Graduating from university, young professionals do not find what they expected. They go to interviews repeatedly, but to no avail: they never find their dream job. We decided to find out why it is so difficult to find a job for today’s youth.
In this regard, also read: What Should You Study to Land a Job That Pays Well? 5 Suggestions
There are several reasons why young people find themselves without a job: the pandemic has complicated the economic situation in the country. Most companies are looking for people with experience, while many young people work unofficially, and some have decided to take a break after their studies and do not plan to work yet. Another reason for unemployment among the younger generation is that not all employers share the values of young people: lack of formalism and respect for vertical hierarchy, rapid development, finding a balance between personal time and work, having their professional view of the tasks, high speed of communication.
It would seem that now so much talk about soft skills (soft skills) and their importance for the modern worker, but the younger generation of these skills is still underdeveloped. Without self-presentation skills, a person will not get the job of their dreams because they will need to sell their education and skills competitively. With poor communication skills, they will not work effectively in a team. Now programs are being introduced into the school curriculum that will teach children how to present themselves, communicate and work in groups, and manage as part of a team. But what starts now will only bear fruit in 5-10 years. Unfortunately, many of today’s graduates do not know how to do this.
During the formative years of Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1986), teachers were responsible for moral education. Nowadays, the school’s position is only to impart knowledge.
It is essential to develop independence during school, the ability to finish what you start, responsibility for the result, emotional openness, and flexibility. Do not be afraid of change, be open to new things. All this can be developed in a more conscious age: many unique pieces of training and courses allow you to learn how to hold a conversation, advanced use of modern technology and work in a team, on a project, participate in a forum and learn self-presentation. Another practice is partnership. Meetings with successful businesspeople or team leaders can help you learn from their experience in team-building techniques and networking. You can ask them for feedback on your place in the team and you in communication, and so on. The best way to develop agile skills is to self-reflect, reflect, and evaluate the experience.
Representatives of Generation Z have been in the process of self-identification for much longer than previous generations. They are in no hurry to have children, build a career, buy real estate, or even learn to drive a car. For them, the state of searching for themselves, their vocation, their true feelings, and so on is ordinary. Surveys show that people between 20 and 25 value the social good most in their work. At the same time, they are not ready to work for a small salary and put up with a routine.
Unfortunately, young people often go to college under the influence of their parents, who have much control over them. After some time, during their studies (including paid ones), the person realizes that it is not his choice. He is not interested in the specialty his parents choose. There is a situation where the market is full of people without motivation and relevant educational experience who do not know where to put themselves.
Before you place your resume, it’s essential to decide what you want to do. There are now many special courses and tests on career guidance, including in the last years of school. If there is a financial opportunity, it is worth it for a graduate to try himself in a project or internship (you can use paper writer service to prepare all writing items needed to be accepted to the program) before going somewhere full-time. There is less chance of the job becoming a burden since the project only lasts a few months. Job fairs and various forums where you can learn about new directions for yourself and talk to professionals in the field can also be helpful.
The modern generation has in many ways overturned the way of life before them: they get married later, have children even later, pay more attention to career and personal pleasures, do not save for an apartment, and do not seem to save for anything at all and do not want to be responsible for anything. They invented the sharing economy and now rent everything: carsharing, swapping, movie and music subscriptions. The modern man may have nothing except his phone, but he will use whatever he wants. But this is not some ingenious solution, but a desire to get everything here and now. The modern generation grew up in a reasonably comfortable environment and is too dependent on material values and comfort.
Perestroika, scarcity, the age of change, and severe economic crises are no longer affected. It is undoubtedly good, but such greenhouse conditions have a downside: young people mature later and cannot take responsibility, save money, and deny themselves pleasures. So, it turns out that the employer, who belongs to the older generation, feels this weakness. And, of course, he wants to see a more independent and collected person in the team.
Increase life and social independence. Sometimes the way a person shows himself at an interview plays a more decisive role than his resume and merits in the past place of work. Self-confidence will not be if a person is financially dependent on parents or unstable in social relationships: no friends, cannot communicate, requires increased attention, but is not ready to provide it to others. Awareness of these weaknesses and consultation with a psychologist is the first step toward a more mature, conscious outlook on life.
There are no authorities for modern graduates of 18-25 years old, except for self-recognized experts. Therefore, the boss’s attitude is a bit different: for them, he is not a patron but part of the team. Often modern people are not interested in building a career in principle. They are ready to sacrifice a high salary in exchange for personal comfort. That said, if the job involves being in an office, the space must be comfortable.
At the same time, modern graduates cannot be called lazy: they are not afraid to take on ambitious tasks in a short time, provided there is no excessive control. They need praise and little encouragement to maintain their sense of independence. Motivation can be minimal and nominal, but it must be after an agreed-upon deadline.
Freedom should not be given up. Most companies now offer the possibility of remote or part-time work. But the job seeker should ask himself why this freedom is so important to him since he will still work according to a schedule and results. Perhaps he feels uncomfortable dealing with colleagues or avoiding the extra workload and overtime. In this case, the person needs to either work through the problem with a specialist or look for a field that will allow him or her to work freely.
