Gen Z interns prioritize rapid career advancement over work-life balance, many eye C-suite roles

KPMG surveyed more than 900 summer interns and discovered that career progression outranks all other factors when Gen Z selects a full-time employer, eclipsing work-life balance, pay and workplace culture. An overwhelming 93% expressed a desire to eventually hold C-suite or senior executive roles. The interns identified critical thinking as the most important competency for future success, stressing the need to blend strong human skills with effective AI use.

KPMG’s national partner-in-charge of university talent acquisition, Derek Thomas, cautioned that leaning too heavily on AI early on may stunt the development of instincts essential for valuable employees. The findings contrast with broader surveys that still rank work-life balance highly for the generation. Executives such as Jamie Dimon, Andy Jassy and Daniel Lubetzky have echoed the call for stronger human skills alongside technological fluency.