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More Gen Zers are calling themselves founders than ever, according to new . But when it comes to asking someone for help, 73% freeze up. Gen Zers report being held back by a fear of bothering people, sounding inauthentic or being judged.
“Gen Z knows relationships matter, but many are still figuring out how to build them,” says Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn VP and career expert. “If you’re worried about bothering someone, sounding awkward, or getting ignored, it’s easy to see why sending that first message can feel intimidating.”
This lack of confidence has a real cost. Only 11% of Gen Z’s job applications include an inside connection, but those applications are nearly 7 times more likely to lead to a hire.
Gen Zer Tracy Mendoza knows the feeling. “I used to hesitate to ask my network for help,” she says. That changed after she contacted someone whose LinkedIn post resonated with her which led to landing both jobs she has today. “I’m certain I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t reached out,” she says. “It made me a firm believer in networking casually and consistently, not just when you need a job.”
Here’s the irony: the people Gen Z is afraid to network with are mostly willing to help. 83% of Millennials, Gen X and Boomers say they’d offer advice to a total stranger, and Gen Z is just as willing, at 83%, when asked.
Fisher’s advice for overcoming this fear is to stop thinking about it as asking for a favor and start thinking about it as a conversation: “It can be as simple as commenting on someone’s work, asking a thoughtful question, or reaching out over something you have in common,” she says.