Why Wise to Work

We see what is happening to new graduates and early-career job seekers as an epidemic. Too many talented young people leave school with strong grades and real ambition, but without the relationships, practical knowledge, mentorship, or confidence to navigate today's workplace. They may know how to succeed in a classroom, but not how to build an authentic professional network, market themselves, navigate LinkedIn, interview well, or recover from rejection in a market reshaped by AI and social media.

The numbers tell the story.

The Job Market Has Turned Against New Graduates

• 5.6% unemployment and 42% underemployment. As of the second quarter of 2026, recent college graduates had an unemployment rate of about 5.6%, and 42% were working in jobs that do not require a degree. (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)
• Worse off than the overall workforce. In March 2026, recent graduates ages 22–27 were unemployed at 5.6%, compared with 4.2% for all workers. (Inside Higher Ed) Their unemployment rate has exceeded the national rate for five straight years, something almost unheard of between 1990 and 2018. (Kelly Services)
• Fewer openings, more pessimism. Entry-level job postings are 12% below pre-pandemic levels, and the share of college seniors who feel pessimistic about their careers climbed from 46% to 62% in two years. (Handshake)
• More applications, fewer offers. The Class of 2025 started searching earlier and submitted a median of 10 applications, up from 6 for the Class of 2024, yet received fewer job offers. (NACE)
• "Entry-level" often isn't. A LinkedIn analysis of millions of job postings found that 35% of entry-level roles asked for three or more years of relevant experience. (BBC Worklife)

AI Is Changing the Rules

• Fewer entry-level jobs in AI-exposed fields. A Stanford study found that workers ages 22–25 saw a 13% relative decline in employment since 2022 in the occupations most exposed to AI. (CNBC)
• Students feel it. Of the Class of 2026 seniors who are pessimistic about their careers, almost half say it is at least partly because of generative AI. (Handshake)
• Software reads your résumé first. In a survey of 1,500 U.S. hiring managers, 87% said their organizations use AI in hiring, and 82% worry that applicants' use of AI hides their real abilities. (Forbes) When applications are screened by software, the candidates who stand out are the ones someone already knows.

Always Connected, Rarely Networked

Social media has made young professionals more visible than ever, but not better connected. Scrolling, liking, and following are not the same as building relationships with people who can open doors.

• 72% of Gen Z professionals feel disconnected from the people who could help their careers. (LinkedIn)
• 53% are unsure how to start building professional relationships, and 52% don't know how to turn contacts into meaningful connections. (LinkedIn)
• 64% say no one has ever clearly shown them how to build professional relationships. (LinkedIn)
• The biggest barriers are emotional: 37% worry about bothering people, 37% fear being judged, and 34% worry about sounding inauthentic. (LinkedIn)

Connection Changes the Outcome

• Nearly 7 times more likely to be hired. Applicants with an inside connection at a company are nearly 7 times more likely to be hired than those without one. (LinkedIn)
• Engagement builds visibility. LinkedIn members who interact with their network's posts are almost 3 times as likely to receive connection requests. (LinkedIn)
• People want to help. 83% of Millennial and Gen X professionals say they would help someone at the start of their career, even someone they don't know. (LinkedIn)

That is exactly what we teach.

The Interview Gap

• 56% of hiring managers say they have interviewed Gen Z applicants in the past year who were unprepared, with poor communication skills among the top complaints. (Bizwomen / Resume.org survey)

Interviewing is a learned skill. Practice with honest feedback is what turns a nervous candidate into a confident one.

How We Teach Connection

Networking and LinkedIn are at the heart of every Wise to Work program. We don't just write your profile and send you off. We show you, step by step, how to use it and how to build relationships that last.

Where Wise to Work Comes In

Wise to Work exists to help close that gap. We provide the career compass young professionals need to turn uncertainty into momentum: getting clear about their path, getting connected to people and opportunities, and getting hired into work where they can grow and contribute.