The New Class of College Graduates: Opportunities and Challenges

The new class of college graduates has plenty of reasons to be optimistic. After four years of semi-remote classes and uncertain futures, the job market is finally looking brighter. In fact, this new cohort may even be better positioned to land a good job than pre-pandemic grads.

The Impact of Unconventional Schooling

All those years of unconventional schooling, with Zoom lectures and dropped SAT requirements, have surely made students more amenable to change, unpredictability, and going with the flow. However, on the other side of the ledger, those years of tight labor markets and missed opportunities for in-person internships or entry-level work may have left them haplessly behind when it comes to assessing and mastering workplace culture.

The Importance of Soft Skills

Many leaders have long maintained that soft skills are often significantly more crucial than tasks that can be taught to anyone during onboarding. According to Ian Elliott, chief people officer of PwC’s UK business, students who missed out on face-to-face activities during COVID may now be stronger in certain fields, such as working independently, and less confident in others, such as presentations to groups.

The Role of Self-Awareness and Value-Adding

Matthew Saxon, chief people officer of Zoom, emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and value-adding in the workplace. He believes that young professionals need to understand how to create value, particularly customer value. Even if group presentations aren’t part of the job description, it’s incumbent upon new workforce entrants to have a strong sense of why they were hired and what they need to do to remain in good standing.

The Model for Setting Someone Up for Success

Zoom conducts a quarterly check-in among each member of its workforce, focusing on three primary pillars: understanding the priorities of the upcoming quarter, celebrating success while considering areas for improvement, and asking how to develop within current and potential future roles. Saxon believes that this model is the key to setting someone up for success.

Gen Z’s Values and Priorities

Research suggests that Gen Z values jobs that are "directly helpful to others" more than previous generations did. They also show more empathy than millennials did at their age and seek out jobs that are more "worthwhile to society." This is a fact that Saxon knows well, as he considers his job as head of people to be three-pronged: looking after the company, the team, and the individual.

Fostering Meaningful Bonds

It’s critical for any company to foster those meaningful bonds – both to each other and to the work. Saxon believes that human resources leaders need to focus on building connections in the company and executing on vision, mission, strategy, values, philanthropy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Conclusion

The new class of college graduates faces both opportunities and challenges in the job market. While they may be better positioned to land a good job, they may also need to work on developing their soft skills and understanding workplace culture. By focusing on self-awareness, value-adding, and meaningful bonds, Gen Z can rebalance the scales for good.

FAQs

Q: What are the biggest challenges facing Gen Z in the job market?

A: Gen Z may face challenges in assessing and mastering workplace culture, as well as developing their soft skills.

Q: What are the most important skills for Gen Z to develop in the workplace?

A: Gen Z should focus on developing self-awareness, value-adding, and soft skills, such as communication and teamwork.

Q: How can companies support Gen Z in the workplace?

A: Companies can support Gen Z by fostering meaningful bonds, providing opportunities for growth and development, and emphasizing the importance of customer value.

Q: What are the most important values for Gen Z to prioritize in their careers?

A: Gen Z should prioritize values such as creating value, being directly helpful to others, and seeking out jobs that are worthwhile to society.

Q: How can Gen Z stay ahead in the job market?

A: Gen Z can stay ahead by staying adaptable, focusing on self-awareness and value-adding, and building meaningful bonds with their colleagues and the company.

Author: fortune.com

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