A new study has confirmed the suspicions of many young job seekers: Gen Z graduates are entering a job market far harsher than the one faced by their millennial predecessors. According to Kickresume, 58% of graduates in the past year are still searching for their first job, nearly twice the rate seen among millennials and Gen X at the beginning of their careers. The challenges are so severe that only 12% of recent graduates have secured a full-time position by the time they leave university—one-third the proportion seen in prior generations. This shift marks a fundamental break from the age-old assumption that a college degree guarantees a career path, and its ripple effects are being felt globally, including in Thailand, where young people are also facing rising uncertainty about their economic futures (Fortune).
For years, the path from classroom to career has been framed as a straightforward journey, with graduation traditionally marking a smooth transition into professional life. In Thailand, as in much of the world, parents and educators have encouraged university education as the best hedge against unemployment. However, this new report suggests that times have changed. The struggle is not due to a lack of ambition among Gen Z—contrary to stereotypes voiced by public figures like Whoopi Goldberg and Judge Judy—but rather to a transformed economic and technological landscape.
A combination of factors is fueling the crisis. The rapid digitization of the workplace means that artificial intelligence is already replacing many entry-level and white-collar positions. Companies now deploy AI-powered resume filters and chatbots, shrinking the pool of available jobs just as the number of graduates is hitting an all-time high. For job seekers, this means not only fewer opportunities but also increasingly impersonal and competitive hiring practices. Many employers are now relying on personality quizzes and even unconventional “lunch tests” as barriers to employment, with some candidates investing as much time in job hunting as they would in a full-time job—up to 1,700 applications sent out per person has become the new normal for some.
Perhaps most troubling is the rise in NEETs—youth not in education, employment, or training. The United States is now seeing 4.3 million Gen Z individuals in this category, and the UK has documented a 100,000-person surge in the past year alone. No precise data is available for Thailand, but the nation faces its own growing NEET population. The National Statistical Office noted in its most recent report that roughly 15% of Thais aged 15-24 are currently NEETs—a figure likely to climb if the global trend continues (NSO Thailand).
A senior leader at the international staffing and recruitment company Bentley Lewis observed that the current educational system is struggling to keep up with labor market shifts. “Universities aren’t deliberately setting students up to fail, but the system is failing to deliver on its implicit promise,” the executive told Fortune. In Thailand, academic leaders and policy makers are raising similar alarms, warning that outdated curricula and a lack of job-matching services may leave graduates ill-equipped for today’s economy (Bangkok Post).
Job seekers are responding to this market by experimenting with unconventional strategies. While previous generations might have landed work by physically delivering resumes to offices, today’s Gen Z candidates are trying everything from creative viral stunts to simply taking on part-time or hospitality work while they continue to search. In the US, one marketing hopeful handed out donuts with his resume hidden inside, landing interviews through sheer novelty. Another graduate volunteered as conference wait staff so she could distribute her CV to potential employers directly. In Thailand, too, anecdotal evidence suggests that recent graduates are pursuing freelance gigs, gig economy work, and internships simply for a toehold in the professional world.
Yet, there are rays of hope amid this disruption. The Kickresume study’s authors urge new graduates not to fixate on landing the “perfect job” immediately, but to view their first position as a stepping stone, not a life sentence. One Thai career counselor affiliated with a leading Bangkok university told the Post: “The most important thing for young Thais right now is to get real experience, even if the first job isn’t in their field. Adaptability is becoming a survival skill.” This advice is echoed globally by workforce experts who emphasize the value of stackable skills and continuous learning over traditional linear career paths (Kickresume Report).
Thailand’s own experience with graduate unemployment is shaped both by international trends and domestic realities. The Office of the Civil Service Commission estimates that more than 250,000 students complete higher education annually, creating intense competition for a limited number of professional positions. Many Thai firms continue to rely on personal networks and traditional recruiting, which put candidates from rural areas or less prestigious universities at a disadvantage. There is also a growing mismatch between what universities teach and what employers require, with digital literacy, English proficiency, and critical thinking high on employer wishlists, but less visible in university graduates. In a recent Ministry of Higher Education survey, nearly 40% of Thai employers cited a lack of soft skills as a major barrier to hiring new graduates (MHESI Thailand).
The global picture reflected in the Kickresume and Fortune reports points toward several likely future shifts. First, the growing reliance on automation and AI in hiring will require both job seekers and educational institutions to pivot. Soft skills such as adaptability, communication, and creative problem solving—traits that are harder for technology to replicate—must be prioritized in curricula and job preparation. Second, with “lifetime employment” fading fast, Thai youth will need to prepare for non-linear career paths filled with contract work, portfolio careers, and multiple job transitions. Lastly, there is a mounting need for targeted job creation policies—such as youth-specific hiring incentives, expanded apprenticeships, and stronger career guidance at both the secondary and tertiary levels.
For young Thais and their families, these realities signal the end of guaranteed easy transitions from university to career. Instead, the future will reward flexibility, creativity, and persistence in the face of setbacks. Policymakers, universities, and employers all have a role to play in smoothing this transition and preventing a rise in discouraged youth. Practical steps for Thai graduates include broadening job searches to fields with labor shortages (such as health care and green energy), actively building digital and communication skills, seeking internships and volunteer work as bridges to paid employment, and networking widely across online and offline platforms.
Most crucially, as the Kickresume researchers suggest, job-hunting in today’s world must be seen as a marathon rather than a sprint—and one that increasingly demands resilience from Thailand’s newest generation of talent.
Sources: Fortune, Kickresume Report, NSO Thailand, Bangkok Post, MHESI Thailand