Millennial Laid Off From Corporate Job—6 Months Later the Unexpected Happens
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When Jessica Kava lost her corporate job in November 2024, she never imagined that six months later, she would be embarking on a new career journey—at a local taco shop.
The 32-year-old California resident, who captured her emotional experience in a TikTok video shared on April 7, spoke to Newsweek about her long and frustrating path back to employment and how many people resonated with it online.
"After I filmed the video, I went to meet the owner of a taco shop for a potential minimum wage job," Kava, who had applied to over 200 jobs with no luck, told Newsweek. "I had been laid off from my corporate job in November 2024, right after passing my five-year mark there.
"Since then, I had been applying nonstop and getting either ignored or rejected across the board—corporate jobs, service industry roles, even positions in the medical field."
Her video has since gone viral, amassing more than 969,000 views and 92,000 likes. In it, Kava detailed her months of unemployment struggles and her unexpected discovery of a new opportunity at a taco shop during her birthday night out.
From left: Jessica Kava speaks to viewers on TikTok; and poses for a photo outdoors.
From left: Jessica Kava speaks to viewers on TikTok; and poses for a photo outdoors.
@jessicakava
"I have tried hospitality gigs, overnight hotel clerks, I tried going back into assisted living, I tried staying in corporate, sales, support, account management, no luck, nothing is working out," she told viewers online.
The night before filming her post, Kava and her boyfriend had wandered into the taco shop during a "birthday bar crawl." The venue was closing at an unusual time due to staffing issues, and after chatting with the barman and learning about the staffing shortage, Kava expressed interest in the open position. The worker quickly grabbed a notepad, took down her information, and the next morning, the owner called her to set up an interview.
"That moment felt like the tiniest spark of hope, and I wanted to capture it," Kava said.
By the time she filmed her TikTok video, she was due to meet the owner for the role in just "38 minutes."
Kava's experience mirrors a broader trend facing many younger millennial and Gen Z workers navigating an increasingly competitive job market. Despite applying to over 200 positions, she said, she struggled to even receive callbacks.
"Honestly, it has been a mix of sadness and comfort," she said. "Sadness because so many people relate—whether personally or on behalf of someone close to them.
"Being laid off is incredibly difficult, and this job market can feel relentless, but there is also comfort in the shared experience...I have spent the last five months wondering what I am doing wrong to be rejected by every job I apply to and it helps, in a strange way, to know I am not alone."
Kava ultimately got the taco shop job and began working the very next day, quickly securing five shifts a week.
"I never imagined that at 32 I would be working a minimum wage job at a taco shop, but I am genuinely enjoying my time there and grateful they gave me a chance," she said.
'What Happened Is Not Rare'
Eric Cheng, co-founder and CEO of Jobright, an AI-driven career platform, told Newsweek that Kava's story is far from unique.
"What happened to Jessica is not rare—it is becoming the norm," Cheng told Newsweek. "The problem is not just the economy, it is that the entire job search system is fundamentally broken."
According to Cheng, outdated job listings, keyword-based screening traps, and "ghost jobs" that were filled months earlier clog up the search process. Meanwhile, automated filters at many companies eliminate qualified candidates before a human recruiter ever sees their applications.
"Good people are not failing to land jobs because they are unqualified—they are stuck in a process that buries them under bad information and broken tools," Cheng said.
Kava, who has been posting on TikTok more regularly since late 2023, said this connection to others through social media has been a lifeline.
"I have had TikTok since 2019 and loved watching it take off during the pandemic," she said. "Toward the end of 2023, I realized how much I enjoyed creating and sharing content, especially the connections I was starting to make through the platform."
While her first viral moment initially came from a breakup video that reached 2.7 million views, her story of perseverance after losing her corporate job has resonated deeply with a diverse range of viewers on TikTok.
Her candid account and the unexpected turn her career has recently taken has sparked conversations about the challenges many people, especially younger millennials and Gen Zers, face in today's job market.
"Why is everywhere understaffed but nobody is hiring," one viewer commented, while another added: "My mom had 12 years experience in HR and a masters degree and it took her a year to find a job! Good luck!"
"I am genuinely happy to be working again," Kava said. "Even if it is not where I thought I would be, it feels good to be part of a team again and to have something to look forward to every day."
Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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