In today’s fast-changing workplace, hiring decisions are often influenced by experience and past roles. While experience has its place, overlooking fresh graduates and Gen Z candidates can be a costly mistake. These individuals bring a unique set of strengths—enthusiasm, adaptability, and a strong sense of purpose—that many employers underestimate. In this article, I’ll share why I prioritise hiring Gen Zers and junior candidates in my organisation, backed by a real recruitment experience and data-driven insights that highlight their true potential.
Why is it a mistake to avoid hiring Gen Zers and junior candidates?
I personally hire fresh graduates and Gen Zers to my organization because I find them more energetic, willing to go extra miles to get the job done and most importantly taking ownership to the work assigned to them. Let me explain why I am in favour of hiring fresh graduates and Gen Zers in the first place.
Couple of months back we were hiring multiple employees for different positions and we are mostly looking for the experienced employees as usual. For every employee other than their expertise they have to pass 2 different tests i.e. literacy and cognitive carefully designed based on the past responses of experienced employees to make sure that the employee we are going to hire has a satisfactory level of literacy and cognitive skills.
We shortlisted on average of 10 candidates for each position in which 60% of them were experienced based on our requirement and the rest 40% were fresh graduates and Gen Zers with a relevant qualification.
After analysing the results of these 2 tests we found out that 70% candidates who manage to past these tests in which 50% were fresh graduates and Gen Zers while the remaining 20% were experienced ones. Looking into this data we quickly analyse that we should give the opportunity to the fresh graduates and Gen Zers and since I found every single of them very energetic, hardworking and taking ownership is one of the most important factors which I always intrigued to. Also, if the position you are offering has the work that can enhance their skills are most likely the jobs they excel in. According to Deloitte 2024 report 86% Gen Zs say having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction and wellbeing.
What do older managers need to know about hiring junior employees?
Older managers need to recognize the strengths of Gen Zers as they are quite productive, creative and smart works. Utilizing the technology and latest trends and they have the potential to solve the complex problems with a little guidance. According to LinkedIn survey 59% prioritize opportunities that have the potential of growth and development over salary because they understand the concept of skills. If you have a skill and can deliver than salary would not be a problem.
What do Zoomers need to do to fit into the workforce effectively and fight stereotypes?
Since the evolution of technology and a widespread use of AI automated your workflows up to great extent. I experience Gen Zs are aware of the latest trends and utilize modern tools to their work that not only save their but also get more work done in a relatively less time. In my opinion Gen Zs should challenge stereotypes. A study conducted by the Workforce Institute, in which they stated that 32% Gen Zers are the most challenging generation to work with that is often due to misconceptions.
To combat this Zoomers can take initiatives by seeking feedback from their superiors. Most importantly they need to improve their soft communication skills. Building professional relationships, and open to constructive criticism will eventually help them to integrate seamlessly into workforce environment and prove their value.
Conclusion
Avoiding Gen Zers and junior candidates in recruitment can mean missing out on a highly capable, energetic, and tech-savvy workforce. My personal experience and data-driven insights have shown that fresh graduates often outperform experienced professionals in core competencies like cognitive ability and literacy, while also bringing enthusiasm and ownership to their roles. By recognising their strengths and offering them meaningful opportunities, organisations can cultivate a future-ready workforce that drives innovation, growth, and long-term success.
