Son desperately looking for employment

[YourPoisedWriter]

Why aren't employers giving younger generations a chance. My son is 20, he studied I.T and media studies at college, he is desperately seeking any employment, but every interview he has, always ends in knock backs, he either has no experience or isn't successful this time.

He always dresses smartly with a shirt, tie and trousers and always arrives early to interviews, he's polite and helpful, and is keen to learn new skills, it's just so frustrating, it's making him feel really low. I feel terribly sad for the younger generation, why aren't the job centres helping them?

Is he making use of what the jobcentre offers? Mock interviews, courses, job fairs, employability skills courses? Has he explored NCS skills boot camps? Has he registered with agencies - temp work can lead to permanent work. Is he fully prepared for interviews and seeking feedback after the interview? Researching the company, reading the job description and person specification and preparing answers with those in mind using the star method. Engaging with Kings Trust? Find an Apprenticeship.gov.uk?

This is a great strategy. I’m an employer and CV’s and applications that stand out are the ones tailored to the Job and extra points for those that add in a covering letter/email as to why they are best suited for that role.
He is getting interviews though so maybe add in some extra practice with this. The amount of people I have interviewed who lack any enthusiasm was an eye opener, Also adding in some self study to gain added skills is never a bad idea.

. Good luck - it really is tough in the job market atm but tell him.not to give up

This is not your son’s fault. It’s a really really tough job market for entry level jobs. According to a recent survey by Adzuna, 32% of entry level jobs (school leavers, apprenticeships, college and university leavers) have disappeared since the advent of chatGPT. That’s just under three years ago.
Lots of basic admin jobs and entry level jobs, including coding and IT jobs, are now being done by AI. Add into the mix the increase in the minimum wage and you’ll find that if an employer has a choice between a 25 year old with a year or two’s experience and a 21 year old with no experience, they will take the experienced person as the difference in pay may well be minimal.
Then there is the issue that some young people are not well prepared for the work place. They sometimes see instruction or feedback as criticism. They don’t know how to behave appropriately at work or they have a sense of entitlement which is inappropriate.
None of this is fair and it’s certainly not your son’s fault. But this is by way of explanation. I’m an employer and for my last entry level job posted on Indeed, I had very many more suitable applicants than I expected. Many had great degrees from good universities and had skills which were highly appropriate to the role. We took someone who had just completed her Masters degree.
If I were your son, here’s what I would do. I’d approach companies I wanted to work for and ask what skills and qualifications I needed to secure a job in the future with them. Many HR departments or owners are sympathetic to young people in your son’s position and will give helpful feedback. I’d then learn these skills. For example Adobe Photoshop might be a helpful skill for him or, a course in using Agentic AI in the workplace, or any of the Google qualifications. There are many, many good free or cheap courses with accreditation available online. Get the qualification and apply back to the company. Ask to have the C.V. held on file in the event of a job becoming available. Don’t wait for jobs to be advertised, actively approach local businesses with CVs. Lots of employers need temporary staff or have roles available that they don’t always get get round to advertising.
Ask school, college or older professional friends for careers advice and mentoring, including mock interviews. Prep for every interview. Get someone to ask the questions and practice the answers. I’m always amazed at how many young people turn up for interview having done no research into the job or company. Go all over the website. Read the “about us” page. Drop information on the company into your answers. Show the interviewer you’ve done your homework. Be keen. Be positive. Ask questions about the role (not salary or holidays!). I’m also amazed at the number of people who answer interview questions by saying what they want out of the job rather than what they would bring to the company.
Volunteer. Take up a hobby. Keep learning and doing courses. Add it all into the CV. Tailor every CV to the job. In short, treat applying for a job as a job in itself. Be resilient. Keep going. The next one could be the dream job.
It is tough and it takes perseverance. But the good news is your son only has to be 10% better than the other candidates to secure a job. And most candidates are mediocre and put little effort into their CVs. The ones who do really stand out. By the time he’s invited to interview, he already is good enough to do the job. The interviewer is looking for attitude and enthusiasm as well as how well the candidate will fit into the existing team.
He’ll get there but he really needs to invest in his interview practice, his CV and his skills. I wish him well.

I hope he finds something OP. Just keep putting himself out there - something will bite.

1. he should look at getting some paid temp work to get more experience
2. Assuming he can’t afford it, can you pay for his CV to be done professionally? Based on the small bit you’ve shown, it looks poor. Or do you know someone who hires in their role who could look at it for him?
3. Can he use this time to get more/ better qualifications?
4. Can he ask the job centre if there is any help with interview prep? Eg do they do workshops etc? It’s possible help is available if he asks for it. If not, do you know anyone who hires who could do some role play/ coaching with him? I agree if he’s getting interviews but not jobs, the problem may be how he interviews.

I wouldn't employ anyone for a job working in Media who had English Language at Grade 4. You need exemplary SPAG and writing skills.

I suspect he's just losing out to better qualified candidates.

I would recommend that he continues volunteering in an area he'd like to work in. Does he have tangible examples of his work as they can demonstrate that he has the skills the job requires.

Would he consider joining the army and learning a skill that way?

What kind of job is he looking for? Does he have any work experience from previous part time jobs or just his volunteering role? Qualifications can be important but unless it’s definitely needed for the job role mostly irrelevant. I’ve been a recruiter in various industries for around 12 years and honestly it’s the last thing I ever look at and only for certain jobs.

how are his soft skills, communication, teamwork, active listening, customer service skills, complaint handling. What training has he got or undertaken outwith the basics needed to pass his courses. Can he answer questions confidently demonstrating these skills. This is what makes a candidate stand out.