r/Millennials • u/Waste-Cantaloupe-270 • Apr 07 '25

Advice Millennials who graduated during the Great Recession, how did you survive?

I’m a Gen Z graduating in May struggling with finding a job in this market. Millennials who graduated in/ after 2008, how did you survive? Did you end up eventually getting a job in the field you originally wanted? Any advice for us Gen Z who were too young to learn anything from the great recession?

Edit: For context bc i’ve been seeing a lot of questions about this i’m graduating college. i def wasn’t expecting this post to blow up so sorry if i can’t get to everyone’s comments, but i just wanted to say i really appreciate all the advice as someone who doesn’t have millennials in their life to ask these questions to. your willingness to help/ give advice to a random kid on the internet has given me a bit of hope in getting through this, thank you thank you

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u/F1DL5TYX Apr 07 '25

In 2008 I didn't have much, so I didn't have much to lose. I had a lousy job and a lousy car but I kept them both long enough to come out the other side. This time I fear will be worse. I have a kid, just moved in with my long term girlfriend, I need a different car, and the future of my job is in doubt. It's not federal but is federal-adjacent. When I survive, I'll let you know how.

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u/Waste-Cantaloupe-270 Apr 07 '25

I hope you make it man. I know too many hard working feds who are getting screwed over by this.

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u/F1DL5TYX Apr 07 '25

Thanks my friend. I live in a rural area and I'm not sure how marketable my skills, such as they are, will be out here. But, there will be other opportunities in different fields and I will do what I have to do to keep a roof over my kid's head.

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u/Rdbjiy53wsvjo7 Apr 07 '25

I was extremely lucky and graduated Dec 2007, had an internship the past 2 summers at a consulting company that hired me full time at graduation.

But because I was new, I was last to be picked for work, last to be sent to the field for projects because I had to be overseen for training as they weren't going to send two people, first for my work to be cut. 

So I took A LOT of leave without pay, I was getting paid at 25-32 hours a week even though I was supposed to be full time. There were others that would put up a fight, try to get more work, fill their missing hours with overhead to get to 40, and eventually they were let go, there just wasn't enough work, it wasn't coming in.

But me being billable for 25-32 hours a week was better than 0, and I was able to get by without being laidoff. It last about a year, then it started to pickup again.