According to Fortune, a Verizon talent executive has some pretty terrible advice for unemployed Gen Z and Millennials: just volunteer and hope it leads to a real job one day. The only problem? Most landlords and grocery stores don’t accept “experience” as payment for rent or food.

With the market for new jobs drying up, telling the unemployed to work for free isn’t just out of touch, it’s insulting. 

Verizon recently fired about 5,000 people. pic.twitter.com/uDaafXA0fU

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) October 16, 2025