Generation Z faces workplace readiness and career entry challenges

Generation Z is facing significant hurdles entering the professional workforce, ranging from skill gaps to intergenerational tensions. Byron V. Garrett, CEO of the nonprofit Genesys Works, is addressing these challenges by providing an eight-week crash course for young people. The program focuses on essential workplace etiquette, such as professional email writing, punctuality, meeting behavior, and the professional use of AI, to prepare them for paid internships.

Beyond skill development, Gen Z faces social and structural obstacles. A survey by Insperity indicates that parental involvement in a candidate’s job search can be detrimental; 47% of Americans reported they would be less willing to hire or promote someone whose parent communicated with recruiters.

Additionally, social media platforms like TikTok have become arenas for intergenerational conflict. Many Gen Z job seekers have expressed frustration toward millennials, accusing them of occupying entry-level positions and preventing younger generations from climbing the corporate ladder. This tension coincides with a difficult job market where unemployment for recent college graduates remains high.