by nahlah Abdur-Rahman
May 29, 2025
The study revealed that young professionals are prioritizing stability over high salaries.
A new study has revealed a shift in many young adults’ preference on where to work.
Getting an offer from FAANG, the acronym of top tech companies including Facebook, Amazon, and Google, had stood as the Gen-Z dream job for many young professionals. However, a shift in workforce stability has many thinking differently about where to take their careers.
The National Society of Hight School Scholars revealed new insight regarding early professionals’ employment desires, as reported by the Farmingdale-Observer. The NSHSS’ survey concluded that more young talent wants to pivot away from the tech industry and into more stable work environments like the healthcare field.
In the beginning, the allure of a job at Microsoft or Apple came with high perks to match highly competitive salaries. Those from engineering to product marketing could find first-year pay that matched senior-level checks in other industries. These benefits catapulted tech jobs to the mainstream. However, a fluctuating economy has started to break this dominance.
The news should not come as a shock to many. Layoffs and workforce reductions continue to plague tech giants. This issue, coupled with high turnover and employee dissatisfaction, has Gen-Z leaning away from pursuing this job sector.
According to the survey’s data collection of 10,000 students, 76% prioritized stability the most when it comes to their careers. Their concerns outranked location, reputation, as well as even high salary potential.
On another note, young professionals are treading lightly with entering the tech sphere due to the rise of AI. Artificial intelligence has started infiltrating multiple industries, with many tech executives already noting the ways AI can reduce the need for certain engineering jobs. This revelation has upcoming engineers breaking away from workforces that may consider them obsolete in the near future.
Furthermore, younger professionals have a greater generational priority on wellness, leading them to choose career paths that cause less stress. Half of the survey participants noted a fear of “burnout” from overworking and toxic work environments, an issue steadily plaguing tech companies.
Instead, entry-level employees are seeking jobs in the healthcare profession. Given its higher emphasis on human interaction, these jobs feel less burdened by the rise of AI. These factors have many focusing on the medical and healthcare fields to stay afloat in an evolving job market.
There has been an additional uptick in diversity in the healthcare workforce. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, Black people accounted for 13.3% of all healthcare partitioners and technical jobs in 2024. They also made up 26.9% of healthcare support occupations.
With the popularity of tech jobs on the decline, this transition could speed up employee replacement by AI. However, noting this shift in priorities could also force the tech industry to regroup in order to retain its workers.
RELATED CONTENT: Meet the Women Behind the Line of Hygienic Hijabs Made for Muslims in Healthcare
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings