What the low-hire, low-fire economy looks like for a new grad

For young people in this low hire, low fire economy, finding a job has not been easy. The unemployment rate for those ages 20 to 24 hit 8% in September, nearly a full percentage point higher than it was a year ago and almost double the headline figure at 4.2%.

That's what the data is telling us, but what are young people actually experiencing?

Zoë Goffe graduated from Northeastern University in 2025. She was lucky enough to find a job right out of college working as a campaign manager for a Boston City Council race, which lead her to her next role working on a congressional campaign.

But when the state primaries rolled around in September, the candidate she was working for didn’t make it through, which meant Goffe lost her job overnight.

Since, Goffe has moved back home as she looks for another gig. “Moving back in, sometimes it feels like a concession,” said Goffe. “But this was the right move for me and I just have to be confident and firm in that.”

To hear more of Goffe’s story, click the audio player above.