1 in 5 US Bosses Less Likely to Hire College Grads Involved in Pro-Palestine Protests

One in five business leaders in the United States are hesitant to hire recent college graduates who participated in pro-Palestine protests, according to a survey by the Intelligent, a higher education publication.

The survey of 1,268 business leaders in the US, which aimed to understand employers’ concerns about hiring recent graduates, found that the hesitancy stems from worries these graduates are too political and may have confrontational behavior, among other reasons, Erudera.com reports.

63 percent of employers said they are uncertain about hiring recent graduates who participated in pro-Palestinian protests due to fears they may be confrontational. 59 percent voiced concerns that recent graduates are too political, and 55 percent said they could potentially make coworkers uncomfortable.

Moreover, the survey found that 45 percent of business leaders perceive protestors as liabilities, 40 percent as dangerous, 24 percent think they lack adequate education, and 23 percent perceive them as people holding conflicting political ideologies.

According to research, 6 in 10 business leaders asked recent graduates during job interviews whether they attended campus protests.

“This survey highlights the unfortunate reality where political issues, social activism, and divisiveness are spilling over into the workplace. As political polarization intensifies, companies appear more likely to make biased judgments about recent graduates based on ideologies or personal behaviors, like protesting or social media activities,” Intelligent’s Chief Education and Career Development Advisor Huy Nguyen said.

The survey revealed that about 30 percent of employers are worried about hiring recent graduates who participated in pro-Palestinian protests in the last six months. In addition, 32 percent of employers cited the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ education as another concern when it comes to hiring recent graduates.

“Given that college protests have triggered polarizing debates around free speech, the right to protest, and tolerance for opposing viewpoints, it makes sense that some business leaders may be more concerned about hiring recent graduates,” Nguyen explained.

Besides being more political, bosses also said Gen Z recent graduates have a worse work ethic, are more demanding, and have fewer practical skills.

Pro-Palestine protests across US colleges and universities escalated in April 2024, with Columbia University becoming the driving force behind these protests after students set up an encampment at the Ivy League school.

According to authorities, to date, Israel has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, including more than 15,000 children. Over 77,000 people have been wounded in Israeli attacks. Since October 7, Hamas fighters have killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.

Read Also:

>> Students, Staff Who Got Fired for Opposing Israel’s War on Gaza Invited to Turkey

>> Study Finds Nearly All College Protests Against Israel’s War on Gaza Have Been Peaceful