One in six hiring managers is reluctant to hire recent Gen Z college graduates, based on participants in a recent survey from Intelligent.com.
The online information gathering resource in August surveyed 966 business leaders about their attitudes toward hiring from this cohort of recent college graduates, born in 1997 through 2012.
Seventy-five percent of the respondents said that some or all of the recent college graduates they hired this year failed to make the grade, 60% of the respondents said they had fired a recent college graduate hired this year, and 14% of the companies said that only a few or none of the recent hires were successful.
The cohort has a reputation for seeming entitled, getting offended more quickly than others, lacking a work ethic and responding poorly to feedback, according to the report.
“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. They are often unprepared for a less structured environment, workplace cultural dynamics, and the expectation of autonomous work,” Intelligent Chief Education and Career Development Adviser Huy Nguyen said.
“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. These factors, combined with the expectations of seasoned workers, can create challenges for both recent grads and the companies they work for,” Nguyen added.
Almost half of the respondents said they believed that recent college graduates entering the workforce could benefit from some sort of etiquette training. Although 54% of the companies surveyed said they offer training in this area, only 48% make it mandatory for all new hires. Among participating companies that offer etiquette training, 24% said they specifically require it for all Gen Z hires.
About 5% of the companies surveyed said they do not plan to hire any recent college graduates in 2025. Among their reasons are that they will not be hiring for entry-level positions as well as concerns about Gen Z’s preparedness for the workforce, high turnover rates among recent graduates and past negative experiences with recent graduates, according to the report.
