Handshake, the largest career platform for Gen Z, released new data this week, which suggests that smaller employers (or, those with fewer than 250 employees) are capturing the attention of early talent.

Key Findings

Small businesses are posting more jobs: More than one-third (37%) of all full-time jobs, nearly half (48%) of internships, and more than half (54%) of part-time jobs listed on Handshake are from small businesses.

  • Small businesses are also posting a larger share of jobs in certain industries, particularly media and marketing (61%), non-profit (56%), and arts and recreation (52%). Perhaps surprisingly, small businesses are even—or nearly even—with larger employers when it comes to volume of listings for architecture and construction (50%), professional services (45%), tech (45%), and financial services jobs (42%).

Small businesses are seeing more applicants: Between September 2023 and September 2024, 39% of all applications submitted on the platform went to small businesses, up from 32% the previous year and 27% the year before that. Also, the average number of applications per small business role quadrupled between 2021-2024.

  • Applications to open roles at larger businesses (>250 employees) are still trending upward, but not as voraciously.
  • Applicants in certain degree programs are showing more interest in small business jobs as well. The share of Computer Science students’ applications submitted to small businesses has grown 68% since the 2021-22 school year. Application volume to small businesses from students in General Studies (12%), Math and Physical Sciences (12%), Manufacturing (12%) degree programs tied for second in terms of growth in the same time frame.

Location, location, location: 75% of the Class of 2024 said that they would be more likely to apply to a job in a preferred location—ideally, somewhere near friends and family. While larger employers are often based in major metro areas, smaller employers are hiring in a wide range of communities throughout the nation, giving Gen Z applicants more options to choose from.

  • Cities with a higher-than-average share of roles posted on Handshake by small businesses include NYC, LA, Atlanta, and Detroit, but also smaller cities like Grand Rapids, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Missoula, Montana.

Go deeper: Read more from our team on job applicant trends for the Class of 2024 here.