Journalism of Courage
326 job applications, 0 offers. Then a four-figure brand deal
Neo also spoke about the kind of content he wants to create going forward. Instead of sticking to a single niche, he wants his page to capture the different facets of his life.
Neo began documenting his life and, within two months of starting, landed his first four-figure brand deal with fewer than 1,000 followers.
After applying for 326 jobs and getting nowhere, Neo decided to stop waiting for a breakthrough and try something different. He turned to social media, began documenting his life and, within two months of starting, landed his first four-figure brand deal with fewer than 1,000 followers.
“At 20, being unemployed while watching everyone around me work made me feel like I was falling behind in life. I handed out resumes. Applied online. Tried the same jobs my friends were getting. Nothing,” Neo, who goes by the name on Instagram, wrote in a post.
Neo then began recording and sharing videos on social media, gradually building an audience and exploring content creation as a new career path.
“Just 2 months into my content creator journey, with less than 1,000 followers, I landed my first 4-figure brand deal. Today marks 6 months of creating content,” he said.
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‘Keep going’
While the opportunity has given him a new direction, Neo said he is still figuring out where the journey will take him.
“I still have a long way to go, but if you’re unemployed, struggling with job rejection, or feel like everyone your age is ahead of you, keep going. Sometimes the path that didn’t work pushes you toward one that does.”
In another post, Neo opened up about the kind of content he wants to make going forward. Rather than confining himself to one niche, he said he wants his page to reflect the different parts of his life.
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“F**k the formula. I’m just documenting my life. Travel, lifestyle, random thoughts, places I discover, things I love and whatever else feels worth sharing.”
“I don’t want to be just a ‘travel creator’ or ‘lifestyle creator’. I want this page to feel like an actual person living an actual life, not a perfectly planned content strategy. Some days it’ll be travel content. Some days everyday life. Some days something completely random.”
“And if you’re into authentic travel, lifestyle content and people just figuring life out as they go, maybe you’ll like it here.”
Neo also revealed that he will turn 21 in October.
‘Rejection is direction’
His posts resonated with people who have faced similar difficulties while looking for work.
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One user summed up Neo’s experience. “REJECTION IS DIRECTION.”
“Its hard to find a job nowadays easy to apply hard to get into, it sucks. I’m in the same route but less followers,” another user commented.
“Those employers were like Nah, your destined for something greater than a 9-5,” a third person wrote.
“Being unemployed really brings out your deepest confidence issues,” another user said.
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Disclaimer: The story reflects personal experiences and individual narratives regarding unemployment, career transitions, and social media content creation, and does not constitute professional financial, career, or job search advice.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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