MY DREAM JOB? NOT ONE I LOVE BUT ONE THAT’S PANDEMIC PROOF WITH A GOOD WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Research suggests many 18–40-year-olds have re-evaluated what they want from their careers as a result of the pandemic

• 86% of 18–40-year-olds now see a pandemic-proof job as important
• 61% feel a good work-life balance has also become more important after the last year  
• The majority (60%) have changed the features they look for in a job after a year living in a pandemic
• Nearly two thirds (63%) also say their attitudes towards work have changed – over one in five (22%) of these now see job security as more important than actually liking their job
• A role that makes you happy and fulfilled (44%) and long term job security (36%) come out as top ambitions for 18-40 year olds now  

For many young people a ‘dream job’ may have been one they were passionate about and loved doing. One that saw them move to the big city, spend their working days in a fancy office and embrace a thriving afterwork social scene. That was until the pandemic hit. Now, according to new research* by flatshare site SpareRoom, things have begun to shift in the minds of 18-40 year olds, with nearly two thirds saying their attitudes towards work (63%) have changed over the past year – nearly a quarter (22%) of these said ‘love for the job’ is now outweighed by more practical considerations, specifically job security.

According to SpareRoom’s research, conducted with over 2,000 18-40 year old adults, 86% now see a pandemic-proof career as key going forward and 61% see a good work-life balance as more important after living in a pandemic for the last year.

When it comes to current career ambitions, almost half (44%) want a career that makes them happy and fulfilled, while over a third (36%) want their job to have long-term security.

The top 10 career ambitions for 18-40 year olds now are:

1. To feel so happy and fulfilled in a job that they look forward to work (44%)
2. To have long-term job security (36%)
3. To earn an amount of money that they deem successful (35%)
4. To make a positive impact on the world through their work (32%)
5. To be able to work flexibly from home (26%)
6. To work fewer days and have a greater work-life balance (24%)
7. To be their own boss/run their own company (20%)
8. To get promoted to the top within their current industry (19%)
9. To win an award or be recognised for their work (16%)
10. To start their own business (15%)

60% of 18-40 year olds also said the features they look for in a job have changed over the past year – the location of work (24%), regular social events (23%) and workplace look & feel (sofas, kitchen, games area, bar, fun looking space etc) (23%) are less important in a post-pandemic world.

The research by SpareRoom suggests a significant proportion of respondents are already working on making their new career ambitions a reality, with a quarter (25%) undertaking training courses, 23% starting a new job, 21% starting a side hustle and 16% returning to education.

Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom Director comments: “Work is one of the cornerstones of our lives and COVID has forced people to question their relationship with their job. That means, for many, the ideal job now offers a better work-life balance, can be done anywhere in the country, is fulfilling, has a positive impact on the wider world and of course provides the reassurance of being ‘pandemic proof’.

Work is also one of the biggest drivers in the rental market. Pre-pandemic people moved for work or study. Now people are starting to think about what their lives will look like in future and the prospect of remote working opens up all sorts of possibilities. We’ve already seen a downward shift in demand for rooms in London, while other regions of the UK are seeing a rise.”**