If you or someone you love is a Gen Zer, you’re likely aware of how hard it is to get a job right now. It may even feel like this particular generation is being singled out as an unemployable group.
Several surveys, including this recent one from Intelligent.com, show that one in six employers are hesitant to hire a Gen Z employee. The survey of 966 companies found that 75% of all participants said that recent Gen Z hires were unsatisfactory and that 6 out of 10 of those companies fired a recent college graduate in their first year of employment. Reasons cited by respondents are common themes: Gen Zers are perceived as unprofessional, unmotivated, and lacking in communication and teamwork skills.
Over the last 16 years, our firm has tracked the top 1% of the candidates we’ve ever interviewed–all 30,000 of them. We analyzed this data to identify the very best performers we’ve ever seen and asked ourselves if they have anything in common. They do—and it turns out that many of their habits and skills are exactly what managers are looking for and not finding in Gen Zers.
In my book, Be the Unicorn, I outline 12 habits of top-performing job candidates, but even a few can be enough to help you on your way. Here are some traits that can actively combat bias against Gen Z workers.
They demonstrate self-awareness as early as the interview stage
Our research shows that 8.38% of our candidates who distinguished themselves as outliers in the applicant pool are strongest in the self-awareness category. This is the fourth largest group of people we surveyed looking at twelve dominant habit categories.
Self-awareness is pivotal as early as the interview phase. Unfortunately, this is where many Gen Z candidates are failing. A recent report from HR Drive reported that 94% of employers believe that Gen Z candidates act inappropriately in interviews. The most common “misbehavior”? Asking for too much money right out of the gate.
To start your first job on the right foot don’t negotiate salary at all. When a client of ours is considering taking a chance on a recent college grad, offering them their first professional job, the last thing they want to hear is a hard-nosed request for more money.
Randstad recently released findings that Gen Z has been pegged for being too focused on haggling over money, citing that 74% of all Gen Z employees expect a raise every year. Maybe this isn’t true of you, but it is the overwhelming perception employers have. This is where self-awareness can really help you get ahead. However, self-awareness is one of those things that come with age. We’re not born with self-awareness—and that’s a good thing. It doesn’t serve a baby not to cry or a toddler not to explore.
Young workers can offset their perceived cluelessness by practicing patience. After working with well over 5,000 employers, I have learned a cardinal rule of compensation: Top performers receive regular increases in pay. You will, too.
However, you shouldn’t be taken advantage of because of your youth. You should be paid fairly, and, in the cases where pay is lower than it should be, you need to find a way to negotiate. I suggest using Glassdoor and other websites to find out what your salary expectations should be. New transparency laws that require most employers to disclose a salary range will also help you know what you can expect.
Their communication skills are rooted in curiosity
Another dominant candidate quality was curiosity, with 7.5% of top performers marking this as their strongest trait. This may sound rudimentary, but study after study has shown that Gen Z is perceived in interviews as unable to communicate in person with other humans. Curiosity is a simple way to help bridge this gap. As many as 39% of candidates are perceived as lacking communication skills. Over 30% of all candidates simply “ghosted” employers. And 36% of candidates didn’t ask any questions in their interviews. Those are hard stats to overcome, but it can be done.
I’m a parent of several Gen Zers, so I understand that the communication patterns have changed. If you’re Gen Z and think it’s strange that the person interviewing you is asking you if you watch the Today Show or Good Morning America on broadcast television or which newspaper you take home, you’re not alone. Times have changed. But to fit in the business world, be a little more analog and less digitally focused.
I would go so far as to encourage Gen Z to live according to this Ted Lasso quote: “Be curious, not judgmental.” Maybe you have nothing in common with your potential boss. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be interested in your differences. I encourage Gen Z, a generation born with all of the world’s knowledge at their fingertips, to be curious. Try different communication styles, ask questions, and find out what life is like for other people–particularly those at your would-be new workplace.
They can anticipate the future by being attentive
A skill that can help here, in addition to self-awareness and curiosity, is being able to anticipate what’s next. While 8.72% of our surveyed standouts were identified as strong anticipators, not a single one of those people could see the future. They just knew how to read situations in the present and think ahead to anticipate the most likely outcomes.
Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson was once asked how he was able to win so many titles. I would’ve thought he’d mention something about Michael Jordan, but he simply said he “pays attention.”
Being self-aware, mindful of your surroundings, and focusing on the people around you will unlock the success you never knew possible, from developing relationships to delivering higher-quality results. The primary complaint I hear about Gen Z is that they don’t seem to be engaged in the interview phase, so this is a great place to start.
Ask thoughtful questions (you can prepare these in advance, which also plays into the next top-performer skill) and make sure you are building on points that the interviewer brings up so the conversation flows.
They are prepared to make a great first impression
Preparedness is another dominant quality among the best of the best in our research. While only 5.38% of top-performing job candidates were strongest in preparedness compared to the other dominant qualities, even attempting to strengthen your preparation abilities will do you a world of good.
Overwhelmingly, employers are shocked at how unprofessional younger candidates look when they come in for interviews. Data shows at least 50% of all Gen Z candidates showed up to their interview dressed inappropriately.
Here’s another case of changing times. Dress codes have become far more casual in the last 20 years. Long gone are the days of Don Draper wearing a suit, overcoat, and hat to the office every day. Business casual is in. The pandemic and lockdown only accelerated that trend as we spent two years (or more) working from our homes during a lockdown, likely wearing comfortable athleisure, at least when not on camera. For Gen Zers, the pendulum may have swung too far into informal territory.
So be prepared. Know that your future employer will most likely favor you by being a bit more put together than you might think is necessary, and this can score points in interviews. Dress at least a quarter step better than you think you should, and you will elevate yourself above the competition, alleviate concerns your future employer may have about you as a Gen Z, and be that much closer to winning the job.
Our research from studying thousands of candidates is clear: If you’re a Gen Zer, you are getting overlooked by employers right now—but with a little effort in the right areas, it’s an easy fix. Pick two or three of the items listed above and focus on those before your next interview. It might just make the difference between employers ignoring you and giving you a second look.
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