Gen Z resale skills gain favor with hiring managers
Depop research says young online sellers see resale as practical business training, and hiring managers say it belongs on a resume.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Gen Z resale skills are drawing attention from employers as young people turn online selling into work experience. Research from secondhand fashion marketplace Depop, shared with Fortune, found that 71% of Gen Z sellers said resale taught them more practical business knowledge than their formal education.
The findings suggest that running a resale account on platforms such as Depop or Vinted can carry weight in early-career hiring. Depop’s research found that 85% of hiring managers said candidates should include resale experience on a resume, and that they would be more likely to interview an equally qualified applicant who had it.
Should Gen Z put resale experience on a resume?
Depop’s research says many hiring managers think they should. The company found that employers see successful resale accounts as evidence of initiative, commercial judgment and skills that can transfer to a workplace.
When hiring managers were asked which experience would impress them most in an entry-level candidate, 65% chose resale experience, according to Depop. That compared with 46% for a traditional internship, 39% for retail or hospitality work and 35% for social media management.
For young sellers, the experience often begins as a way to make money from clothes, electronics or home goods they no longer want. Depop said sellers reported learning pricing strategy, sales, budgeting, negotiation, customer service and marketing through that work.
Max Hunt, described by Depop as a top seller on the platform, said resale helped him cover everyday and college costs while building professional abilities. “It helped me pay for gas, contribute toward my college expenses, and develop skills in branding, marketing, customer service, and entrepreneurship,” Hunt said, according to Fortune.
What skills do hiring managers see in resale?
Depop’s research found that more than nine in 10 hiring managers said running a successful resale account shows entrepreneurial ability and initiative. The company also said 88% of hiring managers viewed resale as evidence of commercial awareness, while 87% said it helps build transferable workplace skills.
That message may surprise many sellers. Depop found that 49% of young resellers did not realize their resale activity could count as professional experience.
Depop CEO Peter Semple said the company has seen people use the platform to make money through creative work and entrepreneurship, while the career value of that work has often been overlooked. “It’s exciting to see resale recognized as experience worth including on a CV,” Semple said, according to Fortune.
Why are degrees part of the debate?
The findings come as employers and graduates question how well college prepares young people for work. Fortune has reported that some Gen Z and millennial graduates have described their degrees as poor value, while employers have said graduates can lack workplace skills such as professional communication, presentations and speaking in meetings.
Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, told Fortune that companies have shifted attention toward skills and skills development rather than degrees. “They’re not even talking about degrees now. They’re talking about skills,” Bush said.
Fortune also reported that a third of graduates said their degree was not financially worth it, and that 14% said student debt forced them to delay moving out of their parents’ home and starting a family. Against that backdrop, Depop’s research frames resale as one more way young workers can show employers what they can do, beyond a credential.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.