Gen Z Got Job Problems: AI Didn’t Kill the Resume. It Exposed It

Joel and Chad sit down with Holly Hobbs—Gen Z founder, first-job TikToker, and co-founder of uruture—to talk about how young people actually get work now. She built an audience by posting her own rejection-to-apprenticeship story, then turned that into a business that helps employers reach school leavers instead of making kids game an ATS. "Number 10" even used that reach to talk to young people about careers. They get into why apprenticeships and frontline jobs still fight for respect, what “authentic” employer brand really means on TikTok, and why posting a job with stock photos doesn’t work. AI and easy-apply come up too: not as the death of hiring, but as proof the old process was already broken. Holly’s take on the mood among Gen Z is mixed—grim application stories on one side, side hustles and new companies on the other—and she argues first jobs should judge people on who they are, not a blank CV. It's a vision into the future and a warning for those stuck in the past. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Holly Hobbs and her background 03:45 - Interviewing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and her social media strategy 07:08 - Holly's journey from job searching to founding uruture 08:48 - The mechanics of job applications and the role of CVs 09:59 - How Holly's business helps young people navigate the job market 10:34 - Understanding apprenticeships in the UK and their opportunities 11:07 - The value of blue-collar and entry-level roles 12:49 - Building an authentic employer brand for Gen Z 13:44 - The importance of visual and story-driven employer branding 14:26 - Transparency about work culture and expectations 16:06 - Diversity targets and targeted job advertising 17:09 - The impact of AI on job search and applications 18:40 - The future of job boards and entry-level recruitment 20:46 - Challenges faced by young job seekers and the role of experience 22:32 - The importance of soft skills and personality in hiring 24:16 - Using behavioral data and AI to assess candidates 25:45 - The optimism and challenges among young people today 28:16 - The importance of building networks and side hustles 32:24 - The decline of traditional CVs and the rise of new application methods 33:38 - Holly's contact info and final thoughts