Should you date if you’re unemployed? That was the question The New York Times asked our President, Jason Dorsey, about Gen Z dating when they don’t have a job. How would you answer that question?
This story matters to Jason because the hiring market feels stuck for many young adults (and many job seekers of all ages). He frequently talks about the reasons behind this dynamic in his keynote speeches, which explore generational trends colliding with economic realities and rapid workforce change.
While overall unemployment in the U.S. may still be low in many respects, job searching today can feel difficult, lonely, and frustrating. It can feel like you’re applying into a digital black hole with no reply. Ghost job postings are another problem we don’t talk about enough, and so is the fact that many companies are not hiring or are trying to do more with the same number or even fewer employees.
And then add AI into the job seeker equation. AI is adding to job seeker stress in multiple ways. We research this often.
This includes AI scanning job applications to see whether an applicant is a fit at the very beginning of the screening process. AI is completing applications on behalf of job seekers, which can massively amplify the number of applications employers must wade through to find candidates. In addition, AI has made it harder for employers to distinguish between candidates because so many of the applications sound the same.
And that doesn’t even speak to AI’s potential impact on job creation and layoffs.
All that to say, the job market is hard, and many unemployed members of Gen Z are facing the question of whether they should date while they don’t have a job. This often comes down to the cost of dating, the social pressures of not having a job, and whether to prioritize landing a job over socializing. Jason knows his answer for The New York Times. What would yours be?
His answer was that you should date while you’re unemployed. Maintaining healthy social relationships is critical, especially as you’re finding your way in the world. Maybe you pick less expensive places to go on a date, or entirely free ones, like visiting a park or playing outdoor games. Gen Z is already doing these things, whether they are employed or not, and the data backs this up.
In the NY Times article, they cite that the matchmaking service Tawkify found in their survey of 1,010 U.S. adults that only 29 percent considered unemployment a dating red flag. This reflects a generational shift as young adults become more likely to separate a person’s worth from their job title or income. Jason thinks that this trend will continue.
You never know when or where you’ll meet the right person, but don’t let a challenging hiring market hold you back from healthy relationships.
It may not be a walk in the park, but then again, it might be!
Check out the full story in The New York Times here.
The Center for Generational Kinetics has led more than 200 research studies on generations and technology. To bring this research to your event, visit Jason’s speaking page.
