New to the job market? Here's an explanation of the current state of affairs

So in the last few years, the pandemic has caused a weird job bubble.<br><br>All the boomers and older people retired way earlier than they normally would have, since they couldn't just go to work with a sniffle for a few years. Meanwhile, the Gen Y crowd are in their 40s, and many of them have decided not to go back to the corporate 9-5 in the post-pandemic economy.<br><br>The effect is a labor shortage.<br><br>So now companies are being forced to pay the Gen Zs and younger millennials more than usual for entry level jobs. They're also getting more flexible work-from-home arrangements.<br><br>Take advantage of this. Ask for more than you expect, and for better working conditions. The power dynamic has shifted and now the company is more worried about actually keeping someone in a position for more than 3 months than they are about you being annoyed by the commute time during rush hour.<br><br>Also, you're never required to disclose your salary history to potential employers, even though they will ask you. If you don't have any experience in a full-time job, just say you don't know/tell them your minimum expectation and that's it.<br><br>Best of luck, and care more about yourself.