Opinion: Gen Zers are battling post-grad depression. Here’s what makes our job market different.

Mills is a freelance writer and recent graduate of the University of San Diego, where she earned her bachelor of arts in communication studies. She lives in San Diego.

In the weeks and months following graduation, I did not anticipate the difficult transition from college to career. Unlike the idealized versions depicted on social media, portrayed at career fairs and discussed at family gatherings, post-graduation has remained a time of frequent confusion, anxiety and loneliness.

Rather than living in a new city and beginning my career with a survivable wage, I live with my parents, apply to upward of 30 jobs per week, receive countless rejection letters (or no response), work various freelance gigs and feel entirely overwhelmed. And I’m not alone.

As a generation entering adulthood, Gen Z faces unique challenges compared to others during this economic period. The cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other necessities — now at a 25-year high — have made it nearly impossible for Gen Z to afford life’s price tag. In San Diego specifically, the average monthly rent is $3,016; that is 121 percent higher than the national average, according to RentCafé.

However, rising prices are just one piece of this onerous transition. Upon completing their degree, most undergraduates have spent virtually two decades in the education system, surrounded by its constant structure and schedule. The chronological ordering of K-12 schooling creates a predetermined future where students transition from school to school. Although more freedom exists in college with a choice in schedule, major, clubs and friends, the same educational structure remains. In parting with community and familiarity, regardless of employment status, recent grads are tasked with figuring out, “Who am I outside of school?”

Some graduates go on to immediately establish their career, travel, undertake internships, continue their education, start families; but for many of us, this is the first time the future isn’t paved. While engaging with newly discovered TikTok stars, celebrating a friend’s promotion or viewing LinkedIn posts announcing a connection’s new position, it’s easy to wonder, “Why isn’t this happening for me?”

As a result, many Gen Zers have flocked to TikTok to voice their experiences with “post-grad depression,” a common phenomenon they were not anticipating or previously aware of. One user, @illys_acting, expressed her frustration that this isn’t talked about enough, saying, “I’m in this transition stage of trying to find a job, trying to find a way to move out of my parents’ house, and I feel like the feelings and emotions that come with that is not talked about.”

Although the difficulty of obtaining one’s first job is commonly acknowledged, in some fields, the importance of connectedness or experience has depreciated. In fact, a new movement has emerged in the job world: quiet hiring. Research and consulting firm Gartner explained that quiet hiring, the top work trend for 2023, occurs when an existing employee acquires a new role and responsibilities within their company. Businesses fill open positions, avoid the steep costs of hiring and onboarding, and the unemployed are left to continue their hunt — which is typically done on LinkedIn or Indeed.

Currently, a single search for “entry-level position” on LinkedIn produces over 2 million jobs in the United States. Users can further filter their search based on location, salary range, education level, etc. For someone eager to start their career, this sounds ideal. But, upon further scrolling, very few postings are truly entry-level as they require multiple years of experience in a related position or field. To top it all off, the pay is regularly set in some states at a non-livable wage — making it an even further underpaid opportunity for those with additional experience. Understandably, training requires time and resources that many companies don’t possess. But labeling these postings as entry-level, with a low-paying salary, doesn’t seem like an adequate alternative. In a recent survey, personal finance resource GOBankingRates reported that single households in California must make a minimum salary of $80,013 to afford the state’s cost of living. With California the third-most expensive state to live in for a single person, many other states are more affordable.

A recent graduate interviewed by employee benefits platform @highwaybenefits on TikTok spoke to her own economic difficulties while working in a medical-related field, saying, “I think our generation completely got screwed. I don’t think our parents realize how difficult it is. I’m working 45 hours here, but I still have to ask my parents for help living here by myself.”

I do not wish to complain or garner pity for myself or other graduates. My hope is to raise attention to the reality that young adults are facing. Many graduates aren’t able to live rent-free with relatives or afford the luxury of exploring their options.

Though economists aren’t labeling our current economic activity as a recession, the stress of our job market and induction into the “real world” has sent many graduates into a great depression.