They still want decent pay and meaningful work, but they’re unimpressed with the old promise that a job title can make life make sense. In a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, about a third of U.S. workers said their job is “just a job to get them by,” not a career or a stepping stone. That realism is especially pronounced among younger workers navigating a pricey economy and uncertain labor market. The American Psychological Association’s “Work in America” survey found younger workers are more likely to feel stressed, lonely and undervalued on the job. After decades of being told to chase the dream job, young adults are quietly redefining success on their own terms.