by ZOE PHAM