“You’re such a Millennial.”

It’s a phrase that can have a slew of conotations and can often be heard echoed throughout office spaces, coffee shops and public spaces alike.

But now, you’ll be hearing “You’re such a Gen Z,” and as a member of Gen Z, I suggest you don’t take it lightly. Why you ask? Because by 2020 the working Gen Z population will reach 2.56 billion and we’re here to make an impact.

First, let’s discuss culture.

Off the bat, I want to put it out there that stereotypes don’t always make up the large majority. I’ve heard before that my generation is associated with attention spans that are worse than a goldfish. Flattering, right? Millennials and Gen Z are often given a bad reputation, including poor work ethic, but in reality we’re focusing on things other than the dollar amount going into our bank accounts.

According to HR Technologist, company culture far outweighs higher pay when considering if a Gen Z employee is to stay at a company for more than three years. And while I can’t speak for everyone, I know culture is a top driver for many of Bozell’s Gen Zers. We consider our coworkers as a second family and appreciate all the perks that come with being a Bozell team member: flexible-schedules (aka working from home), dogs in the office and the ever-changing beer keg that Matt so kindly selects (we like to think of him as our self-proclaimed beer guru).

Aside from company culture, says Forbes, many Gen Zers are craving the same skills used by past generations: critical thinking, problem solving and a thirst for more information. Forbes comments that while Gen Z is still cultivating these new skills, we’re also able to offer knowledge surrounding the digital era in return. The best way to go about this? Mentorship. And at Bozell, a mentor is just an arms reach away and resources are a’plenty, which makes this place so top-notch.

I started at Bozell fresh out of college as the Account Service intern and I quickly realized that I was hitting the ground running. And while I believe admitting your mistakes makes you a well-rounded professional, sometimes you have to remember that, “this is advertising, we’re not performing brain surgery.” – Kim

Lastly, like many other generations, Gen Z wants to give back to the community. At Bozell, we believe in “paying rent for the space we occupy,” in the literal and figurative senses. One of our founders, Morris Jacobs, originally said this phrase and we follow it to this day by giving back to local Omaha non-profits and more. In fact, when I asked one of our summer interns what attracted them to Bozell, it was just that. “I was originally interested in Bozell because of Free Ad Day. I wanted to work for a business that cares about the community and actively tries to better themselves and the people around them,” Sarah Styron.

Wrapping this up, I’ll leave you with this. Today, we’re living in a state of uncertainty, whether we like it or not. And while it’s important to remember that Gen Z wants to explore the typicals of a workplace, we’re also willing to push the boundaries of what’s known.

So, let’s not let stereotypes blur our vision. Here’s to Gen Z and beyond. *read as Buzz from Toy Story*