Why it’s harder to find a job in the 2020’s than the 2000’s at 16

Daniel Velazco, Staff Reporter

The Pros and Cons of Trying to Find a Job in the 2020’s versus the 2000’s

at the Age of 16:

The 2000’s

Pros of Getting Hired in the 2000s:

You could get a job at 16.
It was easier to find a job and there was a higher chance of being hired.

Cons of Getting Hired in the 2000s:

Job seekers often applied in person by visiting businesses, asking for an application, and waiting for a response, which could take days or weeks.
Lower pay made it harder to earn a substantial income.

From 2000 to 2006, the minimum wage remained constant at $5.15 per hour.

The 2020’s

Pros of Getting Hired in the 2020s:

Minimum wage rose significantly, leading to better starting pay.

Cons of Getting Hired in the 2020s:

It is much more difficult to find a job since about 80% of applications are now online instead of in person.
Online applications make it harder for employers to notice you, lowering your chances of being hired.
You have to submit a lot of personal information online without any guarantee of being hired, which can feel like wasted time and effort.
The process takes longer, as employers may be slow to respond or may simply reject your application or say the position is already filled.

A popular job site that allows employers to post job openings and job seekers to find and apply for jobs.

What’s Easier and What’s Harder: The 2000s vs. the 2020s

It was easier to find a job in the 2000s because you could go in person and speak directly with the manager or boss, which often gave you a better chance of getting hired. While the minimum wage was lower during that decade, the cost of living and prices for goods were also cheaper, making lower pay more manageable.

In contrast, getting a job in the 2020s is harder. Most applications are now submitted online, and you rarely get to interact face-to-face with employers. There’s much more competition because websites, like Indeed, attract a high number of applicants, so your chances of being hired are lower. The process feels less personal and more uncertain compared to the in-person approach of the 2000s.

This image shows how the trend began to rise steadily in the late 1960s, peaking at around 67.3% in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Best year

In conclusion, I say that the 2000s were the easier years to get hired than the 2020s.

Work Cited

Hoffower, Hillary. “Why is it so hard to find a job right now?” Fast Company, 30 April 2025, https://www.fastcompany.com/91114022/why-is-it-so-hard-to-find-a-job-right-now. Accessed 24 September 2025.