Aashna Doshi meticulously tracks her mental energy throughout the day. The 23-year-old software engineer at Google, specializing in security and artificial intelligence, has learned that self-awareness is crucial to maintaining her demanding schedule. Beyond her role at the tech giant, she produces a podcast, creates social media content about navigating the tech industry, and documents her life in New York City. Some days, she accomplishes all three after clocking out from her primary job.
Doshi represents a profound transformation in how young professionals approach their careers. Recent data reveals that 57% of Gen Z Americans maintain a side hustle, a stark contrast to the 21% of baby boomers who do the same. This isn't merely about earning extra income—it's a fundamental reimagining of what it means to build a professional life.
The traditional model of dedicating one's entire identity to a single employer has lost its appeal for a generation that came of age during economic uncertainty. Instead, they're constructing what banking executive Mark Valentino describes as a "portfolio of careers"—a collection of pursuits that collectively provide both financial grounding and personal meaning.
For Doshi, the motivation stems from a desire for creative autonomy. "In my side hustles I can finally offer myself an outlet to be creative and express myself without any constraints," she explains. "This is probably the biggest thing: I can represent myself as an individual with all these ambitions, skills and passion versus 'Aashna is a software engineer at Google.'" Her content creation allows her to shape her own narrative rather than being defined by her corporate title.
This sentiment resonates deeply with Sen Ho, a 25-year-old who balances a retail position at a stationery store with his digital illustration business. Ho's entrepreneurial journey began in middle school when he sold sketches to classmates for candy money. What started as a childhood venture has evolved into an essential revenue stream that helps him survive in New York City, where the annual cost of living can approach $64,000.
The financial imperative is undeniable, but Ho emphasizes the psychological rewards. "I love how art can evoke emotion in people and share a story," he says. "Compared to my retail job, my side hustle gives me a sense of accomplishment. It's more challenging, creative and mentally stimulating and I can have a real impact." He admits candidly, "If I wasn't doing my side hustle, I would be very lost in life. It is what keeps me going."
This generational pivot reflects hard-won wisdom. Having witnessed their parents' generation pour their identities into companies that offered little security in return, Gen Z workers are prioritizing flexibility, freedom, and purpose over blind loyalty. The Harris Poll survey found that most young professionals no longer view a traditional 9-to-5 job as the primary path to financial success, instead turning to diversified income streams and investing.
Valentino, who serves as president of business banking at Citizens Bank, notes that this cohort is "thinking in terms of what I call a 'portfolio of careers'—not just one path, but a bunch of different things that bring them fulfilment." They observed their predecessors struggle with work-life imbalance and concluded they'd rather have equilibrium than chase the same level of financial success through a single channel.
The economic landscape has made this approach not just desirable but necessary. In major metropolitan areas where housing, bills, and basic expenses consume the majority of a traditional salary, supplementary income has become a survival tool rather than a luxury. Yet unlike previous generations who might have taken on second jobs purely out of necessity, Gen Z is intentional about choosing side hustles that align with their values and interests.
This intentionality creates a powerful psychological benefit. The side hustle becomes an identity anchor—a space where young professionals can exercise agency, develop mastery, and experience tangible impact. While their day jobs provide stability, their independent projects offer something increasingly scarce in corporate environments: a direct connection between effort and outcome, creativity and recognition.
The phenomenon also challenges conventional notions of career progression. Rather than climbing a single ladder, these workers are building a lattice of experiences. A software engineer becomes a content creator and podcaster. A retail worker becomes a professional artist. Each role informs and enriches the others, creating a more resilient and versatile professional identity.
Companies are beginning to take notice. Employers who once demanded complete devotion are now confronted with a workforce that sees their job as just one component of a larger professional ecosystem. This shift may ultimately force organizations to offer more flexibility, creative opportunities, and purpose-driven work to retain talent.
For Doshi, the balancing act requires constant vigilance. She monitors her mental state precisely to prevent the burnout that could derail both her corporate performance and her creative pursuits. This self-regulation is itself a skill—one that previous generations rarely had to develop but that has become essential for the portfolio careerist.
Ho's experience highlights another key aspect: the side hustle as a form of self-discovery and direction. In a world where traditional career paths feel increasingly uncertain, building something independently provides a sense of control and purpose. It's not just about making ends meet; it's about making meaning.
The implications extend beyond individual workers. This trend could reshape everything from retirement planning—where multiple income streams replace single pensions—to how skills are developed and validated. When your resume includes self-started ventures, the traditional markers of career success become less relevant.
What we're witnessing is more than a fleeting trend. It's a structural response to economic precarity, a rejection of outdated work cultures, and a reclamation of professional identity. Gen Z isn't just working differently—they're building a fundamentally new relationship between labor, meaning, and livelihood.
As Doshi puts it, her generation wants to be seen as whole people, not just job titles. The side hustle isn't a distraction from their "real" work. For many, it *is* the real work—the work of building a life that feels authentically their own.