Why Did They Hire Me?

Key steps managers can take to connect with Gen Z employees at work

“I scored one!” one of the young women I have mentored over the years shouted with joy on the phone. This college junior received a summer internship offer email after months of searches, YouTube video submissions, and Zoom interviews. I was so proud of Sarah knowing how much work she has relentlessly put into her search over the past four months despite a series of setbacks and disappointments.

Three weeks later, Sarah called me and said, “I don’t know why they hired me…” and sighed. I could sense her feelings of disappointment and frustration. Sarah was interning at a consulting firm that advises S&P 500 companies about digital transformations in marketing. As a marketing major at a top-ranked business school and a student entrepreneur, Sarah was well-qualified for the job. Puzzled, I asked her for more details and put together some tips for her manager as well as any other supervisors who work with Gen Z employees.

Week 1: I am Unsure (vs. Connecting)

“I wasn’t sure about your qualifications but hired you because of your potential,” Sarah recounted her first 1:1 with her manager. Having driven over 1,000 miles to move to her summer workplace, Sarah was caught off guard by this, which made her wonder how to interpret her manager’s message. “I tried to brush it off and focus on tasks on hand, but it didn’t make me feel welcomed,” Sarah told me.

Tip #1: The first week should have been all about welcoming and connecting with new employee(s) — getting to know them. For example, how Sarah is settling in a different city, and clarifying the scope of work, setting expectations, introducing her to others in the organization, and offering help. You hired them so they belong to your team. Make sure they understand from the start that they are valued.

Week 2: You are Green (vs. Balanced Feedback)

After she met and discussed her project with software developers and account executives at work, Sarah felt good about her progress. With initial positive responses from others, Sarah thought of extending her project to other parts of the company. Then, quickly that heightened sense of motivation was completely shattered when her manager scolded her in a breakroom. “You’re still green,” was one statement from her new manager when referring to an incident when Sarah texted a member on her team to ask a question during non-office hours. Her manager delivered an immediate personal criticism rather than an acknowledgment of how well her project was progressing or offering positive feedback related to the interactions Sarah was having with her team. The early motivation Sarah was feeling was immediately destroyed.

Tip #2: Being a manager comes with certain privileges as well as important responsibilities. Not all people can be managers and as a matter of fact, some people would be better off as individual contributors unless they are willing to embrace the consequential responsibilities. Lead with empathy by showing your employees respect and providing them with balanced feedback — what’s going well and what you would like to see more of so that they can act on your feedback. Focus on how best to inspire them rather than squashing their intrinsic motivation!

Week 3: I Don’t Know How to Mentor You (vs. Intentional Development Plan)

“What’s the point about having a mentor?” Sarah said with a deep sigh. Eager to deepen her learning associated with her summer job, Sarah was initially excited about having a mentor at work. The night before her first meeting with the mentor, she prepared a one-page outline of her learning objectives as well as a few questions. The mentor who turned out to be a software developer outright told her “I don’t know how to mentor you,” at the onset of their meeting. Again, Sarah wondered “why did they hire me?”

Tip #3: Your engagement with employees is a two-way street — on one hand, you expect them to perform their roles and responsibilities. On the other hand, your employees expect you to help them to learn and develop using the resources available. Be intentional about providing them with specific learning opportunities whether they be formal or informal. Ask them about their learning objectives and start to document in a simple development plan. When you do this, you’ll start to create a mentoring relationship that will get them on the path of growing their skills, growing their motivation, and building a natural loyalty to the team and the organization, which will pay off in more ways than you can count.