Generation Z Job Hunters: A Complete Guide Part 2 - What Are the Differences in How Men and Women Approach Job Hunting?

The " Recruitment Branding Expert " consulting team, which supports branding in talent acquisition, conducted the "Comprehensive Survey on Generation Z Job Hunting 2024" targeting job-hunting university and graduate school students graduating in 2024 and 2025 (release available here ).

This series will unravel the trends among current job seekers and their attitudes toward work styles based on these results, supplemented by additional web surveys and interviews.

The survey results revealed significant gender differences in certain areas, indicating that gender-based differences in awareness already exist before students even join a company.

Japan's 2024 Gender Gap Index, released by the World Economic Forum in June, ranked 118th out of 146 countries worldwide. While this represents a slight improvement from last year's all-time low, gender disparities, particularly in politics and economics, remain a serious societal challenge. As the importance of promoting women's advancement grows within companies, this article focuses on gender-based differences in attitudes – which could offer hints for closing the gender gap – and delves deeper into women's perspectives.

Many women prioritize a clear distinction in work-life balance

First, let's examine how men and women each envision their "work style." When asked about their desired balance between work and private life, 26.9% of men chose "a company where they can leave on time and secure private time," while 42.6% of women selected this option, showing a tendency for women to place greater emphasis on private life.

Respondents who answered "neither gender" were excluded from the 818 survey participants.

Next, when asked what is necessary to feel like they "want to keep working," "good pay" ranked first for both men and women. However, different trends emerged in the rankings beyond second place. Notably, 51.9% of women selected "being able to secure personal time," compared to only 32.4% of men, showing a significant gap and again indicating that women tend to prioritize personal time more.

Respondents who answered "neither male nor female" were excluded from the 818 survey participants.

What exactly do women mean by "private time"? We conducted additional interviews (※1) with 10 women scheduled to graduate in 2024 or 2025 who had experienced job hunting.

Opinions gathered included desires for time away from work to rest, spend time with friends, or pursue hobbies. However, many also expressed: "While young, I want to work hard and gain as many skills and experiences as possible" (Kansai region, science major, 4th year university student, real estate job offer), "I feel more fulfilled when I can fully commit to work on weekdays" (Tokyo, liberal arts, 4th year university student, media job offer). These responses indicate a proactive stance toward skill development and a perspective that views the importance of private time through the lens of creating "balance" in work-life harmony. Even when prioritizing private life, it doesn't seem to diminish the priority placed on work.

In the survey asking what is necessary to feel "I want to work here long-term," other items showing significant gender differences included "No gender discrimination." Only 4.6% of men selected this response, compared to 21.5% of women. "Open communication within the company" was another item with a large gender gap: 36.1% of men vs. 52.9% of women.

Additional interview research (※1) also revealed awareness of gender ratios during job selection, as seen in comments like: "I always check the male-female ratio of employees when considering job offers" (Regional, STEM field, 2nd-year master's student, received offer from HR consulting firm).

Regarding workplace openness, respondents emphasized factors like "the ability to voice opinions easily even as a junior," "an environment where good ideas from juniors are accepted," and "support for personal challenges." This indicates a desire for an environment where individual opinions are respected and support for taking on challenges is readily available from colleagues.

※1 Survey participants: 10 female university/graduate students scheduled to graduate in 2025 who received job offers; Survey period: May 24 to June 5, 2024

 

Women who wish to work long-term at the company they join as new graduates

This survey also revealed gender differences in career perspectives regarding job-hopping intentions. The response "I have no intention of changing jobs at this time" was given by 77.4% of women, more than 10 percentage points higher than the 67.1% of men, indicating lower job-hopping intentions among women.

Respondents who answered "neither gender applies" were excluded from the 818 survey participants.

Additional interviews (※1) with female job seekers who are not considering changing jobs revealed their reasons: "I finished my job search by choosing a company where I can fulfill my dreams and aspirations, so I have no intention of changing jobs at this point. However, if I feel the workplace relationships aren't a good fit and I can't transfer, I think I would consider changing jobs" (Regional area, Liberal Arts, University 4th year, Insurance offer), "I chose and decided on a job offer from a company that allows flexible adjustments to my work style within the company according to my circumstances, such as marriage or childbirth, even without changing jobs" (Tokyo area, liberal arts, 4th year university student, media job offer).

In this survey's deeper exploration of reasons for considering a job change, men showed a tendency to focus on "career advancement" and "starting a business" after gaining skills, with these proportions being over 5 percentage points higher than for women. Conversely, women cited "adapting to life stage changes" and "gaining diverse life experiences" as reasons at rates over 10 percentage points higher than men. This highlights differing orientations: men prioritizing career advancement through salary and position, while women emphasize balancing work with enriching life experiences beyond it, considering life stage transitions and their impacts.

The persistent male mindset: "Men as the primary breadwinners" even in dual-income households

An additional web survey (※2) examined attitudes toward balancing work with life stage changes like marriage, childbirth, and children's education. It revealed that many students intend to continue working even as their life stages change.

※2 Survey Participants: Male and female university/graduate students graduating in 2024 or 2025; Sample Size: 100; Eligibility: Registered members of the career support NPO "Encourage" who are university or graduate students scheduled to graduate in 2024 or 2025. While the panel base is the same as the main survey, respondents were newly recruited for this survey and are not necessarily the same individuals. Survey Period: June 21–24, 2024

Notably, the percentage of women (36.9%) who "would prefer to prioritize work" was over 10 percentage points higher than that of men (25.7%), indicating stronger motivation among women to continue working.

Regardless of life stage changes, the next survey results suggest that women who wish to continue working often have a mindset premised on dual-income households. Furthermore, they appear to have a stronger awareness than men of the need for equal sharing of household expenses.

When considering "dual-income households," 63.1% of women envision "both partners contributing roughly equal amounts to living expenses." However, the traditional notion that "the man is the primary breadwinner supporting the family" persists, even among Generation Z. This mindset likely connects to men's greater emphasis on salary and career advancement, influencing their company selection during job hunting.

A Mynavi survey of full-time employees in their 20s also revealed a gap of approximately 2.15 million yen between men and women's ideal annual income, and a gap of 637,000 yen in actual income, with women earning less.

Additional interview research (※1) revealed perspectives on mid-to-long-term career and life plans: "If I get married and have children, I think (the woman) will end up working reduced hours" (Kansai region, liberal arts, 4th-year university student, job offer in food industry); "If I expect too high a salary, the responsibilities demanded at work will increase, potentially hindering the balance between work and family life" (Tokyo area, liberal arts, 4th-year university student, job offer in banking). It seems that women are putting the brakes on their own career advancement based on vague preconceptions about work-life balance formed even before entering the workforce.

Another comment noted: "During job hunting, I had interviews with executive-level people, but they were all men, and I couldn't picture myself in such a position" (Tokyo, liberal arts, 4th year university student, bank job offer). It seems important to note that the unbalanced gender ratio among older generations within companies makes women aware of the "glass ceiling" even before joining.

Perspectives on companies before and after receiving job offers

While women tend to consider their mid-to-long-term careers and lifestyle even before joining a company, securing a job offer is the primary focus during the early stages of job hunting. Attention to how women are thriving within the company and how they achieve work-life balance often shifts to the later stages of job hunting, typically after receiving a job offer. Companies should also consider how best to communicate information about work styles to students at each phase of the job hunting process.

Moreover, in an era where over 90% of university graduates receive job offers, students increasingly find themselves in a position to choose companies. Comments like this emerged in interviews: "After receiving the offer, before joining, I spoke with several female employees at the company and read employee reviews on corporate review sites before finalizing my decision" (Kansai region, liberal arts, 4th year university student, offer from a food company). Other positive aspects mentioned included: "During the interviews leading up to the offer, I was impressed by how attentively the employees listened to my stories and concerns" (Regional, Liberal Arts, 4th Year University Student, Insurance Job Offer). Conversely, negative impressions were also evident, such as: "Near the final selection stage, an executive-level interviewer kept leaning on their elbows throughout the interview, leaving a bad impression that led me to choose another company's offer instead." (Kansai Region, Liberal Arts, 4th Year University Student, Specialized Trading Company Job Offer). These experiences with employees encountered during job hunting clearly influence company selection.

While respecting each job seeker and showing genuine care during recruitment is essential, with employee reviews now publicly accessible, companies must focus not just on putting on a facade for job seekers, but on how they genuinely interact with their own staff daily.

This article delves into the differences in attitudes between male and female students regarding job hunting and post-employment work styles, with a particular focus on women's perspectives. Key factors women prioritize when choosing a company emerged beyond just "salary" and "company stability," including the following points:

• The ability to maintain a clear work-life balance
• A positive workplace environment where everyone, including young employees, feels comfortable sharing opinions
• Flexible work arrangements that accommodate life stage changes like marriage and child-rearing

While these points are particularly prominent among female job seekers, they are fundamentally important for creating a workplace that is easy to work in and where people want to continue working—regardless of gender and not limited to job seekers, but also for existing employees. Considering these points, effectively communicating what the company is already doing internally and externally, and implementing changes where deficiencies exist, could lead not only to enhancing the company's appeal but also to actions that help bridge the gender gap in society.

A New Approach to Recruitment Centered on Job Seekers
In February 2024, Dentsu Inc. launched the "Recruitment Branding Expert" consulting team focused on hiring Generation Z. We support corporate recruitment branding using proprietary methods like the "Job Hunting Journey Map"—a Dentsu original concept leveraging marketing methodology—and the "3C Framework," which simultaneously achieves highlighting company strengths, differentiating from competitors, and connecting with job seekers. When considering effective recruitment strategies for Generation Z with diverse values, please feel free to contact us.

Dentsu Inc. Recruitment Branding Expert Secretariat (Nishii, Iwabe)
Email: recruit-branding-expert@dentsu.co.jp

【"Gen Z Job Seekers Survey 2024" Overview】
・Purpose: To identify Gen Z's attitudes and trends regarding job hunting
・Target Area: Nationwide, Japan
・Eligible Participants: University and graduate students registered with the career support NPO "Encourage" scheduled to graduate in 2024 or 2025
・Valid Responses: 818
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Survey Period: February 9–15, 2024
・Survey Agency: RECCOO Inc.