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- Employers aren't impressed with college graduates and are hiring older professionals instead.
- That's according to an Intelligent survey of 800 managers, directors, and executives involved in hiring.
- 20% of employers said a college graduate showed up with a parent for a job interview.
Employers are going to great lengths to avoid hiring fresh college graduates and are instead trying to win over older professionals with more benefits and higher salaries, a survey found.
Intelligent, an online magazine focused on student life, surveyed 800 managers, directors, and executives involved in hiring in the US in December. It found that 39% of employers said they avoid hiring college graduates for positions they're eligible for in favor of older candidates.
According to the survey, employers are favoring older workers partly because young professionals aren't making a great impression on hiring managers during job interviews. Over half of employers said young recruits struggled to make eye contact during the interview, and 50% said they asked for unreasonable compensation.
Almost half said they showed up in inappropriate attire, and nearly 20% said they even brought a parent to the job interview.
These bosses are employing several tactics to attract older professionals, with 60% offering more benefits, 59% offering higher salaries, 48% offering remote or hybrid working opportunities, and 46% willing to hire overqualified candidates.
Young professionals also appear to have a reputation for being difficult to work with. Nearly two-thirds of employers think that recent college graduates are entitled and that they frequently are unable to handle their workload.
At least 58% said they get offended too easily and are unprepared for the workforce. This includes an inability to take feedback and having poor communication skills, the survey found.
As Gen Z has entered the workforce in increasing numbers in recent years, employers have expressed concerns about the younger generation's ability to adapt to corporate life.
PWC, Deloitte, and KPMG are among the major firms that have said Gen Z recruits who graduated during the pandemic struggle to exercise basic communication skills and office etiquette.
As a result, they've been offering extra classes on soft skills such as how to send emails, what to wear to the office, and how to work in a team.