I am officially unemployed. Jobless. Redundant.
At time of writing, I have been out of the job that pays my bills for less than 24 hours. Dear reader, I am not a full-time writer, much as I would love writing to be my primary source of income—the current economy does not make such creative careers sustainable. Or maybe I’m simply not trying hard enough.
Losing the 9-to-5 job that (just about) keeps me afloat in London is a big spanner in the works. But this is not my first redundancy rodeo.
The first time I received my notice was 2nd January 2023, when the startup I worked for was forced to make another round of redundancies. Alas, that startup has since closed its doors.
Within two weeks of this first redundancy, I was offered another marketing role at another startup by a friend and former colleague. At the time, I was paying an extortionate rent of £1,250 a month—and that’s to say nothing about bills—so I did not have the luxury of time (or family money) to mess about looking for something more stable. I took the job, leaping from one ailing startup to another early-stage startup where I would be in a marketing team of one.
Two years later and I am, once again, redundant due to economic forces beyond my control.
Admittedly, my being twice redundant before the age of 30 is partly my own fault; I’ve chosen to work exclusively in small, mission-driven companies that strive to do good in the world. Most venture capitalists and angel investors aren’t looking to invest in, say, the wellbeing of older adults or the planet. They’re too busy pouring money into AI, defence or any other means of making rich people richer.
If only I had opted for a more corporate job after university, where I could have focused my energies on increasing shareholder value and not making the world a slightly better place. Though right now it’s not just me who has faced redundancy, but peers in those more corporate roles too. None of my friends have lost jobs due to underperformance, but because their companies are struggling in our ailing economy.
Can you see why my generation might be disillusioned with the workplace? We’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter how hard you work—at any moment your job could be taken away by a financial crisis or technological evolution.
Reports indicate that youth unemployment is at its highest level since 2021, with 16 per cent of those aged between 16 and 25 currently out of work. The youth unemployment rate is highest in our capital, where 24.6 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds are currently out of work, which is shocking when London is generally viewed as a haven for young professionals; it’s where you move with the very intention of getting a job.
The landscape is changing so quickly. I’m aware I’m entering a very different job market in 2026 to the one I graduated into in 2021, or even the one I faced when I was last made redundant in 2023. AI looms over many entry-level roles, threatening to absorb a lot of the “lower-skilled” office work that would ordinarily be done by younger people. Any applications I make will likely be put through some kind of automated AI scanner—the hours I might spend labouring over a cover letter could be rendered fruitless when a bot writes me off in less than a minute.
All this change and randomness has led me to question what my next career move should be. Do I apply for another scrappy marketing role in a startup—somewhere I feel I’m making a meaningful difference? Do I opt for a more secure, corporate role (maybe one with shiny perks and a central London office) to give me some semblance of financial stability? Or do I throw caution to the wind and use this as an opportunity—a cosmic sign—to double down on my writing and other creative pursuits?
I honestly don’t know if I have the balls to plunge myself into financial ruin to pursue my lifelong dream. But they say your twenties are predominantly for “fucking around and finding out”—and so far I’ve played things pretty safe. The cost of living and climate crises are set to worsen, so I am not sure I can continue waiting for the world to become a more stable place before I pursue my dreams. If I don’t leap now, then when?
