- Gen Z is falling behind in skills needed to enter the workforce.
- Some experts say the pandemic hindered the younger generation's development of soft skills.
By 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the global workforce, according to the World Economic Forum.
Some studies say this generation is falling behind in its technical skills. Software company Salesforce surveyed 23,000 workers across 19 countries in January 2022 and found that 32% of Gen Zers said they have the resources to learn the digital skills they need for the workforce.
However, it's possible to develop technical skills like coding and AI on the job or through online educational tools like YouTube videos. But experts say soft skills like communication and public speaking, which are more difficult to develop remotely, are holding Gen Z back. Much of their growth has been stunted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Society of Leadership and Success reported.
Insider spoke with three career coaches who explained the challenges of the Gen Z skills gap.
It's harder to build soft skills with remote work
While remote work and Zoom interviews have increased access for many applicants, it has also hindered Gen Z's job prospects in other ways.
"They went through Covid during some of their prime years of career searching and it makes it difficult for them to practice those networking skills," career coach Emily Rezkalla said, adding that social skills are more difficult to develop online.
Rezkalla mentioned that Gen Z has a harder time navigating LinkedIn because it's not as refined as other social media platforms.
That lack of exposure can also increase anxiety around job hunting and interviewing, according to career-confidence coach Sam DeMase. "Working remotely for so long, they don't have the same confidence that millennials and older generations have with public speaking and networking," she said.
Companies will need to provide training
This soft-skills deficiency is not just a Gen Z problem, said career coach Anna Belyaeva. Remote learning and working has made many professionals feel unprepared, which she attributes to an education system that has failed to develop workers.
"A hard skill is something you can learn on the job," she said. But communication is a "set of skills that takes time to develop."
Now more than ever, companies will need to offer employees training in those skills, she added.
If companies want to recruit young talent, DeMase said they will need to provide the training. In fact, she said the companies that already provide extensive training are the ones Gen Z wants to work for.
Plan your career and have patience
To get past these challenges, Rezkalla advises Gen Z workers to plan their careers. "I don't think enough people plan their year for their career," she said. "They spend more time planning their vacations than their careers."
She takes a quarterly approach, researching and setting small goals every few months. "You need to be more intentional in where you want to go," she said.
Then, she encourages professionals to be patient in their job searches. "The unpredictability of the career space makes it difficult for Gen Zs to navigate that," she said.
"Do not think that you're going to get a job within one month of applying, which is the mindset these days."