Are young people blamed unfairly for being unemployed?
Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments
Seen comments saying young people lack skills and motivation which is leading to them being unemployment.
Is this really the case though considering where the current job market is at. Young people cannot even get work experience style jobs.
ALA02@reddit
I think its fair to say that humans have had the same innate drive to work throughout history. The economic conditions right now aren’t favourable for young people, that’s all it is.
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
I run a small team in my company and had an office vacancy a while back. I had a couple of dozen applicants, narrowed it down to half a dozen, and started to book interviews.
Only two of the interviewees showed up. The one I offered the job to ghosted me and when I finally got hold of her again two days before the start date, she changed her mind.
These were all experienced people, 5+ years, age range between 27 and 42.
The day she declined I spoke to a 17 year old girl who had not originally applied, was interested, but worried about her lack of experience. After a much longer interview than would normally be given, offered her the job.
Our HR team then tried to get me to rescind the offer because they wanted someone with experience. I refused and they implied my future as a manger was now aligned to her success.
Out of 15 or so people that had been in the team over the previous decade, she was by far the most enthusiastic and hardest working.
In my experience, it's not that they don't want to work. It's that they don't want to work for shitty managers who don't want to train them properly. They don't want the fact they are young to be used to make them do the shit no one else wants to do.
Ok_Shirt983@reddit
What industry do you work in may I ask?
MyManTheo@reddit
The waste management business
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
A regional logistics and delivery company
Particular-Month-164@reddit
Did you already know the girl?
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
Know who she was, didn't actually know her though
UziYT@reddit
So you did know her then
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
I'm assuming you know Scarlet Johansen personally then? I mean, you know who she is so you clearly must actually know her.
My answer wasn't cryptic.
UziYT@reddit
It's still nepotism, no matter how you try to frame it. A normal random 17 year old girl would not have had that opportunity.
For example, we hired an 18 year old because he was a nephew of someone, which doesn't mean I knew him personally, but it was still nepotism because we would never have given the chance to any other 18 year old
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
You clearly don't know what nepotism means.
Secondly, I gave her the chance because she was eager and smart.
How the hell would you ever recruit someone? Oh crap, I now know their name. Can't employ them. Next. Oh crap, I now know their name. Can't employ them.
UziYT@reddit
\>You clearly don't know what nepotism means.
What does it mean then? Was the example I gave not nepotism?
\>Secondly, I gave her the chance because she was eager and smart.
Mate if I interviewed any 17 year old they'd probably be eager and "smart" lmao
\>How the hell would you ever recruit someone?
How about we start off by actually paying a good salary so that your interviewees don't ghost you? Obviously a 17 year old is going to take a job for shite pay and the 27-42 year old candidates aren't, they all have rent to pay
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
Nepotism is providing an advantage or job to a family member or close friend, regardless of any merit. Given she is neither family, nor a close friend, it is definitionally not nepotism.
Given you don't know what nepotism is and your intellectual dishonesty on the last part, I'm going to reserve judgement on whether you'd be able to recognize smart
And your intellectual dishonesty is that you completely ignored the actual point and built a lovely strawman to stand behind. Literally nothing you said in response was in the slightest bit relevant to what I was actually saying.
UziYT@reddit
>SAAAAAR YOUR INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY!!!!
Alright mate, what salary were you offering on the job then?
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
Irrelevant to the point I actually made. You called it (incorrectly) nepotism because I knew she existed. My point was that you would make a shitty recruiter if simply knowing someone exists means it rules them out of a job.
OneEggOmelette@reddit
I love you lol. 22 yo unemployed x
Brickie78@reddit
It sounds a bit like experienced workers, who may have a bit of a financial cushion, can afford to pick and choose, wait and see if another offer pans out etc, while the teenager who's probably constantly being told she isn't being hired because of a lack of experience will jump at the chance and be keen to do well.
And I don't mean by that any shade on anyone involved, though if being ghosted by experiencec professionals is a common occurrence, it's probably worth Those Who Decide having a look at what they're being offered.
Bright_Arm8782@reddit
You can pick and choose sometimes, but you don't want to burn bridges you might need by ghosting someone or just not turning up.
cypowolf@reddit
Hmm...and yet you chose her as a last resort?
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
She didn't ask about the job or apply for it when it was advertised. Couldn't exactly consider her until she was interested in the role
Fresh_Sock8660@reddit
Did you get anything when she succeeded?
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
Nope. Not a sausage. But that is HR departments for you. They'd rather you die at your desk than admit they were wrong about something
fryupboy@reddit
Fake Reddit drivel
ForsakenMost6550@reddit
Yet the people who want the jobs don’t get them? Convenient that is.
Danuk9455@reddit
It’s now his wife
BarryTheBarstand@reddit
Erm... Nope. That would be a bit creepy.
North-Point7309@reddit
From my experience, yes. I'm in university now, so I have yet to apply for 'career' jobs and stuff like that.
I have applied to every internship under the sun though in my field, both in this country and abroad in the EU (summer internships). I want to say I applied to around 50, I got TWO rejections and the rest just didn't respond. I'm more mad that I didn't get rejected rather than literally nothing. This was a few months ago too, so I doubt I'll see anymore emails from anyone.
As for 'non-career' (I don't know how to phrase this) jobs like hospitality, I have also applied to every. single. one. I'm in Manchester for university, so a big city with many shops, restaurants, cafes etc., and I look at a list of places here, a list of places in the Arndale shopping center and Trafford and go on every website to check for job openings and apply to every single opening. Doing this, I have gotten 0 interviews. 0 interviews for a minimum wage service position.
It's not to say I have lack of experience either. I have basically been working hospitality since I turned 16. My second year of university I didn't 'work work' because I was doing work experience at a company that does close-ish what I want to do. Before I even came to university, I started applying to jobs in Manchester and got a few interviews. Most interviewers said they liked my answers and would call me with an offer, but none of them did. I ended up getting a job in January of first year, but that was only because the place I worked at back home during college opened up a branch here so I was able to ask my old manager to refer me but I had to quit there because my accommodation ended so I went back home.
After my work experience finished, I started doing the list thing and applying everywhere. No chains or independent places gave me an interview. I was able to get a job though at a local place, but I whole-heartedly believe the reason I got that job was because it was a Polish restaurant and I am and speak Polish but then that place closed down. So I went back to applying and the only job I got an interview for and got was an 'agency' based job, where they usually only give me 1 or 2 shifts a month.
I also know that I am good at my job. I am very good at being a waitress. I never fail to provide a good reference from my previous positions. I also rarely mention that I'm a university student, so they don't look down on that (time-wise). My course is also very lightweight where I literally have like two lectures a week, so I do have the time.
I also think young people feel 'defeated' when applying to jobs. I don't want to spend hours applying for these jobs to not even send me a rejection back. I go on my phone and see some more BS that half the jobs on Indeed are 'ghost jobs'. We've done it all. Applied on every website, started a LinkedIn, gone in with a CV for a minimum wage position!!
I think one of the biggest factors of this defeat too is the hurdles you have to jump through to beg to be a shop worker. Why do I have to do an online assessment to work at wagamamas? Why does this online assessment take 30 minutes? Why do I have to manually write my information on every single companies website when I also give you my CV? If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to any website and apply for a job, they'll ask you to fill on fields for your name, number, everything about you, job experience, references etc. AND they ask you for your CV, and then imagine doing that for all the jobs you apply to. I don't care that this makes it easier for the people hiring to just look at the fields. Once again, THIS IS WHAT MY CV IS FOR. YOU ARE NANDOS. I DON'T NEED A DBS CHECK TO WORK AT NANDOS.
Mind you, these online assessments are also total BS because it's like taking a test for something you haven't ever learned. Yes, obviously, some things are transferable between different jobs and you'd know if you have some experience, but they are nitpicky where it's specific to the company. How would I know what the protocol is for serving at wagamamas when I have never worked there and you didn't give me some basic information beforehand? At my agency job, there was a group interview. One question asked something like 'If the guest is unhappy, rank the following options in stuff you'd most to least likely do' and everyone answered the same thing of 'get the manager' in last place. I assume everyone there had experience somewhere else, where it's mostly taught that getting the manager is the 'last resort' when you can't figure it out. Turns out, the answer in this company was asking the supervisor as the first thing you should do. Granted, they did give some of us the job, so they understood it, but this was just an example.
Some places also ask for a cover letter (WHsmiths I am looking at you, but that one is the only one I can remember). I'm sorry, as much as I want and need a job I am not writing a whole ass cover letter to work at WHsmiths for minimum wage (I do. I need a job). I shouldn't need to fill out why I'm dying to be a hotel cleaner at your company for £12 an hour.
Sorry, this gets me heated.
WindTurbine16-27@reddit
I think employers also leave the application window open way too long because they want the perfect candidate. That leads to them getting overwhelmed with a ton of applications, which is why they do these stupid games. In reality they don’t need to wait for the perfect person as most people would perform just fine with a half decent manager and a bit of training.
h00dman@reddit
I remember what it was like trying to find work back in 2010 to 2014.
In October 2010 was lucky to get a 16 hour per week, part time minimum wage job, in a shop.
It took 2 years of constant job searching before I could move on to a full time job in a call centre.
It was a further 18 months (9 of which I was unemployed after the call centre decided they didn't want me anymore) before I found another job, which finally gave me a foothold to start climbing the career leader, which has led me to the career I currently have.
I didn't expect to be able to afford to buy a house, or have a nice car, or luxuries etc, I just wanted to be able to earn enough to allow me a bit of security.
I will never have a go at today's youngsters if they're unable to find work.
lefttillldeath@reddit
I pray for the day that we stop blaming individual people for macro economic issues.
There is nothing special about the current generation that would cause meaningful changes in employment numbers, the obvious answer is there are less opportunities or that people are not able to make use of those opportunities.
Sirlacker@reddit
Why would young people want to do the work of multiple people for minimum wage, for companies that don't give a shit about them?
Because that's the majority of jobs going these days.
And it's not about "oh it's a job you should just get your foot in the door". Especially when said young people have parents who can support them without that job. Because the more people that agree to this kind of work, the more these companies will try and get away with it.
They're the only ones able to make a real stand, they know their worth and kudos to them for it.
DoubleXFemale@reddit
What is with all the Reddit posts and comments trying to foist financial responsibility for young adult children onto parents? Should the parents also be getting kept by their own geriatric parents if they’re still alive and kicking? The whole nation can’t become NEETs, lol.
Sirlacker@reddit
I didn't have children just to kick them to the wayside when they are older, as long as I am able to financially support them, I will.
I wouldn't want my kids to spend 8-10 hours a day slaving away for fuck all, getting stressed out because of office politics, management being arseholes, all that jazz. Id rather them just not work and do something interesting with themselves, whether that's education, travel, pursue a decent hobby.
I get that maybe if it's a job to get your foot in the door of a company or job type you want, but meaningless jobs, absolutely no point unless they're dire for the money.
It's not about being NEET, it's about giving these kids the ability to negotiate their worth. Because as it stands right now, you either work for peanuts and get written up for being 3 seconds late, or you dont work. That's not the way it should be and companies need to get that message.
TryTrynTryAgain@reddit
And what about when they are 40 and never had a job and now you’re retiring?
They will 0 chance of having a job. You work the shit jobs so you don’t work the shit jobs later.
Ryanhussain14@reddit
No offence but you're setting up your kids for failure. What happens if you can't support them anymore? They will get eviscerated by the world and will have no experience to help them negotiate for decent positions. The kinds of working lives you are describing are not universal and there are plenty of places where working isn't that bad.
FunkyYoghurt@reddit
This entire thread is wild. The next generation are doomed. OP is being hailed as a hero parent for raising children who will never learn about graft, hard work and earning their own way.
Ok_Yogurtcloset802@reddit
You sound like a lovely parent, if I had children and enough money to give them a life like that I would.
I’ve not been as lucky and since graduating have been bullied, sexually harassed, fired and mistreated all by ‘professional’ jobs paying less than 50p above minimum wage.
DoubleXFemale@reddit
Companies won’t get that message just because unusually privileged teenagers/20-somethings whose parents will bankroll their hedonism won’t work for them.
There are plenty of teenagers/20-somethings who want or need their own money, along with older workers who desperately need money.
Spoil your kids into permanent trust fund babies if you like, but you’re not helping stand up to the man, lol.
Ryanhussain14@reddit
Funnily enough, I come from a privileged background where my parents absolutely could afford to have me mooch around the house but living by myself and working full time for my own money was one of the most liberating things I did. Everybody at my workplace treats me like an adult and I have money and time to do whatever I please whenever I please. No shade against my parents, I love them and they have been wonderful, but I wouldn't be 100% myself if I had to be completely reliant on them.
I know I'm preaching to the choir but if you are able to get a job and live alone, please do so if you haven't already. You will not regret it.
omniwrench-@reddit
It’s a ciruclar agreement that your parents support you when you’re young, to set you up, so you can support them when they’re old
It’s not that hard to understand
Commercial-Silver472@reddit
Because it's that or have no money I'd have thought?
Pepsi_E@reddit
I think so, even hospitality work is taken by older and more experienced people, because these days people need more than 1 job to survive.
flaaaan_mon7@reddit
I worked in care homes from March 2018 to October 2025. Three and a half years experience as a cleaner, two years on a dementia unit, and 2 years on a nursing unit. I’m about to turn 25. I decided to exit to industry in October 2025 mainly due to burnout. I loved being a carer and really dedicated my life to it… but after watching so many people die it takes a toll on you.
I’m very much aware I have no experience in other jobs… but I feel like I have some fairly good transferable skills. I’ve had 4 job interviews since October and that’s it. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, if anything, but I just can’t find a job for the life of me. I’ve applied for anything and everything apart from healthcare and pubs.
The job market is just insane at the moment. Youth unemployment (16-24) is at 16% and unemployment as a whole is the highest it’s been in years.
SapphireDingo@reddit
Suspicious-Case3861@reddit
Yep been looking for a job for over a year finally got one in a call centre two weeks in and the group of trainers playing ping pong started bullying me
Hopefully I can go to college soon but this is not just a young problem this is a everyone problem the job market and jobs in general are hard ATM
twentyfeettall@reddit
I manage the work experience programme at my job, so they do still exist.
I'm a millennial and people said the exact same thing about my generation - older people always think young people are feckless.
There are a lot of really clever, hardworking young people out there. Some of my friends' children are NEETs though, and I think it's for a few reasons. Some of them are socially awkward and their parents don't know how to deal with that and still treat their 20-something year-olds like children. Some of them are terrified of failure so they won't even try. And some of them have unrealistic expectations and are holding out for an entry-level WFH job that starts at £50,000 a year.
JubileeFist@reddit
Something left out of the discussion seems to be a lack of employability support. Young people are meant to have more support BUT the problem is what little help is available is just about getting people into any job, not suitable jobs.
itsfourinthemornin@reddit
Honestly on this front, not just young people either. Some years back now, due to life I ended up on Universal Credit in my mid-20's. I loathed facing another NMW job in retail, cleaning, bar work or anything else I'd done up to that point. I raised a question about possible training, going back to education and even happy to take an apprenticeship that'd actually lead somewhere, relevant to education I'd already done and personal interests. As my "Job Coach" I think I fairly assumed that was part of their role, steps for me to take/to help me back to employment. I was told... "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" and it was never mentioned again. Same for most times I tried to ask questions or for some support. Thankful I didn't have to deal with them much longer after that.
twofacetoo@reddit
Yep, If you're on benefits, their job is to get you OFF benefits, and it doesn't matter how that happens. Whether it's getting you into a shit job, or sanctioning you over the tiniest error, they'll do it with gusto
I have a story I love telling where I actually showed up for my job centre appointment early like I always did, then nobdoy came to get me, and I got marked as a no-show and got my benefits frozen. I had to go and talk to someone, and it turns out nobody even bothered to see if I'd actually turned up, they just assumed I hadn't and froze my benefits. I only knew they did it because I got a text telling me so, while I was still in the job centre, waiting for the appointment I had turned up for 20 minutes ago THAT I 'DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR'.
itsfourinthemornin@reddit
I believe I had similar once but it was an error in their behalf for the day or time! Of course I didn't show up for the correct date and time!
That coach was awful and lazy in my opinion. I did have a lot going on in my personal life that was impacting my ability to work and he did not care. Thankfully for some reason I got a new coach and she was understanding and wonderful before I switched around.
Mr_Venom@reddit
Knowing people who work for the DWP... None of what you fairly assumed exists, and hasn't for years. "The Job Centre" is a complete misnomer.
itsfourinthemornin@reddit
God forbid a girl expects someone to do their literal job title.
Lornaan@reddit
I've spoken to Americans about how they have careers advisors in high school, who discuss this stuff with them. I wish I'd had something like that. I was just pushed into going to uni to study a subject I got high grades in at school.
ZaytexZanshin@reddit
yup. JSA is literally just them checking you're looking for work, but not really helping you find a job.
disgraceful tbh
snowmanseeker@reddit
The job market is appalling.
Young people lack motivation to work, in some cases.
These things are not mutually exclusive. They are both true at the same time.
Inevitable_Box3643@reddit
Is there any actual evidence to prove that young people in the modern day have any less motivation to work compared to older generations at the same age outside of the fact that older generations were paid MUCH more for the exact same work where they could own a house on an entry level salary but we need to live in cramped house shares?
Parshath_@reddit
That's a very fair and interesting question, and more of a debate based on impressions and experience, as it's not like we can measure motivation.
Different people and cultures will view motivation differently, I suppose. I've seen people measure motivation by how bubbly and over-the-top comnunicarion one would have. I (a millennial, and know it's not very fair) have in the past judged motivation of younger folks by how they deal with new scenarios, and how curious they would be, and their problem solving skills - I think my most notable example was a gen Z trainee that was more qualified than me and had just finished her Masters, but completely froze upon seeing Excel and Windows Folders. Others would have already had that basic IT experience. And others would play around first to know better what questions they had.
Inevitable_Box3643@reddit
If it’s debatable… can we not make derogatory statements about an entire generation that is suffering from an unprecedented employment crisis and acting like the systemic way earlier generations are abusing them is somehow on them?
Effective_Topic_4728@reddit
I know plenty of people that have fallen into either category.
Milky_Finger@reddit
The problem is the social contract has gone and minimum wage isn't enough to survive in most metropolitan areas where the young people want to work in. Work is always toil but if the pay doesn't even come close to justifying the effort then what do we expect
IV-Manufacturer@reddit
The 'lack of motivation' argument is lazy. I graduated not that long ago and even with a degree and some relevant experience, I was sending out 50-odd applications before getting any traction. Entry-level roles that used to actually be entry-level now routinely ask for 2-3 years experience, which is a contradiction that nobody in hiring seems to want to acknowledge. The structural problems are real and they've got worse. Employers got pickier after the pandemic and young people are absorbing the blame for a market that was never designed to ease them in. Calling it a motivation issue is just a way of making a systemic problem feel like a personal failing, which is a lot more comfortable for the people who aren't affected by it.
dbltax@reddit
This is exactly what it was like applying for grad roles in 2008 following the credit crunch. All the "grad" jobs now wanted a masters and 2 years experience as a minimum when previously my industry was hiring bachelors students with no experience left, right and centre.
I applied for 140+ jobs and had 2 calls back, so in the end I sacked off that idea and went self employed. I was used to living poor as a student anyway so what difference would it make? In the end that idea worked out well, I can't imagine how much worse the jobs market has got since then.
GoldenSonOfColchis@reddit
If it makes you feel any better, the job market is like that across the board.
Both my Wife and I switched jobs in the last year and a half, and we're both incredibly experienced in our fields, and we had a similar experience to yours. I think I maybe got a response 1 out of 50-60 times, and her rate was a bit better but not by much.
6-7 years ago I was basically guaranteed an interview for any relevant job I applied for, now I struggle to even get an email back.
ab3lla@reddit
I’m a young person living in London and it is ridiculously difficult to get a job - even a job in a coffee shop or in retail as someone with no experience. All job listing specify “minimum 1 year experience in latte art” or some silly things like that.
When we were 18, my friend applied for a job at McDonald’s and got rejected! It is extremely hard to get any job nowadays as a young person. Me and all my friends WANTED to work the issue was that we couldn’t
United_Ice_6478@reddit
If greens get in it makes it even worse 🤣
Wd91@reddit
Whichever way you swing it older people created the reality that young people live in. Whether its environmental factors that older people created or whether young people have been raised differently, either way its still on older folk.
Personally I just think the modern world is wholly unfit for human beings. We're designed to be bashing rocks against other rocks and chasing down antelope, not staring at screens and pushing buttons with the hope that something happens.
XihuanNi-6784@reddit
No one wants to train anymore. The focus on productivity and short-term performance is now so intense that people feel like they 'can't afford' to take the time. It's really sad tbh.
SuperEssay1@reddit
"Young people blamed" shouldn't be a thing, they only enter a world that was already there and we're brought up (or their parents were brought up by) the people blaming them.
Kind-Doughnut1648@reddit
Very interesting question.
I think young people are blamed unfairly to an extent, yes. The job market is objectively difficult right now, especially for entry-level work. People talk about “just get experience” as if work experience jobs even exist anymore. You now need experience to get experience.
However, I also do not think the answer is to just surrender and say the system is impossible. The truth is more complicated than that.
A lot of boomers, particularly regarding housing and wealth, are completely detached from modern reality. Many bought homes on single incomes, watched their assets inflate through decades of loose monetary policy and rising property prices, then turned around and told younger generations they just need to “work harder”. Economically, it feels like a ladder was climbed and then quietly pulled up behind them.
At the same time though, young people do still need agency. There are opportunities everywhere if you stop waiting for permission. Start a business. Learn a skill online. Use TikTok, Instagram or social media properly instead of just consuming content. Get a Saturday job. Wash cars. Clean windows. Flip items on eBay. Tutor. Deliver food. Do something.
What young people desperately need is hope. Something to build towards. A reason to believe effort still translates into progress. A job is not just income; it is structure, dignity, confidence, momentum.
And honestly, I never judge anyone for whatever work they do. CEO or cleaner, if you get up in the morning and carve your own path, I respect it. The people I struggle to sympathise with are those who completely give up, game the system, or convince themselves every opportunity is beneath them.
In a market like this you cannot afford to be passive or picky. You have to move like a shark when it smells blood in the water; take opportunities aggressively, build momentum wherever you can and back yourself even when the economy does not.
There are opportunities everywhere.
NoodleDoodlesocks@reddit
I don't think they should be blamed for not being able to access what I'd consider a hostile job market.
I remember when I was looking for a new job a couple of years ago, I found so many basic roles that required some sort of niche certifications or qualification and even jobs working in a supermarket required you to do a video interview with an AI before your application will even be considered by a human. Then to consider that many employers actively trying to operate with as few staff as they can and often less staff than is needed.
I can only imagine how awful it would be for a kid trying to get into the job market these days.
Fanjo_mcclanjo@reddit
Yes and no.
I have two siblings. One is a hard worker and has a 16 year old with a job.
The other has a house with 5 people over 16 and no job between them in the last 20 years.
So whilst it is massively harder for them these days, some people are also bone idle.
Consistent-Sport-481@reddit
It's more than just skill and motivation.
If you can drive you can get to more opportunities if you need to use public transport you're shafted in small villages and towns.
Entry level jobs no longer really exist especially with the closing wage gap.
More and more jobs considered for students and young people are filled by older people.
FarAcanthocephala210@reddit
We need to stop mentioning these things that do absolutely nothing for you like getting a car. I’ve spent thousands on lessons my test my car my insurance and got 0 from it employment wise, I went and got a security license costing me afew hundred and got nothing from it employment wise there’s i went to school and college then got nothing from it too. What’s next maybe go to uni and go into debt to stay in the same situation? There is no advice that will work. There’s always another imaginary hurdle infront of you that once you get over leads to nothing. There’s answer is to just move countries or just hope the job market changes which it won’t. Everything else is a waste of time
Amateur_yoghurt@reddit
More and more jobs considered for students and young people are filled by older people.
That's definitely part of the problem... I'm starting a job for close to minimum wage that I really anyone could do, but I got 10 year experience on the field and qualification. I couldn't find a job that pays for my expertise so I am taking an entry level one. What chance a young person with zero experience has then...
k987654321@reddit
Funnily enough this was just commented on by Amazons UK boss…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0l2x5351n4o
Tiny-Command9417@reddit
You know it’s bad when even Amazon agree workers aren’t lazy just screwed over ………
k987654321@reddit
Yeah he conveniently forgets all the tax he doesn’t pay
PepsiMaxSumo@reddit
There’s a lot of failures for the young. My sister spent years looking for a job - when she was 16 she lived in a 5000 person village, she couldn’t drive as she couldn’t afford to learn without working and bus services ran once an hour between 8am-6pm. Not many jobs were that workable, and a taxi would’ve been 2 hours minimum wage each way.
Not long later my mum and her moved to the outskirts of a 80k population town. Buses are every half an hour from 6am-9pm, so still not great for shift work but better.
She’s recently got a first job at 23 after years of trying. She still can’t drive, because the cost of learning to drive is about £2k these days and she’s only just started earning a wage.
However even if she has passed her test at 17, how she’d afford the average £3000 a year in insurance plus £3-4k minimum to spend on a somewhat reliable car without working full time first is beyond me.
cottagecorer@reddit
The driving is so hard when you’re rural too! Less opportunity to practice built-up areas, roundabouts, different junction types etc. Our semi-rural town used to have a test centre but it shut when I was a kid, when you get to the point that you’re nearly ready for a test now you have to pay for 2hr lessons to get to one of the cities 30mins away, practice driving for long enough, and get back. It’s like £80 now and rising
PepsiMaxSumo@reddit
We weren’t even rural, 10 min drive from the town, 30 min drive from one of the biggest cities in the UK.
TheSandwichThief@reddit
Also worth mentioning that waiting lists for driving tests at the moment can be up to 6 months. I can’t imagine the stress of trying to get your license when you might have to wait 6 months for another test if you fail it. I do not envy the people who are entering adulthood right now.
Moto-Ent@reddit
I’m 24 now, but only just doing my test. I can’t even book at test for 6 months later, and dread of the thought of failing when I do get one.
Compared to my friends in 2019 failing and booking another 2 weeks later as it should be.
neversignedupforthis@reddit
They are. At the moment it's extremely hard getting a shitty job when you have years of experience. All the jobs that would be appropriate for a young person are going to people 20 years older who've been laid off from more lucrative roles.
fergie@reddit
Yes, in so far as this is the sort of nonsense that the commentariat regularly spurts. The irony is that they are simply projecting their own innate disdain for low paid work onto ordinary young people.
Gravyb0y@reddit
It insists on itself.
Fun_Yogurtcloset1012@reddit
I applied everywhere I could and am now begging for a job. I have 10 years worth of experience and yet all rejections for entry roles. The reason I am unemployed was due to caring for a family member and now I can't get back to work.
Organic_Morning2746@reddit
I think people are lazy and don’t want to put in the effort. Recruiters and bosses keep saying that working with the latest generation is the most difficult things in the world. And many now refuse to hire our generation.
I don’t think that is a concidence
qtpat00tie@reddit
Put in the effort for what? They will never own a house, they will never afford a family, they will never retire. But yeah lets listen to the opinions of employers who want slaves not workers.
Organic_Morning2746@reddit
Everyone always says that, yet I see people buying houses left and right. Is it the majority of people? No. It’s a small minority. But I ask myself what is it that those small minority people have different. The ones that I know, it’s not because they inherited money, it’s not because family paid for their education and they are walking in Wall Street or something crazy. Is people that were working 90+ hours a week for a year, maybe a few, didn’t spend any money and saved enough to get into a house.
Impossible-Shine-439@reddit
It's not but as an older person I get it, middle wages have stagnated so progression isn't the option it once was. It's a lot more expensive to just exist and businesses are running leaner than ever. It's £250k to just get on the property ladder in a shitty end of town. I really get it in fact I always advise the young people to save for that deposit then don't bother go travelling.
RainbowPenguin1000@reddit
“Young people” are too many people to be labelled with one word. Some are lazy or lack motivation or h skilled and some are not.
No-Relief4861@reddit
It's definitely unfair. It took me 3 months to find my current job, absolutely spamming everything on Indeed, twice a day. I was rejected from things like super markets constantly - no reply, no explanation. No nothing. I don't know how it is for other people, but it's definitely not motivation for me - I'm a horrendous workaholic. But it's just not enough for the market.
robparfrey@reddit
I w work more than anything.
I have a university degree and cant get into my chosen field.
Ive been turned down from places liie morrisons, asda and McDonald's so far and im 4 to 5 months in of searching...
Nothing in my area that would use.my university degree and cant just move as I need the job to be able to afford to do so.
No-Relief4861@reddit
Right!? It's the worst.
People think our generation lacks motivation, meanwhile I'm here telling my manager I've finished a task that she was planning to teach me how to do next week ...
I do wonder if it's solely a stereotyping problem (refusing to hire gen z), or if the market's genuinely just this tough.
JayR_97@reddit
Here's a pro tip, if you're applying to minimum wage jobs don't tell them about your degree, they're worried they you're a flight risk and will jump ship the second a better job offer comes along
funkmachine7@reddit
Thats a daft hang over from years gone by a good half of under 35s have a degree.
Aggravating-Fig-9274@reddit
The job market has always been hard tbh, I lived in a London for the past 10 years, really competitive!
I struggled when changing job couple of years ago as they expected 10+ years experience for a decent salary (I’m 31 now and still in the same field), I also applied for so many part time jobs when I wanted to increase my income but I received close to 0 replies from over 100 applications..
Worth mentioning that the application process itself it’s ridiculous, many job listings are just scams to collect data or pointless “interviews” with Ai
I also need to say tho that where I work (pub) we have a high turnover for staff and it’s true that majority of young people (NOT ALL) are not willing to work for us even once hired..
They request weekends off, specific times to work even when we told them during the hiring process that we can’t allow Sunday off (eg), not to work in a specific section because they don’t like it, they also call in sick a lot (at least once a week), they come in late, sometimes they just don’t show up.. it’s really difficult to work with them and we are really flexible on their requests
Another_Random_Chap@reddit
Companies are recruiting fewer youngsters.
Companies are less prepared to train people up - they want people ready to go.
Jobs that previous generations would have started in often now require a degree.
Parents (and to an extent schools) are not teaching their kids life skills.
Kids who went through Covid and being taught remotely are struggling, particularly those who took GCSE & A-levels during that time because they got over-graded. We are seeing a 35% fail rate on our pre-employment tests from those year bands compared to a consistent 10% over the previous years.
Otherwise_Craft9003@reddit
Yea they are being blamed unfairly a mix of lazy boomers and gen X can't be bothered to do young persons risk assessments and method statements and insurance.
Acrobatic-Watch-8037@reddit
Of course they are, because it's easier to blame and shame than to confront the fact that Britain is broken.
belody@reddit
I can't get any entry level jobs in the field I went because they require experience in the job to get the job, but without the job I can't get the experience. I don't really see how it's possible for me to get a job besides my current minimum wage retail job and I have a degree, years of experience working this retail job as well as having done side courses and volunteering work etc. I don't know what else I can do
essence365partygirl@reddit
yes. within last week alone (according to indeed), i’ve applied for 35 jobs and got rejected by all of them
TachiH@reddit
Young people have always been blamed for whatever issues are currently at the forefront of the news. The only people who can make more jobs are the older employers.
movienerd7042@reddit
Yes, the job market is absolute hell.
Fabulous-Abalone-363@reddit
There is a way to permanently fix youth unemployment.
Two years national service.
When they leave, they will be disciplined individuals with a trade.
Much better than languishing at home at on a mickey mouse degree.
miIk-skin@reddit
Bruh, you really need to get off the Dailymail and the Telegraph.
cbawiththismalarky@reddit
What a load of crap, how old are you?
JuanitaMerkin@reddit
A simplistic solution to a complex problem
BigRedTone@reddit
What trade?
CommercialPizza434@reddit
Yes; everyone talks about how useless university degrees are but yet all the requirements for decent jobs stipulate that young people get a degree 🤷 so what do you want young people to do ? University and uni degrees don’t prepare the majority of people for work…..
P8L8@reddit
How about the amount that require a degree and years of experience for an entry minimum wage job.
miIk-skin@reddit
My workplace just opened up a single entry-level position for collections assistant.
So far they've had 300 applications, and it's still climbing. I don't envy my colleagues who now have to narrow it down to just one candidate. That's a lot of people to disappoint.
mokujin42@reddit
One one hand, sometimes i apply for jobs and they are impressed because I actually know what job it is im applying for
On the other hand, some application practices are so ridiculous and expect so much from you before you even have a job offer that ir becomes impossible to even do so
I think its problems on both sides, employers made employing for jobs impossoble so many applicants have just given up, which only pushes the employers to take more and more precautions, the jobmarket at the moment is like Uroboros eating itself ass first and both ends assuming the other is entirely at fault
P8L8@reddit
The job market is horrendous. Nearing its limit for entry level positions. Young people have to face having years of experience for a minimum wage position, the mass off shoring of workers, AI, lowest job vacancies in a decade, all this causes more and more competition for the simplest of jobs. Graduates are finding it near impossible to get into their sectors.
If you have a job right now you’re lucky. 17.3% of 18-24 year olds are currently unemployed, up 3.7% in one year.
wizaway@reddit
Yes they are. The government flooded the country with immigrants and now the jobs that young people used to do (shop work, petrol stations, food delivery, warehouses, restaurant staff, fruit & veg picking, care work, hotel staff, fast food etc) are now done by fully grown adults from abroad. They also pushed everyone to go to uni so now your degree isn't worth as much and doesn't give you a leg up. If you did actually manage to get a decent degree the government also gave businesses visas for any decent paying job like software engineering, so they're competing with the rest of world for that too.
ForsakenMost6550@reddit
I’m unemployed and unemployment rates are so high because of bad practices from recruiters and high turnover of staff rather than retaining good and loyal staff.
Satin_Silence_3951@reddit
Unfair they’re not unskilled, they’re just stuck in an impossible cycle.
Theunluckyone7@reddit
I say this as someone fairly young myself. They have a terrible reputation in the workplace and don't want to deal with the slightest inconvenience. We have had a warehouse vacancy up for months and barely anyone has applied, so are they willing to take anything and get their foot in the door somewhere? Or does it need to be their perfect job from the get go.
EatingCoooolo@reddit
Young people aren’t blamed at all. There’s just no jobs.
MagicalParade@reddit
Yes, they are.
I say that as a 29-year-old double graduate with a stable income and my own home.
I am very fortunate that when I was facing redundancy, I was mentioned to another manager in the business and quickly redeployed. I was in the right place at the right time, and that’s all it was.
Older members of my team had less to lose because they were semi-retired and already in receipt of monthly payouts from previous jobs with better redundancy packages. Even years later, they were still covered by historic employment contracts. Their houses were paid off and their partners also had excellent severance from previous redundancies. I was going to be given a week’s notice pay and less than a month’s salary to sustain me for as long as it took to receive another job offer.
That’s all I’ll say on that front.
Sea_Director_4439@reddit
Nobody should be blamed for being unemployed. Employment sucks.
tiny-brit@reddit
Need experience and skills to get job 🔁 Need job to get experience and skills.
Motivation is difficult to come by when you:
- can't get a job for an abundance of reasons including the above
- are viewed negatively by the older generations who would be employing you
- are barely able to afford an acceptable standard of living working a full time job anyway
I think both are true. Some young people don't want to work and want everything handed to them on a plate, but also the current state of the job market is awful, and ordinary people who just want to find a job aren't to blame for that.
Western_Friend5355@reddit
The job market is terrible and the government are not helping. They’ve only increased the cost and burden of employers to hire people
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