Entitled; easily offended; unprepared for the workforce; lacking work ethic. These are some of the unflattering characteristics of recent college graduates, according to a survey of 1,000 hiring managers taken by resume.org in April.
Almost eight in 10 hiring managers complained that recent grads use their cell phones excessively while on the job. 61% said newly minted graduates are entitled and easily offended; 57% are unprepared for the workforce; and 54% lack work ethic and motivation.
Seventy percent of hiring managers said some of these new hires were placed on performance improvement plans, and 65% said they had to fire at least one recent college graduate within the past year.
One in six hiring managers said they were reluctant to hire the newly graduated cohort.
Other common criticisms from hiring managers about recent college graduates include acting indifferent, frequent tardiness, struggling to accept feedback, lacking communication skills, dressing inappropriately, difficult to manage, and being too costly to train.
Among New Jersey hiring managers, 84% said a recent college graduate didn’t work out at their company in the past year, and 81% said they had to fire one. Seventy-four percent said recent grads spend too much time on their phones. More than half of the hiring managers said recent grads are unprepared for the workforce and difficult to manage and one in six were reluctant to hire from this group. Even so, 77% of companies said they will consider hiring from the graduating class of 2025.
“Colleges don’t teach students how to behave in the workplace, and there is a lack of transitional support from both universities and employers,” said Resume.Org’s Career Coach Irina Pichura. “Most students graduate with little exposure to professional environments, so when they arrive at their first job, they’re often learning basic workplace norms for the first time. Colleges should have a workplace training program to support graduates’ transition to the workplace.”
When asked what would make them more inclined to hire recent college candidates, hiring managers often point to traits associated with attitude and accountability. These include showing initiative, exhibiting a positive attitude, demonstrating a strong work ethic, and being adaptable. Traits such as punctuality, strong interpersonal skills, and solid technical abilities are also appealing.
