Gen Z wants jobs in teaching and health care—they best be prepared for crying on the job (2024)

Newsflash R1

People aren't all the same.

The other industry in which Zoomers can't cut it seems to be 'local news networks'. There was a report posted on social media from a news source on the quick turn-around of TV news talent at our local news stations (which I have noticed myself).

Two 'new' talents, who started at the end of 2023 - fresh out of college with their degrees in broadcast journalism - left yesterday; one for the ABC affiliate and the other with NBC. On their social media accounts, one of the girls said the reason she left was because after seven months, she couldn't take getting up at 3 am each day to report to work at 4:30 am and 'anchor the early morning broadcast' which starts at 5:30 each weekday. "It's not what I signed up for" , she ended her statement.

The other girl said she didn't like the fact that she had to work every weekend and holiday, covering the new desk , and during the week she had to cover coworkers vacations and days off this summer. "It just didn't feel fair to me!" She explained that was the reason she told her boss she wasn't happy yesterday morning, and they abruptly fired her. She ended her tik-tok post crying because now she's out of a job (and she probably will never get a job in the business again).

Meanwhile, the 'boomers' and 'Xers' who started at these stations in the 80s and 90s (fresh out journalism school and starting off with sh*tty schedules) are STILL there, racking up awards and big salaries for their dedication. Zoomers need to learn from them.

R7 - unless they are in a large market, the salaries are NOT big - at all. Like $40k to $50k maybe? Only 5-6pm and 10pm anchors make bank - and that's only at the big stations in the top 10 markets. It took them decades to get there and they work a LOT.

But the field reporters? Oh man - it's hardly anything.

Tbh - I don't blame them. It's a lot of sacrifice for just being on air. It's not a dumb decision.

R9 The veterans who have been there are in the anchor chairs from 5 pm - 7 pm, and 10 pm - 11 pm. They're making great salaries in our market. But they started out in the 80s and 90s as the field reporters, as the weekend / holiday anchors, etc. They all had to start somewhere, at the bottom of the ladder, in entry level positions. They have to prove themselves and rise to the top. Sure - those jobs don't pay well and have sh*tty schedules, but if you want to achieve your dreams in the future, you have to start somewhere.

However, Zoomers don't understand that. They believe they're going to graduate and start at the top - with the best salaries and most desired schedules (in every industry). It doesn't work that way.

I now work in a mental health facility, where there is a need to fill mental health social worker jobs on-site (that's not my job, but I work in the office doing their scheduling, assignments, etc).

All the new graduates - a plethora of Sophias, Emmas, Zoeys, and Erins - last one pay period (2 weeks). Their pay isn't shabby, bennies are excellent, and their work is a bit challenging at times, but not always (doesn't make for a boring day). At the end of their shifts they come to the office and cry their eyes out. "It's so stressful!" Filing out paperwork seems to be the most stress-oriented tasks. (Trust me, it's not stressful - it's time consuming and these kids want to leave early each day). So they last one week, and give a week's notice - they get one paycheck for one pay period. (I have to say we don't have this problem with the new male hires - the Matts, Dereks, and Zachs - they're all fine.)

Meanwhile, there are MHSWs in the 60s and 70s who have been there for 40 years, and can run circles around these kids. We raised a generation of coddled wimps.

R1 How are u working for 42 years?

No wonder some of u are bitter.

Gen Z is going to fold harder than Gen X did.

Crybaby posers.

[quote]How are u working for 42 years?

From part-time jobs in college from age 18 (related to my career) to retiring at 60, with the occasional year or two off along the way. 42 years more or less. Doesn't seem so unusual, does it?

[quote]No wonder some of u are bitter.

I'm not bitter. Not when I worked, not now. I just said that I had never had a cry at work (or about work) in all those years. It's not some act of stoicism, or being dead inside, or whatever; it just that the idea or the rae emotions never f*cking occurred to me. I've been fired, I've quit, I've had great jobs and bad, good bosses and good colleagues and bad ones. There was never any reason to break into years about anything. Not remotely. To do that you have to break my heart or show me, at just the right moment, a really sad film.

[quote]We raised a generation of coddled wimps.

To whom are you addressing that comment, R13?

Because I can't speak for you, but I am willing to bet that very few of us DL denizens had/have children [italic]at all[/italic]. much less have children the age of Gen Z.

Blame the straight people.