Ep 22: Is Work Just a Hobby? How Gen Z Is Redefining Success with Katie O’Brien

<aside>

Show Notes

What if your job was just a hobby—and not your entire reason for existence?

On this episode of “Gen Mess with Tess,” host Tess Brigham sits down with Katie O’Brien, a Gen Z professional working abroad at a multinational company, who’s redefining what it means to build a career in a world overflowing with choices, expectations, and the ever-present pressure of comparison.

Together, Tess and Katie dive into the most surprising realities of starting out in today’s workforce—not just the freedom to pivot and explore multiple paths, but also the unexpected paralysis that comes from “too many options.” Katie opens up about the struggles of decision making in an age of social media highlight reels, the burden of being compared to previous generations, and her candid take on why Gen Z refuses to let work define their entire lives.

Other key highlights include:

• Katie’s revelation that most people don’t just have one career anymore—and why that realization can be liberating (or terrifying)
• Why Gen Z is often misread as “not wanting to work,” when really they’re just setting boundaries and craving growth beyond the day-to-day grind
• A deep dive into the anxieties sparked by constant comparison (think: friends traveling, buying homes, or switching careers), and how Katie manages that voice in her head telling her to do it all
• The power of managers sharing their own stories—and how generational conversations at work are evolving
• Katie’s best advice for managers: every Gen Zer is different, so don’t assume what works for one will work for another
• A refreshingly honest reminder: Adulthood and working life is “hard, but not impossible”—and why we all need to be a little kinder to ourselves (and each other)

Whether you’re trying to figure out your next move, manage Gen Z employees, or just want to know how today’s young professionals are navigating their own “gen mess,” this episode will give you insight, practical advice, and maybe even a little relief knowing everyone’s just figuring it out as they go.

Episode Overview:

• 00:00 — Introduction & Katie’s background: work isn’t what it used to be
• 03:00 — The myth of one career path and the overwhelm of too many choices
• 06:00 — Facing generational judgment at work
• 09:30 — The importance of supportive managers and generational perspectives
• 11:00 — Skills over degrees: Why backgrounds don’t always matter
• 16:00 — Taking advice with perspective & learning to filter feedback
• 19:00 — Social media’s impact on decision making and comparison
• 24:00 — The quest for life balance, happiness, and living intentionally
• 31:00 — Gen Z trends: Work as a hobby, not an identity
• 34:00 — What older managers should know about Gen Z
• 36:00 — The real talk: Adulthood is hard, and that’s okay

Listen in for an authentic, cross-generational conversation about what it really means to make sense of the mess today.

Follow for weekly episodes, and be sure to visit tessbrigham.com to learn more about Tess's work as a licensed therapist and certified coach.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.