The Job Market: A Comedy of Errors and Employed Hopes

Remember those carefree childhood days when we thought that if we studied hard enough (or at least our parents did—I was more of a “please let me pass” enthusiast), adulthood would be a walk in the park? You know, a stable income, a cozy home, a loving family, and maybe even a golden retirement? Well, spoiler alert: the joke’s on us! Maybe I should have spent more time in college perfecting my “art of napping” instead of hitting the books or spent more time on a side hustle instead of working endless hours! 😉

So, is skilled work on the chopping block? If social media and the news are any indication, it seems the promise of job security in skilled fields (both generalist and tech) has the longevity of a milk carton left out in the sun. History shows us that since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, change has been the only constant—aside from our collective denial that we’ll ever be irrelevant (we’ll be relevant, darn it, even past our expiration date!).

According to a CompTIA analysis, IT unemployment hit 3.7% among tech jobs as of June 2024, mirroring a national upward trend. Great, right? So now what? Most of us Gen Xers and millennials don’t have enough time left to completely reinvent ourselves. If we get laid off (guilty as charged!), we’re confronted with the charming concept of an “employer's market.” Seriously, who comes up with these terms? It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel!

I won’t waste precious blog space lamenting how the top 1% shouldn’t control the economy—mostly because I’d like to join them someday (ha ha!). But here we are, stuck in the endless loop of job hunting, all while juggling bills, family obligations, and a future we’re trying to plan.

So, what’s the game plan?

1. Create a New Reality: What if we banded together to form collectives or co-ops? Let’s get back to those sustainable practices—build local, shop local, and slow our consumerism down to a leisurely stroll.

2. Keep Chugging Along: Or do we just hang on, hoping this struggle is temporary? I mean, a familiar job offer—even if it comes with its own brand of chaos—sounds a lot easier than starting from scratch.

3. The Mysterious Third Option: Or is there a third option lurking out there that I’m just not seeing? (Hey, one person’s imagination has its limits!) If you’ve got ideas, drop them in the comments!

Let’s brainstorm together—because clearly, we can’t rely on the school of hard knocks alone!