Gen-Z is an utter failure when it comes to job hunting. That’s what headlines like “1 in 6 Hiring Managers Report Gen-Z Candidates Using Their Phones Mid-Interview” and “Who’s sitting in on that Gen-Z job interview? It’s mom and dad” want you to believe.
It’s a bunch of rubbish.
Okay, some Gen-Zers are terrible at job hunting. So are some millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers. Hopefully not too many members of the Silent Generation (those born 1926 to 1945) are applying for jobs, but if they are, they are awful at it too.
Everyone is horrible at job hunting. It’s a skill that most people don’t use very often. Ironically, people who may be terrible at working are the ones who get the most practice.
Yes, a new survey is out saying that:
to keep reading, click here: Survey Says Gen-Zers Make Terrible Job Candidates, But Here’s the Truth
Reading through this blog was definitely interesting because I never realized what companies think about Gen-Z and their work ethic. It’s mentioned that 56% of hiring managers have encountered an unprepared candidate, 51% a candidate with poor communication skills, and 48% a candidate who was not dressed professionally, all these candidates being Gen-Z. Right now, Gen-z is at the heart of job hunting because most of them have recently or will graduate college and are seeking full time employment. So, what is this is what’s stopping hiring managers from hiring Gen-z applicants. As someone who is also in the same boat, I wouldn’t want an employer to compare me to the rest of the generation simply from a survey preformed or their previous experience. I think it’s important to note that everyone is different and have been taught different manners at home and school. I think it would be interesting to see if a survey was created based on the previous generations when they first started job hunting. I think Gen-Z is still learning and still have so much yet to learn and the older generations should be assisting them through this process as well. I do like how it mentions multiple ways a company can “prepare” all candidates before going in for an interview. Setting clear expectations and boundaries will definitely help this issue and hopefully shift that negative view on Gen-Z as a whole.
I agree that it is not Gen-Z as a whole that don’t know how to complete job interviews. I stink at interviewing for a job but I am very good at whatever job I am placed in. Right now as HR I conduct interviews all the time when managers get busy but need someone quickly, and I have noticed the poor choices some people make during interviews. Dressing up is a huge one, I have seen pjs, cowboy fit, street clothes and sweaty (just came from the gym) workout clothes from all ages to their interview to a real job. I think job interviewing needs to have more of a focus in schooling or life as a whole but I agree it isn’t just the Gen-Z population dragging it down.