What Students Need to Know, ETEducation
Dr Challapalli Praseeda
Transition from education to employment has always marked a turning point for students, and for the schools that prepare them for the world. For years, people have measured the value of education by one thing: whether it leads to a good job or not. Parents, teachers, policymakers, all keep this expectation front and centre, often treating employability as the ultimate validation of the worth of education.
But the way the students approach this leap has changed. Gen Y, for example, treated college as a clear, structured road to stable work. They chased grades and rankings, measuring their progress step by step. Competition was fierce. The formula seemed simple: the harder you worked, the better would be your outcome.
Then came Gen Z. They grew up with constant tech advances and a pandemic that shook up and redefined their world. They are digital naturals, globally aware, flooded with more information than they can possibly digest. But they also face uncertainty on a scale that is hard to overstate, and it has changed not just how they learn, but how they define success.
Grades still matter, but for many, just passing is enough. More weight falls on interviews, practical skills, and how well they fit with a workplace. Students do not memorise facts for some distant future; they merely pull up information when they need it. This is not about being less capable, it is just a new way of learning, shaped by instant digital access to all sources of information.
The argument that this shift comes with its own problems cannot be gainsaid. Some students treat class participation, attendance, and steady effort as optional, even while colleges keep investing in programs to help them land jobs. Expectations for what education should deliver are as high as ever, but commitment to the process can be shaky.
One can see this most clearly during campus placements and recruitment. Students want options. They are picky about roles, locations, industries, and pay. There is nothing wrong with having aspirations. But sometimes, this pickiness makes them underestimate the realities of the market.
Right now, jobs are harder to find. Companies are cutting back on entry-level hiring, and first jobs are more competitive than ever. Even in better times, landing a dream job takes grit, flexibility, and steady effort. Getting a job is not a given, it is something you earn through preparation, skill, and clear-eyed decision-making.
What students need is not to lower their ambitions, but to rethink how they chase them. Career adaptability is key, research points to four big areas: planning for the future, taking charge of your decisions, staying curious about opportunities, and having the confidence to handle transitions. These traits help people deal with uncertainty, not just avoid it.
Colleges are responding and changing to support this, but students need share the load. Moving from campus to career takes engagement, openness, and persistence. Getting hired is not just about nailing the perfect job right away. It is about building experience, learning as you go, and setting yourself up for long-term growth.
Everyone wants meaningful work. That is not up for debate. But the road there takes patience, effort, and a real understanding that careers are built step by step and not overnight.
Dr Challapalli Praseeda is the Professor, Area Chair ODHR, GITAM School of Business GITAM Deemed to be University-Bengaluru.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETEDUCATION does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETEDUCATION will not be responsible for any damage caused to any person or organisation directly or indirectly.
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