A recent survey of Gen Z workers found found that a large majority consider themselves to be job hoppers. And an even larger percentage of Gen Z workers with master’s degrees view themselves as job hoppers.

According to a survey by jobseeker site ResumeLab, 92 percent of master’s degree holders belonging to the generation born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s considered themselves job hoppers. Overall, 83 percent of the 1,100 Gen Z workers polled in August identified as job hoppers. And 77 percent of the respondents without college degrees considered themselves job hoppers.

While the ResumeLab survey report did not define what constitutes “job hopping,” younger workers are jumping at a faster rate than previous ones, other recent surveys have found. Twenty-two percent of workers ages 20 and older spent a year or less at their jobs in 2022, the highest number since 2006, according to data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, and about 33 percent spent two years or less at their jobs. Seventy-four percent of 18- to 26-year-olds and 62 percent of 27- to 42-year-olds were searching for a new job or planned to search in the next six months, a Robert Half survey found.

The latter findings tracked with those of ResumeLab’s. Thirty-three percent of its Gen Z respondents have had only one job, while 34 percent have had two. Twenty-three percent have worked in three different workplaces, while 9 percent have had four jobs, and 1 percent have had five or more.

Money is not the primary motivator for work, the survey found; the top three reasons were personal development (35 percent), ambition and desire to prove themselves (28 percent) and family responsibilities (28 percent).

While aspects of work such as healthy work-life balance, satisfying job duties, a good relationship with coworkers, a meaningful job and career development were preferred to a high salary by large margins, money is still important; 70 percent responded that a competitive salary is important or very important in a decision to stay with a current employer.

Roughly the same percentage said they would quit their jobs for the following reasons: a toxic working environment, a lack of development opportunities, unhappiness with the job and hurting their work-life balance. And 65 percent would do so if they didn’t get along with colleagues.

About 75 percent of Generation Z workers would quit their jobs without having another one waiting for them, while 74 percent would consider a career as a freelancer if they couldn’t find suitable employment.