Ryan Kim had a clearly defined plan for the future throughout his studies. First, he wanted to become a database manager, then a business analyst in FinTech. However, when during his second and third year of study the technology industry slowed down almost half a million employees, gaining an internship became a real challenge for him. That is why he decided to take a new direction: public service.
He was not the only representative of the Z generation, who made such a decision, which he verifies his life today.
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According to the Handshake recruitment portal last year, the number of entries from last year students in the USA to junior positions in the technology sector fell by 19 percent. Compared to 2022, and applications for government positions almost doubled. Even the younger generation noticed upcoming changes. Until recently, high school students indicated technological giants such as Google and Apple, as their dream jobs. Last year, to the surprise of many, the FBI and NASA overtook these companies in popularity rankings. The Silicon Valley lost its importance, and Washington became a new goal.
Then Donald Trump and Elon Musk came
Kim needed only one application to get an annual, paid internship at the food and medicine agency (FDA). His assessments at work were very good, so he planned to stay in the agency after graduating in May. “You hear so much shocking stories about people from the technology industry who lose their jobs every day,” he says. – Working in the government gives stability. It attracted me to her – he said.
Only that his plan was in ruins.
Approaching the end of his studies, who unexpectedly lost his internship as a result of the chaos that Elon Musk caused in the Federal Administration within the Doge. Because most of the recruitment to government institutions has been suspended for an indefinite period, they are desperately looking for any work. “It's a huge source of stress for me,” he admits. – Most private companies have already hired graduates for this year – he adds.
Who is one of about 2 million students who will enter the extremely uncertain labor market this spring. The situation had already looked bad for 2025, taking into account a sharp decline in employment in sectors such as technology, finance and consulting. Now, however, when Musk is cutting government expenses, many students panicked. Some have already lost the promised positions in federal agencies, others have been waiting for any response to submitted applications for months.
Problems do not apply only to state offices, but also companies, non-profit organizations and universities, which are based on government contracts and financing. Even master's studies – a traditional “safe haven” during the crisis – may not be an option if the Education Department fails to provide adequate financial support. In a situation where the government is reduced to a minimum in the name of “efficiency”, the careers of many ztets may suffer for years.
– The scale of this problem is huge – says Saskia Campbell, director of the Career Office at the University of George Mason. – You can see a sense of loss and regret among students. I am really worried for the first time – he adds.
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Is the worst coming?
And the worst can only come. Donald Trump's customs wars make companies suspend new recruitments, which only worsens the situation. “Two years ago, all uncertainty concerned Big Techu,” says Briana Randall, director of the Career Center at the Washington University. – Now uncertainty is almost everywhere – he emphasizes.
As a result, American graduates do not know which way to turn. Sarina Parsapasand, a student of public policy at the University of South California, planned to work in government administration. Now, seeing the chaos in Washington, he changes the strategy and tries to find employment in the private sector. “I have bills to pay,” he says. “I can't afford the risk of working, which will not give me the stability needed for a normal life,” he adds.
This sentence is repeated in conversations with many students. – The labor market seems completely unstable, regardless of the industry – says Katie Schwartz, a second -year student at the University of Tulane. – Now it's less about finding your dream job, and more about finding one that will give any sense of security – he adds.
I admire their sober approach, but at the same time saddens me how mature they sound. Should professional stability not be a priority only in middle -aged when a mortgage is repaid and raising children? When I finished my studies in 2009 without a permanent job, I was terrified but still idealistic. These young people seem to be too hardened by the chaotic reality. In high school, they watched their parents lost their jobs during a pandemic. In college, they saw older colleagues fighting for employment after a crash on the technology market, and some experienced the withdrawal of job offers at the last minute.
Uncertainty and constant turmoil have taught them to prepare for the worst. One of the last year's students told me that she had been deliberately neglected to focus on the last year to focus only on looking for a job. She sent up to 15 applications a day. Ultimately, she received three offers, including one from the government's contractor. “It's my dream job because it gives me a chance to realistically change the world,” he says.
Adulthood is terrifying
Now, however, observing the situation in Washington, he is considering withdrawing from this offer and accepting proposals from the financial industry. “I try to maintain optimism,” he says. However, when I ask how he feels, taking his first steps in adulthood, it doesn't sound very confident.
– It scares me – he admits. – I think many of us have come to terms with the fact that we will not live at the level that our parents provided us – he states.
During the crisis of the economy, the stories of people who lost their jobs are full of, but the greatest victims are often those who did not even have the chance to get it. Freezing employment closes the door before they can open it. Studies show how long it can affect their careers. Five years after the great recession, millennials earned an average of 11 percent. less than representatives of the X generation at their age. Their net assets were 40 percent. Lower, which forced many to postpone key decisions: buying a house, starting a family, saving for retirement.
And the effects can be even more serious. Graduates who entered the labor market in the 1982 recession had fewer children, more often divorced, and according to research they even lived. Although Musk and Trump want to “heal” the government, their true heritage may be harm done to the youngest generation of Americans.
For students like who means one thing: they must fight for survival on the labor market that is against them. Many companies have already completed recruitment for this year, and now they compete not only with peers, but also with former government officials who have more experience. The upcoming end of his studies scares him, but he tries to remain calm.
“I don't know how my future will go,” he says. And this is a perspective that should worry us all.
The above text is a translation with American Business Insider edition
Crowd: Mateusz Albin
