Most Leaders Misread Gen Z. These Two Numbers Explain Why.
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Early jobs and first cars reveal a generational gap hiding in plain sight.
Most leaders misread Gen Z, and I'm going to share with you a couple of data points to help at least partially understand the why and what's going on.
The first telling number:
Only 12% of Gen Z in our recent survey say that they've had a job before 16 years old. Think about those lawn mowing jobs, the lemonade stands, babysitting, those types of activities that kids can earn extra money before they even get their driver's license.
Compare that to other generations:
Millennials, 22% - almost 2x
Gen X, 37% - three times as likely
Boomers, 50% - four times as likely
The headline here is that Gen Z is missing those early reps to get out there in the world and make a little money before they get to their traditional first jobs.
We know Gen Z is getting their driver's license later, so I wanted to understand how cars relate to this question as well.
The next telling number: Car ownership
This next data point was inspired by my good friend Robin Blanchette. She is the CEO of Norton Creative, the Houston advertising agency. She was on my podcast the other day, and we talked about job interviews and the questions that are asked. She mentioned that she asks her candidates, " What was your first car and how did you pay for it?" That was so fascinating to me that I decided to add it to my survey.
About 3 in 10, 28% to be specific, of Gen Z today have never had access to a car on a regular basis. That is a huge number, and obviously much higher than previous generations.
But when it comes to who paid for the first car, we see the same pattern as the first jobs. Only 18% of Gen Z say they saved for the car, and they bought it themselves with their own money. You can see that the pattern is the same as we saw in the first job question.
Compare that to other generations:
Gen Z: 18% saved themselves and bought their first car
Millennials, 36% - That's 2X Gen Z
Gen X, 41% - Also 2X Gen Z
Boomers, 51% - four times as likely
The data shows a pattern in the connection between earlier jobs, financial responsibility, self-independence, and the ability to navigate the adult landscape.
So What? Now What?
This is not a story about Gen Z being lazy. It's a story to highlight the economic opportunities that were different and sometimes not provided to Gen Z. We have to remember, Gen Z has come of age in the Uber generation, with remote everything and a gig economy. It's just a different landscape that they grew up in, with no control themselves. It's just the world that they were presented with.
Here are three things that you might want to consider as it relates to Gen Z, and this last one might be good for parents.
The first: try Robin's question in your next job interview. Ask candidates how they bought their first car — and who paid for it. It's not about penalizing anyone whose parents helped. It's about understanding the story. The car is a life metaphor — a window into someone's first real experience with responsibility, resourcefulness, and figuring things out. That question is worth asking.
The second: if you're managing a Gen Z employee — whether you're a Millennial, Gen X, or Boomer — the numbers on first jobs and first cars are materially different across your generations. The insight here is that the framework you grew up with is fundamentally different from the one they inherited. So when they don't instinctively understand something you consider basic, resist the frustration. It's not laziness. They simply haven't had the reps. What they need is exposure, experience, and someone willing to mentor them through it.
The third: for any parents in the audience — if you have a Gen Z or Gen Alpha child at home, this is your signal. The babysitting jobs, the lemonade stands, the lawn mowing — those aren't just ways to keep kids busy. They're the reps. Getting money in their own pockets, earning it themselves, understanding that work produces income — that foundation matters more than we sometimes give it credit for. Kids who make their own money early carry that into their first traditional jobs, whether that's retail, fast food, or anything else. It sets them up. Don't skip that chapter for them. With fewer people than ever having early first jobs, having one is actually a competitive advantage!
I find this research so fascinating because I think there's so much to learn around Gen Z and helping them be successful as they move in to different life stages.
I hope you enjoyed this one, and until next time.
Data source: Lisa W. Miller, Journey Back to Joy Research
Each Wave N=1,000 consumers, 18+ years old, data collected week ending March 20, 2026.
AUTHOR BIO
Lisa W. Miller is a consumer strategist and reinvention expert who helps organizations understand people, anticipate change, and act on what matters most. A Certified Speaking Professional and Certified Reinvention Practitioner, she blends deep consumer insight with practical tools that leaders can use right away.
With three decades of experience and nearly one million consumer conversations, Lisa brings both a corporate and consulting perspective. She built her early career in brand management and insights at Frito-Lay/PepsiCo and later led innovation for Brinker International. Today, she advises brands across restaurants, retail, fintech, hospitality, and healthcare through custom research and strategic guidance.
She also leads The Business of Joy, a platform that includes national sentiment tracking, thought leadership, and a weekly podcast on leadership, culture, and growth.
Lisa is a three-time EFFIE Award winner, a recipient of the David Ogilvy Research Award, and the author of The Business of Joy. Her research and commentary have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NBC Nightly News, FOX, and more than 300 media interviews. Her core belief guides all her work: when joy is greater than fear, growth begins.
🎤 🎥 Watch the latest episode of my podcast, The Business of Joy: Why Leaders Miss Potential in Their Teams (with Kelli Valade)
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