By Contributor,CPRW,Gen Z,Kara Dennison,SPHR

Copyright forbes

Why Gen Z Is Choosing the Career Lily Pad over the Career Ladder

Gen Z is rewriting the definition of career success, and their influence is already changing the workplace in 2025.

A recent Glassdoor report highlights “career minimalism” as a key driver of this shift, with 68% of Gen Z respondents stating they wouldn’t pursue a management role unless it came with a higher salary or a more prestigious title. For many young professionals, a job is no longer the centerpiece of identity but rather a means of financial security. Their real energy and ambition are increasingly directed toward pursuits beyond the 9-to-5, from creative projects to side hustles that are turning into meaningful, and often lucrative, opportunities.

For decades, success meant climbing the career ladder. Employees were expected to stay loyal, earn steady promotions, and build a life around a single company. That linear model is losing ground. Gen Z is gradually embracing what is known as the “career lily pad.” Rather than climbing rung by rung, they move laterally, diagonally, and sometimes across industries altogether, collecting skills and experiences with every leap.

To many employers, this looks disruptive. In reality, it reflects how unstable today’s job market has become. Automation, AI, rising costs, and the decline of long-term job security make flexibility a smarter bet. By moving away from the traditional ladder, Gen Z isn’t rejecting ambition; they’re redefining it. Success, in their view, is no longer measured by linear promotions but by cultivating adaptable skills, broad experiences, and opportunities that provide both financial security and personal fulfillment.

Career Lily Pad: Gen Z’s Answer to Workplace Uncertainty

For much of the 20th century, career success meant climbing the corporate ladder, steady promotions, longer tenures, and loyalty. Gen Z is moving in a different direction. Instead of following a straight path upward, they’re embracing “career lily pad”, a model that allows moving across roles, industries, and even fields to build broader skills and experience.

This approach is often misunderstood as restlessness or a lack of ambition, but the data show it’s actually strategic. According to Glassdoor research, 70% of Gen Z workers say AI has made them question their job security, and that concern is pushing many to seek career paths less susceptible to disruption. They’re changing their strategy to adapt to current workplace realities, where traditional paths to success no longer offer the same guarantees they once did.

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Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z isn’t actually avoiding management roles. Glassdoor’s data shows they’re entering leadership positions at the same rates as previous generations, accounting for roughly 10% of current managers. However, their attitude toward management has shifted. They view these roles primarily as career-ladder moves rather than inherently valuable positions, expecting clear benefits like higher pay or prestige.

For Gen Z, career growth means staying adaptable rather than staying put. They treat each position as an opportunity to acquire skills, build connections, and prepare for future moves. When a role stops offering development opportunities, they move on without hesitation.

Gen Z as a True Side Hustle Generation

Gen Z’s strategic approach to career building centers on continuous learning and skill development. Deloitte’s 2025 survey found that 70% of Gen Z professionals develop new skills weekly, with 67% learning outside work hours. This commitment to growth extends to their employment expectations, as 79% would look for new jobs if their current employer didn’t provide development opportunities.

This learning mindset underscores why they’re leading the side hustle economy. Harris Poll data show that 57% of Gen Z currently have a side hustle, compared to 48% of Millennials, 31% of Gen X, and 21% of Baby Boomers. These parallel careers aren’t backup plans or hobbies. They represent how this generation defines professional success and builds their identity outside traditional employment structures.

While remote side hustles ranging from nurse practitioners and content writers to graphic designers and translators allow them to express their passion and creativity, the often unmentioned reason behind this approach is that they’ve witnessed millennial burnout and economic instability firsthand. They’ve seen what happens when workers tie their identity too closely to their job, and they’re determined to avoid the same fate by diversifying their professional pursuits and maintaining boundaries between work and personal fulfillment.

How Gen Z Approaches Management Differently

Despite perceptions that Gen Z avoids management roles, reports show otherwise. In fact, they are stepping into leadership positions at the same rate as previous generations, now accounting for roughly 10% of all managers.

The difference lies in how they approach leadership once they get there. Gen Z managers are abandoning rigid hierarchies and micromanagement styles in favor of flexibility, work-life balance, and collaboration. And this has been evident in concrete workplace policies and expectations.

Thanks to their pragmatic leadership style, 58% of Gen Z employees report easing up at work during summer months, compared to just 39% of workers aged 45 and older. More telling, 31% of workers expect flexible hours to be the top benefit offered by Gen Z managers. For this generation of leaders, work-life balance isn’t a perk to be earned. It’s a baseline expectation.

However, many young workers remain unconvinced because they feel the job market isn’t delivering the same guarantees it once offered previous generations. Rather than chasing status through relentless advancement, they prioritize stability and personal fulfillment alongside financial security. This explains why they’re leaning more towards more “reliable” fields in healthcare, education, and skilled trades.

Navigating Career Growth Using the Career Lily Pad Approach

While Gen Z pioneered the career lily pad model, this approach isn’t limited to the youngest generation. Millennials, Gen X, and even Baby Boomers are increasingly adopting similar strategies, especially in a flexible and unstable workplace like the workplace of today.

The lily pad approach, otherwise known as job hopping, works particularly well for professionals who feel stuck in traditional career trajectories or those whose industries are experiencing significant changes. Rather than waiting for the next promotion or following predetermined career paths, workers of all ages can benefit from strategic moves that prioritize skill development, personal fulfillment, and adaptability.

Define Your Professional Priorities

Start by identifying what professional growth means to you at this stage of your career. Traditional metrics, such as titles and salary increases, may matter less than creativity, work-life balance, or social impact. This self-assessment serves as your guide for evaluating opportunities and ensuring that each career move serves a strategic purpose.

Consider Strategic Lateral Moves

Career advancement doesn’t always mean moving up organizational charts or ladders. Deliberate lateral moves into different departments, roles, or industries can provide valuable experience and expanded skill sets. These transitions often offer more learning opportunities than traditional promotions within the same function.

Prioritize Learning and Skill Development

Treat each position as an opportunity to acquire new capabilities, build connections, and expand your professional toolkit. When a role stops offering growth opportunities, it may be time to consider your next move rather than staying out of inertia.

Recognize When to Stay

Changing jobs isn’t always the fastest route to growth. Sometimes the opportunities you want are within your current organization. Talk openly with your manager about your career goals, and seek new projects or responsibilities. Internal moves can offer advancement while avoiding the challenges of starting fresh elsewhere.

Know How Employers See Job-Hopping

Job-hopping is more accepted today, but some hiring managers remain cautious. Roles held 18–24 months are usually fine, but shorter stints need clear justification. Research company culture, industry norms, and leadership to understand their view on career moves and job tenure, ensuring your transitions align with both growth and employer expectations.

Build Multiple Revenue Streams

Developing a portfolio of freelance work, creative projects, and side activities creates both financial security and professional flexibility. These parallel ventures provide outlets for creativity and allow you to explore potential career pivots without abandoning your primary income source.

Gen Z’s career lily pad approach represents more than a generational preference. It signals a fundamental shift in how work fits into modern life. As economic uncertainty persists and traditional career guarantees continue to decline, this flexible model offers a practical alternative to rigid corporate ladders. The professionals who adapt to this new reality, regardless of their generation, will be better positioned to navigate an increasingly unpredictable job market while maintaining both financial security and personal fulfillment.

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