On the (job) hunt
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| For the recent college graduates who haven’t found their first jobs yet: You’re not alone. In the United States, the job market for recent graduates is the toughest it has been in years—no surprise to Gen Zers who are applying into the void. Data from other countries, including the United Kingdom and South Korea, also point to challenges, though not always for the same reasons.
In a recent episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey Senior Partner Brooke Weddle and Partner Bryan Hancock spoke with Indeed’s chief economist, Svenja Gudell, who says that one word sums up today’s labor market: uncertainty.
Gudell points out that for companies, aging workforces, macroeconomic fluctuations, and the rise of AI are colliding to create more questions than answers about whether and whom to hire. She confirms what many Zoomers are likely experiencing: There are fewer available internships and entry-level positions, and part-time positions are more prevalent than full-time jobs. Taken together, this means that young job seekers may face an exceptionally competitive and fragmented labor market, in which access to early work experience could require more persistence, flexibility, and creativity than in previous years.
As AI reshapes the roles companies hire for, the skills employers seek, and the way work gets done, there is some good news. “I think this is the first time we’ve seen a disruption be not only the disruptor but also potentially the vehicle to help you live through that disruption,” Gudell says.
For Gen Zers, getting ahead means embracing AI—no matter their educational backgrounds. Here are three ways that Zoomers can take advantage of and align themselves with AI trends to stay a few steps ahead of job market changes: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | —Edited by Audrey Kim, McKinsey Global Publishing intern
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