More than 17 million Gen Zer’s are transitioning from studying in school to trying to create a career. But stepping into a job right after college is proving to be difficult for some young people.
In turn, managers are finding it hard to work with Gen Z. One in seven say they may not hire recent college graduates in 2025. But getting the job isn’t the only hard part.
Keeping it has its own challenges
Despite being young and tech savvy, some employees say members of Gen Z are...
“Unsatisfactory!” That’s how 75% of managers surveyed by “Intelligent” describe recent graduates they hired. Sixty percent say they even had to fire someone.
Some of the top reasons include lack of motivation, unprofessional behavior, poor communication skills, and unprepared for the job.
“You’re coming out of college, you’ve got big dreams, big aspirations, and then you hit the wall,” said Dwight Bain, a Nationally Certified Counselor.
Bain encourages Gen Z to remember that education doesn’t stop with graduation.
“Even though you know a lot technically, you may not know a lot about your industry. There’s a lot to learn when you finish school,” said Bain.
Experts say when starting a new career, it’s crucial to work in an office setting not remotely.
“If you’re only at home, and it’s only remote, the opportunities are going to be tremendously limited,” explained Bain.
And networking is key to early success.
“The more you network, the more connected you are in your career, the more doors it will open,” said Bain.
And don’t be afraid to get involved and volunteer to take on projects.
“To take a chance and push yourself will create greater opportunities,” explained Bain.
According to Forbes, other ways Gen Z can build career confidence include understanding the workflow of the office, observing team habits, and trying to solve problems independently first.