The challenges facing early-career professionals – and how to overcome them
A recent survey from Robert Half focused on the top challenges facing early-career professionals, as well as practical steps to overcome them. The HR consulting and staffing firm polled 835 Canadian workers in March 2025.
Respondents identified the top challenges they faced early in their career. Forty-seven percent said they lacked a mentor or workplace peer to guide them; 37% felt unprepared due to inadequate employer training; 34% entered the workforce without internships or relevant work experience; 33% struggled with managing workloads; and 32% felt they couldn’t make an impact with the skills they possessed.
Respondents also provided four important steps that early-career workers can take to set themselves up for success. They recommended researching companies to determine fit (56%); connecting with employees at prospective employers to ask questions (31%); attending networking events to connect with people working in the industry (25%); and seeking out a mentor to advise on the application process (20%).
“Beginning your career can be a daunting time, but there are many steps early-career professionals can take to set themselves up for success," said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director, Robert Half Canada. "It starts with building a strong foundation of communication that includes networking, connecting with other professionals who can help you learn, and being vocal about what you need from your employer to ensure you have the adequate tools and training to succeed.”
According to separate survey of 1,000+ hiring managers, 34% of companies are offering paid internships for students and recent grads, while 32% are recruiting at colleges and universities.
Aside from obvious factor that they are cheapest tier of talent, hiring managers say that the top benefits of hiring early-career professionals are receiving a fresh lens for problem-solving (87%); gaining team members familiar with new technologies (84%); and building up internal talent pools (84%).
