Gen Z wants work to be fulfilling and flexible -- and they don't like deadlines

College career counseling is changing to prepare Gen Z students for the workforce, Laura Pappano writes on the Hechinger Report. College students want "work-life balance, flexibility around schedules, plus a relaxed approach to dress, interactions with bosses and deadlines," she writes. Employers see them as “unprofessional” and “entitled.”

Students need to learn workplace etiquette and expectations, says Shannon Anderson, a sociology professor at Roanoke College in Virginia, who teaches a course to prepare students for internships. When schools went remote, high school teachers were urged to let students turn in work late, and some college professors are still giving "grace," Anderson says. So, “when somebody comes in and says, ‘You have to get things in by the deadline,’ they feel angry.” And they don't realize employees can't just grant themselves a “self-care day.”

Gen Zers want “to be included in decision-making, kept informed, given personalized attention, provided flexibility in the work schedule, given a clear growth path, provided an opportunity for work-life balance, and to be part of an organization that does good,” according to a 2024 study by Wake Forest's Patrick Sweeney and colleagues. Young workers have “to earn their stripes” before being listened to, employers tell Sweeney.

Some colleges grant academic credit for courses on "career competencies," writes Pappano. In addition to professionalism -- "be present and prepared" -- the competencies include self-development and work-life balance. John Hopkins' "Life Design" courses focus on helping students explore their interests and find a fulfilling work environment.

New graduates may have trouble finding a not-so-fulfilling job, she notes. Applications for each posted job on Handshake "are up a whopping 30 percent from a year ago," the platform reports. Many seniors have had to rethink their "dream job."

At the University of Washington, employer attendance for the spring job fair was down more than 25 percent, and a virtual job fair had to be canceled for lack of employer interest, Pappano writes. There are a lot fewer opportunities to work for the federal government, but the U.S. Marines are still coming to campus.