No matter how hard employers work to find qualified employees, they’re likely to come up short if those making up the candidate pool lack confidence in their abilities. And recent research shows that many young people aren’t secure in their ability to navigate the job market. What can help? Recent data shows mentorship can be the answer.
Confidence Crisis
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America reported in September that young adults are feeling isolated, lack confidence, and hesitate to seek advice while navigating the job market.
Findings from the 2025 Youth Mentorship Access Report, conducted by The Harris Poll, show a career confidence crisis among 18- to 25-year-olds. One in three reported frequent or constant uncertainty about their future jobs. They’re not just concerned about a lack of opportunities—they also report concerns about mental health, work/life balance, and being able to make ends meet.
“Despite having the highest educational achievement rates in history, our youth are facing a confidence crisis,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at The Harris Poll. “This isn’t about work ethic—it’s about a generation that needs guidance.”
The research found that 74% of young people lack access to mentorship, a critical resource that could transform their career confidence.
Statistics from the poll, conducted May 2 to 16 among 1,049 U.S. adults aged 18 to 25, show the impact of mentorship:
- 84% said mentorship opens doors to possibilities they never would have seen on their own.
- 83% agree a mentor bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world success.
- 81% feel more confident making decisions about school, work, and life thanks to mentorship.
- 65% have had a conversation with an adult outside their family that changed their career direction.
“Mentorship rooted in durable and soft skills is a true game-changer,” said Ginneh Baugh, chief impact officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Finding the Payoff
Retention is one benefit of mentorship for employers. Best Practice Institute (BPI) has reported a 2024 study that found mentees were 72% more likely to stay at a job than employees without mentors.
BPI finds benefits in both peer and reverse mentoring for young professionals and cites a study from Franklin Pierce University that found mentees paired with peers were twice as likely to stay than those who lacked guidance.
In addition to peer mentoring, BPI says reverse mentoring, when junior employees help train senior leaders on emerging trends, digital skills, and different perspectives, is helpful not just for what young mentors teach senior leaders but also for helping young professionals develop a voice and influence in the workplace.
Generation, a global nonprofit offering training and placement of adults in careers, has reported on the importance of developing youth leaders in a company. Benefits for employers include gaining fresh perspectives, enhancing company culture, and future-proofing the organization.
Tips for Building Leaders
Mentoring is just one way of building leadership among young professionals. Here are more ideas from Generation on how to develop leaders:
- Offer young professionals leadership training and development opportunities. Such training can focus on skills like decision making, strategic thinking, and effective communication.
- Encourage cross-departmental collaborations. Such exposure broadens a young employee’s understanding of the business as a whole and helps develop a well-rounded skill set.
- Promote a culture of continuous feedback. Constructive criticism helps young leaders identify areas for improvement.
- Recognize and reward leadership qualities.
- Facilitate networking opportunities.
- Create pathways for advancement that outline potential advancement within the organization. That knowledge motivates young employees to equip themselves with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and that are beneficial for the organization.
- Lead by example. When senior leaders model the behaviors and values they want to see in young employees, they instill those qualities in emerging leaders.