Entry-Level Jobs Dropped 29%. Here Is What Gen Z Can Do Now.

(Data from Randstad’s 2025 Gen Z Workplace Blueprint)

Gen Z is entering the workforce at a moment when the rules of early career launching have quietly changed. Entry-level roles have dropped by twenty-nine percent since January 2024, according to Randstad’s global analysis of 126 million job postings. AI has flooded hiring funnels with mass applications, and companies have raised expectations while reducing training. At the same time, Gen Z job seekers are navigating anxiety, unclear norms, and weaker social skills after years of remote schooling.

This is not a story about a lazy generation. It is a story about misalignment. And misalignment can be fixed.

Below is a clear look at what is happening and what Gen Z can do to regain control of the job search.

The Structural Reality Gen Z Is Walking Into

1. Fewer true entry level roles

Randstad reports a 29 percentage point decline in entry level job postings since January 2024. Roles that used to be the first step into a career now require experience Gen Z never had a chance to get. Their career ladder is missing the first few rungs.

2. AI has changed the hiring funnel

AI tools make it easy to apply to hundreds of jobs. Recruiters now receive far more applications per role, and automated filters reject huge numbers of candidates before a human ever sees them. Randstad’s analysis shows AI is a major driver of the twenty nine point decline in junior roles.

3. Cultural norms were never taught

Many Gen Z workers never had in person internships or early workplace exposure. Professional communication, follow up, and networking were not modeled for them. These are skills, not personality traits, and they can be learned.

4. Employers are frustrated, and the data shows it

Seventy five percent of employers report dissatisfaction with Gen Z performance in early roles, according to Randstad’s 2025 Gen Z Workplace Blueprint. Some of this is unfair. Some of it is a training gap. Either way, it affects hiring decisions.

How Gen Z Job Seekers Are Accidentally Making It Harder

1. Mass applying instead of targeted applying

AI makes it easy to apply to 200 jobs in a weekend. The problem is that this creates low quality applications that blend together. Recruiters get overwhelmed, and strong candidates get lost in the noise.

2. Ghosting and inconsistent follow through

Recent workforce surveys show that twenty seven percent of Gen Z candidates accept offers but never submit paperwork, twenty six percent submit paperwork but do not show up on day one, and twenty nine percent start the job briefly then quit without notice. Some of this is anxiety. Some of it is fear of conflict. But it damages trust and makes employers more cautious with early career candidates.

3. Underdeveloped communication skills

Gen Z communicates constantly, but not always in the formats workplaces expect. Email tone, follow up, and interview communication are learned skills. Without them, employers assume lack of readiness.

4. Not enough proof of skill

Only twelve percent of Gen Z list skills development as a top priority, according to Randstad’s report. In a world where AI can generate a decent resume, employers want to see real work. Portfolios, projects, and examples matter more than ever.

The Missing Piece: Networking

Most people of all ages get jobs through relationships. Not through job boards. Not through mass applying. Through people.

Gen Z has an extra challenge here. Years of remote schooling reduced opportunities to practice social skills, read body language, and build confidence in professional settings. The good news is that networking is a skill you can build quickly with the right structure.

Below are practical steps that work.

How Gen Z Can Build Networking Skills That Actually Lead to Jobs

1. Start with low pressure conversations

Networking begins with curiosity, not asking for a job. Ask people how they got into their field, what they enjoy, what skills matter most, and what advice they would give someone starting out. People love sharing their path, and you build connection without pressure.

2. Use warm introductions instead of cold outreach

Warm introductions are the single most effective way to get conversations. You do not need a huge network. You need a few people who can open a few doors.

3. Practice short, clear communication

Gen Z often struggles with email tone because it was never taught. A simple, respectful message is enough to stand out.

4. Build a simple portfolio and use it in conversations

Three examples of your work in a Google Drive folder are enough to make you memorable and credible. Ask your new networking partners for feedback on your portfolio to build skills and mentorships.

5. Follow up consistently and show visible enthusiasm

Entry level hiring is the only time in a career when candidates are chosen based on potential rather than past success. This is the moment where enthusiasm, curiosity, and reliability matter more than anything else.

Gen Z faces a bias that they are not hard workers or not reliable. The fastest way to counter that bias is through consistent follow up, thoughtful questions, and clear appreciation for someone’s time. These behaviors signal potential, and potential is the currency of early career hiring.

A simple follow up like "Thank you again for your time. I really appreciated your insight about [specific point]" puts you in the top ten percent of candidates immediately.

6. Join communities instead of chasing individuals

Look for local meetups, online groups in your field, alumni networks, and professional associations with student rates. Communities reduce the pressure of one on one outreach and help you practice social skills in a supportive environment.

The Bottom Line

Gen Z is not failing. They are entering a labor market that changed faster than anyone prepared them for. The good news is that the skills that matter most for early career success are learnable. Targeted applying, stronger communication, simple portfolios, and consistent networking can change the entire trajectory of a job search.

The system is flawed, but you are not powerless. You can build the skills that help you stand out, get noticed, and get hired.