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Survey find future workforce has higher expectations for ‘success’

August 27, 2015

High school students are nearly three times as likely as current workers to say they need to make $200,000 or more to feel successful, according to survey released today by CareerBuilder. The report found high school students are also significantly more likely to associate success with the ability to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

The survey found 13% of high school students said they need to make $200,000 or more to feel successful, compared to 5% of current workers who said the same. And only 18% of high school students said they would be successful making less than $50,000 a year, compared to 25% of current workers who said the same.

Survey participants were asked, “What salary do you feel you need to earn to be successful?” Their responses:

  • Under $50,000: Current workforce 25%; high school students 18%
  • $50,000-$69,999: Current workforce 27%; high school students 18%
  • $70,000-$99,999: Current workforce 24%; high school students 24%
  • $100,000-$149,999: Current workforce 15%; high school students 21%
  • $150,000-$199,999: Current workforce 3%; high school students 5%
  • $200,000 or more: Current workforce 5%; high school students 13%

“With the next generation of workers preparing to enter the workforce, now is the time for companies to adjust their recruitment and retention strategies to guarantee the success of all workers and strengthen the bottom line,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer of CareerBuilder. “While workplace expectations can vary widely among different generations, one thing they have in common is the want to be successful in their positions. Introducing programs that promote learning and collaboration — such as mentoring — can help workers of all generations achieve that together.”

The national online survey was conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder by Harris Poll between May 14 and June 3, 2015. It included more than 3,000 US workers across industries and company sizes and more than 200 high school seniors.