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What You Need to Know About Working with Gen Z (Ft. Karen Glinski, Talent Brand Manager)
Episode 7 tackles one of the biggest debates surrounding today's workforce: Is Gen Z really unemployable, or are outdated expectations colliding with a rapidly changing job market? Lauren and Erin are joined by Talent Brand Manager Karen Glinski to unpack the myths, realities, and opportunities facing the next generation of workers. From AI and a shrinking entry-level job market to what motivates Gen Z and what employers keep getting wrong.
Transcript
Erin: Every generation thinks the next generation could live up to their potential a little more. That's the story we've been hearing generation after generation. Every generation graduates into a brand new job market, completely different than the one their parents or grandparents may have entered. So, is Gen Z really less employable than their predecessors? Or is the workplace changing faster than our expectations can catch up? Welcome to EdTech Explored. My name is Erin. I'm here with my co-host Lauren and our guest Karen Glinski, the talent brand manager at Skyward. Today, we're diving into what you need to know about working with Gen Z.
Lauren: Welcome to the show, Karen.
Karen: Thank you for having me.
Lauren: Can you start off by telling us what it is you do as a talent brand manager?
Karen: Absolutely. So, I introduce new talent to Skyward. What it's like to work at Skyward, what the culture is like, the history, um all of those types of things. I like to bring students in, be it high school, different colleges or groups. Um, we've had DECA in, we've had, you know, different types of groups like that come in and we do a tour and talk is what I call it and we just talk a little bit about how we're family founded and how, you know, we still are family founded and what that culture is and how it's a little different than other companies and all of the different opportunities here at Skyward. So many students think that if you can't write code, you can't work at Skyward. Well, if that was true, I don't think any of us would be sitting here today.
Lauren: Correct.
So there is a lot of other things that go on here other than software engineering and IT. Um we actually have 17 different departments and so I try to talk to them about that. But the biggest thing is our internships because internships are the key to how we fuel our pipeline. Um we do internships a little bit different than other companies where we hire them on with the hopes and intent that they will stay on full-time. So they are trained just as if they were full-time. So, if we both started together, you full-time me as an intern, we'd be on the same program of the learning and development um program that we all go through. And then once we would get to graduation, if we feel that you're a good fit and you feel we're a good fit, you just stay on and you just roll into that full-time. So many students just love it ‘cause they graduate and that's one thing they don't have to worry about is I have to find a job. And they know they know the culture, they know the work, and they know what the experience is going to be like. So it works well for us and it works well for them.
Erin: And internships that that implies younger folks. So is that Gen Z?
Karen: That would be Gen Z.
Erin: So you know, Gen Z can sometimes get a bad rap, but every generation's criticized for things. I mean, I'm a millennial. Had to have the participation trophy, you know, like is there stuff that you remember being told about your generation when you were growing up?
Lauren: Well, I mean, one that I thought of today getting ready for the podcast as I pulled out my skinny jeans is that we're still rocking the skinny jeans.
Karen: Yes. Yes. We are. We are. Skinny jeans. That was the best. Yeah. Every generation is different, but it's they're have their great qualities. Gen Z is to me special because they live the pandemic years.
Erin: Okay.
Karen: They're more adaptable, and they want flexibility. So one of their biggest things in looking for a career is the flexibility. They also want to have a purpose. Purpose is very important to them. So purpose, growth, and mental health and mental wellness are very important to them. And that all stems back to their youth and the pandemic and what came out of that. So some good things came out of that. Their professional skills may be lacking a bit because they didn't have maybe that time in the classroom or certain you know that those types of things but those are all coachable skills, and the skills that they have that you know we're looking for is that they're eager to learn. They want to make a difference. They want to work somewhere that has a purpose, but they just want those things like flex they're just asking for a little bit different than maybe the generation before but it when you think about why it makes sense and as we know we can work from anywhere. Most of us now it it's just changed a lot of things and that yeah they just they want to learn. They're just eager.
Erin: And those types of skills are not as coachable as other skills.
Karen: Absolutely.
Erin: There's not as much professional development for a learning mindset or wanting to grow.
Karen: Everyone always asks me what do you look for at Skyward? And I say we hire for attitude and train for skill. Because if you come in with the right attitude, you want to learn, you want to grow, and you want to understand that, hey, just because I'm done with college or technical school or high school, you're still learning. I'm still learning every day. We're all still learning every day, and we don't know it all.
Lauren: Can we talk a little bit about the job market that they are going into? I mean, it is wildly different than it was even 5, 10 years ago.
Karen: So now with AI and you know you being able to hit a button and send your resume to 100 different employers in one, you know, that makes it so hundreds and hundreds of applications, like just tons of and you just kind of get lost. So what I tell students is it's still it's more important than ever to make connections. You need to make that connection. You need to show up to career fairs. You need to go to social events. you need to um network with your maybe your parents employers or their friends or whatever and have that touch point with them. It still has to be real because then you're more than like if I see somebody on campus, I see a lot of students, but we have a conversation, they link in with me, I remember the name, see the application come through, I'll be like, "Yeah, saw this person or you know on campus would be a good um one to interview." just those little things or I go and say, "Hey, this group looks really good for this or whatever." I've had a conversation. So, when we get 1,600, okay, maybe not that many, but let's just go with a hundred applications. The ones who've made a connection either with me or maybe somewhere else on staff because a lot of our staff does spend time out and about as well. You have to have that. You have to be intentional, too. And I tell students too, the same resume for every job does not work. You know, you need to look at what the position is. Maybe tweak what you're going to be able to give that job over that job and have a couple different resumes or just tweak it quickly. It doesn't take a lot. And then make sure that cover letter is intentional that you want to work at Skyward, and why do you want to work at Skyward? I want to work there because it's a great culture. I've heard I have friends that work there. That type of thing. That's going to stand out a lot more than just those generic things, or just someone we've never seen. You know, do the tours at, you know, get involved at, you know, when there's opportunities out there at the college level or at the high school level, the students, if it's an option, my gosh, they need to, they don't understand now how valuable that is. And when I was a student, it was just, here's your book, right? There wasn't any of this stuff. And, you know, it's awesome. I've seen it come full circle where they come in and then they end up they come in for a tour. I see them on campus, they go through the process, and here they are to start their first day as an intern, and it's so exciting.
Lauren: So there's this narrative out there that Gen Z can be tough to work with or they can be timid, things like that. What have you heard? How have you heard them described and what is your reaction to some of those things?
Karen: I don't agree. Um, every generation is different and that is a good thing because it brings more to every workplace. you know, we have four generations here probably right now and they all have their unique qualifications and capabilities and I have seen Gen Z since Covid, so after everyone went back to class, I saw a very timid um I'd go into a lot of social they would have like social networking types of things and the students would just kind of be there like, and I'd have to go up and pull it out. And the last I want to say 3 years it has been different. They're coming literally coming to me. The first time it happened I was like oh my gosh three students are walking up to me, and I was like this is wonderful. I think they had a hard time coming out of the pandemic but again that brought such some different skills. Again adaptability. Imagine a generation more adaptable than Gen Z.
Erin: Change happens very fast lately.
Karen: And they had to adapt to so many different things. We all did, but they were still learning. They're still growing. Their brains are still they're, you know, trying to figure things out. So, to me, they're just more adaptable. And again, they're looking for a purpose in what they do, which I love because here at Skyward, each of us make a difference in the K-12 marketplace. Like, we make a difference in students lives every day. Sometimes we forget about that because we get so embedded in our day, but I love that at the end of the day like what I did today made a difference. And, you know, I'm not Gen Z and it's important to me, and it's a lot more important to them. So you know if they can if that is important to them they will want to work here because they want to make a difference. So purpose is very important and again the flexibility they want the flexibility to work in office or work from home, but they want that flexibility in their schedule which we have we have that flexible work schedule. Um, we really do have most everything Gen Z is looking for in a company which we're very lucky that we do have those things that we rolled with it and understood what you know you have to. If you don't want to understand the next generation then you're going to have the attitude about them because you're not looking for their strengths you're working for because we all have weaknesses, but you need to find their strengths and then when I'm out and about and I'm choosing my marketing and my social media and what I promote and what I talk about is to that generation. So, I talk about our flexible work schedule. I talk about our great, we have a wellness, a full-time wellness administrator, so mental health, and those things are very important to us. Purpose is an easy one for us because we make a difference every day. So, I talk to those things with that generation because that's what it's important to them.
Lauren: So, you've seen firsthand some students land amazing job opportunities. What are these students doing differently that others might be able to learn from?
Karen: Again, they were intentional. They weren't just doing the mass resumés out and just throwing it out there and seeing if something sticks. They did some digging into the company, what the company stands for, what their purpose is, and they're applying for jobs that they want to actually make that difference. Like I've said before, they don't want just a job. So, taking that extra time again and maybe meeting somebody or knowing someone at the company and asking for an like an introduction, just being more intentional in actually what they want to do. Like if education's important to them, we would be a great fit. Um, if they'd like to work in the insurance industry, we have another great fit. If you want healthcare in the area, there's another great fit. You know, we have so many great companies here in town that you just need, you know, we're not for everybody. No one is for everybody, but being intentional about like what would make me want to come to work every day. And you know, I tell them if you love what you do, like it's always said it's not a job. And I love what I do. And it I mean, is every day great? Absolutely not. Nowhere is it absolutely great every day. But overall, I enjoy getting up, coming to work, and doing the things I do. Um, being out there. And for them to find that, I think they're looking for that type of thing a little earlier than we were when we started our careers. It was like, I need a job. And I need to pay the bills. And they feel that, too, because education is really gotten more and more expensive, but it's kind of a fair trade with them. They want the purposeful job and the financial stability. I mean, everyone wants the financial stability or they won't be looking for a job, right? So um again the purpose and and again we're back to that flexibility if they can find the purpose they believe in with the flexibility and the support of, you know, mental health and mental well-being is really coming to be a big thing for a lot of people in this generation, especially because of the pandemic and the things that that happened.
Erin: Well it really sounds like Gen Z is looking to thrive.
Karen: They are, you know, absolutely they've got so much energy and I just. Yes. I enjoy my time with the students more than anything else I do. You meet certain ones and they you just I keep seeing the same people because I spend the time, you know, in the same school of business and econ and then also in the computer science building. So you build these relationships and I actually had one girl who you know actually did apply for our internship and she was so excited and she saw me on campus and then she also has a job elsewhere where I shop and so I was in shopping that one day and she came up to me and she comes up to me and she gives me the biggest hug, and she's like “I got the job I got the internship” and it was so awesome to have that right to make that connection. But I've she kind of, you know, I was there and she asked the questions and, you know, she was interested and she got to know me enough that, you know, I said, "Yeah, you we should interview this and this girl." And after that, I don't have anything, you know, I just kind of put my input in if I know them enough. And to have her do that and then to see her smiling face on the first day she started was amazing. Those are the stories that stick with me. And those are the stories that I know there are probably more of them, but I just maybe didn't, you know, you can't every student you see know if it went all that way. But um again.
Erin: Well, she sought you out to make that connection like you were talking about. Also, just speaking as a Skyward employee. I've been here for 8 years. One of our values is building community. Boy, that sounds an awful lot like building community.
Karen: Jim and Jean King are wonderful. Um they've they're our founders and they just give back to the community in so many ways and one of them is you know my job is I am I am out and about at different functions and I'm a Portage County Business Council ambassador that gets me out in front of different businesses and just those connections you know I'm not out necessarily recruiting but networking is a is a word that these students hear all the time and I think they roll their eyes but networking is so important and all networking is making connections that's all it is. So me being able to do that and just being in these different, you know, maybe I'm at some event and there's no nobody that's interested in Skyward, but maybe there's somebody there whose daughter is looking for an internship or their grandson's looking for, you know, and it's all word of mouth and you have to just get out and I'm allowed to do that and uh just get out in the community and get out to different places and I'm always looking for different opportunities to get involved. Especially here in town because they use Skyward at the schools. So, you have that. And when I first started this job there, I went to a career fair and these young freshmen walk by and they're like, "Oh, Skyward." Yeah. They reported my grades. And so, I've had people say they're like, "Oh, you I go, but did we earn the grades?" And then they look at me and they're like, "Yeah." So, so some of them come kind of with a negative perspective, but then you turn and there's so much more to Skyward than our grades or reporting grades, and this that part of it even I learned when I started here. So, they know a little bit about us, but they don't know enough. So, getting them at the high school and junior high level. Um, I'm doing a junior high level next month. They're starting for junior and high school, which I think is amazing. So, I'll get, you know, go there. It'll be different than at the college, but just to let them know, hey, you know, there's all there's accounting, there's HR, there's marketing, there's so many things, like I said, other than just software engineers, IT people.
Erin: Yeah.
Karen: Getting that out there. And we do more than just tell your parents your grades.
Erin: It's true.
Karen: Yeah. And the question, can you change my grades? I get that a lot. And my answer is, no, but you can.
Erin: You guys are on the same page. You guys are on the same page.
Karen: But they think about it then. They're like, "Oh, yeah. She's right."
Lauren: Yeah.
Erin: At least if they're going to dish it, they can take it, too. I like that in a generation.
Lauren: I was thinking it must be really fun for you even just walking the halls at Skyward with how many people you would know from, you know, being part of their hiring journey and then getting to see them move up into different positions throughout the company. That has to be really rewarding.
Karen: It is. And, you know, a lot of it is I'm a friendly face for a lot of the college students that start as interns because they've seen me on campus. So I try to be here on the, well, I am here on the first day because we do something special here at Skyward where all of the new hires, interns full-time have lunch with our president, Ray, which I think is amazing. I mean, who gets to have lunch with the president? And I'm there as well. Uh, which I enjoy because then I can see them again. And plus, when they see me in the morning, they smile because it's like, oh, there's a safe place, right? A space. And do I remember all their names? Absolutely not. Do I remember where I saw them? Absolutely not. And I tell them that when I first meet them, remind me next time where I met you. Or I'll say to them, you look familiar. Can you remind me, please? And they do ‘cause I'm not going to act like I remember because I cannot remember all of that. It's a lot. But and it is fun to watch them and then see them go into the full-time role and then see them be promoted. And I'm like, wasn't he just an intern like last year and he's a pro three already?
Erin: That's the growth piece. They want to get after it.
Karen: Exactly. So it is it's it is wonderful.
Erin: What can schools do to help prepare Gen Z and now Gen Alpha on their heels for those kinds of connections?
Karen: Different real life experiences like mock interviews. I've talked a lot of schools reach out to me and say, "Hey, will you do mock interviews?" Some of them I do virtually and some of I go I just did a uh we did a big one this last um spring uh with a bunch of different employers. And the students it's real time for them 'cause they're so, so nervous but doing that every time you interview it gets a little easier. It's never easy but it gets a little easier. And I like that time a lot of the time I spend just the connection. And I said, "Listen, we're going to do this, but understand that an interview is just a conversation." And if you look at it as a conversation, it's going to take a little bit of that ‘cause that's really all we're doing here. And you're getting to know me and I'm getting to know you and you need to ask me questions, too, because it's just not about me liking you. It's about you liking me. So getting professionals into the junior high, into the senior high, into the colleges, doing the mock interviews, doing resume um going over resume and talking about, you know, what's important, what's not important. Doing things like the reality shops, doing any of the real life stuff, bringing in and have them actually come here to Skyward. Having them tour. Again back when my day, here's your textbook, you know, read chapter 7 through nine and we'll have a No, there's so many ways to learn now. So many ways to learn and they are adapting to that and they are giving the students more and more, and I've again I've seen more and more in the last year or so the junior high is getting involved which is great because the sooner I can get in front of these students to just I mean they're not thinking but it's planting the seed. It's planting the seed.
Erin: I think it's a lot less scary too.
Karen: It is.
Erin: You know, when you get to meet Karen Glinsky, talent brand manager, who has a smile and some advice for you for free. That's rare now. And so, I can see why Gen Z is very excited for these opportunities.
Lauren: And I was thinking too, it's like in your role, I can tell how much you enjoy it and enjoy getting to connect with people, but you're getting to help so many people, not even people who just the people who end up working at Skyward, but every student that you've talked to in these mock interviews or you've given advice to at a career fair.
Karen: And I tell them that I'm like not all of you are going to work at Skyward and that's not why I'm here. I mean I am here for that obviously but not just. You know and I'll tell them you need you know link in with me. That's always my big thing and if you need you know I've had students reach out and have questions for me maybe on something that they need um for class or whatever or entrepreneurs. This generation is very entrepreneurship-ish. So, I've had a student just in the last couple years that was doing some type of sales um as he had his own company which and he's going to college, right? He's like what 20 years old um and my background is in sales and we I did a resume class with him and we just got to chatting and afterwards he sent me goes, "Hey, I've got this this marketing thing for my business. What do you think?" So, I gave him some things. I said, "Do this and this." and he got back to me and he used it and, he got so much better response and that made me feel so good that I was able to help him that he reached out to me and I could tell him like this is what I would do. I I'm just giving you my advice. It's free, so take it or not. And it and when he got back to me that just for me was just like oh my gosh I helped him do that, you know? I helped him to see that because I've got the experience and you know giving the students people that have experience to just be real with them. Those are the types of things the high schools are doing and need to do more of because kids can, they can connect to people that are being real. They don't want to hear a speech. They don't want to hear all the, you know, and I think that's why I can connect ‘cause I'm very real.
Erin: Are we going to be able to guess what the job market is going to be like in 5 years?
Karen: No. I mean, I've watched it in the 10 years, well, I've been in recruitment and talent brand for probably 12 or more. Um, and it changes. It changes. There were times does do you all remember when every single business had a sign we're hiring? Every single business was that how many years ago was that? Again, I'm not good with that but.
Erin: Even right now I think a lot.
Karen: And then it goes to like there's nobody hiring ,or it's just very so it and a lot of it has to do with the economy and where we're at and to me it just es and flows like there's times when they're not hiring a lot and then there's times that you see everyone's hiring and where's that going to go I don't know where's the economy going where's the where's our world going and I think that really we follow that and so how you can guess and I'm sure there are people that can probably tell you spot on that, you know, kind of watch more of the economical parts of it, but it's just going to be and the need, and who's growing like we are such a growing company, which I also tell students when you're looking for a job and you get an offer, one of the first things you need to do is think, is this company growing? Is it stagnant? Um, I came from my sales role was in newspaper sales. Well, hello. Guess what happened there?
Erin: You know, they're bringing back magazines though.
Karen: So, and my then it was magazines and then from magazines it went to websites. So, I kind of went with it. But I watched that and now going into it like we are growing. I mean during Covid, we never stopped hiring. We hired throughout it ‘cause we were busy. How many companies can say that? So when you're looking for that job are you, you know, you need to pay attention. Are you growing? Is this a growing field? Is this a dying field? because you know do you want to get yourself into something that in three years is going to be no longer. Um so those are things that the students don't think about. They think about the money and there's so many more things that you need to think about than that.
Erin: But regardless of where it goes you know whatever AI is bringing for us whatever uh twists and turns are down in the future, that value of connection is always going to be there for Gen Z and beyond.
Karen: Yes. And it's important that um schools capitalize on that and we as companies and employers do as well. Um our next generation is going to be different. It's going to be more AI-driven.
Erin: Yeah.
Karen: And I mean when you're four years old, you know, that next generation, Generation Alpha will know nothing but AI.
Erin: Yeah. It's true.
Karen: So what's that going to be like? And will they say they'll have to they'll have something negative to say, or you look at it positive. What positives did we get out of that? And you take Gen Alpha with Gen Z and what are they going to do together? Right.
Erin: So true.
Karen: Gen Z with millennials. What are, you know, millennials were spoiled. They were lazy. There were other things. They're running companies now. So how spoiled and lazy were they? Right? But you have to, it's just not one generation working. It's two or three or right now it's four. Maybe five a little bit, you know. So, yeah, it's just we'll see. It'll time will tell like they say.
Erin: Thanks for joining us today on EdTech Explored. Thanks to our guest Karen and my co-host Lauren. If you enjoyed this episode, you can follow us and find more. You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or whichever platform you enjoy. You can also find all of our episodes at skyward.com/podcast, or drop us a line and suggest a topic at podcast@skyward.com. Thanks so much, and we'll talk again next time.
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