Intelligent.com recently conducted a survey of employers about their opinions of young graduates’ preparation for work expectations. Dr. Gayeski, a higher education and career advisor for them, provided commentary on this controversial topic.
Key findings:
- 38% of employers avoid hiring recent college graduates in favor of older employees
- 1 in 5 employers have had a recent college graduate bring a parent to a job interview
- 58% say recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce
- Nearly half of employers have had to fire a recent college graduate
“Employers need to recognize that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people graduating from college had more than two years of disruption in their education as well as their social and professional development,” Gayeski says. “Current seniors were in their freshman year at the height of COVID. They likely took classes online and were unable to participate in clubs, internships, or summer jobs.”
CBS News Moneywatch interviewed Gayeski based on this article and included these perspectives from her:
“People shouldn’t pursue a four-year degree as a ticket to an immediate first job. It’s meant to make people mobile past that first job,” Diane Gayeski, former dean and professor of strategic communication at Ithaca College and an adviser at Intelligent.com, a college resource site for students, told CBS MoneyWatch. “When it’s time to move on from that entry-level job into a leadership position, employers will look for broader experiences and the ability to be creative based on exposure to a wide variety of concepts and ideas.”