Stuck at Both Ends:
Why Gen Z Struggles to Get Started and Boomers Struggle to Move On
Franchising is an opportunity that both generations should consider.
Sarah earned a computer science degree with a high GPA. After eighteen months and hundreds of job applications, she has only had a few interviews and still no job offers.
Her neighbor Robert, age 67, has worked at the same company for 25 years and wants to retire. But his 401(k) is not enough to cover his expenses. He cannot afford to stop working, even though he feels ready to.
If this sounds familiar, you are seeing a unique moment in economic history. Young workers cannot get started, and older workers cannot retire. Both generations are stuck for different reasons, yet both keep hearing the same advice: keep applying.
Franchise Match has helped people through career changes for years, but this situation is different. The old employment system is not just having a tough year—it is being reshaped. The first step is to understand what has changed so you can find a path that fits you.
The Gen Z Squeeze: Locked Out Before They Start
The main unemployment rate looks steady, but it hides what is really happening for people trying to start their careers.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says that recent college graduates still face tough job conditions. Unemployment for this group is about 5.6 percent, but underemployment is around 42 percent. This means many graduates who do find jobs are working in positions that do not need their degree.
Gen Z does not lack skills or motivation. The real issue is that the first step into the workforce is missing. A World Economic Forum analysis of about 126 million job postings found that entry-level roles needing zero to two years of experience dropped by about 29 percentage points between January 2024 and mid-2025.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a similar trend. In July 2025, new workers made up 13.3 percent of all unemployed Americans, a level not seen since the late 1980s. By February 2026, this number only dropped to 10.6 percent.
Why Entry-Level Jobs Are Disappearing
This is not just a result of a recession. It is a deeper, structural change.
Artificial intelligence and automation have taken over much of the routine work that used to go to junior analysts, administrative assistants, coordinators, and research associates. These jobs were not glamorous, but they helped people learn an industry from the ground up. Companies that switched to smaller teams have not shown much interest in bringing those roles back, even as things improve.
This creates a situation where no amount of resume improvement helps. The jobs that are left require experience that entry-level candidates have not been able to get.
Gen Z is aware of this problem. According to ZipRecruiter’s 2026 Graduate Report, which surveyed 1,500 graduates from both the class of 2025 and 2026, almost 38 percent are thinking about starting their own business, 32.5 percent are considering gig work, and 28 percent are looking into freelance work. Young people are not waiting for things to change—they are already searching for new options.
The Boomer Trap: Too Expensive to Hire, Too Underfunded to Retire
On the other side, the largest group of Americans ever is reaching retirement age without enough savings to support themselves.
The Alliance for Lifetime Income’s Retirement Income Institute, in its Peak Boomers Impact Study, found that 52.5 percent of the boomers turning 65 between 2024 and 2030 hold $250,000 or less in assets. Factoring in the next tier, the report concluded that close to two-thirds of that cohort will strain to meet their needs in retirement. Social Security was designed to replace roughly 40 percent of pre-retirement income. Most retirement planners estimate people need 70 to 80 percent.
The numbers do not add up, and the result is called unretirement. Global Atlantic’s 2026 Retirement Outlook Survey found that 21 percent of Boomers expect to return to work after retiring because of money worries, and 48 percent of Gen Xers expect the same.
But going back to work is harder now. After the pandemic, retirees could usually find jobs if they wanted to return. In 2026, costs keep rising, jobs are harder to find, and older candidates also face age bias, even if it is not openly discussed.
The Perfect Storm
What is new about this moment is that both problems are happening at once. Millions of young people are trying to start their careers while millions of older people cannot afford to retire. Both generations are competing for a smaller number of traditional jobs, and both keep hearing advice that does not fit the current reality. Network more. Update your resume. Be patient. This advice was meant for a job market that has changed.
The Third Door: Franchising
People still need help with home maintenance, child education, elder care, pet grooming, and business services. Someone will fill these needs. The real question is whether you do this work as an employee or as a business owner.
Franchising makes this choice real, and it is growing even as traditional entry-level jobs decline. The International Franchise Association’s 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook says the sector will reach about 845,000 U.S. businesses this year, add over 12,000 new locations, support nearly 8.9 million jobs, and create more than $921 billion in economic output.
This growth is not the same in every area. Child-related services and commercial and residential services are expected to grow the most in 2026 at 3.2 percent, while health and wellness businesses are next at 2.1 percent.
Why Franchising Beats Building From Scratch
Owning a business does not mean you have to start from scratch. That is what makes franchising a real option for both a 24-year-old with little experience and a 64-year-old who wants a new start.
If you start a business on your own, you have to create everything yourself—how it runs, the brand, marketing, suppliers, pricing, training, and technology. Each step is a chance to make costly mistakes, and you face them by yourself.
With franchising, you get these systems from the start:
- A proven way of running the business that has already worked in other places, and financial details you can check before you decide.
- Brand recognition, so you do not have to spend your first years explaining your business to everyone.
- Training designed for people new to the industry, which is something most traditional employers no longer offer.
- Marketing tools and supplier deals that are set up for you, instead of having to arrange them on your own.
- A network of other franchise owners who have already faced and solved the problems you might run into.
- Required documents that let you research the business, talk to current owners, and see the real costs before you make any commitments.
The IFA’s Value of Franchising report found that franchise businesses offer better wage growth, benefits, and more chances for ownership than non-franchise businesses. This is important to consider if you want to create a job you cannot find elsewhere.
What This Looks Like at 24, and at 64
Each generation has its own strengths, so the best opportunities will look different for each group.
Younger owners bring energy, adaptability, digital skills, and a natural sense of how customers find businesses today. Franchisors have noticed this. Leaders in several restaurant chains say younger franchisees have increased from less than 5 percent to between 15 and 20 percent in recent years. They are joining earlier and with a focus on growth, not just as a second career.
Owners in their fifties and sixties bring decades of industry experience, professional connections, good judgment, and a clear understanding of what a business needs. For those who do not have enough saved for retirement, owning a business offers two things a regular job does not: it provides income now and builds an asset you can sell later.
How a Career Ownership Coach® Makes the Difference
A Career Ownership Coach® does not use a one-size-fits-all approach. The process begins with a real look at your financial needs, your comfort with risk, and the life you want to build, without worrying about someone else’s hiring standards.
Next, you learn about options that most people have never really considered. Most job seekers do not fully understand what business ownership means, or which franchise types fit their background, finances, and goals.
During the process, your coach gives you practical advice and steady support through what is often a big life change. Whether you are dealing with job rejection or nervous about leaving a steady paycheck, having an experienced guide makes things much easier.
Career Ownership Coaching with Franchise Match is free. You can explore your options without any cost or obligation.
The Opportunity Hidden in the Crisis
Here is what many people overlook right now. While most are competing for regular jobs, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurs. The challenges facing both generations are not just problems—they are also chances to try something new.
Franchising does not mean taking a big risk on something unproven. It is about finding a system that fits your skills, interests, and finances, and building something that cannot be wiped out by company changes or new technology.
Whether you are 24 and struggling to start your career, or 64 and unable to retire, a tough job market does not have to limit your future.
Your Next Step
Begin by gathering information, not by making a big decision. People who move forward with confidence usually start by learning about their options.
Take the Entrepreneurial Mindset Assessment to see how your goals, comfort with risk, and work style match up with business ownership. Then talk to a Career Ownership Coach® about which franchise opportunities fit you best.