As Generation Z graduates and enters the workforce, the overall agenda of the workplace environment shifts. Gen Z prioritizes work-life balance, mental health and co-worker culture. In a report conducted by Paychex, Gen Z has surpassed baby boomers in the workforce, and employment has steadily increased by 2% since 2018. 

Despite Gen Z infiltrating the workforce, there is still a struggle for students to find jobs post-graduation. Fields are currently dominated by industry leaders, applicants with five or more years of job experience and a vast list of company connections, making it difficult for newcomers to use their earned degrees to start their careers. 

The class of 2024 is the next generation of industry leaders, but with digital clutter from scouting sites like Handshake and LinkedIn, they face the challenge of being criticized beyond the traditional resume — the digital footprint is now part of the portfolio. 

Job applications and next steps are on the forefront for many graduating seniors, and finding a place to start is overwhelming. A strong LinkedIn profile puts you in the right direction, and taking online engagement to a new level can set you apart from other applicants.

“Looking for the right following and engaging with the right people on LinkedIn is important,” said Bukky Abdul, senior career coach for the College of Communication and Information. “As much as LinkedIn has a lot of people, your influence is limited. Be more intentional about the people you interact with on LinkedIn. That’s one way to stand out.” 

Applying for jobs is similar to online dating in the sense that the more specific your profile is, the more likely you are to find your match. Handshake is designed to formulate recommendations based on the user’s information — beautifying your profile with relevant coursework, study abroad experiences and organization involvement creates a better chance for the algorithm to place you with a preferred job opportunity. 

The National Association of Colleges and Employers noticed complaints about newcomers in the work industry being “lazy” or “not ready” and created a list of career competencies that young professionals can use to guide their job search and interview process in efforts to be career ready. 

The eight career competencies — technology, leadership, equity and inclusion, professionalism, communication, career and self-development, critical thinking, and teamwork — can be used as buzzwords for an online profile to help a candidate get boosted in the algorithm. Job searches rely on strategy and good timing. 

Career changes and job popularity vary depending on economic factors and social trends. Currently, there is interest in content creation within the digital media industry and an overall need for engineers and healthcare workers. 

Stephanie Kit, executive director of the Career Development Center, has noticed a shift in job trends and a demand for certain services. 

“There has been a lot of need for various engineers, particularly civil engineers,” Kit said. “Healthcare is also going to continue to be big because we have a lot of baby boomers retiring from health care and mental health physicians. So, in general, the job market has been really strong post-COVID-19. In the past two or three years, there’s been a lot of demand.” 

Internships can be stressful to navigate, but the positions held as a junior or senior in college can carry on to full-time jobs post-grad. Employers that work closely with UT, like FritoLay and 21st Mortgage, are used to seeing student interns who then become full-time employees post-graduation. 

“Internships really are a pipeline for employers, and that’s one of the biggest reasons why they do them,” Kit said. “Especially larger companies that have a regular class of interns, they are looking to recruit those students into full-time positions as much as possible.” 

Opportunities like this can be treated as an extended interview as employers are looking to see how an intern interacts in group culture to see if they would make a good fit at the company long-term. 

The influx of technology isn’t unfamiliar to Gen Z. YouTube viral videos, the rise and fall of Vine, TikTok and streaming services have provided constant digital media at the ready, and now in adulthood, Gen Z is facing a new technological advancement: artificial intelligence. 

In creative industries like communications, AI may pose a threat, but with the introduction of AI courses at UT, workforce rookies are equipped to perform alongside the technology. 

“Students have to be ready like to learn those technologies, be more tech-savvy and see how you can leverage artificial intelligence. AI is not necessarily to replace the human piece but to make the work more effective,” Abdul said. 

Beyond the competition of computers, there is an internal clock to find a job. For Donté Mullins, a junior studying communications, he took the initiative early on in his collegiate career to create a space for his talents in his desired field. 

Communication can be seen as a general major, but Mullins took this in stride as he landed a job working at AMR Agency as a player agent intern.

Mullins took internship hunting as a passion project and created a self-pitch to better angle himself in the eye of the interviewer. By knowing his assets and researching companies looking to hire, he disrupted the typical interview process and left an impression on his now employer. 

“I came in interviewing them. I said, ‘Hey, you’ve never had an intern like this. I’m gonna show you my previous work, who I know and how I can help you,’” Mullins said. “That was my drawn pitch to how I got hired because I knew what I could bring to the table. I just needed the opportunity.” 

Being an advocate for yourself helps you exude confidence that employers seek in a candidate. Knowing your value and sharing it through your resume and interview can better your odds at moving forward in the selection process.

Constant scrolling on Handshake and LinkedIn leads to the inevitable self-comparison to others. 

“Resist the urge to compare yourself. Your journey will be different than some else’s journey,” Abdul said. 

Searching for a job is individual to the person applying. Industries are in need of eager employees willing to put themselves out there. 

As graduation and summer internships approach, start your job search now because it’s time for Gen Z to make its mark.