Opinion: COVID blunted Gen Z applicants’ social skills

• Parents sitting in on job preparation sessions.
• Parents interrupting and coaching from the sidelines.
• Parents emailing or calling to enquire on behalf of their Gen Z’er.
• Parents writing job applications and resumes.
• Parents calling when a candidate is late for an interview.
• Parents doing the job research or coordinating appointments.

OK, not quite as bad as tagging along for the interview, but … these are life skills all entry-level job seekers must develop. No matter the aviation role they seek.

Recently, 10 pilot airline cadet graduates were referred to us to help them navigate an airline recruitment process. Of those 10, only five underwent our airline interview preparation. Those five were all successful. We know at least three of the other five were not successful. In our region, your options change dramatically if you come out of an airline-based pilot cadetship with a commercial pilot licence and don’t win a role within that airline. It’s off to general aviation (charter and scenic etc) or becoming an instructor. Not what any of them would have planned when they started an airline cadetship journey.

The right advice and support are essential – it is part of learning the ‘life skills’ candidates need for every job interview or recruitment process. Learning those skills is a hands-on process, not an outsourced one. The survey of 800 employers also found that one in five employers say that recent university graduates are ‘unprepared’ for interviews and often unprofessional in the following ways:

• 53 per cent of recent university graduates struggled with eye contact.
• 50 per cent said they ask for unreasonable compensation.
• 47 per cent said they don’t dress appropriately for interviews.
• 21 per cent said they refuse to turn their cameras on for virtual interviews.
• 53 per cent noted that they are frequently late to meetings.
• 57 per cent believed they lack professionalism.
• 55 per cent said they don’t respond well to constructive feedback.
• 52 per cent claimed they have poor communication skills.

Combine helicopter parenting with the isolation the pandemic ushered in, and entry-level job seekers have been disadvantaged. They simply did not have the social connections and life navigation skills previous generations took for granted. They also experienced severe disruption to their education. The fallout of this is being felt now as we see what might be considered ‘common knowledge’ or ‘accepted professional conduct’ areas missing from entry-level candidates’ repertoires.

On the flip side, it has pushed the hiring bias to more mature candidates, with four out of 10 employers favouring older workers – a topic for another day. Industry standards change, and the word ‘professional’ is subjective, but interpreting what is appropriate is a learned life skill. Preparation is the key to success, but all aspects of that preparation need to be completed by the candidates themselves.

Entry-level candidates need to be supported to succeed – that’s a given. They need to be given the appropriate tools to understand what is required of them and, importantly, given the ropes to manage each step of the recruitment themselves. This will empower them with the resilience to cope with the outcome no matter what and rebound from it.

Consider things from the employer’s or airline’s perspective because they are seeking to invest in the right candidates. Those who demonstrate they have prepared, understand what is required, and display great self-knowledge, maturity, and confidence throughout the recruitment process will be streets ahead.