At Flourish, we talk to hundreds of Gen Z candidates every month, and it’s clear that the world of work is shifting. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs with set hours are no longer the first choice for many young adults. As our MD and Co-Founder Sarah “Skelly” Skelton explains:

“This tough market may be particularly tricky for Gen Z, as there is already a general sentiment among businesses that new entrants to the jobs market don’t have the same levels of work experience or social interactions in the workplace, specifically compared to those who graduated pre-Covid.”

Instead, today’s young people are turning to side hustles – think influencing, podcasting, web design or dropshipping. It’s a generation of self-starters, innovators and digital entrepreneurs. But, as Skelly points out, there’s a catch:

“While Gen Z’s more flexible, entrepreneurial side hustles may show innovation and self-motivation, they often don’t provide the same structure or physical presence expected in many contracted roles, disadvantaging Gen Z’s position in the job market. Bosses may be inadvertently discouraged from taking chances on inexperienced candidates.”

What we see at Flourish is a generation brimming with creativity, drive, and initiative – but many are missing the kind of work experience that teaches the day-to-day realities of a “traditional” job: showing up on time, navigating workplace norms, collaborating with teams and understanding hierarchical structures.

Skelly sums it up perfectly: the Gen Z mindset is entrepreneurial gold, but it comes with its own growing pains. At Flourish, we celebrate both sides; encouraging candidates to embrace their digital hustle while helping them gain the practical skills and workplace confidence that will take them even further.

This article is pulled from Skelly’s contribution to MaryLou Costa’s article on The Telegraph: ‘I cut my teeth doing a summer job – it’s sad our kids won’t experience that’. Read it for free on Yahoo!Life.