America, we have a serious problem: our colleges are failing our young people—and ultimately, failing our nation. According to a recent Pollfish survey of 1,000 hiring managers across the United States, reported by Resume.com, nearly 8 in 10 managers say newly hired college graduates are not making the cut during their first year on the job. From excessive cellphone use to being entitled, unprepared, and lacking a basic work ethic, these latest graduates are falling short on nearly every front.
The numbers don’t lie. Seventy percent of companies surveyed reported having to place recent grads on performance improvement plans. But even more troubling, 65 percent of managers admitted to outright firing new graduates for issues like inappropriate attire, poor quality of work, foul language, and a staggering inability to put down their smartphones during work hours. That’s right: 78 percent of hiring managers listed excessive cellphone use as their top frustration.
But this isn’t just about phones. There’s a deeper issue here—a cultural crisis of entitlement and fragility infecting our colleges and universities. Over 61 percent of hiring managers described these young graduates as “entitled” or “easily offended.” More than half said these new employees were simply unprepared for the realities of the workplace, with a lack of work ethic cited by 54 percent of respondents. It seems our institutions of higher learning have become institutions of higher indoctrination, producing graduates who are sensitive and ill-equipped rather than resilient and ready to contribute to society.
What exactly are these colleges teaching, if not basic professionalism and respect for the workplace? According to Clark Lowe, CEO of the O’Connor Company, a leading national commercial construction firm, “Colleges do a disservice to students in not preparing them for work.” Lowe, who has taught graduate business courses himself, points out a critical issue: “A lot of professors have no work experience beyond teaching. They grow up in academia and stay there, but all of those degrees and certificates are not going to replace work experience.”
The truth is, many of these young adults have never held a job before graduation, and it shows. Lowe emphasizes the necessity of previous work experience—even if it’s just in retail or gas stations—because these jobs teach responsibility, time management, and a work ethic. “In our experience,” Lowe says, “people who’ve never had to earn their own paycheck tend to be difficult to work with.”
This trend isn’t just frustrating for employers; it’s hurting the graduates themselves. Only 58 percent of companies responding to the Pollfish survey indicated they plan to hire from the class of 2025. Even worse, one in six hiring managers openly admitted they’re hesitant to hire recent college graduates at all. Let that sink in—our nation’s businesses are losing confidence in the very institutions that are supposed to be training the next generation of American workers.
Career coach Irina Pichura from Resume.com noted another critical issue: “Colleges don’t teach students how to behave in the workplace, and there is a lack of transitional support from both universities and employers.” She recommends that colleges implement workplace training programs, ensuring students graduate with exposure to professional environments and a clear understanding of workplace norms.
But while colleges and universities bear significant responsibility, let’s be clear: this is a cultural and parental issue as well. For too long, parenting has been outsourced to educational institutions, and character-building shunted off to employers. Our culture seems to encourage young people to view themselves as victims rather than as responsible adults who owe it to themselves—and their country—to work hard and succeed.
The solution is straightforward: we must demand accountability from our colleges and universities, ensuring they equip graduates with practical skills and professionalism. Employers must continue insisting on a track record of real-world experience. And parents need to step up, reinforcing the timeless virtues of hard work, accountability, and personal responsibility.
America built its greatness on the backs of hardworking men and women who understood the value of grit, resilience, and responsibility. It’s time we reclaim these principles in our education system, our workplaces, and our homes. Our future depends on it.
