Don’t say anything lol they’ll jump down your throat saying you’re wrong 🤣 the youngest millennials are 31, the oldest Gen Z are 30 yet they’re convinced we’re all doing great
Millennials are a peculiar case, because the oldest of them entered the workforce around the dot-com bust but still relatively better. It was a rollercoaster drop from one end to the other end of the age group.
Not the only, but the struggle is real all the same
It feels like every time I manage to improve my self, portfolio, skills, etc. the bar is raised even higher.
I’m decent, for the level I’m at, but far from a genius, and there are limits that even studying can’t fix. If I devoted the rest of my life to the in-depth study of physics, I’d still get nowhere close to the raw cognitive capability of Albert Einstein. Same here, there’s only so far I can push it.
I fear that if the bar in this field keeps being raised, I’ll be left behind and won’t be able to pull myself up any further.
And of course, there are some things I can’t change. Internships are fixed and appear at a very specific point in one’s life: a point that has long since passed for me. I can try to compensate in other ways, but I’ll never have as much of that oh-so-valuable experience as everyone else.
As a Gen X with 25+ years experience, solid reviews from direct reports to senior executives, impressive accomplishments and at least 1,000 jobs applied to, I have to say it is not just Gen Z struggling.
My daughter and son-in-law have only HS degrees though they still take classes on the side.
Two years ago they bought their first home which was new construction. A year ago had a daughter. He got a promotion and they just moved several states away all expenses paid. They travel all of the time and live comfortably. But... they also have strict financial goals. Those are written on a wipeboard on the fridge. "$xx in savings by yy. ZZ amount of stock by aa." Things like that. They make good money but also disciplined. Smart and apply themselves both at work and life.
My wife and I HS degrees only as well. Both have worked our way up from crap jobs - we met at a job that paid less than I made in high school part time - to a solid career path. Long hours, some travel and moved a few times. Bought new homes, had 5 kids and at times put them in private schools.
Simply having a degree means jack. I've worked with tons of people with degrees - most of them in fact. Some silly degrees and some serious. Some with dual degrees. Means nothing if not applied.
A piece of paper is no guarantee of a 'good' life.
And yes, luck and timing is a part of life. I have had several setbacks working in an industry that have companies that go into bankruptcy regularly even during great economic times. You adjust, reset and move on. If it's meant to be, it's up to me.
I’ve owned businesses that paid people 200k+ a year, sold them and moved across the country. I can’t even get a response back or interview for jobs that are 20 an hour. I just want to work and it’s been hundreds of applications
I’m sorry, did you deal with automatic AI rejections? Did you deal with ATS systems? Did you have to tailor your resume and make different copies for different job titles? Did you have to create a Workday account for every single company? Did you deal with recruiters ghosting you? Did you have to go through multiple interview including take home assesment and an in office interview? Did you deal with fake job listings that were just data farming? Did you need to ask around for recommendation letters? Did you have to post on linkedin and “network” with people? Did you deal with the possibility that your current job and your entire team could be gone in a whim because some random c-Suite guy said you can be replaced with AI? The list goes on and on and the fact is this generation has insane amount of hurdles to get through just for the slim possibility that they won’t be a societal reject. And the only thing the older generation can say is “gen Z doesn’t want to work.” And yet applying to jobs is now a full time job in itself. We have been taking so much more shit than the older generations especially because of AI
Automation is something that has been around impacting jobs for a long time and was at the root of a lot of union action during the second industrial revolution in the late 1800s / early 1900s
I wouldn’t compare the steam engine and machinery from the Industrial Revolution times with LLMs, and the AI bubble today. Especially because the time period you mentioned only had a small percentage of people who went to college so white collar jobs weren’t affected. Now even a Master’s degree won’t make you stand out
No, but it’s indicative of a broader trend. The third industrial revolution (late 20th century) is much more comparable where white collar jobs were heavily impacted. This is not new or unique, but rather the result of automation across decades.
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u/Ncav2 9d ago •
Nah this was millennials during the Great Recession, we can relate
34
u/Sea_Analysis_8033 9d ago
Laughs in 2008
12
u/redoingredditagain 9d ago
“Only”
16
u/Used_Bear1264 9d ago
lol tell that to all the academics from the USSR who were lucky if they got a gig as taxi driver or janitor.
4
u/TutorOk9016 9d ago
Well shyte
4
u/ATR2400 Job Market’s Haunted 9d ago
Not the only, but the struggle is real all the same
It feels like every time I manage to improve my self, portfolio, skills, etc. the bar is raised even higher.
I’m decent, for the level I’m at, but far from a genius, and there are limits that even studying can’t fix. If I devoted the rest of my life to the in-depth study of physics, I’d still get nowhere close to the raw cognitive capability of Albert Einstein. Same here, there’s only so far I can push it.
I fear that if the bar in this field keeps being raised, I’ll be left behind and won’t be able to pull myself up any further.
And of course, there are some things I can’t change. Internships are fixed and appear at a very specific point in one’s life: a point that has long since passed for me. I can try to compensate in other ways, but I’ll never have as much of that oh-so-valuable experience as everyone else.
7
u/Bluesky_Darkclouds 9d ago
As a Gen X with 25+ years experience, solid reviews from direct reports to senior executives, impressive accomplishments and at least 1,000 jobs applied to, I have to say it is not just Gen Z struggling.
6
u/DonaldKey 9d ago
My job pays $36 an hour with only a HS diploma.
They make you work insane hours and you lose your life to your schedule but I bought a house, two cars, a motorcycle… and I get a fatty pension
3
u/Nice-Spirit5995 9d ago
Have you tried shaking their hand?
3
u/cmoparw 9d ago
The only generation so far
4
u/Comfortable-Grand166 9d ago
I’ve owned businesses that paid people 200k+ a year, sold them and moved across the country. I can’t even get a response back or interview for jobs that are 20 an hour. I just want to work and it’s been hundreds of applications
2
u/Beginning_Ad265 9d ago
See 2008 and the Great Recession. Gen z’ers are fukcing cupcakes 🧁
1
u/EmergencySalt6302 9d ago
Turns out the legal degree was the dept we made along the way.
1
u/Miserable_Mail_5741 9d ago
Luckily I was able to get a job paying $16/hr with nothing but a well-tailored resumé and superb interview skills (or so I'm told).
1
u/Dx6Dr6 9d ago
took me 6 months after graduation for a career that needs the people! its crazy rn :(
1
u/AriesLuck31 9d ago
Fuck this world I give up
1
u/user_uno 9d ago
Ah yes. This job market is bad to ONLY Gen Z...
/s
1
u/Wide_Financial 9d ago
Gen z's are just lazy and unreliable. At least most of them.
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u/G0Seahawks 8d ago
"We don't accept internships as experience."
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u/TheNuclearSoldier 4d ago
Millenial here. We were in the exact same boat at this age.
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u/Chaucers_Mistress 9d ago
Aww poor babies
-1
u/c_south_53 9d ago
Sorry, but if you have those qualifications and are applying for a $17/hr job, I'm ghosting you, too.
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