The shortage of qualified candidates for entry-level positions has created a major staffing dilemma for American employers. The problem addressed in this study was that many secondary students lack the social-emotional skills required for employability in the 21st-century workforce. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to explore hiring managers' perceptions regarding secondary students' lack of higher-order cognitive and social-emotional skills, what specific skills students lack, and strategies employers believe educators could implement to improve those skills. The focus of this study was secondary students' lack of employability skills. Social-cognitive career theory provided the framework for the study. Data collection included interviews with 10 hiring managers and 1 recruiter plus a focus group with three hiring managers. NVivo 12 was utilized to detect relevant categories and themes. Findings were mixed about whether students were prepared for the work world. Soft skills were identified as the most important skills necessary for students to become career ready; however, findings suggested that hard skills, especially technical skills, were also essential. Small businesses report a record number of unfilled positions for a variety of reasons, including the pandemic, enhanced unemployment benefits, lack of daycare options, and older worker retirements. Hiring managers and recruiters were motivated to help high school students explore future careers. Recommendations for Practice included specialized training for educators to learn how to promote students' career readiness in all facets of the curriculum and the importance of establishing community partnerships to promote students' career readiness. Educators have a primary role in helping students find access to resources and support in the community. Findings from this study support educational and community stakeholders conducting future research to improve student work readiness. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]