It’s a tough time for those looking for a career breakthrough, and experts say Gen Z is feeling the brunt of it.
With many industries making cuts, securing a job can feel more complex than ever, especially for those looking for a career straight out of university.
It’s reported that only 59% of students manage to get a job, with many taking up to 15 months to find after graduating, and with budget cuts to many businesses, it’s estimated this number will reduce.
Many people are quick to blame Gen Z’s lack of work ethic, arguing that they are showing up with no desire to work. Some people even slam their attire, but these stereotypes aren’t accurate according to Ed Fidoe, founder of London Interdisciplinary School, who said the generation’s workplace woes are “not remotely Gen Z’s fault.”
Career expert says everyone makes same awkward error when asking for a pay rise
With some media blaming Gen Z for not being up to the task, not dressing appropriately, not showing up on time, showing enough initiative or coming in with a ‘can-do’ attitude, it’s no wonder the en masse of downtrodden grads are feeling like failures.
The founder told HuffPost that one of the biggest challenges young workers face is that many companies are simply not hiring at the moment, and many places feel they can “trim their graduate intake” even though they “regret it sort of four, five years later.” Ed also noted that there is a “structural problem” in many companies currently, such as the impact AI has on graduate jobs.
He said the typical ‘low-level’ research jobs typically given to some interns can now easily by existing technology, but highlighted that internships are “crucial” if you want to stand out from the crowd when applying for roles in a busy job market. “We help broker our students to get internships every year, and… each year, it’s become quite a lot harder to place them,” the founder revealed.
Ed also slammed universities for not helping prepare students for the “real world” and for not giving students “challenges” such as handing their coursework in on time. He said he thinks universities could “do a better job” setting expectations for students.
But it’s not just uni that are at fault, the expert said. He also said employers have a “skewed” view on younger workers and what they can bring to a company. If a Gen Z worker finds themselves bored at work, he said it may be because they don’t have the “skills needed” for the workplace and it should be up to the employer to change that.
“We hear lots about employers saying that graduates don’t have any of the skills they need for the workplace…pick a list; problem-solving, initiative, communication, teamwork, all the stuff, and they’re deeply ill-prepared,” he says. “The thing that’s not talked about very much is that graduates, particularly from often very intellectually challenging degrees, go into work and go, this is really boring.”
If this is the case, he revealed it’s then up to that employer to “think harder” at what that employee could be better at, and slammed their “lazy perspective” over Gen Z workers, as there are some things they may be better at than others.
Do you have a story to share? Email niamh.kirk@reachplc.com
Hair loss sufferers praise ‘amazing’ £1.50 supplements reduced in new year sale