Nearly everyone agrees that recent college graduates are having an inordinately tough time finding work almost five years after the end of the Great Recession. Young people aged 18 to 34 have struggled with double-digit unemployment and account for half of the 10.9 million unemployed Americans, according to government figures. Now a new study shows there is widespread disagreement between business leaders and young adults and their families over the root causes of this problem, beyond the obvious problem of a sluggish recovery. Nearly three-quarters of hiring managers complain that millennials — even those with college degrees — aren't prepared for the job market and lack an adequate "work ethic," according to a survey from Bentley University, a private business school in Waltham, Mass. More from the Fiscal Times:

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Those hiring managers aren't alone in their assessment, either. A wide range of businesspeople, corporate recruiters, academics and others interviewed for the study agree that recent college graduates deserve a grade of "C" or lower for their preparedness for their first job. "The recession did substantial damage to the U.S. labor market, including for young college graduates, and we still have a ways to go before things are back to where they should be," said Gloria Larson, president of Bentley University. "At the same time, employers in the U.S. have been expressing concerns about a skills gap." Nearly two thirds of those surveyed consider this lack of preparedness a "real problem," while 62 percent of business decision makers and recruiters say that unpreparedness harms the day-to-day productivity of their businesses. (Read more: From brats to bosses—Gen Y to dominate by 2025) Employer's attitudes about hiring millennials often transcend concerns about training and technical skills. Many are put off by the fact that entry-level candidates are clueless about how to navigate an office setting, according to an analysis by Time. For instance, a survey by the Workforce Solutions Group at St. Louis Community College found that more than 60 percent of employers said applicants lack "communication and interpersonal skills" — an increase of about 10 percentage points in just two years. Many managers also said that today's applicants can't think critically and creatively, solve problems or write well. The National Association of Colleges and Employers surveyed more than 200 employers about their top 10 priorities in new hires. Overwhelmingly, they wanted candidates who are team players, problem solvers and who can plan, organize and prioritize their work. Technical and computer-related know-how placed much further down the list. (Read more: All is not lost for the millennial generation) Time noted that jobs are going unfilled as a result, which hurts companies and employees. Companies say candidates are lacking in motivation, interpersonal skills, appearance, punctuality and flexibility. Not surprisingly, more than half the millennials surveyed disagreed with this assessment and insist they have the proper work ethic — even if they describe it differently. For instance, 9 percent of college students define preparedness as "work ethic," compared to 23 percent of business leaders and 18 percent of recruiters who measure work ethic by preparedness.