Getting laid off is one of the most humbling experiences in your working life. Though technically many layoffs are due to outside circumstances and nothing we did wrong, for most of us, it feels like a personal attack. Like goodbye, self-sufficiency and self-worth; hello unemployment.
A California woman recently had the unfortunate experience of getting laid off. This is the third time in two years, creator @funemployedbadb says in a viral TikTok.
No matter what the president and his sycophants may say, there’s no doubt that the economy is wobbling. Call it a recession, call it a correction, call it whatever you want. The reality is that inflation is up and jobs are down.
You may expect people to react to a young woman saying she’s been laid off three times in 24 months with sympathy. Instead, they blame her.
People Blame Her For Getting Laid Off
In her post, @funemployedbadb says she has three bachelor’s degrees in Spanish, communications, and dance, as well as a master’s degree in journalism.
This has people saying she majored in subjects that they don’t think are as employable.
As one person quipped sardonically, “You majored in hobbies.”
A second accused her of getting “degrees in [high school] electives.”
A third put it more colorfully. “You are qualified to report about the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars on Telemundo. Not much else,” they wrote.
These reactions to her viral post—1.4 million views and counting—reflect long-term attitudes towards studying the arts. Someone going described them as “just put the fries in the bag degrees.”
In follow-up posts she defends her degrees.
“There’s jobs in these areas, just right now it’s literally worst times. Like, where are the jobs?” she says in one. “It’s just an opportunity to reinvent and pivot.”
Are Arts Degrees ‘Worthless’?
There was a time when any degree put a job candidate head and shoulders over the rest of the field. College degrees were once relatively rare and more likely to be held by wealthy, white males. In 1940, just 5.5% of men and 3.8% of women held degrees; as of 2023, 37% of men and 40% of women have a college degree, per Statista. Similarly, the National Center for Education Statistics reports that 1.6% of Black people and 6.4% of white people held degrees in 1940; by 2013, it was 20.5% and 40.4%, respectively.
But as college became more accessible, people continued choosing majors based on data showing that any degree increases your earnings.
A Shift
Over time, that attitude has shifted. Nowadays, students flock towards majors seen as more valuable. These are namely in STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
There is some evidence that STEM degrees are more valuable. A 2017 Census Bureau survey reportedly found that recent college graduates with engineering or computer science degrees earned 37% more than their peers who held history or social sciences degrees.
Yet there’s a caveat. “The advantage for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors fades steadily after their first jobs, and by age 40 the earnings of people who majored in fields like social science or history have caught up,” the New York Times reported.
The Times noted that STEM jobs have a high skill turnover rate. To keep up, you must constantly acquire new skills and master new software and technology.
Reporting on the same findings, Forbes noted that “a liberal arts education fosters soft skills that don’t tend to expire, such as critical thinking, people skills, and problem-solving skills.”
So while @funemployedbadb may be in the unemployment line today, tomorrow she may be pulling in six figures—or more.
@funemployedbadb Four degrees later and my most consistent role is ‘applicant’ 🤭 #layoffs #laidoff #unemployment #job #fyp
UPDATE: Lilian Gonzalez, aka @funemployedbadb, told BroBible that she uses her account as a way to “connect with people” and “share [her] story.” But she said she never expected to go viral.
“I shared my story because the job market is tough, and I know I’m not the only one facing these challenges. If this video helped someone feel seen or know they’re not alone, then I feel like I did my job. I was nervous at first, but I reminded myself that success is on the other side of fear, and I can’t let what others think stop me from chasing my goals,” she said.
She said she was laid off in August and has only had one job interview since then.
“I love working in digital media because it allows me to be creative while telling compelling stories. My dream role would be as a Social Producer or Producer, where I can direct, create, and share engaging digital-first content. I’m versatile, and ideally, I’d love a role that lets me bring together all my experience in the entertainment industry,” she shared.
She also wants to remind readers that “unemployment and getting laid off are temporary.”
“No career follows a perfectly straight path, there are always ups and downs. We can’t let circumstances beyond our control hold us back. Do your best, keep moving forward, and focus on what you love. After I got laid off from my previous job, I ended up booking a commercial the following month as a principal actor, which just goes to show you never know what opportunities are around the corner,” Gonzalez said.