Intelligent.com, a platform dedicated to helping young professionals navigate the future of work, has released findings from a December 2024 survey examining hiring managers’ attitudes toward recent college graduates. The survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers involved in entry-level recruitment reveals significant skepticism about recent grads’ readiness for the workforce, with 1 in 8 managers planning to avoid hiring them in 2025.
According to the survey, 24% of hiring managers believe recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce, while 33% cite a lack of work ethic, and 29% view them as entitled. Additionally, 27% feel recent graduates are easily offended, and 25% say they don’t respond well to feedback.
Interviews present additional challenges, with 24% of managers finding recent graduates unprepared for the process. Nearly half say candidates struggle with eye contact, 42% observe inappropriate dress, and 38% find compensation expectations unreasonable. Alarmingly, 8% of hiring managers have encountered candidates bringing a parent to an interview.
“Instead of avoiding recent college grads entirely based on biases and stereotypes, hiring managers need to adopt more proactive and nuanced approaches to identifying promising candidates,” says Huy Nguyen, Chief Education and Career Development Advisor at Intelligent.com. “By using behavioral interview techniques, managers can gain deeper insights into candidates’ potential, focusing on their motivation, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.”
In 2024, 55% of hiring managers participated in decisions to fire recent college graduates, further highlighting concerns about this demographic’s performance and fit in the workplace.
This online poll was commissioned by Intelligent.com and conducted on Pollfish in December 2024. A total of 1,000 U.S. managers completed the survey. Demographic criteria and screening questions were used to ensure qualified respondents.
View the complete report here.
