Survey: Companies don’t want to hire Gen Z, say they’re not prepared

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Recent college graduates may find it harder to land jobs as Generation Z’s reputation precedes them according to a new survey.

A survey conducted last month by Intelligent.com found that a stunning three out of four companies reported that they had issues with some or all of the recent college graduates they had hired.

In the poll of 966 hiring managers and business leaders, a staggering six out of 10 companies fired a recent college graduate who had just been hired this year.

“Many recent college graduates may struggle with entering the workforce for the first time as it can be a huge contrast from what they are used to throughout their education journey,” said Intelligent’s Chief Education and Career Development Advisor, Huy Nguyen.

“They are often unprepared for a less structured environment, workplace cultural dynamics, and the expectation of autonomous work. Although they may have some theoretical knowledge from college, they often lack the practical, real-world experience and soft skills required to succeed in the work environment,” Nguyen added. “These factors, combined with the expectations of seasoned workers, can create challenges for both recent grads and the companies they work for.”

Hiring managers who were surveyed said that members of this group are unprofessional, unable to handle the workload, and are just not prepared to enter the workforce, with one in six saying they are reluctant to hire them.

A staggering 90% of those surveyed believe recent college graduates “should undergo etiquette training” while one in seven companies will likely not even be hiring this age group next year.

“The most frequently cited reasons for why these hires didn’t work out were a lack of motivation or initiative (50%), poor communication skills (39%), and a lack of professionalism (46%). Other factors included struggles with feedback (38%) and inadequate problem-solving abilities (34%),” the report noted.

Some of the new hires had to be placed on performance improvement plans at a majority of companies (79%), while 60% reported that some of the recent hires were eventually fired.

Entitlement was cited by nearly two-thirds (65%) of the hiring managers who were surveyed while 63% thought the hires from Gen Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – were too easily offended.

“Additionally, more than half (55%) believe they lack a work ethic, and 54% say they don’t respond well to feedback. Similarly, 53% feel that Gen Z college graduates are unprepared for the workforce and believe they have poor communication skills,” the report noted.

“Recent college graduates interviewing for their first job should take the initiative to thoroughly research the company they are interviewing for. Doing the research and sharing your perspective in the interview shows that you have a genuine interest in the company and are committed to being a part of what they do,” Nguyen suggested.

“They should also emphasize their ability to work with others in unfamiliar environments and their desire to learn new things quickly. I suggest they use specific examples from academic projects, internships, or out-of-classroom activities to show how they have developed these skills,” added Nguyen.

But some advice was doled out to the hiring managers as well.

“When interviewing recent grads, it’s important for hiring managers to adapt their process to be more tailored to candidates who have no or little job experience,” Nguyen said. “Focus on potential over experience by evaluating candidates who have demonstrated adaptability, problem-solving, and coachability. These traits can show they have the mindset to better succeed in the workplace.”

Members of Gen Z are expected to make up nearly 30% of the workforce by 2025, according to Forbes.

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.