LinkedIn OpportunityIndex 2020
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Key Findings
Confidence is highest in developing economies and among younger generations. Developing economies like India, Indonesia, China, United Arab Emirates and the Philippines are more optimistic than developed economies like Japan, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. A similar dichotomy is seen demographically, with Gen Z and Millennials expressing greater positivity about the future than Gen X and Boomers. •
Age is a multi-faceted challenge for different generations, but they are united in embracing change. Regardless of their optimism levels, all generations cite age-related opportunity gaps among their top challenges. For 43% of Boomers, age is their biggest opportunity gap while 25% of Gen Z struggle with a lack of work experience, which is age-related as well. However, contrary to popular belief, people are not resistant to change, regardless of age. While working hard (81%) tops the list of what people perceive it takes to get ahead in life, a willingness to embrace change (80%) comes in a close second. People recognise that they have to work hard, adopt a growth mindset and embrace lifelong learning as the economic landscape and job market evolves.
Stronger, more diverse professional networks boost overall confidence, but few are actively networking. Those with stronger and more diverse professional networks are more likely to be optimistic about their opportunities than those without. Globally, 76% respondents believe that knowing the right people and having the right connections is key to getting ahead in life, yet only 22% are actively looking for networking and mentorship opportunities — likely because a majority of respondents (51%) believe that the lack of a network is a difficult challenge to overcome.