What should feel like an exciting new chapter for young people entering the workforce is instead shaping up to be a disheartening uphill battle.
Take Aspen Bailey, for instance. She graduated in 2024 with not one but two degrees—a B.S. in Data Science and a B.A. in Psychology—yet found herself stuck in a grueling job search. Over two years, she submitted more than 1,400 applications. Only about 50 led to interviews—that’s a response rate of less than 4%, and far fewer actual offers.
“I felt completely defeated when I was turned down for roles I was really excited about, especially after making it to the final round,” Aspen shared. “The whole process felt like playing Call of Duty: Warzone—it wears you down emotionally, mentally, and even physically.”
Unfortunately, Aspen’s story is far from unique. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates stood at 4.8%—higher than the national average for all workers. A recent survey found that one in four young adults can’t land a job in their chosen field, and 62% end up working outside the career path they trained for.
This isn’t the result of a single problem, but a perfect storm of systemic challenges facing Gen Z.
New research from Gallup, the Walton Family Foundation, and Jobs for the Future (JFF) reveals a troubling gap: many young people—and their parents—lack awareness of the full range of postsecondary pathways, largely due to insufficient guidance. Despite living in a hyper-connected digital age, 43% of young professionals report feeling isolated or unsupported when navigating their career options.
Compounding the issue, entry-level roles—once reliable on-ramps into the workforce—are increasingly being automated or eliminated altogether, especially in tech-adjacent fields like data science and software development. At the same time, Gen Z continues to battle damaging stereotypes, with some critics dismissively labeling them as “unemployable” or lacking essential workplace skills. But those narratives ignore the reality: this generation isn’t failing the system—the system is failing them.
And the stakes of inaction are high. If we continue to sideline early-career talent, we risk creating a dangerous void in the talent pipeline. Entry-level jobs aren’t just first steps—they’re the foundation for future mid- and senior-level leaders. With Baby Boomers retiring in record numbers, who will fill those roles if today’s new grads remain underemployed or excluded altogether?
The solution isn’t to lower expectations—it’s to reset them. Employers must recognize that expecting years of experience for entry-level positions is a contradiction in terms. Instead, they should focus on transferable skills developed through coursework, internships, volunteer work, or even extracurriculars—like the analytical thinking honed in a psychology research project or the collaboration skills built during a group capstone in data science.
Companies that aren’t ready to hire full-time can still make a difference by offering paid internships, apprenticeships, or micro-internships. Pinterest, for example, runs an apprenticeship program that opens doors in engineering, product, design, and research to candidates from nontraditional backgrounds—giving them real responsibility (like redesigning the homepage) and mentorship. At Tallo, a pilot micro-internship with a high school student led to measurable gains in both engagement and operational efficiency.
Employers can also partner directly with educators through initiatives like College Board’s AP Career Kickstart, helping align classroom learning with real-world skills. Meanwhile, students should keep building their capabilities and networks—both in person and on platforms like LinkedIn and Tallo, where they can showcase projects, connect with mentors, and discover opportunities.
Aspen’s journey reflects this resilience: “I learned to broaden my search and recognize the value of my transferable skills—from past jobs, volunteer roles, and fellowships. It’s incredibly hard to keep going when hope keeps getting crushed by rejection after rejection—but there is light at the end of the tunnel. No career path is ever linear.”
We may not be able to predict exactly how AI or the economy will reshape work in the coming years. But we do have the power to act now—by investing in early talent, rethinking hiring practices, and rebuilding a workforce system that works for everyone. The cost of doing nothing isn’t just missed potential for Gen Z—it’s a weakened future for us all.