58% of Graduates Can't Find Jobs — Smart Companies See Opportunity

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Key Takeaways

Gen Z values flexibility, purpose and genuine workplace connection.
Outdated hierarchies push young workers away faster than pay gaps.

The US job market has reached a new level in 2025. According to Fortune, more than half of new college graduates — 58% — are still looking for a job. That’s more than double the 25% of Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers looking for work right out of college in previous decades.

But here’s the good news: There’s a whole crop of fresh talent to hire for your open positions. You just have to know how to attract them, tap into their reservoir of knowledge and keep them for the long term.

Young minds bring fresh ideas

Gen Z can often get an askew reputation in the minds of some employers who think they are “lazy” or “unprofessional” because they don’t always want to work in the office five days a week or have a different idea of what work-life balance should be. (Did we forget this generation grew up doing years of remote or hybrid schooling?) But that old-fashioned thinking is a huge disadvantage for companies that don’t consider what these young minds and tech-savvy workers bring to the table.

While many of us have stayed committed to our diehard habits (like emails and paper trails), young workers are at the forefront of advancements and present us with much we can learn from them. However, this dynamic is a two-way street, and employers must also be ready to present Gen Z with a work environment that excites, motivates and values them.

Finding the right culture fit

A large part of this balance really comes down to work culture. So many businesses still adhere to an antiquated model where the employer is always the boss, no matter what, and employees are seen as there to serve and cater to them.

That not only comes across as inequitable but also is a fast track to burnout. When people wonder why so many young workers are job-hopping, this misaligned ecosystem is one of the biggest culprits. On the other hand, the companies performing well have adopted a value-driven work culture with great employee incentives and flexible work structures, and where people like going to work.

When I started BriteCo in 2019, I thought a lot about what our company culture should be. At the time, there were so many conversations around what Silicon Valley was doing. All these tech companies thought the way to attract young people was with ping pong tables. A rec room wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, though having fun and enjoying team camaraderie was, and we achieve that in several ways.

Our company offers and encourages programs like Brite Shadow (to tag along with an employee in a different department) and Brite Room Spark Sessions, where someone can lead a topic for a lunch or happy hour session, whether it’s learning more about the diamond industry or how to make summer cocktails.

We also have an in-office book club and host regular All Hands functions where everyone — new hires to senior leaders — work together to assemble entertaining presentations. We also offer hybrid work environments and unlimited time off policies that meet young workers where their own needs and desires are for a modern workplace.

The job boards of the future

Finding a young workforce also requires meeting Gen Z where they are job searching, properly reviewing résumés, and setting up as many interviews as needed to find the right fit. According to the World Economic Forum, more than 90% of companies are now using AI to filter and rank job applications, which may cut down on the legwork, but there are issues with these automations.

“AI systems still largely rely on self-reported candidate information, making them susceptible to inaccuracies,” says the WEF article. “What’s more, these systems can also filter out highly qualified, high-skill candidates if their profiles don’t match the exact criteria specified in the job description.” If you want to find the best candidates that will be well-matched to the company and stick around, it will take more investment than relying on a third party.

First, it’s best to post openings on job boards that young people like to use, such as LinkedIn, social media, and Handshake (a platform used by many colleges and universities). We also work with many of the higher education schools in our backyard to build a natural pipeline to talent.

I’m happy to report that an overwhelming majority of our team is Gen Z and most have stayed with us for several years, first coming on board as interns and accepting positions when the term was over. This is one of the best options for hiring young talent because both parties get to “test it out.”

They get firsthand experience that lets them evaluate the position and the company, and you’ve already invested time in training and getting to know their capabilities and strengths. At BriteCo, we also move beyond the remedial intern tasks like fetching coffee or printing out reports, instead offering real, tactical work responsibilities like researching, working with customers, and creating content.

And what we’ve found is that when everybody has some level of ownership over what they do, it’s powerful. They feel like an important part of the company that wants to grow right along with us.