Gen Zers are tossing their graduation caps and entering the workforce with starry eyes. But Warren Buffett—one of the world’s most prolific entrepreneurs—says glitzy compensation packages shouldn’t be their top priority.
In his farewell remarks as CEO last year, the Oracle of Omaha reflected on his eight-decade career and shared a key lesson for Gen Zers launching their professional journeys.
“Don’t fixate too much on starting salaries—instead, be extremely mindful of who you work for, since you’ll adopt the habits of those around you,” Buffett said at his final annual shareholder meeting. “Some jobs simply aren’t worth taking.”
The 95-year-old investment titan has decades of experience to draw from; he led the iconic $1 trillion holding company for over five decades as both CEO and chairman, before stepping down as chairman at the start of this year.
Yet his career didn’t begin with such financial success. The billionaire’s early jobs included selling Coke bottles door-to-door and delivering newspapers for The Washington Post at just 13 years old. After college, Buffett entered the corporate world: he landed a role at his father’s brokerage firm, Buffett-Falk & Co., and later worked as a securities analyst at Graham-Newman Corp.
Looking back, Buffett emphasized the value of getting along well with the five bosses he had in those early years—and he advises young professionals to seek similar positive relationships, as this can have a major ripple effect on their long-term career growth.
“If you find people you enjoy working with, that’s the place to be,” Buffett added. “You won’t always make the perfect call on this, but your life will trend in the direction of the people you work with—those you admire and who become your friends.”
Buffett’s Additional Career Tips for Gen Z: Surround Yourself with People Better Than You and Refine Your Strengths
Buffett has built an enviable career. Thanks to his early odd jobs and passion for entrepreneurship, he became a millionaire at 32 (equivalent to roughly $10 million today). Over the next six decades, he continued to achieve business success: he was named the world’s richest person in 2008, and his net worth grew to a staggering $150 billion.
Even with his long list of impressive achievements, Buffett still makes an effort to surround himself with people who outperform him in other areas—and he says this is a crucial factor in success.
“It’s wiser to spend time with people who are better than you,” Buffett stated at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting last year. “Choose colleagues whose behavior is superior to yours, and you’ll gradually move in that positive direction.”
For Gen Zers aiming to become millionaires or build successful careers, Buffett outlined a straightforward plan. The self-made entrepreneur stressed the need to identify their true strengths and commit fully to them—even if mistakes occur along the way. A strong support network will help professionals unlock their maximum potential.
“Identify your strengths, choose the right people to work with, and don’t fear making mistakes,” Buffett noted last year.
Buffett’s advice may sound easier to say than to put into practice—and he’s well aware of the career challenges brought on by tough job markets and economic downturns. Still, he believes the best path for Gen Z is to find jobs (and bosses) they enjoy, for a sustainable career.
“I’ve encouraged them to look for jobs in (1) a field they love and (2) with the type of people they’d choose if money were no concern,” Buffett wrote in a letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. “I recognize that economic realities might hinder this search. Even so, I urge students never to abandon the quest—because once they find that kind of job, they’ll no longer feel like they’re ‘working.’”