In recent years, a narrative has emerged that Gen Z employees aren’t excelling in the workforce due to poor attitudes and work ethic. A recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers by Intelligent finds that one in eight hiring managers plan to avoid hiring recent college graduates in 2025. Additionally, 33% of hiring managers say recent graduates lack work ethic, and 24% say they’re unprepared for the workforce.
One in four hiring managers say that recent graduates are unprepared for interviews, explaining that they struggle with eye contact, dressing appropriately, and negotiating compensation. Additionally, nearly one in 10 hiring managers have had a candidate bring a parent to an interview. More than half (55%) of hiring managers have had to fire a recent college graduate in 2024.
Most (97%) say their companies will hiring for entry-level positions in 2025. However, 12% state they will avoid hiring college graduates for these positions and will instead prioritize hiring older candidates.
Of those who have worked with recent graduates (91%), 33% say recent graduates lack work ethic, while 29% believe they are entitled, and 28% feel they lack motivation. Additionally, 27% say they are easily offended, 25% think they don’t respond well to feedback, and 24% believe they are unprepared for the workforce. Other concerns include lack of punctuality (23%), need for micromanagement (20%), poor communication skills (20%), and laziness (17%).
“Instead of avoiding recent college graduates entirely based on biases and stereotypes, hiring managers need to adopt more proactive and nuanced approaches to identifying promising candidates,” says Huy Nguyen, chief education and career development advisor at Intelligent. “It’s important to find individuals who have demonstrated motivation, adaptability, and growth potential. Specific skills and processes can be easily taught to someone who is motivated and has the right attitude.”