Trivago’s millennial CEO says he never had a career plan: ‘I just followed where the energy was’

• Gen Z is often ridiculed for their focus on vibes—whether it’s for investing or taking a job. But the millennial CEO of Trivago has done exactly that for his entire career. “I never had concrete plans in my life,” Johannes Thomas tells Fortune, adding that going with your gut—and out of your comfort zone—is the secret to a “thriving future.”

Despite today’s rocky job market, Gen Z may be on the money when it comes to “manifesting” success, embracing being a little "delulu," and taking on jobs based on “the vibes.” That’s because the CEO of the hotel search company Trivago says that going with the flow can do wonders for your career—and that’s exactly what worked for him.

“I never had concrete plans in my life,” Johannes Thomas tells Fortune. “I just followed where the energy was, where my curiosity was.”

His advice for Gen Z, who are currently struggling to land their foot in the door of employment: “See the opportunities and then follow your curiosity.” 

For Thomas, that has meant having a squiggly career and dabbling across marketing, product, technology, and even sales before being named CEO in 2023. The millennial has held seven roles in under 12 years at Trivago, according to his LinkedIn.

“I think the more you stay adaptive and do different things and not be too focused in one thing and not stay in the comfort zone for too long, I think the more likely are your odds of having a thriving future,” Thomas adds.

This may be a welcoming sign for Gen Zers who are already banking on job-hopping as a way to land a higher salary. In today’s market, where AI threatens entire industries, switching lanes could spotlight their versatility. After all, adaptivity is among the fastest-growing skills in the U.S. for 2025, only beat out by AI literacy and conflict mitigation—according to LinkedIn. 

Curiosity is key—when it’s gone, it’s time to leave

Being open-minded to learning new skills doesn’t mean you need to focus on something outside of your interests. Don’t take on any and every opportunity that comes your way because it looks good on paper. When he says, “See the opportunities and then follow your curiosity,”—the curiosity part is a key component here.

Really, Thomas says, it will never work out in the long run if you can’t answer: why are you doing it?

“You can work hard, but if you work on the wrong things, it doesn't really help,” he says. “I do believe, if you work on something you are curious about and you care about, you can be 10 times more productive.”

The one skill he says all Gen Z must get to grips with—no matter their dream job—is technology.

“I'm talking to my cousins that are now leaving school—[I’m] telling them to get technical literacy,” Thomas says. “Get your head around technology. You shouldn't be scared about it.”

And ultimately, if you find yourself no longer curious about the role or the industry you are in, it may signal it’s time to try something new.

“Wherever my learning curve would go down, even in my role now, I would leave and find another sparking environment, where I have people that want to move mountains, that are curious,” Thomas adds.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com