Wondering who is Generation Z? Find out the Gen Z characteristics, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and culture of this zoomer generation.

As more and more Gen Zers come of age, Generation Z will soon be the darling generation in which researchers and marketers will turn their focus to. As the children of mostly Generation X and a few Millennials, Gen Z will inherit a different world to improve upon.

These digital natives will soon be the driving force behind trends, culture, and what is or isn’t “cancelled”.  Learn more about the zoomers and their traits below.

What Generation Z (Gen Z) Is And What Their Characteristics Are

Generation Z characteristics

What is Generation Z?

Generation Z (also known as Gen Z or Zoomers), is the demographic group that is after the Millennial generation and before Generation Alpha. Most members of Generation Z are digital natives and have used technology at an early age. Gen Z has little to no memory of the 20th century. Most members of Generation Z are the children of mostly Generation X and a few millennials.

What are the Generation Z birth years & age range?

Most researchers agree that the birth years for Generation Z are the late 1990s to the early 2010s. Pew Research Center has not yet set an official birth and age range for Gen Z. However, they did use 1997 to 2012 to define Gen Z for an analysis in 2019. Thus far, anyone born after 1997 and onward is considered Generation Z.

generation z traits

What are common names for Generation Z?

Common nicknames for Generation Z include:

  • Gen Z
  • Zoomers
  • Centennials
  • Gen Zers
  • iGen

What are common characteristics of Generation Z?

  • Diverse
    • Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation. This also means that Generation Z tends to be more open-minded.
  • Financially Focused
    • Generation Z has seen the previous generations (generation X and millennials) lose significant about of savings and financial stability during the Great Recession of 2008. Therefore, Gen Z are more focused on stable, well-paying careers
  • Researchers
    • Having technology at their fingertips since adolescence has much of Gen Z searching online first for reviews, critiques, and specifications before making any type of purchase or business deal. Any topic can be searched nowadays. Libraries and enclyopedias are replaced by Google, Siri, and Alexa.
  • Entrepreneurial
    •  Gen Z has seen the immense successes of relatively “regular people”. Either they’ve seen friends or idols make an adequate living off being an influencer or they’ve seen acquaintances invent apps that makes millions. Being a business owner for a Zoomer does not necessarily mean opening up a brick-and-mortar place. Money can be made almost exclusively online with little to no overhead. Zoomers have grown up on witnessing multiple paths to financial security, therefore they’re more likely to be more entrepreneurial.
  • Digital Natives
    • Speaking of technology, Generation Z is the generation that remembers little of life before the invention of a smartphone. Gen Z can navigate technology much more quickly than their predecessors.

gen z characteristics

  • Impatient
    • With all of this data accessible with a click of a button, Zoomers are typically impatient. They want what they want… now. They’ve grown up on Uber/Lyft Car rides with minutes, groceries delivered within hours, package deliveries within a day.
  • Competitive
    • While millennials were known for teamwork and collaboration, Gen Z is much more independent, and therefore competitive. Since they’ve grown up on the idea of social media number of likes and followers, they quantify this into their strive for being the best. They may be competitive with others or with themselves.
  • Short Attention Spans
    • Zoomers lean towards media platforms that offer short or instant gratification. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok offer quick glimpses into others lives. For Zoomers, businesses need to have a shorter delivery time, dating is easily done through a swipe, and work collaboration can be accomplished through Slack (as opposed to a traditional face-to-face meeting).
  • Easily Distracted
    • With their short attention spans, Gen Z can be very easily distracted. Texts, emails, notifications all come on a flurry on a Zoomer’s smartphone. Even with the distractions, Gen Z can also focus and multitask. They’ve grown up on multiple internet browsing tabs open and multiple screens in the house, so they can easily find their way back to the task.
  • More Flexible On Time And Place
    • Generation Z has a culture where they don’t necessarily have to be in the same room to make a connection. As more zoomers enter the workforce, employers might see a shift for the demand of teleworking. Zoomers still want to meet face-to-face as they’ve grown up on live video chatting with Facetime, Zoom, and Skype.
    • Gen Z may also prefer having a flexible schedule. They are easily distracted but they’ll come back to the task at a later time. You might see a Zoomer working on something in the morning, then a little bit in the afternoon, then late at night.

gen z traits

What are Gen Z known for?

  • Always on their phone
  • Wary about acquiring student loan debt
  • Snapchat and TikTok
  • Learning things through YouTube
  • Streaming services over traditional cable
  • More political activists
  • Open-minded
  • Google Drive and Docs over Microsoft Office
  • Things done with a swipe of the finger
  • Traveling more
  • Wanting quicker delivery times
  • Online customer service chat is a must
  • Video chats

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