A Gen Z job seeker recently shared her emotional experience on TikTok after being denied a position, which she claimed was due to her age. She said that during an encounter with the hiring manager, it was revealed that her lack of a five-year plan and her openness about personal details, such as using social media and medical conditions, contributed to the rejection, the New York Post reported. She further claimed that the manager, who is a Gen X, told her she wasn’t hired because she’s Gen Z.
“If you’re wondering what the job market looks like right now, look no further than my swollen eyelids. That’s been making me cry for the better part of the last five hours,” @fungalmicrobe, whose first name is Alejandra said in a video.
In the clip, she explained that she felt confident about her chances of landing a position at a company where she had previously worked. She had a positive experience with the same team and believed they liked her. After not hearing back for a while, Alejandra happened to run into the hiring manager in an elevator and learned that the position she applied for had been filled. The manager said that the chosen candidate was a better fit for the team and had more company history. When Alejandra asked for constructive feedback on how to improve for future interviews, the hiring manager’s response left her feeling that the decision was unfair.
Notably, the manager expressed concern that Alejandra had shared personal information, such as medical issues and her social media aspirations, during the interview. However, what troubled the hiring manager most was Alejandra’s admission that she didn’t have a five-year plan. The manager attributed this lack of planning to be “a Gen Z problem” that showed she’s “not good at commitment”.
“You have to understand it’s all about perception, it’s all about optics. Gen Z needs to understand that you don’t have to share everything about yourself,” the hiring manager allegedly said.
The post sparked a wave of comments from fellow Gen Zers and millennials, who shared their own frustrations and concerns about the job market, negative stereotypes surrounding their generation, and uncertainty about their prospects. A recent survey by Resume Builder revealed that age bias against Gen Z is prevalent in the hiring process. The survey, which polled 1,000 hiring managers in March, found that 42% consider a candidate’s age when reviewing resumes, and 38% admitted to having age bias when evaluating applicants.
