My millennial friends, how are you doing? Are we collectively going through a career crisis in 2026? Or is it just my small section of the internet. Between ongoing layoffs, chronic burnout and a sense that the dream sold to us in the early 2010s was lie, I get the feeling that most of us are in a career crisis.
Let me say this: I do not have solutions, a quick fix or even an anecdotal remedy for this. But let’s talk it out.
The Great Millennial Career Crisis: Is It Time To Pivot?
On my corner of the internet between Threads and TikTok there is a rise of career coaches promising to help millennials (and some Gen Z) navigate the 2026 job market in the midst of mass layoffs, AI and automation and the shrinking of middle management. But is it all a scam? Like let me show how to be rich and level up but you first have to buy this course for hundreds of dollars to teach you how to sell this course for hundreds of dollars to make you rich.
That is what this feels like.
I must say, I do listen to the free advice, I listen to the recommendations on how to answer common interview questions, I listen to recs on expanding into portfolio careers and I even listen to dream job manifestation posts. I listen, I consider the advice and take what I want, what aligns or feels true and I leave the rest.
The Mid to Late 30s Career Pivots
So where do we go from here?
Do we continue our job search?
Do we go back to school and get a graduate degree?
Do we use our emergency funds and savings and embark on a yearlong sabbatical?
Do we quit and start our own business?
Do we launch a digital product?
Do we become content creators?
Should we seek out fractional roles or consult?
Do we get new jobs and hope for the best?
Should we become project managers and get PMP certification?
Do we reject AI? Or embrace it?
I don’t know.
Millennial friends, we are on this career crossroads together, I recommend talking things through with your family, close friends or therapist. Journal about it, track and assess your finances to see what you realistically afford to do and trust your gut that you and you alone will come up with the right answer for your life.
Talk again real soon.
Thanks for reading.
And if anyone you know is transitioning to a new career or ready to pivot, cheer them on, they are doing the brave and scary thing.
