Survey: Leaders ready to hire young people without experience – Youth find job hunting difficult

According to a survey conducted as part of Finnish Work’s Zero Situation (Nollatilanne) campaign, perceptions of job hunting differ significantly between young people and business leaders. While 39% of leaders find hiring a young person relatively easy, nearly half (48%) of young respondents describe the job application process as a negative experience.

Leaders value the right attitude and trustworthiness in young candidates but are concerned about their motivation and commitment. Young people, on the other hand, seek meaningful work and opportunities for growth – and above all, they want to be seen as potential professionals, even if their CV lacks work experience. This is what the “zero situation” refers to.

Young people have a positive attitude toward work

Differences also emerge in expectations and attitudes. Young people hope employers will approach inexperienced applicants with an open mind and offer them internships or trial opportunities. They view experience requirements as unfair, especially at the start of their careers. Still, they are willing to adapt to the demands of working life, as long as the workload is reasonable and compensation fair.

“The most fascinating finding in our research relates to intergenerational attitudes – specifically, the bright outlook of young people. They not only value work but see it as full of opportunity. Their dreams about work haven’t disappeared; on the contrary, they believe the significance of work will only grow in the future,” says Katri Viippola, CEO of Finnish Work.

A positive takeaway from the study is that as many as 67% of leaders say they are willing to hire a young person without prior work experience. Inexperience is seen as an opportunity: young people bring fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and are trainable into skilled professionals. However, leaders still wonder whether young people have enough motivation and whether they can adapt to workplace norms.

Young people feel they understand the rules of working life but hope for openness, support, and an encouraging atmosphere. They want to grow, develop, and belong – if only given the chance.

“We’ve explored young people’s thoughts more deeply together with the Youth Academy, and the research confirms that young people are indeed eager to work and genuinely interested in employment. The younger the job seeker, the more flexible they are regarding job content and working hours,” says Katri Viippola.

“It was encouraging to see from the leaders’ responses that they want to offer young people responsible roles – with the goal of developing them into future professionals. Interviewees hoped that young people would challenge established practices and help improve workplace culture and ways of working. It seems that new employees are trusted and expected to take responsibility,” interprets Jokke Eljala, Research Manager at Finnish Work.

“The negative spiral in public discourse about work has truly reached its end. Young people’s attitude is far more rational and solution-oriented than the pessimism of previous generations. Now it’s our turn as employers to believe in and respond to young people’s great attitude by offering jobs and turning over every stone to support their employment,” urges Katri Viippola.

The Zero Situation (Nollatilanne)campaign by Finnish Work aims to draw the attention of business leaders and recruiters to the importance of offering young people their first job in their field. The campaign also reminds us that an empty CV can hide enormous potential. The goal is to highlight the challenges young people face in employment and encourage employers to offer opportunities to those without experience.

About the study

Finnish Work surveyed leaders and HR professionals about their views on hiring young people, as well as their own work histories and future outlooks. The survey was conducted using the Surveypal tool between February 14–26, 2025, with 806 CEOs and HR professionals responding. Additionally, the Youth Academy conducted interviews and four youth workshops in March–April, where 56 young people responded to a work-life survey in Ranua, Helsinki, Pietarsaari, and Kokkola. The study also utilized the Youth Academy’s 2024 report Young People’s Thoughts on Working Life (in Finnish).

Finnish Work’s main mission is to ensure that Finnish work and its benefits are recognized. The association manages the Key Flag, Design from Finland, and Social Enterprise Marks and serves as a voice promoting domestic work expertise and work positivity.