Why Employers HATE Gen Z

The challenges facing Generation Z in today’s workforce are more complex than ever, as entry-level jobs demand years of prior experience while employers express growing frustrations with younger workers. Once seen as an accessible starting point for building professional skills, entry-level positions now come with unrealistic expectations, leaving many Gen Z candidates struggling to gain a foothold in the job market. At the same time, automation and outsourcing have reshaped these roles, replacing critical learning opportunities with technology and making it even harder for young workers to prove their value.

The rise of AI-driven hiring systems has only made things worse. Many resumes are filtered out before ever reaching human recruiters, creating a frustrating cycle where even the most qualified candidates are overlooked. For Gen Z, this impersonal recruitment process feels like an impossible barrier, particularly as companies prioritize experience and specialization over potential. Younger workers face a disconnect between what they’ve been taught about professional success and the harsh realities of a competitive labor market.

In addition to these barriers, employers increasingly critique Gen Z’s readiness for professional environments. The pandemic disrupted many critical opportunities to develop essential soft skills like communication, collaboration, and adaptability. Combined with years of remote education and digital communication, many Gen Z workers struggle to navigate traditional workplace norms, leading to tensions with older generations and perceptions of unpreparedness.

The cost of higher education has added yet another layer of difficulty. Many Gen Z workers entered adulthood burdened by student debt, only to find themselves underemployed or working jobs unrelated to their degrees. While college has long been seen as the key to success, the diminishing availability of vocational training and affordable alternatives has left many young workers feeling as though they have no viable pathway into stable careers. With companies no longer investing in training programs and development opportunities, the burden of skill-building now falls entirely on individuals.

For employers, this generation’s emphasis on work-life balance, purpose-driven careers, and flexibility often clashes with traditional workplace expectations. Influenced by social media, Gen Z has been exposed to curated success stories and entrepreneurial lifestyles that can create misaligned perceptions about work. These aspirations for fulfillment and flexibility, while valid, have been met with skepticism by hiring managers who prioritize efficiency and immediate results.

The disconnect between Gen Z and employers reflects larger systemic changes in the workforce. Outsourced hiring, automation, and evolving workplace dynamics have created an environment that is difficult to navigate for those just starting their careers. Without clear pathways for growth, meaningful mentorship, or adequate opportunities to build foundational skills, Gen Z workers are left to navigate a system that demands more while offering less. This growing divide between employers and the younger generation highlights the challenges of an increasingly fragmented and competitive labor market.

#financialeducation #financialfreedom #jobseekers

0:00 Intro
0:20 How EVERY Generation Has Been Called “Lazy”
0:51 How The Silent Generation Created Our Modern Workforce
1:36 How Gen Z And The Silent Generation Fought For Fair Wages
2:15 How Boomers Rebelled Against The Silent Generation Workforce
3:09 How Young Boomers Job Hopped The Most Of Any Generation
3:35 Why Gen Z Job Hop
3:50 How Outsourcing Impacted Gen X In The Workforce
4:21 How Gen X Became The Most “Selfish” Generation In The Workforce
5:17 Why Gen X Push For Work From Home The Most
6:12 How Millennials Became The NEW “Selfish And Entitled” Generation
6:58 How Millennials Brought Purpose Into The Labor Market
7:29 Why Gen Z “Are The Worst Generation In The Workforce”
8:02 How The Complete Collapse In Entry Level Roles Is Leading To Gen Z Lacking Skills
8:55 How 2020 Impacted Gen Z Ability To Communicate In Workforce
10:13 The Impact Of 40% Of Hiring Process Being Outsourced
10:43 Why History Will Repeat Itself Forever While Wages Stagnate
14:43 Importance In Differentiating Individuals From Their Generation

Titles for the Algo!
Why Employers HATE Gen Z Workers
Why Employers Refuse To Hire Gen Z Workers
Why Employers Are Firing Gen Z Workers
Why Gen Z Workers Are Being Laid Off
Why College Graduates CANT Get Hired

[semkjaer]

I remember old people used to say 'children are the future' when I was young, haven't heard anyone say that in a very long time now.

[zoroark]

If saying that "45hr/wk of skilled work with a bachelor's degree needs to come with enough wage to pay rent, groceries, and utilities" is being 'entitled, ' then yes, I'm incredibly entitled when it comes to my work.

[sandevastated]

GenZ here, these are our options.

Work a job, have no free time for hobbies, still can't afford a house, still broke.
Don't work a job, still can't afford a house, still broke, have all the time in the world.

Which is better?

[ignskeletons]

The carrot and the stick only works if there is in-fact a carrot on the other end.

[NathanSMS]

It is laughable for employers to blame current job market trends on an entire generation. Its evident that these issues have been building for longer than the 'problem' generation has even been alive

[FeedMeSalt]

My father worked in road paving my entire youth. He was all over Canada away every summer for upto three months at a time.
I watched him sell his soul like his father before him.
But my father didnt gain wealth. He didnt gain a retirement. He could barely even have a house and two cars with three kids.

It royally messed me and my sisters up having a semi absent father to no fault of his own.

My grandfather did the same work for the same amount of time and retired with a farm with TWO homes on the property and two barns.
He was done working by 50.

Why on earth would i mirror the failed strategy?

[Yugophoto]

I havent found gen z has trouble communicating. They communicate just fine. Gen z wants specifics, they want instructions and reasons for why they should do something a certain way. This shouldnt be surprising, thats what school taught them. But for some reason the older generation interprets this as disrespect or 'talking back", the older crowd thinks you should do what you are told with no questions.

The older generation needs to shift their mindset - Gen Z asking questions arent disrespecting you, they are trying to fully understand the task. If you actually explain, you'll end up with more thoughtful workers.

[mikehurt]

I saw my dad work hard all my life spending time away from family and you know what that got him? Nothing

[darkfalzx]

So rich hearing about "lack of loyalty" from employers who now treat all employees as disposable.

[jenkitty]

It’s not Gen Z. It’s these employers. They want unicorns for low wages. It’s difficult to be excited to go to work when you are being paid peanuts, loyalty means nothing anymore, and you can be laid off at any second. I (1980 Gen X) was laid off in August and have applied to 80+ jobs, mostly entry level, because the demands of these job postings are insane. They are so specific and picky, what they want doesn’t exist! Got another rejection yesterday. They said that my qualifications and skills aligned, but unfortunately they were “unable to meet my compensation expectations”. My desired salary was listed at $18/hr, and I was willing to negotiate that. I now am interviewing for a 4-6m contract position with a different company that pays $12-15/hr, with no benefits. I’m running out of money and I’m desperate, so I’m going to take it. That being said, I was making $14/hr back in 2004. I never thought I’d still be taking pay cuts of this magnitude 20 years later.

[thewoollyviking]

First millennials, now gen z. Methinks the problem is less an entire generation of people and more the fact that the job market is forcing people to live for work rather than letting them just work to live. We don’t mind working, we’re just don’t want it to consume our whole life just to avoid living on the streets.

[vhateverlie]

Im always amazed by the older generations talking about the lack of work ethic while simultaneously acknowledging that they could never afford their current lifestyle with their income today.

[StefanH]

"Gen Z can't communicate" -> Proceeds to never respond to job applications. Everybody quickly blames "poor communication" on the other side. Most of the time neither side communicated properly

[calciums]

As a gen Z worker, it's hard to care about a job when:
- The job doesn't pay enough to get a house
- They increasingly want me to work extra hours for no pay
- They clearly don't care themselves when they're just importing H1B workers for cheap labor that won't complain

[timah]

The management in this survey said that gen z lacks communication skills. These are also the same managers and executives who will tell you to "just handle it" or will schedule a 2 hr meeting for something that could have been an email. There's also their corporate buzzword salad like "synergizing the dynamics of our workplace artifacts and culture" Communication goes both ways, and it's easy to blame the other party when it fails.

[versatile]

95% of the time you get left on read
3% you get a response
1% of the time you get an interview (but those don’t mean anything )
1% you actually get a job

[armorbearer]

(13:07) I agree. Companies are going have to accept the fact they are going to have to train workers. The employees with the skills they desire are not going to magically appear no matter how hard they look.

[davidbrush]

The corporate class has been gaslighting the employees that keep them rich for so long that they legitimately don't understand why we don't respect them any more. Respect is a two way street, and we refuse to give them any more until they earn it

[NeighborhoodWatchMann]

this is how they parented. instead of teaching their kids, they always berated their kids for not already being able to do something or not act 20+ years of age at 8. Then they sent their kids to school to learn everything. Funny thing is, the things kids miss today are things you MUST get from your parents.

[hanyuuhiiragi]

Me: "I just want a job where I'm not gonna be yelled at for a harmless mistake."

Employers: "Wow, you're entitled. Get out."