Managers Don’t Want to Hire Gen Z, Citing Lack of Interpersonal Skills, Survey Finds
The following contribution is from Forbes and is written by Liz Elting, a founder, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and multimillionaire bestselling author who addresses the dynamic intersections of women, business, and the evolving workplace. For more than seven years, Elting has provided Forbes readers with expert perspectives on founders and investors about the impact of women in business and vice versa, including her in-depth analysis of «she-cession» and the results of investing in women. Considered one of the world’s most successful self-made women, she grew her startup into a multimillion-dollar company after earning her MBA in finance and international business from New York University Stern University. She has been recognized by the National Organization for Women (NWO), Ernst & Young, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Forbes. Elting is the author of the bestselling book «Dream Big and Win: Transforming Passion into Purpose and Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.» Follow Elting for insights and analysis on key workplace trends and stories impacting women, business, and the future of work.
Recent Gen Z college graduates have had an uphill battle entering the workforce.
A new survey from General Assembly found that more than a quarter of executives wouldn’t even consider hiring a recent college graduate today.
And it’s not because young, entry-level new employees don’t have enough knowledge to perform the tasks listed in their job descriptions.
Rather, the managers surveyed believe that the most significant deficiency among Gen Z workers is a lack of essential interpersonal skills, often referred to as «soft skills.»
These include communication, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, adaptability, conflict resolution, and other skills that are typically developed through direct experience, rather than instruction, and that are vital to career success.
Fewer College Graduates Are Being Hired
Unfortunately, the lack of soft skills among younger workers is leading companies to hire fewer college graduates, which is already having repercussions for the U.S. workforce overall.
The Strada Institute for the Future of Work and the Burning Glass Institute found that more than half of recent four-year college graduates are underemployed one year after graduation, according to their «Talent Disrupted» report.
The lack of soft skills is also affecting the jobs of managers, who are already overworked following a series of layoffs in middle management positions.
Managers resign due to stress from supervising Gen Z
According to a new study by online education magazine Intelligent.com, one in five managers has considered resigning due to the stress of supervising Gen Z workers, and 75% say it requires more time and resources than other employees of other generations.
Social isolation during the pandemic is cited as the main reason younger workers feel unprepared for today’s workforce.
A Gartner report revealed that 46% of Gen Z employees say the pandemic made it difficult to achieve their educational or career goals.
During the pandemic, younger generations primarily pursued distance learning. As the Gartner report points out, without in-person connections and interactions in school, Generation Z «missed out on the opportunity to develop soft skills, such as negotiation, networking, speaking confidently in front of crowds, and developing the social stamina and attentiveness needed to work long hours in a face-to-face setting.»
It’s indisputable that, to do their jobs well, employees need to hone hard skills—the specific technical skills that virtually every job requires.
For example, workers must know how to write code or develop a product. However, without soft skills, those same workers might not know how to coordinate with their colleagues and other teams involved in the project, or they might not know when and how to communicate their questions to team leaders during the planning process.
Regardless of the industry, soft skills are necessary for success, and while it may seem easier to dismiss job applications from younger workers in the short term, it won’t be beneficial for companies in the long run.
Failing to hire and cultivate young talent simply isn’t sustainable (or right). Furthermore, ignoring Gen Z workers means overlooking an incredibly tech-savvy, adaptable, innovative, bold, and diverse talent pool with fresh perspectives.
Failing to invest in Gen Z’s professional development is a serious mistake that companies will pay dearly for one way or another.
Rather than failing to hire younger workers, companies should consider offering training that teaches them key soft skills. According to a survey conducted by ResumeBuilder, in response to Gen Z employees’ struggles with interpersonal skills, 45% of companies began offering specialized courses to help them get up to speed. Of the companies surveyed, about two-thirds found these courses highly successful.
To be clear, teaching interpersonal skills should begin before graduation.
According to a report by education experts at the Learning Policy Institute, in addition to traditional pedagogy, schools should focus more on teaching interpersonal skills to better prepare students for success.
The report states that subject knowledge alone is not enough, and that curricula should also emphasize «other essential competencies, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, effective communication, independent learning, and an academic mindset.»
Notably, the report also states that «the human brain develops in response to positive relationships, experiences, and environments, and a high-quality education begins with relationships.» This applies both inside and outside the classroom.
Professional development is necessary to ensure that those entering the workforce gain practical experience outside the classroom and hone valuable interpersonal skills that will be useful throughout their careers and lives.
To that end, schools increasingly offer programs in which young people can work on their problem-solving, communication, collaboration, time management, and leadership skills.
For example, Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, hosts a «Powerful Business Skills Conference» that teaches students communication and leadership skills.
Programs like this are an excellent start, but it’s clear that companies also need to invest more in their Gen Z employees.
Companies can’t simply send Gen Z graduates into unemployment because they haven’t yet had the opportunity to develop crucial interpersonal skills.
This isn’t their fault, and the generations responsible for their professional development must address this.
Companies must consider how to prepare the next generation for success by investing in workplace programs, mentoring, and onboarding training that develop and strengthen interpersonal skills.
The business world needs Gen Z talent; to harness it, business leaders must be willing to invest in cultivating it.
2024 Graduates Face a Tough Job Market
The following contribution is from Outsource Accelerator, the trusted source of independent information, advice, and expert implementation of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).The number 1 authority on outsourcing. Outsource Accelerator offers the world’s leading aggregator marketplace for outsourcing. It connects Philippine outsourcing providers with companies (clients) around the world.
The author is Liezel Once, a business journalist at Outsource Accelerator, the world’s leading outsourcing platform. She also has experience in television, radio, and online broadcasting. When not busy with the demands of work, Liezel loves to travel.
The class of 2024 is entering the workforce and facing numerous uncertainties. Having endured a pandemic and disrupted education, many graduates are concerned about job security, daily work life, and the risk of burnout.
Additionally, a recent SHL study reveals that companies plan to hire 5.8% fewer recent graduates compared to last year.
Similarly, a Resume Genius survey reveals that Generation Z is the most difficult to manage,
and protests on college campuses could also impact job prospects. This indicates a potential uphill battle for those entering the workforce.
AI disruption transforms the employment landscape for recent graduates
One of the main factors contributing to the decline in recent graduate hiring is the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace.
Many companies are leveraging AI to automate tasks previously performed by recent graduates, leading to a reevaluation of their talent needs for recent graduates.
Only 24% of organizations use assessments for early career positions, and only 27% consider graduate recruitment programs their top priority.
In contrast, 57% of organizations focus on recruiting and developing internal talent.
“Organizations’ emphasis on graduate communication, adaptability, and reliability reflects the dynamic and collaborative nature of modern workplaces,” SHL talent acquisition expert Matt Kirk told Forbes.
The Importance of Leadership
“The need for graduates to manage and present effectively highlights the growing importance of leadership and influence at all levels of an organization.”
Graduates Remain Optimistic Despite Career Challenges
A recent Handshake survey of 2,687 students planning to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 2024 reveals mixed feelings about their future.
The survey highlights five key trends: financial concerns, relocation, job reputation, government jobs, and application diversity.
Despite the obstacles, the class of 2024 remains optimistic about their prospects. The same survey revealed that 70% of graduates are confident they will find opportunities to apply their skills and develop the careers they desire.
“This year’s graduates may be anxious about the future, but they are more determined than ever to pursue successful and rewarding careers,” the report states.
“They have clear priorities: stability, location, and the company’s reputation as a great place to work.”
MBA Graduates from Top Universities, Like Harvard, Northwestern, and Stanford, Are Struggle to Find Jobs, According to a New Report
The following contribution is from the Entrepreneur website and is written by Sherin Shibu, a business news reporter at Entrepreneur.com. She previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copywriter. Her coverage covers technology, business, strategy, finance, and even space. She is a graduate of Columbia University.
Graduates from some of the nation’s top universities are finding fewer jobs than they were a few years ago.
Key Takeaways.
Graduates of the top MBA programs in the US are struggling to find jobs.
The percentage of MBA students without a job offer three months after graduation increased at top universities between 2021 and 2024.
MBA graduates have a median starting salary of $120,000.
American companies are hiring at their lowest rate since April 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The market is so competitive that even graduates from top business schools are struggling to find work.
A Bloomberg report released Monday analyzed job placement outcomes at the nation’s seven top MBA programs (Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business) and found that job placement outcomes at all seven schools declined in 2024 compared to 2021.
At Harvard Business School, for example, the percentage of MBA students without a job offer three months after graduation nearly quadrupled, rising from 4% of the class in 2021 to 15% in 2024. MIT Sloan School of Management reported nearly identical numbers, growing from 4.1% in 2021 to 15% in 2024.
Kristen Fitzpatrick, director of career development and alumni relations at the School of Harvard Business School professor Fitzpatrick told The Wall Street Journal last month that MBAs «aren’t immune to the difficulties of the job market.»
«Going to Harvard isn’t going to be a differentiating factor,» Fitzpatrick said. «You have to have the necessary skills.»
Graduates without job offers multiplied
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, meanwhile, saw its percentage of graduates without job offers increase sixfold, from 2.3% in 2021 to 13.2% in 2024, while Columbia’s percentage nearly doubled, from 6% in 2021 to 11% in 2024.
Stanford’s percentage tripled, from 4% in 2021 to 12% in 2024, while Northwestern’s more than tripled, from 2.9% to 10.2%.
The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business had the best overall job placement rates: only 1% of its students were unable to find a job three months after graduating in 2021. However, even at Wharton, that percentage rose to 6.9% in 2024.
A full-time residential MBA at a top-seven school like Wharton or Harvard can cost more than a quarter of a million dollars, according to the MBA website Poets and Quants.
Still, the degree typically offers a solid return on investment: a survey by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) found that the median starting salary for MBA graduates at US companies was $120,000 in 2024.
So why are job placement rates declining? Poets and Quants noted that more than 70% of the class of 2022 at Harvard, Wharton, and Columbia Business Schools ended up in finance, consulting, or technology. According to the WSJ, key firms in these sectors have reduced their MBA hiring.
Reduced Hiring of MBA Students
For example, the consulting firm McKinsey reduced the number of MBAs it hires from the University of Chicago’s Booth School from 71 students in 2023 to 33 in 2024, according to The Journal.
According to the same report, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have also reduced their MBA hiring targets.
Lower Hiring Due to Increased Investment in AI
In the tech sector, economists also told Business Insider that companies were hiring fewer MBA graduates due to their increased investment in artificial intelligence.
Recent layoffs at Meta, Microsoft, and Google earlier this year show that big tech companies are cutting costs while investing billions of dollars in AI.
When Harvard MBAs Can’t Find Jobs: How the Job Market Has Changed
This Forbes article by Chris Westfall covers the changing nature of the leadership debate. An international business coach for executives, entrepreneurs, and aspiring leaders, he is the author of four books and ghostwriter for eight more (including a Wall Street Journal bestseller). An international keynote speaker and frequent media guest, he has appeared on NBC, ABC News, Bloomberg, BBC Radio, and multiple media outlets. His clients include influencers, Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, political candidates, military leaders, professional athletes, and global organizations.
Harvard MBA students struggle to find jobs
For decades, earning an MBA from an Ivy League school has been considered the key to landing a job everywhere. According to Fortune, a Harvard MBA is the best of the best, ranking first in 98 American business schools.
However, by 2024, even an elite Harvard MBA degree doesn’t guarantee employment, as unemployment rates among recent graduates have more than doubled.
According to recent reports, including an article published on MSN, a growing number of Harvard Business School graduates are struggling to secure a position.
In 2022, only 10% of Harvard Spring MBA graduates were still looking for work 90 days after graduation.
Today, that number has skyrocketed to 23%. What does this say about the job market when nearly a quarter of graduates from a top-tier
