LinkedIn Top Voices: Next Gen – The 10 creators to follow

The 2022 LinkedIn Top Voices: Next Gen list highlights 10 creators covering how to succeed in the next generation of jobs.?

As the world of work continues to evolve, Gen Zers are paving the way for the next generation of jobs. Some are making the leap from student to CEO, turning their passions into their full-time gigs. Others are challenging tradition in their current roles, redefining what it means to be a professional.

Gen Zers are constantly looking for their next opportunities. Recent LinkedIn data found that these 20-somethings are switching jobs at a rate of 134% higher than in 2019 — and much faster than their older colleagues. What motivates their career moves? LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index shows that Gen Zers who are planning to change jobs are searching for roles that better align with their interests and values (81%) or offer more opportunities to learn and practice new skills (76%).

Today, LinkedIn News is debuting our Top Voices: Next Gen — 10 creators covering how to succeed in the next generation of jobs. They’re talking about everything from breaking into the male-dominated VC space as a female founder to building a career in the creator economy.?Check out and follow the creators that speak to your interests to stay updated on their latest insights in your LinkedIn feed.

While this is our newest Top Voices list, it joins a family of features highlighting creators in areas ranging from finance to marketing & advertising. All Top Voices lists are editorially curated by the LinkedIn News team and highlight creators to follow who are writing and sharing about today’s important workplace, career and industry topics. You can find more about how we compiled the list and who is eligible to be a top voice at the bottom of this article.

Check out this year’s #LinkedInTopVoices Next Gen — and follow them to stay plugged into the conversation.?

Honorees are listed in alphabetical order. Reporting by Gianna Prudente and Josh Carney.?

What he talks about: Ahmed founded a Gen Z consultancy when he was a junior in high school to help organizations effectively reach young people. He shows how his generation brings their whole selves to their jobs and are in “an empowered moment” to reimagine workplaces that value the perspective of young professionals and prioritize thoughtful decision-making. Ahmed confronts where Gen Z fits into a multi-generational workforce and opens up about how he strikes a balance while leading a group of peers.

How he’s not letting his age define his career: “I started this company with my best friends when I was in high school, so, of course, there have been many people along the way who have doubted us because of our age. I think we chose to really lean into proving them wrong by committing ourselves to excellence always, and I'd like to think our successes over the last six years prove exactly what our generation is capable of when given the chance to do so.”

?? See more of Ziad Ahmed’s content

What he talks about: Alexander transitioned from being a young actor on the Nickelodeon sitcom “iCarly” to a reporter before going to journalism school and navigating to his current role. As a finance industry reporter for a business publication, he examines how industry leaders rose through the ranks, ways that applicants can break in, how virtual work has impacted young professionals and more. Alexander shows how “Gen Z has landed on Wall Street” and why the cultural divide is reshaping the future of the industry as well as the traditional pathways to a career in finance.

How he’s not letting his age define his career: “The quality of the work we do defies age, and can put those questions to bed. I focus on doing the best work I possibly can — namely, deeply-sourced, high-quality investigative or scoops-driven reporting that emphasizes integrity and detail — and pushing myself to punch above where people might traditionally expect me or my peers to be at this age.”

?? See more of Reed Alexander’s content

What she talks about: Beckford, a digital storyteller for a solo female travel blog, left her engineering job to pursue her side-hustle full-time. She opens up about the reality of being a digital nomad and content creator while sharing actionable advice for Gen Z professionals about paid travel opportunities, starting a business and how to remain safe while working remotely. Beckford talks about why “authenticity, intention and memorability are huge drivers” for Gen Z and how traveling has bolstered her skills as a young entrepreneur.

How she’s not letting her age define her career: “I quit my engineering job at age 24 to take my content creation and marketing business full-time … last year, I hit 6 figures! I never let my age keep me from following my passions.”

?? See more of Gabby Beckford’s content

What she talks about: Farage entered the workforce remotely and found a role that empowered her to grow her network and connect with her current boss. As the director of growth and marketing at a social platform for hybrid teams, the Gen Z workplace futurist covers how the first fully digital generation can foster virtual connections and how leaders can build trust with younger workers. “Being interdisciplinary is in,” Farage says, and she breaks down how to help Gen Z team members develop multi-faceted careers and define the future of work.

How she’s not letting her age define her career: “I have always put myself in spaces with people older or younger than me, largely because I believe everyone has unique and valuable things to contribute to this world. When I began applying that same thinking to myself, I learned to view my age and the experiences I’ve gone through as an asset — not a burden or disadvantage — to be leveraged as we collectively harness what’s next in the future of work. I believe that by sharing my story, not only will I help shape a better reality for us all, but also for generations to come.”

?? See more of Danielle Farage’s content

What he talks about: Greene turned down a job offer at a major consulting firm last year to pursue content creation full-time. As a self-described “Gen Z Historian,” Greene uses his platform to cover major current events in an approachable way — from being briefed by the White House on the ongoing war in Ukraine to expanding on the perspectives of key historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. Green redefines what diversity, equity and inclusion means in “the new decade,” and helps organizations better understand the next generation of workers.?

How he’s not letting his age define his career: “It’s not that age doesn't define my career, it is that I use my youth to my advantage. I am able to connect with hundreds of thousands of people on social media platforms as a digital native and the opinions I get from my audience inform my expertise and message about ‘DEI in the New Decade.’”

?? See more of Kahlil Greene’s content

What he talks about: Hullur honed his video-editing skills during the pandemic, which led to him creating short-form content on TikTok. As a “one-man media production company,” he shows what it takes to thrive in the creator economy and shares his tips and tricks with others through his?LinkedIn Learning course. From insights on conveying a powerful story to brainstorming new ideas, Hullur shows creators his “formula” for success and shares the? lessons he’s learned along the way.

How he’s not letting his age define his career: “‘Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future’ is a quote I live by and often, I put myself in circles of people older and wiser than myself so that I can absorb their intelligence!”

?? See more of Tejas Hullur’s content

What she talks about: Kianni, an Iranian-American environmentalist, translated articles about climate change into Farsi while she was in middle school in order to teach her family about the impact it was having on Iran. After becoming a climate activist at a young age, she founded a nonprofit organization that aims to make climate education accessible to non-English speakers. As a full-time student and United Nations youth advisor, Kianni shares how she’s balancing her studies with her passion.

How she’s not letting her age define her career: “As an activist, I know that my youth is an asset when it comes to heralding progressive policies and offering a fresh perspective on the climate crisis.”

?? See more of Sophia Kianni’s content

What she talks about: Loyst got her job as one of the youngest investors at a VC firm through a cold email and a cup of coffee. She now leads a global collective for Gen Z venture capitalists and covers how the next generation is consuming information, creating opportunities in the metaverse and having an impact on industries ranging from fashion to gaming. After a near fatal car crash changed everything about how she views “what it means to be young,” Loyst is focused on breaking down financial barriers for young entrepreneurs and helping students envision their careers.

How she’s not letting her age define her career: “I believe that lived experiences can be just as valuable as years of experience — the fact that I'm Gen Z is an asset to the founders I work with and in the boardroom. I have a unique perspective as the target customer they’re selling to and can be hands-on in helping them build legendary companies for my generation (and beyond)!”

?? See more of Meagan Loyst’s content

What she talks about: A multicultural advertising internship helped Parvez build the confidence and experience that landed her a job as global social media manager for a language learning app. She’s leaned into her experience as a Gen Z professional — and the value in bringing your full-self to work — to popularize the voice and define the strategy behind her company’s colorful mascot. Parvez digs into how testing and learning can lead to trailblazing new paths for companies to connect with Gen Z audiences.

How she’s not letting her age define her career: “Even though I’m one year into my career, I quickly learned that a good idea can come from anywhere. Even now, I’ve been able to make an impact on how we think about brands acting on social media through Duolingo’s TikTok presence — without letting my age define what I bring to the table.”

?? See more of Zaria Parvez’s content

What he talks about: After networking and reaching out to a hiring manager on LinkedIn to land his current role, the pandemic led Sivadas to graduate from college and enter the workforce online. The transition showed him how to adapt and he started his “Find Gen Z Series” newsletter to highlight how his generation uses different social media tools to consume news, market products and capitalize on emerging technologies. Sivadas shares how he broke into the industry and ways that companies can prioritize the onboarding process for Gen Z workers who are starting their careers remotely.

How he’s not letting his age define his career: “I made my youth an advantage. I grew up without remembering a time before social media and Google, and I realized my digital native perspective was valuable in the workforce.”

?? See more of Neal Sivadas’ content

How we compile the list

Top Voices is a series of lists that have been editorially curated by the LinkedIn News team, with the goal of highlighting creators to follow who are covering the chosen segments and/or topics. To compile each list, editors consider each individual’s content on LinkedIn. Specifically: Are they covering the topic at hand on a regular basis? Are their contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Have they built up and engaged with their communities? Do they seek to give and get help vs. being self-promotional? We aim to highlight a diverse set of voices, so that the list reflects the world we live and work in today.?

Who is eligible

Any LinkedIn member who shares content and drives professional conversations on the platform is eligible to be a Top Voice, with the exception of LinkedIn and Microsoft employees, members who have violated LinkedIn’s?User Agreement, including our?Professional Community Policies, or individuals currently running in an election for an executive, legislative or judicial position.

Top Voices may include individuals who are a part of the?LinkedIn Influencer?(invite-only) or the?Creator Accelerator?(application-based) programs. However, being a part of either does not automatically boost a member’s chance of being a Top Voice, nor is it a requirement or prerequisite for success on the platform.?

Interested in building your audience on LinkedIn??

New voices emerge every year — and there’s nothing stopping you from turning your own ideas into powerful conversations. Try?creating a post?to share your expertise or thoughts on the?latest trending news, and you may be surprised at the community you find. If you’re struggling with where to start, follow our?LinkedIn for Creators?page for content inspiration, tips, news, education and more. And if you’d like to recommend someone for a future Top Voices list, let us know in the comments (just be sure to tag them and let us know why you love following them). We’re always looking for new individuals to highlight.

Who would you recommend for a future LinkedIn Top Voices list? Let us know in the comments section below by tagging them and sharing why you enjoy following them.

Coming up…

The job market has been reshaped by the pandemic in ways we are only beginning to understand. On May 18, LinkedIn will release its annual “Guide to Kickstarting Your Career” to help recent graduates and other career starters navigate today’s rapidly evolving hiring climate. What advice do you have for those starting out? Publish your thoughts with the hashtag #CareerKickstart. We’ll be looking to highlight your advice as part of this special report.