Gen Z isn’t failing the creative industry, it's the other way around

Every week, there's another headline pointing out a lack of "work readiness", “right attitude” or “lack of motivation” among the entry-level workforce. 

A ResumeBuilder survey found that 74% of leaders consider Gen Z the most challenging generation to work with. Nearly two thirds (59%) of managers admitted to firing a Gen Z hire, with 37% blaming a "lack of motivation or effort" and 36% citing "poor communication". 

We tell young creatives to jump through endless hoops, then blame them when they struggle to land.

But where is our industry’s accountability? We tell young creatives to jump through endless hoops, then blame them when they struggle to land. The solution starts with passing the microphone and giving the next generation a direct line to industry leaders. 

Above: Trying to get your foot in the door is becoming harder for those attempting to enter the industry. 

Now, here are some quotes from real young people who have tried to get their foot in the door recently. 

“Got to a final stage (third round) with a very well known fashion brand… the interview went so well and they seemed to love me, to then not get the role and got no feedback either. It made me feel like it was a waste of time and like they were farming for ideas from candidates and knocked my confidence for a long time. - Junior Designer 

Isn't it time for workplaces to adapt to the future, not the other way around?

“At the start it felt like overworking to prove your worth, you don’t feel you have enough power to stand up for yourself. I think we need to empower & equip young people to advocate for themselves.” - Media Executive 

“I got a promotion to midweight with no pay rise. I started at a junior and a midweight was meant to join but never did, so i have been working 2 people's jobs for the pay of way less than 1 person. - Junior creative strategist 

So, isn't it time for workplaces to adapt to the future, not the other way around?

The impossible entry-level checklist 

Today’s young talent is handed a relentless, conflicting checklist: 

• Invest an average of £47,900 into a university degree to "secure your future".
• Build a polished portfolio out of thin air.
• Work for exposure, but not too much, or you’re devaluing the industry.
• Land unpaid work experience just to get a foot in the door.
• Upskill constantly by doing courses in your evenings and weekends, but still make sure you have time to socialise in person or you’ll be lonely.
• Learn how to use AI otherwise you’ll fall behind, but don’t use it too much otherwise you’re killing the planet.
• Enter lots of competitions to get your name noticed.
• Maintain an active social media platform and personal brand, post on LinkedIn but not too much that it gets annoying. 

Even as our industry reels from seismic shifts, rapid technological innovation, consolidation, large-scale restructures and systemic failures in retaining young and diverse talent, leadership continues to push the pressure downward instead of looking inward.

Above: For Wong, new talents' experience of the industry relies too much on luck.

The real skills gap isn’t Gen Z 

According to the latest IPA’s Agency Census, while non-white ethnic diversity in entry-level creative roles sits at 45.5%, that figure plummets to just 12.7% at executive management level. It suggests that talent isn’t the issue, retention is. Instead of reflecting internally to assess why these skills gaps exist and fix these leaky retention buckets, the onus is put on the younger generation time and time again. 

Agencies need to remember that this is a generation whose higher education was dominated by remote and hybrid learning due to the global pandemic. We cannot expect them to seamlessly navigate office politics and showcase flawless in-person soft skills the moment they step through the door. 

We need to give young talent a genuine hand up, not just a polite wave from the doorstep.

Listening to the experiences of the young people I mentor as they enter the industry, it’s clear that it is very much left to luck if you’ll be nurtured and developed. It depends on: 

• Who your manager is.
• What your company or agency have in place for entry-level support.
• What development programmes they have in place and budget they have towards it.
• How much you advocated for yourself (but how are you to know this as an entry-level talent?).

It makes me think back to my early days in the industry. I was fortunate to have a manager who invested in me,  an agency that invested time and money into my development, and Brixton Finishing School (BFS) mentors who encouraged me. 

After catching up with my BFS cohort a few months into our new roles in 2022, I quickly realised just how much our early career progression was shaped by chance from the points above. It’s disappointing to see that, in the last few years, not much has changed. Young people’s careers and future in the industry should not be based on  luck. A systemic and benchmark shift is essential. 

What we currently lack in entry-level opportunities, we must make up for in developmental support. We need to give young talent a genuine hand up, not just a polite wave from the doorstep.