What are the most important factors when choosing a job? The Youth Research Institute’s latest survey explored the expectations of 15–39-year-olds. According to the results, respondents value exciting and varied tasks, while routine work is seen as less appealing.
The findings highlight that workplace preferences differ significantly depending on the age and educational background of the respondents. For employers, understanding these preferences is crucial; by taking them into consideration, they can make job postings more attractive to talented young workers and improve long-term employee retention.
According to the research, 43% of 15–39-year-olds want an exciting job, even if it comes with higher stress levels, while 30% prefer stress-free roles. A desire for variety is especially strong among 15–17-year-olds (50%), while for 30–34-year-olds, a calm work environment is the most common preference (37%). The preference for job roles with variety however is striking: 52% of respondents seek variety over routine tasks (16%). This inclination is especially marked among 15–17-year-olds, 25–29-year-olds, and residents of Budapest. Among those with higher education levels, the ability to make independent decisions in their work is more popular (38%), while the youngest age group (15–17) and those with lower levels of education would rather have jobs without responsibility in similar proportions (30% and 32%, respectively).
The workplace environment also emerged as an important factor. 39% of 15–17-year-olds would prefer to work in a team made up of young colleagues. Meanwhile those aged 30–39 are more open to multigenerational work environments, with only 21% identifying a youthful team as important. For 18–24-year-olds, a friendly workplace atmosphere (40%) is more important than professional excellence (27%). Among those with lower educational attainment, preference for responsibility-free work (32%) and teamwork (42%), as well as acceptance of multigenerational teams (38%) are more common.
The results also show that 38% of respondents find fixed-location work more appealing, particularly among women — likely due to familial commitments. In contrast, 15–17-year-olds and residents of Hungary’s Southern Transdanubia region are more inclined (41%) to choose jobs that involve frequent travel.
The Youth Research Institute conducted the survey in January 2025 among young people. The study was carried out using online, self-completed questionnaires (CAWI) and included 1,000 Hungarian respondents aged 15–39, selected using a representative sampling method.
