All my life, I've been sold the myth of starting from the bottom and working my way up, and the fact of the matter is it just doesn't work that way. Employers do not care about your Starbucks barista experience, or that you managed a grocery store. They want industry-specific experience and education. So when all these jobs can't find young workers, it's because they know the idea of a “dead-end” job is very real. I see older retail workers who can't switch into better-paying roles even as life piles more expenses and responsibilities on them. When restaurants are confused why they can't get workers even when they raise the wages, it's because the cat's out of the bag now. Young people know these “low-skill” jobs are a trap. Ironically they're often more difficult than many corporate roles, but that doesn't matter to the hiring manager. You still see this…
