Recruiter reveals the real reason Gen Zers keep getting fired

Young workers are being laid off at an alarming rate in the US, with experts suggesting the worrying trend could start to affect Australia.

According to a report, 75 percent of American companies were unhappy with their latest Gen Z hires, meaning anyone age 27 or younger.

The survey by Intelligent found that six in 10 employers had axed their newly hired university graduates within a year.

The main problems employers found with this generation of workers were that they were unprepared, often wanted to leave early, started late and had poor communication skills.

Recruitment expert Roxanne Calder said while young people in Australia are not being fired at the same rapid rate as young people in the US, workplaces are still suffering similar problems.

“The messages I’m getting from managers and employers are a mix of starting salaries that are too high and expectations that are not normal,” she told news.com.au.

Calder explained that it’s not abnormal for a college graduate to earn $80,000 for an entry-level role in 2024, but poor Gen Zers don’t understand that with a higher salary comes higher expectations.

“If you’re going to get $80,000 for your first job, then the company expects you to come on board and quit, and Gen Zers don’t have the technical or soft skills to do that,” she said.

Of the companies surveyed, 79 percent said they put younger staff on performance improvement plans, with 60 percent eventually firing them.

Calder said she’s seen a growing trend of Gen Zers struggling with communication at work and unable to get feedback.

“They have a hard time when their manager gives them feedback. They have a really hard time,” she said.

Sometimes, Calder will have a conversation with a new worker and then send them an email asking if they have anything to add because she finds they struggle so much with face-to-face communication.

Calder said that in her experience as a boss, when she offered a younger employee some additional responsibilities so they could learn more, instead of thanking her for the opportunity, they immediately asked if they would be paid more.

There’s no doubt in the recruitment expert’s mind that Gen Zers are struggling in Aussie workplaces, with many companies telling her they simply won’t hire younger workers in the first place.

“I hear a lot of reluctance to hire Gen Z staff,” she said.

Calder said bosses were increasingly concerned they were not “integrating” well into the workforce and were “difficult with expectations”.

“They don’t want feedback, and they want their dream career, and then reality hits, and they struggle to reconcile the two,” she said.

Speaking to the online report, Baxate Carter, a young American content creator, admitted that his generation had “unique challenges” but said it was important for young workers to try to improve their weaknesses.

His father sent him a link to the study, simply – and clearly – writing “hmm” after it.

Carter claimed that so many young people “cheat” their way through college, come out with no skills and then experience a “rude awakening” when they land their first job.

Saying it’s unreasonable to expect a great work-life balance and high-paying job right out of college, he also encouraged Gen Zers to dress well, speak up and work to communicate effectively.

His tips garnered more than 4 million views on TikTok, and young people were quick to share their stories of being fired from their jobs.

One General Zer admitted they were “finished” after falling asleep during an internship, another said they got the ax because they weren’t prepared to be treated “badly” by managers, and a third claimed she was fired by work because it “protected” itself. .

Another young worker said they had tried to do “everything professional” but they got fired and “at some point, you just don’t care anymore.”

Other comments defended Gen Z and claimed the companies were to blame for the high turnover rate.

“The corporate structure is a throne of lies, and Gen Z sees the game for what it is,” wrote one.

“These companies have unrealistic expectations,” claimed another.

Others were quick to point the finger at workers under 30, claiming a lack of commitment and work ethic.

“My husband’s Gen Z co-worker just does what he’s told, then plays on his computer until they realize he’s done,” claimed one.

“All the Gen Zers making excuses in the comments instead of working hard proves the point,” wrote another.