After dropping her company job, Jessica Kava’s layoff restoration led her to a stunning new function at a neighborhood taco store.
What started as a troublesome chapter in her life grew to become a narrative of resilience that rapidly gained on-line consideration.
Her honesty concerning the emotional toll of job loss and the challenges of looking for work deeply resonated with many individuals.
Her expertise highlights a rising drawback dealing with youthful job seekers as we speak: a flawed system, mounting rejections, and an unsure economic system that has left many with out clear paths ahead.
A viral story of layoff restoration and resilience
Simply six months after being laid off, the 32-year-old California native posted a heartfelt TikTok video, sharing how her job search had emotionally pushed her to the sting.
The video resonated broadly, reaching over 1 million views. In a follow-up interview with Newsweek, Jessica opened up about how tough and time-consuming her job hunt had been.
“I had been laid off from my company job in November 2024, proper after passing my five-year mark there,” she advised Newsweek.
Regardless of making use of to greater than 200 jobs, Jessica mentioned she obtained no affords.
As her frustration grew, she determined to take a stunning step—assembly with a neighborhood taco store proprietor a couple of minimal wage job.
The assembly occurred shortly after she filmed her emotional video, which gave viewers a glimpse into the toll the method had taken on her.
“I’ve tried hospitality gigs, in a single day resort clerks, I attempted going again into assisted residing, I attempted staying in company, gross sales, help, account administration, no luck, nothing is figuring out,” she advised her followers.
An opportunity encounter and a spark of hope
The turning level got here throughout an evening out to have a good time her birthday.
Whereas on a bar crawl together with her boyfriend, the couple stopped at a taco store closing early on account of staffing shortages.
After chatting with the bartender, Jessica expressed curiosity within the open place.
The store’s proprietor known as her in for an interview the subsequent morning.
“It was a tiny spark of hope,” she mentioned, describing how she felt 38 minutes earlier than the assembly.
Jessica’s story displays the fact many millennials and Gen Z employees face as we speak—spending months making use of to jobs throughout industries with little to no response.
Jessica had utilized for roles in company places of work, healthcare, and the service business, but obtained rejection after rejection.
After 5 months of disappointment, she lastly landed the job. She began working the subsequent day and shortly picked up 5 weekly shifts.
Although she by no means imagined working a minimal wage job at 32, Jessica says she’s grateful for the chance and actually enjoys her new function.
“I’m genuinely comfortable to be working once more,” she mentioned. “Even when it isn’t the place I believed I’d be, it feels good to be a part of a workforce once more and to have one thing to stay up for each day.”
The larger drawback: A damaged job search system
Eric Cheng, co-founder and CEO of Jobright, advised Newsweek that Jessica’s expertise is way from distinctive. He pointed to deeper points inside the job search system itself.
“The issue is not only the economic system,” Eric defined. “It’s that the whole job search system is basically damaged.”
He outlined how automated key phrase filters, outdated job listings, and “ghost jobs” which are not obtainable block certified candidates from reaching hiring managers.
Many well-suited candidates are eradicated by algorithms earlier than their resumes are ever seen by a human.
“Good individuals are not failing to land jobs as a result of they’re unqualified—they’re caught in a course of that buries them beneath unhealthy info and damaged instruments,” Eric mentioned.
Discovering neighborhood and power by layoff restoration
Jessica has discovered a brand new supply of power and connection on TikTok.
Although she downloaded the app in 2019, she didn’t totally embrace it till the pandemic.
By late 2023, she found a love for creating content material and interesting with others.
Her first viral video, a breakup story, introduced in 2.7 million views.
However her layoff restoration journey actually resonated, sparking conversations across the emotional and sensible challenges of unemployment.
Feedback on her video revealed simply how widespread these points are.
One viewer questioned how companies may be understaffed whereas so many individuals are unemployed.
One other shared their battle, saying that even with 12 years of HR expertise and a grasp’s diploma, they’d spent a 12 months looking for a job.
“I’m genuinely comfortable to be working once more,” Kava mentioned. “Even when it isn’t the place I believed I’d be, it feels good to be a part of a workforce once more and to have one thing to stay up for each day.”
Right here’s Jessica’s viral TikTok video sharing her layoff restoration:
@jessicakava Hopefully I will probably be following up with excellent news #jobopportunity #jobmarket #layoffs #laidoff ♬ unique sound – Jessica Jean Kava
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