Factors influencing career choice in Generation Z: a study from students of private colleges in Lahore

Background and Objective: Choosing a career is a difficult decision, especially among young adults, which is influenced by many dynamics. Every adolescent faces the dilemma of choosing a career due to exposure to so many avenues in today’s digitalized world. The objective of this study was to determine the factors influencing the career choices of Generation Z studying in different private colleges in Lahore city of Pakistan. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey enrolling n = 196 young students of private colleges of Lahore between the age group of 17 and 20 years selected through the convenient sampling technique. An online, validated questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp groups and the participants were asked to return the filled but anonymous proformas within 1 week. The data compilation and analysis were done by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 26.0 by keeping the level of significance at 5%. Results: The mean age of the participants was 18 ± 1.93 years. The mean age for starting to think about their career choices was 15 ± 3.32 years. Influences like social, internal, and external factors were rated as 38.8%, 37.1%, and 49.6%, respectively. The odds of making a career choice were higher for those with parental influence, a prestigious profession, and a job with a higher salary. Conclusion: The most influencing factors affecting the career choice in Generation Z were parents’ wishes, pressures, or role modelling followed by a prestigious profession and higher salaries.