Business
Published December 13, 2023, 5:07 PM ET
These TikTokers have “a bone to pick with America” when it comes to their employment status.
Young Gen Z and Millennial influencers are facing backlash – and support from some commentators – on social media over their inability to find jobs in the 2023 economy.
“So I’m on my way to my service job, I f***ing hate it,” fitness influencer Alison Johnson posted on TikTok in October. “I make more money serving. I literally got my degree in business marketing, which left me a whopping $80,000 in debt.”
“And I’m making more sushi rolls,” she continued. “I’ve been applying for marketing jobs for weeks and the pay cuts are insane. But I can’t get the jobs that pay a nice $150,000 to $200,000 a year.”
In a similar rant-style video, another potential contestant, who goes by her first name, Natasha, said she knows she’s “a hot opinion, but hear me out.”
“I really hope my father doesn’t see this,” Natasha began. “I have been unemployed since November 2022 and now it is August 2023. I have been working in human resources for five years and have applied for literally a million positions.”
“No matter how many positions I apply for, it feels impossible to get a job. “The reality is that we’re in a recession right now,” she added, “and while it might not feel like it to some people, with all the inflation it certainly feels like it.” My tip is “It’s literally just waiting for it to be over.”
TikTok influencer Alison Johnson couldn’t find a job in marketing that paid better than her service job. Tick tock
As TikTok users complain about difficulty finding a fulfilling job, the November jobs report released last week showed the U.S. economy added 199,000 jobs, above analysts’ forecasts.
Additionally, the national unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 3.7% after rising for three straight months, driven by a significant decline in the unemployment rate among teenagers.
Employment gains were largely concentrated in a few sectors last month, with the largest gains in healthcare (76,800), public services (49,000) and leisure and hospitality (40,000).
Manufacturing hiring also increased, driven by the return of UAW workers who had struck against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford.
Retail employment fell, reflecting declines in department stores and furniture, home furnishings and electronics retailers.
But despite the optimistic data, TikTokers believe it doesn’t accurately reflect their job-hunting difficulties.
“I’m almost 25 years old,” Johnson also said in her viral post, “unlike corporate America, people with so much experience, I just got my degree… the degree was the experience.”
Comments on TikTok support her defense: “Her point was that she makes more as a waitress than with a degree”; “She’s exactly right, it’s frustrating to have no benefit after hard work…how do you bring experience to the table when you have no chance”; “What people don’t get is that she’s not expecting a $150,000 job, but a well-paying job because she can’t afford to pay off the $80,000 in student loans.”
Natasha clarified in her video that she’s not advising potential employees to “be lazy or just throw in the towel,” but rather, “Unless you know someone or are super-qualified, there’s about a chance you won’t be.” 9 out of 10.” got the job.”
TikTok user Natash said that finding a new job “feels impossible” right now. TikTok/@thenatashaann
JT O’Donnell, corporate employee and career coach, explained why it feels like you can’t find a job in 2023.
“The biggest mistake people are making right now when it comes to job hunting is using traditional approaches,” O’Donnell said on TikTok. “You probably go to the really big job boards like Indeed or Zip Recruiter and apply but don’t get any results. Maybe you’re even applying too much at this point… and you’re still not getting results. That’s because everyone else is doing the same thing.”
The career coach pointed out that there is too much competition and that studies show that only about 3% of online applicants ever hear back from employers.
O’Donnell encouraged you to change your mindset from a job seeker to a job “buyer.”
“You need to start looking for 20 or 30 companies in your area that you would like to work for based on your skills,” she said. “Employers are brands, and if you can communicate your commitment to them and tell them why you admire and respect them and how you learned they are a great place to work, you will stand out from the crowd.”
FOX Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.
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