A recent study suggests that Gen Z college graduates struggle in job interviews due to developmental setbacks affecting their communication skills.
Employers are favoring older candidates due to perceived difficulties with professionalism, eye contact, salary expectations, and punctuality among Gen Z applicants.
The study also highlights concerns about entitlement, work management, and workplace readiness. (Trending: Chilling Arrest Footage of Trump Co-Defendant Provides Glimpse Into Jack Smith Probe)
Natalie E. Norfus, founder of The Norfus Firm and human resources expert, said, “In this day and age, employers are far less willing to invest the effort and money it takes to train inexperienced workers because the demands on production are at an all-time high and average workplace tenures are lower.”
“We’ve heard several managers say they don’t want to waste time training someone who’s just going to leave,” she continued.
Joe Mull said, “The idea that younger workers are less equipped, more entitled or less motivated is a generational trope as old as time itself.”
“These unflattering perceptions of the workers coming in behind us are the same perceptions that older workers had about us when we arrived at the workplace,” he continued.
“Organizations of every stripe are navigating staffing and retention challenges,” said Mull.
“Workers of all ages are struggling with workloads and deadlines, often for reasons beyond their control, which have little to do with their character or work ethic,” he concluded.
He supports the need for young workers to be mentored and trained by seasoned professionals, he said, instead of managers hiring older candidates with more experience to fill entry-level roles.
Recent college graduate Mikayla Kelly, 21, from New York, told Fox News Digital about her experience in applying for broadcasting jobs.
Kelly graduated from Auburn University in December with a degree in journalism and a double minor in Spanish and marketing. She said she’s been applying for jobs but has received few replies from employers, since it’s a “competitive field.”
Mikayla Kelly said, “Whenever I get off Zoom calls with news directors for stations I am applying to, I always feel self-conscious that they were not impressed by the way I spoke.”
“I can tell I sound nervous and stumble over my words sometimes, and I think that’s because subconsciously, I never felt truly prepared to be thrown into a real-world interview,” she continued.
“There is a difference between interviewing over Zoom versus in person, and I think we’ve been so accustomed to doing stuff over Zoom that it’s so much different when you actually have to go in person,” said Kelly.
“It’s not just your speaking abilities — it’s the way you dress, your mannerisms, eye contact … and I think we’ve kind of avoided that in the last few years,” she continued.
“It’s all pretty unfamiliar to me. Just coming out of college and getting thrown into adulthood — it’s kind of hard to jump right into a job,” he explained.
Mikayla Kelly said, “Many Gen Z candidates have been able to effortlessly get food, research a topic or convey ideas — all from their cell phones — which can distort their perceptions of reasonable career timelines.”
“Employers cannot reasonably expect the newer generation, with access to new technologies and information sources, to do things the way we have always done them,” she continued.
Norfus said, “We regularly come across many Gen Z candidates who have owned their own businesses before finishing high school, have incredible analytics abilities, and know how to leverage technology to more efficiently get work done.”
“Does it have to align with your personal approach to be considered good? More often than not, the answer is no,” she added.
Experts attribute these challenges to factors such as parenting, the COVID-19 pandemic, and evolving employer priorities.
While some experts emphasize the need for mentoring and training, a recent graduate emphasizes the lack of preparedness for real-world interviews and adult tasks, suggesting the need for more life skills-based education.
Additionally, the study raises questions about the value of college education and the need for employers to adapt to the strengths and perspectives that Gen Z candidates bring to the table.
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