Soban Ali Applies to 450 Jobs Without Landing Full-Time Work in Tough U.S. Market
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 14
Soban Ali Applies to 450 Jobs Without Landing Full-Time Work in Tough U.S. Market
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 14
450 applications and more than 10 interviews have still not produced a full-time job for Soban Ali, 24, seven months after he was laid off from a federal contractor during last fall’s government shutdown.
Ali now earns $18 an hour in a part-time after-school job in New York City, where he says even basic socializing and a $25 dance class feel out of reach.
His struggle reflects a broader squeeze on young adults as college-degree holders face their weakest spring U.S. job market since the coronavirus pandemic.
In New York, that weak hiring backdrop is colliding with high living costs, leaving many young residents questioning whether they can build stable careers, households or families.
Is the dream of urban success becoming impossible for a generation facing AI disruption and economic uncertainty?
In a world of AI hiring and fewer entry-level jobs, what verifiable skills can actually guarantee a graduate's future?