A member of Gen Z is sparking a conversation on TikTok after she documented her quest to find a job and the difficult realities that came along with it.
Brooklyn resident Lohanny Santos spoke to Fox News Digital about her recent viral video, which was posted on Jan. 29 and has garnered 23 million views.
Santos was standing in the streets of New York City when she turned on her camera to vent her frustrations about her search for work. She was carrying dozens of copies of her resume after a disappointing day of job-seeking, she said.
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“This is the most humbled I’ve ever felt in my life,” the 26-year-old began.
“I’m literally holding resumes, a stack of them, so that I can go in person to places and say, ‘Are you guys hiring?'” Santos explained.
Santos, who posts under the handle @lohannysant, broke down in tears while she recounted the responses she received when she handed employers her resume.
“It’s honestly a little bit embarrassing because I’m literally applying for, like, minimum-wage jobs,” she said. “And some of them are being like, ‘We’re not hiring’ and it’s like, ‘What?’ This is not what I expected.”
“I graduated college, two degrees in communications and acting. I speak three languages…I’m just going to keep trying.”
Santos still had copies of her resume on hand when the video went viral. She received thousands of supportive messages from users on TikTok.
“[I]t’s so very brave to walk into places with your resume!! you’ll find a job,” one TikTok user wrote in the comments section.
“Never feel embarrassed. You should feel proud that you’re pushing your pride to the side and being realistic,” another person chimed in.
Santos continues to post updates about her journey. She even spoke about a time when she was offered a barista job that required 18 hours of unpaid training.
“I felt so down again. I was like, ‘Are you kidding?’” Santos said in another TikTok video. “Like, I finally get a job with the person who wants me to work for free…this is not cool.”
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Santos told Fox News Digital that she’s been receiving “outreach from people around the world.”
“So many people are also unemployed, looking for jobs, and not being able to find one,” she said. “Some people have higher education than I do and they, themselves, are also struggling.”
“This is a tough job market,” Santos added. “I’m not alone in being unemployed and struggling.”
Santos explained that she used the “old-fashioned” method of going door-to-door because she “needed to find a job fast.”
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“I’m not sure if the old-fashioned way is the way to go, but it’s a direction many of us take,” she said.
The Pace University graduate hopes that her videos bring comfort to those who are also looking for employment.
“I want everyone to know that it’s okay to ask for help when you need it,” Santos said. “There are so many people who are actually willing to help – I’ve been met with kindness.”
“I’m thankful for my new audience across my social media platforms and I’m excited to see where life takes me. I’m ready to experience success in my life.”
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