The article presents partial results of empirical research carried out by the public employment services from Ruda Śląska. The study was an attempt to show to what extent generational differentiation affects, among others on the level of civilisation competences possessed. These competences include: computer skills and Internet usage, adaptability to the changing labour market conditions, category B driving licence, spatial mobility or communicative knowledge of at least one foreign language, best confirmed by an appropriate certificate. Having these competences at a sufficiently high level makes it easier to start work, maintain it and change it if necessary. The research, the results of which were presented in the article, were carried out based on the standardised interview technique on a representative sample of 430 unemployed selected in a quantitative manner. The research results were aggregated into four age (generational) categories of respondents: “baby boomers” (born before 1965), “X” (born in 1965–1979), “Y” (born in 1980–1989) and “Z” (born after 1989). The analysis carried out clearly showed the growing problem of the deficit of civilisational competences with the older unemployed, which can significantly hamper their effective professional insertion. The results of the conducted research have an application dimension and can be used in the policy of reinserting human resources to the local labour markets.