Younger Americans increasingly reject traditional low-paying jobs once seen as essential stepping stones. They skip retail and food service roles, seeking work that aligns with their values, pay expectations, and lifestyle goals. This article highlights 12 jobs younger generations now avoid.
Fast Food Worker
Once a classic first job, fast food work is losing its appeal among younger Americans. Many now view it as underpaid, physically demanding, and emotionally draining, especially when paired with unpredictable hours and demanding customers.
The stigma of being “low-skill” only adds to the reluctance. As Gen Z prioritizes flexibility, fair wages, and meaningful work, fast food roles are increasingly seen as jobs to avoid rather than stepping stones to success.
Mall Kiosk Worker
Mall kiosk jobs are becoming increasingly unattractive because of the low pay. These roles often involve aggressive sales tactics, high rejection rates, and minimal job security, especially as malls continue to lose foot traffic in the age of e-commerce.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals that retail sales jobs show no growth from 2022 to 2032, reflecting broader shifts in consumer behavior. With gig work and remote jobs offering more control and often better pay, mall kiosks struggle to attract and retain young talent.
Gas Station Attendant
Gas station attendant jobs often come with long, late-night shifts, safety concerns, and a heavy load of responsibilities for relatively low pay. Attendants manage everything from fuel and alcohol sales to lottery tickets, all while facing the risk of theft and dealing with unpredictable customers.
With automation and self-service pumps on the rise, many see this job as physically taxing and increasingly obsolete. For Gen Z, it’s an apparent mismatch with their safety, compensation, and career growth expectations.
Warehouse workers
Gen Z workers often cite the physically demanding nature, repetitive tasks, and lack of flexibility as major turn-offs. Many warehouses operate around the clock, requiring long shifts with minimal autonomy and constant surveillance.
According to a Deloitte survey, work-life balance ranks among the top priorities for Gen Z, yet warehouse roles rarely offer the flexibility they seek. While warehouse jobs may offer steady pay, the rise of automation is shrinking opportunities, making the work both exhausting and expendable.
Housekeeper or Hotel Housekeeping
Housekeeping jobs, whether in hotels or private homes, are physically demanding, often thankless. These roles require long hours on your feet, repetitive tasks like bed-making and scrubbing bathrooms, and little recognition from guests or employers.
Despite being essential to the hospitality industry, they offer limited career advancement and modest pay. Statistics reveal housekeepers spend nearly 98% of their workday standing, and fewer than 1% have the option to sit during shifts.
Call Center Agent
Call center jobs may offer steady pay and flexible hours, but younger Americans increasingly see them as emotionally draining and unsustainable. The constant stream of calls, rigid scripts, and frequent encounters with frustrated customers contribute to high burnout and turnover.
According to Zippia, the average call center agent earns around $31,000 annually, and nearly half leave within their first year. To Gen Z, this job often feels less like a career opportunity and more like a fast track to burnout.
Door-to-Door Sales
Once a common way to break into sales, door-to-door roles now feel outdated and unappealing. The job often involves awkward face-to-face pitches, long hours on foot, and little financial security, especially when pay is commission-only.
With digital marketing and remote work offering more efficient and less intrusive alternatives, Gen Z sees this role as high effort with low reward.
Grocery Store Bagger
This role demands long hours on your feet, constant customer interaction, and repetitive tasks—all for modest pay and minimal recognition. While Zippia reports an average annual salary of about $33,884, that figure varies significantly depending on location and experience.
With limited opportunities for advancement and little alignment with Gen Z’s priorities, this job increasingly feels like a relic of a different era.
Waitstaff
Waiting tables may offer quick cash through tips, but the trade-off isn’t worth it for many younger Americans. The job demands constant multitasking, emotional labor, and grace under pressure, often in the face of rude or impatient customers.
With income tied to unpredictable tipping and little job security, many Gen Z workers opt for roles that offer more stability, respect, and mental well-being. In an era where flexibility and purpose matter more than ever, waitstaff positions are seen as emotionally exhausting and financially unreliable.
Construction Laborer
Construction labor jobs may offer solid pay and hands-on skill-building, but they’re a tough sell for many younger Americans. The work is physically demanding, often outdoors in harsh conditions, and carries a higher risk of injury.
According to a Builder Online survey, 63% of young adults said there’s little to no chance they’d consider a construction career, regardless of pay. Nearly half cited the physical demands as a key deterrent. And while the median salary for construction laborers is around $48,000, fewer than 3% of 18–25-year-olds express interest in the field.
Overnight Security Guard
Security guard roles, especially overnight shifts, are increasingly unappealing to younger Americans. The job often involves long, solitary hours, disrupted sleep cycles, and heightened safety risks, all for modest pay.
According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the bottom 50% of security guards earn less than $17.83 per hour, and the bottom 10% make under $11.87. Despite the responsibility of protecting property and people, many guards receive little recognition or advancement opportunities.
Babysitter
Babysitting may offer decent pay—averaging $23.61 an hour nationally according to UrbanSitter’s 2024 report—but many younger Americans opt out. The job carries significant emotional and legal responsibility, with little room for error.
Many Gen Zers feel uncomfortable being solely responsible for someone else’s child, citing anxiety over emergencies and unclear expectations from parents. Add in the unpredictable hours and the emotional labor of childcare, and it’s no surprise this once-common teen job is falling out of favor.
