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Summary for: Young women in Czechia are struggling to get their careers startedCzechia's labor market remains among the strongest in the European Union, but young women are facing a disproportionately difficult start to their careers.
About 9 percent of Czechs aged 15 to 29 who are no longer studying are unemployed, according to Eurostat data cited by Hospodářské noviny. That represents roughly 100,000 people.
What sets Czechia apart is the gender gap. Women under 29 are about twice as likely to be unemployed as men, a difference exceeded only by Romania among EU countries. In Finland and Belgium, the pattern is reversed, with young men more likely to be unemployed, according to Eurostat.
The situation comes as companies are becoming more cautious about hiring junior workers. Cost-cutting and the growing use of artificial intelligence are contributing to a reduction in entry-level opportunities, analysts say.
High youth employment isn't the issue
Labor market analyst Tomáš Ervín Dombrovský of Alma Career told HN that Czechia still has a relatively low proportion of young people outside employment, education, or training compared with other European countries. The problem is therefore less about unusually high youth unemployment overall and more about who is being left behind.
Dombrovský said the higher number of female university graduates is one factor. Around 60 percent of women complete a master's degree each year, compared with about 40 percent of men.
At the same time, there may be fewer jobs matching their qualifications.
“They have a university degree and it is logical that they have some demands and do not want to go for an unqualified position in hospitality,” Dombrovský said.
Career counselor Kateřina Morávková, who works with young women through the Career for Girls project, said finding a first job is often difficult because of a combination of uncertainty and a mismatch between what companies require and what candidates can realistically offer.
Concerns about motherhood are an obstacle
Women aged 25 to 29 also face another obstacle: concerns among some employers about future motherhood.
Kristýna Cejnarová of Mumdoo, an organization connecting companies with mothers, said questions about family plans have not disappeared from job interviews despite legal protections.
Cejnarová said the situation creates a paradox: while Czechia is experiencing historically low birth rates, motherhood can still be viewed by some employers as a “career risk.” Greater availability of part-time work could help address the problem, she said.
Nearly 2 in 3 women surveyed by the Czech Ombudsman said they had been asked about their family life during a job interview.
Instead, she said, they are often asked indirectly, for example, through questions about where candidates see themselves in five years or whether they can travel frequently for work.
Cejnarová called this a paradox for a country facing a historically low birth rate: while Czechia needs more people to have children, motherhood can still be viewed by some employers as a “career risk.”
Know your rights at a Czech job interview
- Employers should not ask whether you are pregnant, plan to have children, or about your family situation when deciding whether to hire you. Questions about pregnancy, motherhood, or childcare can amount to discrimination when they influence a hiring decision.
- Almost two-thirds of women surveyed by the Czech Ombudsman said they had been asked about their family life during a job interview.
- If you're asked an inappropriate question, you can redirect the conversation to your ability to do the job: “I'm happy to discuss my availability and ability to meet the requirements of the position.”
- If you believe you were discriminated against because of your sex or family status, the Czech Ombudsman can provide guidance on discrimination in employment and recruitment.
Source: Czech Ombudsman
