After complaining for years that Gen Z grads are difficult to work with, 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.
The numbers are stark. According to a survey, six in 10 employers admitted they had already sacked the Gen Z workers they had hired fresh out of college.
Intelligent.com, a platform dedicated to helping young professionals navigate the future of work, surveyed nearly 1,000 U.S. business leaders. It found that the class of 2024’s shortcomings are shaping how bosses hire next—and it’s not good news for future grads.
After experiencing a raft of problems with young new hires, one in six bosses say they’re hesitant to hire recent 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.
Why are companies firing Gen Z employees?
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 trialling a 12-hour school day to prepare pupils for adult life.
How to be more hirable
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.”
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy previously 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 even 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
A version of this story originally published on Fortune.com on September 26, 2024.
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