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Bonnie Hammer recognizes that new grads are entering a tough market.
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"Obviously the world has changed, the economy has changed, how we look at the job market has changed, and frankly AI has affected it as well," Hammer, the former vice chairman of NBCUniversal, said in a May 28 appearance on Squawk Box.
To succeed in today's job market, Gen Z grads are going to have to embrace the hustle, she said.
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According to Hammer, who also wrote advice book "15 Lies Women Are Told at Work," current grads are coming out of college "far less prepared" than previous generations — and it might be baby boomers' fault.
"The kids coming out of school right now are in a way handicapped," she said. "Our generation has hurt these kids, because we've created safe spaces, we've created A's for effort, we've created trophies for just showing up at games, even if you didn't play."
In her view, Gen Z grads are less inclined to assertively chase opportunities — including taking jobs that aren't necessarily their dream roles.
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"Their assumption is, 'I went to college. I got a degree. I was always told once I graduated, I would then get a job. If I got really good grades, I'd get a great job.' And that's not what's happening," Hammer said.
As of March 2025, the unemployment rate for recent grads rose to 5.8%, while the unemployment rate for all college graduates was only 2.7%.
Hammer acknowledged that the rise of AI in screening job applications presents a significant hurdle for applicants, who may not even have a chance to interact with a human being until the interview stage.
That's why Gen Z has to "create the opportunities for themselves," she said.
Hammer shared an anecdote about a friend's son who recently graduated college. He applied for 200 different jobs through his university's job portal, but none of them materialized into interview offers.
He received a last-minute invitation to an dinner with potential employers, so he rented a car and drove 200 miles to attend, Hammer said on Squawk Box. After chatting with the attendees, he left the dinner with an opportunity for an in-person interview.
"That in-person interview led to a job," Hammer said.
Making in-person connections will help you stand out in the job process, but above all, new grads need to be constantly "putting up their hand" for any opening that comes their way.
"They have to take every opportunity that's out there," Hammer said. "They have to be willing to talk to friends, and to take jobs that have nothing to do with the supposed career they want to move into."
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Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.