Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Distraught TikToker Sparks Debate After Claiming She Was Denied Job Because She's Gen Z

TikTok screenshots of @fungalmicrobe
@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

TikToker @fungalmicrobe shared how she applied for a job within the company she works at, and was later told by a Gen X hiring manager that she didn't get the job because of her lack of a five-year plan, which they deemed a "Gen Z problem."

A woman on TikTok launched a great debate after tearfully sharing how she was denied a job she was more than qualified for because of a "Gen Z problem."

TikToker Alejandra (@fungalmicrobe) took to the platform to express her devastation when she found out that she didn't get the internal job she applied fo—but the reasons the hiring manager gave for passing on her left people in the comments up in arms.


Alejandra began:

"If you’re wondering what the job market looks like right now, look no further than my swollen eyelids."
"A Gen X hiring manager told me that I wasn't hired because I'm Gen Z."
“That’s been making me cry for the better part of the last five hours."

She then explained that the position she applied for was for her present company in a department where she previously worked— and worked well—and got along with the entire team.

“I was a shoo-in. I had done the job before and fit in really well with the team.”

She believed she would thrive in this position and also thought her interview went well. Afterward, the hiring team said someone would be reaching out soon.

But that never happened despite the TikToker's several attempts to contact them.

Then one day, Alejandra just so happened to catch an elevator occupied by none other than the hiring manager who broke the news that they had instead hired someone who was “better fitting for the team and had a little bit more history.”

The TikToker then asked for feedback on what she could have done better during her interview.

The hiring manager first told Alejandra that although the team liked her and worked well with her in the past, she “shared things they wouldn’t have,” specifically her disability and her passion for social media.

But according the creator, the big issue was that she didn't have a "five-year plan," and the hiring manager told her:

"Yeah, I have this issue with my son as well, and to be quite frank with you, I think it's a Gen Z problem."
"You have to understand, it's all about perception and optics."
“Gen Z needs to understand that you don’t have to share everything about yourself."

She continued that not having a five-year plan shows "you're not good for commitment" and even suggested "making something up on the spot."

The TikToker was floored, especially considering the team knew about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and her bringing it up was in response to her "five-year plan" of becoming a doctor no longer being an option for her.

Alejandra then encouraged Gen X and Boomers to "start investing in us, start taking a chance on us."

“I just graduated a year ago and no I don’t know what I want my future to look like."
“But I’m a good worker and my résumé shows for it."

You can watch below.

@fungalmicrobe

cheers to another day in “wHaTs yOuR FiVE yeAr pLaN?” land 🩵 ps: i know i asked them and they gave me their honest answer. im not upset at them. its just sad to know how they really feel and how truly shallow this world is.

Viewers of the TikTok chimed in.

Many agreed that it's unfortunate a company would rather hire someone who would lie about their future with a company than an honest and transparent candidate.

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

Others feel that a five-year plan is pretty much a joke, anyway.

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

Several also believe the goal of many employers is to seek out those who agree to an unfair work-life balance.

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

@fungalmicrobe/TikTok

We hate that Alejandra had to endure this experience, but we love that it launched a discussion about the unrealistic expectations of potential employers.

More from Trending

Jeff Ross
Mike Coppola/Variety via Getty Images

Comedian Jeff Ross Shares Photos Of Puffed Up Lip After Allergic Reaction To Ice Cream

Insult comic Jeff Ross revealed he had a medical emergency after a show Saturday night that resulted in a trip to the ER. However, he assured fans the show must go on despite "looking like Mickey Rourke at the end of The Wrestler."

Ross recounted the ordeal on Instagram, showing his swollen lip taking over his face from eating burrata ice cream after his Take a Banana for the Ride show in Mill Valley, California, near San Francisco.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot of Jesse Watters on Fox News
Fox News

Jesse Watters Offers Mind-Numbing New Claim About Masculinity—And Is Instantly Dragged

Problematic Fox News MAGA pundit Jesse Watters has made another bizarre claim about masculinity.

Having already taken exception with eating ice cream, drinking milkshakes, and taking bubble baths, Watters is now targeting tech jobs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump with the Dodgers
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Trump Leaves Everyone Confused With Hilariously Bizarre Word Salad Tribute To The Dodgers

President Donald Trump was widely mocked after he welcomed the 2024 World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Monday with a bizarre, tangential, and rambling speech.

The team arrived at the White House on Monday morning, where Trump, in his remarks, praised two-way star Shohei Ohtani and infielder Mookie Betts. The Dodgers had defeated the New York Yankees in five games to clinch their second World Series title in five seasons.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Trump Roasted After Giving Clunky New Nickname To People Criticizing His Tariffs

President Donald Trump was criticized after he pushed back against critics of his tariffs, coming up with a new nickname for the "weak and stupid" people who oppose them.

The Trump administration’s newly imposed tariffs on imports from various countries have unsettled consumers, triggered a trade war, disrupted global markets, and sparked widespread fears of a potential recession in the U.S. and beyond.

Keep ReadingShow less

Childhood Experiences People Thought Were 'Normal' But Weren't At All

Content Warning: Child neglect, child abuse, narcissism, gaslighting, people-pleasing, and other traumatic childhood experiences

It's important for us to work on ourselves, to continue bettering ourselves throughout our limited time on this earth, and a key way of doing that is acknowledging what we do not know, and working on that.

Keep ReadingShow less