A 25-year-old HR professional recently sparked a major conversation on Reddit by venting about how hopeless the job market feels, especially for Gen Z workers.
With three years of HR experience, including a promotion and team leadership, the original poster now struggles to land interviews. The post, titled “I’m convinced that companies just don’t want to hire Gen Z,” resonated widely.
“I’ve been thrown back into the job market, and honestly, I’ve never felt more hopeless,” the post read.
“The bar keeps getting higher for no reason.”
Same Roles, More Demands
The poster said entry-level jobs that used to require two years of experience now ask for five to seven years for non-senior roles.
“It’s absurd,” the post continued. “I’m looking at the exact same roles I once applied , for same titles, same companies, and suddenly they all require 5 to 7 years of experience. For non-senior roles.”
The frustration is compounded by an insider’s knowledge of hiring practices.
“Please don’t tell me to ‘apply anyway.’ I work in HR. If your resume doesn’t match the filters, you’re not even seen,” the post noted, referring to applicant tracking systems (ATS).
A Broken System for Everyone
The post touched a nerve because it’s not just Gen Z that feels shut out. Millennials, Gen X, and even Boomers joined the conversation to say they, too, are struggling to land jobs despite solid qualifications.
“It isn’t just Gen Z,” one Gen X commenter wrote.
“I was a top performer, hit the Presidents Club working with large well well-known clients. I spent 10+ months looking and in the end moved and took a lower-position job just to get into a good company.”
A millennial shared, “I still remember the business shows from 8-10 years ago discussing how they can avoid hiring millennials. Time fixes that. Businesses will adapt and hire Gen Z.”
Bias and Stereotypes
Still, some hiring managers admitted they avoid Gen Z candidates due to negative stereotypes.
“Yeah as someone who worked with a ton of Gen Z at a previous job there was always this sense of a lack of critical thinking, communication skills, and general lack of focus on improvement of work,” one person wrote.
Another added, “We strongly avoid them for several reasons. All of our worst hires have definitely had that age range in common.”
Is Gen Z Really the Problem?
Not everyone agreed with that assessment. Some pointed out that many young workers were set up to fail.
The pandemic severely impacted their social and professional development, and overreliance on technology may have left gaps in soft skills.
“If you’re Gen Z or younger, know it’s not a slight at you. You didn’t choose to spawn in on hard mode,” one millennial commented.
“The pandemic really did accelerate Gen Z’s existing social skill erosion concerns, and now AI is eliminating critical thinking skills.”
Another commenter wrote, “They weren’t prepared, they don’t know what to do, and it makes them difficult to work with sometimes.”
The Corporate Side
Some argued that employers bear much of the blame.
Job listings ask for extensive experience and skills, even for low-pay roles, and often companies aren’t hiring at all despite advertising openings.
One user said that they applied to a print shop that wanted 3 years’ experience to start at $18/hour (non-negotiable) and must know how to operate a bindery. Bonus if you can do machine maintenance and they’re not willing to teach.
Some voiced deeper frustration: “Corporations are run by greedy assholes that don’t care if you need a job to survive. The work is often monotonous. Employees are treated unfairly at almost every company.”
What Can Be Done?
Several users offered advice. Some recommend removing graduation years from resumes, networking directly to bypass ATS filters, or targeting smaller companies that don’t use automated systems.
One commenter said, “You need to shop around in the local job market and actively sell yourself. That is the single best way to differentiate yourself in your career search.”
Still, the original poster’s core concern remained: No matter how much we gain experience, we’re still ‘not enough.
In a market filled with experienced job seekers and rising standards, younger applicants feel like they’re constantly falling short.
Whether it’s a generational issue, a broken hiring system, or both, the frustration is loud and growing.