Youthful Job Market Challenge: Over one-third of fresh graduates occupy positions exceeding their qualifications
Rewritten Article:
Struggling to find the perfect job? Here's why master's graduates are feeling the heat
© Getty / Hinterhaus Productions By Guilhem Pouiol Published on
While recruitment figures from the APEC (Executive Employment Association) show a serious decline in the hiring of young executives in 2025, the job market prospects for fresh graduates are becoming increasingly challenging. To shed some light on this situation, we sat down with Jean-François Giret, an education sciences professor and director of the CÉREQ (Center for Studies and Research on Qualifications), a public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of National Education. This organization has been researching training, employment, and work relationships for over 50 years. Here, Giret discusses the job market's current challenges for young executives.
With APEC figures indicating a significant decrease in the recruitment of young executives in 2025, how do you explain this trend?
"It's simply a matter of numbers," says Giret. "Every year, approximately 750,000 young people enter the workforce, making them automatically unemployed. During economic downturns, companies halt their hiring and let go of temporary contracts. This leaves the unemployed, particularly young individuals, to bear the brunt of the struggle."
Recent research by the CÉREQ reveals that the proportion of young people with a master's degree has nearly doubled in the last decade. How does this contribute to the difficulties faced by young graduates in the job market?
Giret clarifies that while the number of executive positions has also increased significantly, the rate of growth in the number of graduates is significantly faster. This overabundance of talent causes a downgrading effect: an increasing number of young graduates start their careers in jobs that do not fully utilize their academic potential. It is estimated that 30% of young graduates find themselves in positions that do not match their education level. This percentage drops to around 20% after 10 years, implying that young professionals often spend several years in underqualified positions before securing their dream jobs.
Do students’ chosen study programs align with the needs of the labor market?
According to Giret, the long-term employment rate for young people with a master's degree is high, with 91% being employed five years after graduation. Although there is a noticeable difference between program editions, Giret believes there's no significant mismatch between the programs offered and the labor market's requirements. However, it's essential to note that securing well-paying executive positions is easier in the IT sector than in other fields like culture, where jobs are scarcer and more precarious.
Amidst the concentration of management positions in the Paris region, how does this affect provincial graduates?
While it is undeniable that securing jobs is easier in the Paris region due to more abundant opportunities and better compensation packages, Giret argues that the geographical disadvantage is not insurmountable for young professionals. Graduates are generally open to relocating to the Paris region during their career launches and tend to return to their hometowns after several years, despite somewhat lower wages, prioritizing quality of life and work-life balance instead.
Are young graduates setting increasingly high expectations for their first job? An explanation for their poor integration into the job market?
Giret refutes this idea: "Quite the contrary," says Giret. "Objectively, it is much more challenging to land a decent job today compared to 20 years ago, and first jobs are often insecure. However, graduates adapt and tend to maintain a positive outlook towards work. In fact, our surveys show that young people's job satisfaction has increased over the past two decades, even though their social status has decreased simultaneously. They may be happier merely to have a job in a competitive market."
- employment
- careers
- labor market
- graduates
- economy
- companies
- salaries
- education
- Despite the increase in the proportion of young people with master's degrees, overabundance of talent in the labor market causes many graduates to start their careers in jobs that do not fully utilize their academic potential, with around 30% finding themselves in positions that do not match their education level.
- The long-term employment rate for young people with a master's degree is high, with 91% being employed five years after graduation, but securing well-paying executive positions is easier in the IT sector than in other fields like culture.
- Although there is a concentration of management positions in the Paris region, graduates are generally open to relocating during their career launches and tend to return to their hometowns after several years, prioritizing quality of life and work-life balance.
- Young graduates may have a more challenging time finding a decent job today compared to 20 years ago, but those surveyed have shown an increase in job satisfaction over the past two decades, despite their social status decreasing simultaneously.
