College students are confident they’re ready to hit the ground running after graduation. But employers aren’t buying it.
A recent Forage survey of 2,000 college juniors and seniors shows that 72% of college juniors and seniors said they feel prepared to succeed in their first job. But only 41% of employers believe recent grads are truly ready for the workplace.
That 31-point perception gap isn’t just a philosophical divide—it’s a practical problem. In 2025, one in eight hiring managers says they plan to avoid hiring recent college grads altogether. More than half (55%) say they had to fire a recent college hire in 2024. And 33% cite a lack of work ethic as a top concern.
But in my experience, it’s not that students don’t care or aren’t trying—it’s that they haven’t been exposed to what real work looks and feels like. They’re navigating a hiring process that demands experience … without always showing them how to get it.
We’re Teaching—but Not Always Preparing
Many students approach graduation having done everything “right.” They’ve completed coursework, participated in campus activities, maybe even landed an internship. Yet nearly one in five still admits they don’t know what it’s actually like to work in the field they’re pursuing.
And let’s not forget: This is the COVID generation. Their high school years were disrupted, college orientation was remote, and formative work experiences—such as internships, summer jobs, and part-time roles—were canceled or moved online. That interruption in social, academic, and early professional development is still rippling through their confidence and career readiness today. It’s not just a résumé gap. It’s a context gap.
There’s also a failure of access. Only 27% of students say their college offered a course or experience that mimicked real-world job responsibilities. And when students haven’t had the chance to try the work, it’s not surprising that employers are hesitant to hire based on résumés alone.
A Rising Shift: Hiring for Skills, Not Just Schools
The good news? A better way is already emerging.
In 2024, 81% of employers reported using skills-based hiring practices—a sharp increase from 56% in 2022. And 94% agree that hiring based on demonstrated skills is more predictive of job success than relying on traditional résumé credentials alone.
By focusing on specific competencies and task-based performance, employers are better equipped to identify candidates who can contribute effectively from day one.
This approach also opens doors for students—especially those from nontraditional or underrepresented backgrounds—by shifting the conversation from “Where did you go to school?” to “Can you do the work?”
Simulations Make Readiness Real
Students who participate in employer-designed, hands-on learning experiences—such as virtual job simulations—show measurable gains in both confidence and competence. These experiences allow students to explore real job tasks in a no-stakes environment and understand not just what a company does but also how it operates and what success looks like in the role.
That means students show up to interviews not just excited about the company—but familiar with the work, ready to engage, and able to demonstrate core competencies in context.
We’ve seen this firsthand at Forage. Students who complete our virtual job simulations are more likely to apply to partner employers and are 3.3x more likely to be offered the job. That’s not a coincidence—it’s what happens when students are empowered to learn by doing.
Let’s Bridge the Gap Together
The readiness gap isn’t inevitable. It’s a solvable problem—if educators, employers, and students work together to build better bridges between the classroom and the workplace.
The future of hiring is skills-first. But students can’t be expected to demonstrate skills they’ve never had the chance to build. That’s where tools such as job simulations, experiential learning, and transparent hiring processes make all the difference.
By giving students early access to real work—and the context to connect it to their own strengths—we can unlock a generation of talent that’s not just confident, but capable.
to learn more about Forage job simulations.
