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After complaining that Gen Z grads are difficult to work with for the
best part of two years, bosses are no longer all talk, no action—now they’re rapidly firing young workers who aren’t up to scratch just
months after hiring them.
According to a new report, six in 10 employers say they have already
sacked some of the Gen Z workers they hired fresh out of college
earlier this year.
Intelligent.com, a platform dedicated to helping young professionals
navigate the future of work, surveyed nearly 1,000 U.S. leaders. It
found that the class of 2024’s shortcomings will impact future grads.
After experiencing a raft of problems with young new hires, one in six
bosses say they’re hesitant to hire college grads again.
Meanwhile, one in seven bosses have admitted that they may avoid hiring
them altogether next year.
Three-quarters of the companies surveyed said some or all of their
recent graduate hires were unsatisfactory in some way.
Gen Z grads “unprepared and unprofessional”
So, where is it going wrong for fresh-faced graduates?
Employers’ gripe with young people today is their lack of motivation or initiative—50% of the leaders surveyed cited that as the reason why
things didn’t work out with their new hire.
Bosses also pointed to Gen Z being unprofessional, unorganized and
having poor communication skills as their top reasons for having to
sack grads.
Leaders say they have struggled with the latest generation’s tangible challenges, including being late to work and meetings often, not
wearing office-appropriate clothing, and using language appropriate for
the workspace.
Now, more than half of hiring managers have come to the conclusion that college grads are unprepared for the world of work. Meanwhile, over 20%
say they can’t handle the workload.
In reality, colleges know that their students are wholly unprepared for
the workforce—and some have started stepping up to fill the gap.
For example, Michigan State University is teaching students how to
handle a networking conversation, including how to look for signs that
the other party is starting to get bored and that it’s time to move on.
Meanwhile, a high school in London is trialing a 12-hour school day to prepare pupils for adult life.
Want to be more hirable? Attitude is everything
When asked what would make college grads more hirable, bosses
responded: A positive attitude and more initiative.
Intelligent’s chief education and career development advisor, Huy
Nguyen, advises Gen Z grads to observe how other workers interact to understand the company culture at any new firm they may join. From
there, it’s easier to gauge what’s an appropriate way of engaging with others.
“Take the initiative to ask thoughtful questions, seek feedback, and
apply it to show your motivation for personal growth,” Nguyen adds. “Build a reputation for dependability by maintaining a positive
attitude, meeting deadlines, and volunteering for projects, even those outside your immediate responsibilities,” says Nguyen.”
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently echoed that an “embarrassing” amount of your success in your twenties depends on your attitude—and the reason
why is simple: Managers would rather work with positive people.
Some leaders have even insisted that a can-do attitude at work will
advance young workers’ careers more than a college degree.
Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin, has repeatedly
urged young people to ditch university in favor of the “school of
life”.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently claimed that raw talent and
personality trump credentials.
To that end, Cisco’s top executive in the U.K., David Meads, dropped
out of school at 16 years old. He told Fortune that “attitude and
aptitude are more important than whatever letters you have after your
name, or whatever qualifications you’ve got on a sheet.”
Have you had to let go of a Gen Z employee? Or perhaps, you are the Gen
Zer who’s just been fired. Fortune wants to hear from you. Email: orianna.royle@fortune.com
https://fortune.com/2024/09/26/bosses-firing-gen-z-grads-months-after- hiring/