Ex-U.S. press secretary urges Gen Z to stop waiting, start working
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — As Gen Z graduates face a contracting job market marked by the disappearance of entry-level roles and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), former White House Press Secretary and current Fox News co-host Dana Perino is urging young workers to abandon the pursuit of a perfect plan and begin working.
Perino advises that the key to navigating economic uncertainty is to start somewhere and remain open to unexpected opportunities.
“People look back on their careers and go: ‘Wow it wasn’t a straight line,’” Perino told Fortune.
Why Gen Z should embrace a non-linear career path
Perino was a journalist, worked on Capitol Hill for her local congressman, represented the Republican Party in Colorado, dabbled in public relations, and even spent some time as a college radio DJ, pulling overnight shifts, before she became the second woman in history to serve as the press secretary of former President George Bush.
Reflecting on this winding road, Perino told Fortune that obsessing over a linear plan can blind individuals to the opportunities directly in front of them. She notes, “If I had planned out my whole life, my life wouldn’t have been my life.”
For those currently frustrated by hundreds of job applications with no return, Perino’s advice is intentionally blunt: start working, wherever you are. She acknowledged that early in her career, she was skeptical of the advice that passion and salary would eventually align, especially since she began in fields not known for high pay.
However, experience validated that wisdom. Recalling a conversation with a mentor, Perino noted the directive was simple: “Pick the one thing you love to do and do that—and the salary will follow,” Perino recalled.
Waiting for the dream role or employer can mean standing still, but Perino emphasized that taking a job does not require a two-year commitment; it merely gets the momentum started. “Just start working—wherever it is,” she said.
Cross-generational networking tips for Gen Z
Perino stresses that strategic relationship-building is an important weapon for Gen Z, but one that must be applied properly.
She also urges entry-level employees at Fox News to take unexpected opportunities, such as in an elevator or a green room, by posing simple, open-ended questions like “What was your big break?”
According to Perino, the majority of the population sincerely wishes to assist, is too curious, and also demands that relations be maintained.
She has cautioned against the typical trap of re-emerging when your immediate need arises and said that a simple check-in every six months with a life or career update would help maintain a healthy, productive relationship lasting beyond just one job application.
This suggestion is especially timely, as a 2024 LinkedIn survey found that one in five Gen Z employees had failed to have a face-to-face conversation with someone over 50 in the last year, in part because they did not feel comfortable interacting across generations.
Perino says that young professionals should not be afraid of geographic relocation to gain experience because, when they leave a large city such as D.C. or New York and develop in a different city, they will be in a better position to return to the same city in a higher position.
“You have to be having eyes and ears open at all times—always be learning and to take advantage of opportunities when they come,” she said.
Perino’s call for Gen Z to abandon the belief of a linear career path and embrace scrappiness, relocation, and cross-generational networking isn’t just advice for navigating a tight entry-level market—it’s a preview of a future of work where adaptability and human connection become the primary currency as AI continues to erode the traditional, structured roles.
