India’s GenZ More Inclined To New-Age Jobs, Suggests iQOO Global Quest Report 2024

Hyderabad: One in every four GenZ respondents in India is more inclined towards new-age job fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and content creation, while 43% are willing to sacrifice their work-life balance to succeed in their career, a study conducted by the iQOO and CyberMedia Research (CMR) has revealed.

The iQOO Quest Report-2024 reveals the outcomes of the study in which 6,700 respondents, aged between 20 to 24 years, from seven countries—India, USA, UK, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia—participated.

The report gives an insight into Gen Z Questers’ spirit and motivation to fulfil their dreams, obstacles and barriers that disrupt their quest for passion, and career choices that drive their interests.

GenZ is the demographic cohort born between 1990 and 2010.

“Today’s youth are characterized by their bold dreams and an unwavering drive to bring those dreams to fruition. While we specialize in high-performance smartphones, we have been inspired by the innovative ways young people utilize technology to chase their goals. This led us to decode the aspirations of today’s youth and to offer them the support they need. The report is an effort to inspire Gen Z to embark on their quest despite numerous challenges and achieve their dreams,” said iQOO India CEO Nipun Marya.

Key takeaways from the iQOO Global Quest Report 2024  

New-age job

One out of four Indian respondents are more inclined towards new-age job fields like content creation, data analysis, AI, and cybersecurity. These fields offer innovative and dynamic career opportunities compared to traditional industries.

Work-life balance

43% of the respondents in India and 46% globally are willing to give up work-life balance to succeed in their careers. The recent debate on the work-life balance due to deliberation on a 14-hour workday and 70-hour workweek has stirred up conversations among Gen Z, the report suggests.

Stable career paths

Gen Z’s career aspirations are drifting away from entrepreneurship towards stable career paths. Only 9% of Indian Gen Zs want to pursue entrepreneurship while 19% aim for leadership roles in established organizations. This trend is rising despite India’s status as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, boasting over 125,000 startups and 110 unicorns.

Gender disparity

Gender disparity is viewed as a significant barrier by 8 out of 10 Indian Gen Zs, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving workplace equality.

2X more women in India feel gender affects the pursuit of their dreams compared to men.

Career advancements

19% of Indians prefer career advancements in big organizations instead of startups. A notable 91% of Indian respondents feel that taking a gap year in a career can help them pursue their dreams and aspirations.

Career despite barriers

Indian youth are hustlers, they take 2X the initiatives compared to their global peers. 46% feel financial constraints are a barrier to pursuing the career of their choice. However, over 90% are confident in achieving their dream despite barriers. Around 65% of the respondents see failure as a learning opportunity and 60% believe it pushes them towards their dreams.

Education and mentorship

Education and mentorship are seen as crucial for supporting career aspirations. 51% of Questers said that they would take up higher studies to support their quest while 49% of the Indians believe mentorship by experts is a powerful tool to support their aspirations.