Young People Are Achieving 5-Figure Incomes Without a 9-5 Job. Here's How — Plus the Critical Skills They Say School Doesn't Teach Them. Generations Alpha and Z have a different perspective on professional success.

Young professionals, particularly those belonging to Generations Alpha and Z, aren't embracing the 9-5 life like those who came before them.

One recent Upwork survey found that the majority of Gen Z workers (53%) opt for freelance careers over traditional 9-5 jobs, and another report from Acorns revealed that 69% of 6-to-14-year-olds have started or plan to start a side hustle.

Nowadays, there are countless ways for young people to make money on their own terms — and online education platform K12 recently dug into some of their strategies for achieving their first $10,000 in independent income.

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K12's study, which surveyed 380 young BIZ Experiencess who graduated from public, private and online schools, found that most of them (68%) have one motivation in common when it comes to earning their first $10,000: gaining independence.

Cost of living (45%), peer influence (8%) and family pressure (6%) rounded out the top four motivators for the young professionals, according to the data.

The survey also found that a range of work opportunities contribute to young people's five-figure incomes. Many of these new BIZ Experiencess offer freelance services (30%), sell physical products (29%), or resell or flip items (18%).

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Additionally, more than half of all young BIZ Experiencess surveyed (62%) rely on their own savings to fund their first serious business effort.

Many of the young adults surveyed wish that their educations had better prepared them to run their businesses: They would have liked to learn how to market themselves or their business (45%), create a business plan (45%), pay taxes (44%), invest or save for the future (44%) and budget (40%).

Regardless of where their careers take them, young professionals should remain curious — and keep soft skills sharp, chief people officer at edtech company D2L Amy Clark told BIZ Experiences earlier this year.

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"If your skills don't yet align with your dream job, look for guidance about how you can learn more," Clark said. "Remember, your human skills — communication, collaboration, problem-solving — are just as important as the technical skills you need (sometimes even more important). Don't neglect them."

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This article is part of our ongoing Young BIZ Experiences® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.