What ought to really feel like a shiny, new starting for early expertise coming into the job market is as an alternative feeling fairly bleak.
Take Aspen Bailey, for instance. Aspen graduated in 2024 with two bachelor levels: a B.S. in Information Science and a B.A. in Psychology. Over the course of two years, she submitted greater than 1,400 job functions, out of which roughly 50 employers reached out to maneuver ahead with an interview. That’s lower than 1%.
“I felt very defeated when I was denied roles that I had high hopes for, especially the ones where I would make it to the final round,” Aspen informed me. “Overall, the job search process has felt like the Call of Duty: Warzone video game. This process breaks you down emotionally, mentally, and physically.”
Sadly, tales like Aspen’s aren’t unusual. The unemployment price for latest faculty graduates in June 2025 was 4.8%, which was higher than the unemployment price for all employees within the U.S. In a latest survey, one in 4 younger adults mentioned they will’t discover jobs of their desired profession paths, and 62% aren’t working of their supposed careers after finishing their schooling.
There’s not one issue in charge, however a mixture working towards Gen Z.
New analysis from Gallup, Walton Household Basis, and Jobs for the Future (JFF) means that Gen Z and their dad and mom are largely unaware of various postsecondary choices attributable to a scarcity of steering and sources. You’d suppose technological developments would supply entry to extra data and help, however that’s not the case. Analysis reveals that 43% of younger professionals really feel remoted or unsupported in determining their profession paths.
New grads are additionally competing with quickly advancing AI for entry-level positions, particularly in fields like pc science which, not way back, was synonymous with excessive salaries and job safety.
To prime all of it off, Gen Z is up towards some scathing stereotypes, with some going as far to label your entire era as “unemployable” and missing sturdy expertise employers need. Having spent years immersed in how college students and younger professionals make selections about careers and postsecondary schooling, I do know that isn’t true – neither is it that straightforward.
The truth is there may be a era of younger people who find themselves struggling as they navigate a damaged workforce system. Luckily, that additionally presents us with a chance; we can assist higher put together the subsequent era for the workforce, or we will all endure the financial and societal penalties.
Why discounting a era is a very unhealthy thought
There’s so much incorrect (each logistically and ethically) with avoiding hiring Gen Z candidates or attempting to interchange all entry-level employees with AI. However right here’s one that ought to maintain all of us up at night time: a probably irreparable hole will type sooner or later workforce if younger professionals stay underemployed. If entry-level jobs diminish – the identical jobs that construct early expertise’s expertise and expertise within the first place – who’s going to fill the mid- to senior-level roles of the long run? And a not-so-distant future at that, as Child Boomers retire in droves.
As a substitute of harping on the talents employers suppose Gen Z is missing, our solely possibility is to do one thing about it. Afterall, if new grads are underprepared to enter the workforce, that’s not their fault– that could be a systemic subject.
An Employer Crucial: Hiring Gen Z
The query isn’t whether or not entry-level expertise is provided to thrive within the workforce—it’s who wins or loses in the event that they aren’t. Employers stand essentially the most to lose (if not now, then long-term), which is why they need to lead the change.
Employers can begin by adjusting expectations relating to entry-level roles. Requiring years of expertise for positions meant for brand spanking new grads is an oxymoron. As a substitute of specializing in business expertise, assess the transferable expertise college students construct by schoolwork and first jobs, equivalent to crucial considering and downside fixing wanted for a mock trial in a political science course. In case you’re not presently hiring entry-level roles, think about providing paid internships or apprenticeships to provide early expertise expertise whereas nurturing the talents you want. An excellent instance: Pinterest’s apprenticeship program affords folks from non-tech backgrounds the chance to achieve expertise in engineering, product administration, design, and analysis; be taught from mentors; and work on huge initiatives like redesigning the homepage. At Tallo, we piloted a micro-internship with a highschool scholar to help a nationwide convention and noticed wonderful outcomes from enhanced engagement to elevated operational effectivity.
Employers also can work instantly with educators to nurture early expertise’s ability improvement by current classroom-to-career initiatives, equivalent to AP Profession Kickstart by Faculty Board. In the meantime, college students ought to give attention to persevering with to construct their expertise {and professional} networks. Along with in-person networking and relationship constructing, platforms like LinkedIn and Tallo are nice locations to showcase expertise, construct connections, and discover alternatives.
“During my journey, I learned to expand my search as I had many transferable skills from my past work, volunteer work, and fellowship experiences,” Aspen mentioned. “It’s really hard pulling yourself out of the gutter when every time you have hope, you get rejection after rejection, but there is definitely hope and light at the end of the tunnel– no path is ever linear. ”
We’d not be capable of totally predict how our economic system will shift, or the impression AI can have on jobs. However there are issues we will do that can make a distinction – for the sake of this era and the long run economic system.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary items are solely the views of their authors and don’t essentially replicate the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
