A moment of frustration and despair led Carah Lockett to LinkedIn, where she would write a viral post garnering half a million views from job recruiters and users who shared similar sentiments.

Amidst the pandemic, many reconsidered their current job positions as transitional periods trickled into the workforce economy. The same went for Lockett, who would bravely quit her most recent Navy Federal Credit Union job in August 2021.

“There was a lack of growth for me. I want to know that my efforts are working towards something — that there’s an end goal in mind,” she told AfroTech. “Unfortunately working in that branch, I was not able to move up in the way that I wanted to.”

Lockett joins a cohort of millennials who have tapped into “The Great Resignation.” Approximately 63 percent of millennials are on the search for new employment opportunities, according to Bankrate’s August jobseeker survey. A push for higher pay is just one factor contributing to the growing quitting spree.

The job search, like many, looked bleak for Lockett. With a bachelor of science in public relations and a minor in sociology from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, Lockett knew she had the potential to be a great asset to a company. She then asked the question, “Why is that not reflected in the job market right now?”

A Transparent LinkedIn Posts Goes Viral

Feeling defeated, Lockett took to her LinkedIn platform to share a moment of vulnerability that would later resonate with the hearts of thousands of users.

In a viral post, the Tennessean wrote on LinkedIn: “Today, I cried. The job searching process is a lot. The constant rejection. The long #interviewing processes. The take home assignments. Making it through every round of the interview process just to be rejected at the end. It’s mentally taxing. It’s emotionally jarring. … but I refuse to give up. I’m just a little tired. 😅 #jobsearching #opentowork #remotework.”

Lockett watched as her engagement spiked to 20,000 in merely a few hours. She realized her message struck the hearts of many job seekers who could resonate with the desolate process of entering the workforce. 

“It was insane. At first, I feared I may have said something controversial, but then I realized the post was so relatable to everybody who felt the same way I felt,” Lockett told AfroTech. “I was just putting language to what a lot of job seekers are feeling right now in the market.”

As the engagement on the post continued to skyrocket (reaching 500,000 views in a few days), Lockett felt overwhelmed yet thankful. Aside from the immense support she received from users across the platform, she also caught the eyes of big industry names including Microsoft, The New York Times, Facebook and Accenture.

Lockett's Next Career Move

Now, Lockett feels hopeful in her job search, and with a plethora of options at her disposal, she has learned to keep her desire for growth and passions at the forefront.

With the influx of recruits in her inboxes from her viral post, Lockett reveals there are opportunities that she recognizes may be a better fit for other industry peers. She credits her ability to be able to help others in their job search as “the most impactful part of going viral.”

“It has been incredible for me to be able to say ‘Hey I may not be interested in this role but I have somebody who I think would do well here,'” she said. “Yes, I am still looking for a job. Yes, I am still in the market for a job, but it’s been great to give insight and be that hope and resources for other people who are in the same situation as me.”

Lockett’s recent efforts exemplify what she hopes to continue to do in her next career move. Currently pursuing a master’s in human relations at the University of Oklahoma, she wants to be the face of diversity, equity and inclusion for underrepresented communities entering the workforce and provide them opportunities that otherwise may not have been afforded to them.

And with that said, we can’t wait to see where Lockett’s bright future will lead both her and others.