College-educated Gen Z men are increasingly finding themselves classified as NEETs—Not in Employment, Education, or Training. Many are watching their careers derail before they've even begun, stuck in a cycle of unemployment despite their qualifications.
“It’s like having a full-time job, but without any of the benefits,” laments Joshy B, a 27-year-old TikTok user from Edinburgh who graduated with a master’s in business last October. In a series of viral videos, he explains that securing government benefits has become an exhausting ordeal. “I’ve been working harder than someone with a 9-to-5 job lately,” he quips, resonating deeply with his generation.
Joshy hoped his two degrees would propel him into the corporate world, allowing him to escape life on a council estate (public housing). Instead, he's living off £400 ($497) per month in employment benefits while navigating a complex system that requires meticulous documentation of his job-hunting activities. “Even though I want a job, all my time is spent preparing for weekly meetings,” he says. He reflects bitterly that pursuing a warehouse job might have been more advantageous: “By now, I could’ve gotten promoted twice.”
### A Growing Trend Among Gen Z Graduates
Joshy isn’t alone. Across the UK and beyond, young graduates are discovering that their qualifications no longer guarantee a clear path to graduate schemes or high-profile roles. According to data from the U.K. Department for Education, just over half (59%) of graduates had secured full-time jobs 15 months after finishing university in 2024—a stark contrast to the 94% figure recorded a decade ago.
The trend disproportionately affects male Gen Z graduates. While female participation in the workforce has steadily increased, the opposite is true for men. Separate studies indicate that since 2023, the workforce participation rate for college-educated male Gen Zers has plummeted.
Max Onken, another Gen Z graduate, applied for 20 jobs daily during the six months following his graduation. After two years of relentless job hunting, he's grown disillusioned. “So many job ads are misleading or broken,” he told *The Independent*. Similarly, law graduate James Harrison endured 15 months of rejections—including for a barista role at Caffè Nero—before landing a paralegal position.
In the U.S., Hunter Howell, a 22-year-old business administration graduate, submitted over 1,700 applications in ten months yet received only one full-time offer. Commenters on Joshy’s TikTok echo these struggles: “Fifty applications, four interviews, and after a year… nothing,” writes one user. Another chimes in: “Going through the same thing right now.”
### Why Are Male Gen Z Grads Struggling?
For the classes of 2023 and 2024, the job market is far tougher than it was during the Great Resignation when hiring rates and wages soared. Lewis Maleh, CEO of global recruitment agency Bentley Lewis, observes distinct patterns among unemployed male graduates.
“Many seem to be waiting for their ‘dream job’ rather than embracing opportunities to grow,” Maleh tells *Fortune*. This reluctance contrasts with their female peers, who tend to widen their searches and accept roles outside traditional career paths. Male-dominated industries such as tech and finance have also been hit hard by economic downturns.
“There’s still this outdated notion of what constitutes ‘acceptable’ work for men,” Maleh adds. “Some refuse entry-level positions they perceive as beneath them, even temporarily, which exacerbates their frustration.” The added complexity of claiming benefits further discourages them.
Maleh advises young men to adopt a more flexible mindset. “You don’t need to have everything figured out immediately,” he says. “Your twenties are meant for exploration and learning. Social media often portrays overnight success, but building a meaningful career takes time and persistence.”
As Joshy and others navigate this challenging landscape, their stories highlight the urgent need for systemic changes in both education and labor markets. For now, they continue sharing their experiences online, fostering solidarity among those grappling with similar challenges.