For 7 out of 10 young Romanian young people between the ages of 18 and 25, Tiktok remains the favorite platform. Only 37% have an account on LinkedIn. In an economy based on contributions and continuity, the lack of connecting to the labor market becomes a system vulnerability?
A recent study by the APSAP training center shows an increasingly visible break between digital habits and the professional reality of the young generation. Specifically, young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are extremely present online, but not where they could serve them in their careers. Seven out of ten use Tiktok daily, but only 37% have a LinkedIn account, the devoted platform for professional development. In contrast, in the 26-40 years segment, the presence on LinkedIn climbs to 72%.
The discrepancies do not stop here. The study shows that the level of education directly influences their preferences. Almost 60% of high school graduates are active on Tiktok, but only 22% have made the step to create accounts on professional networks. At the opposite end, 40% of those with postgraduate studies are active on LinkedIn.
Digital habits become professional choices
“It is a reality that we cannot ignore: digital habits shape professional behaviors, and Tiktok is just the tip of the iceberg. If previous generations started their career with a CV and an interview, many young people today form their perception of work, money and success from the scroll.” He explains, for Adevărul, Corina Petcu, HR director at Wingsrom Flying Quality Products.
In his opinion, this comes with both opportunities and risks. “In the long term, the time spent excessively in passive content consumption can affect the productivity, the ability to concentrate and even the motivation to enter the working market. And if part of the young generation remains disconnected from formal work we have a chain effect: fewer taxpayers, a more fragile pension system, a less sustainable economy ”says the specialist.
Passive content weakens the connection with the labor market
From the perspective of HR, Corina Petcu clearly sees the need to reconnect young people with the meaning of work, with practical education and economic reality. “In other words: if the algorithm offers them shortcuts for validation, we must also offer real routes to financial and professional autonomy. Platforms like Tiktok can be a learning channel, not just distraction – if they are used conscious. From an economic perspective, the impact of digital habits – such as the excessive consumption: The work does not contribute constantly to the state budget and is more difficult for stable careers. In hard-charming areas (content creators, gig economy), then the imbalance will become visible in the next 15-20 years ”, she adds.
According to him, platforms like Tiktok can also be a learning channel, not just distraction, if used consciously.
Rapid validation
The expert in labor law and trainer Laura Vasilescu, from Azami Training, constantly works with young people in counseling sessions, workshops, professional orientation programs “The reality we meet is sometimes a little worrying, that is, intelligent young people, with huge potential are blocked in digital habits that consume their time, energy and sometimes even trust. I would like to understand something, that this tik tok is not a supreme evil, but the way it is used makes all the difference. The fact that this need for immediate reward is rapidly scrolling and avoiding the sustained effort and all of them model the way we learn, work and what future we build ”she explains.
More and more young people aspire to “free” jobs, without bosses, without program. Flexibility becomes a central value, but at the same time, fewer are willing to build a stable career. Without constant professional involvement, without clear contributions to the state budget, there is a legitimate question: who will support social systems in the future? “We understand this that it would be ideal, we all want to have no bosses, but we live in times when freedom and flexibility become central values. At the same time we see fewer and fewer people willing to omit into a solid profession, in a job, somewhere contributory. From here the problem comes, if the young generation does not happen to the system, what happens to an economy? Countries? What happens to the generational balance?completes the expert in labor law.
Education, algorithm that really matters
However, Laura Vasilescu believes that digital platforms can also be transformed into development institutes, because there are content creators who talk about financial education, careers, investments, healthy or self -knowledge. “So, practically, young people do not lack information, but only guidance to healthy models. Basically, we have to help them ask good questions, to look for them, to build a meaningful career, not just a screen image to sell. So we eat.she thinks.
In fact, the trainer emphasizes that it is not necessarily about pensions, but about meaning, autonomy, contribution and future. “And practically the responsibility is divided. I mean education should prepare young people for a changing work market. Things are no longer the same. Parents, teachers, instead of considering these platforms supreme evil, could guide the way they are used. And companies and state should create attractive contexts, and to get involved. Financial education because it is wonderful, you make money on Tiktok but you have to declare them in the state, the state must win, to go further. Complete Laura Vasilescu.
Tiktok is not the enemy. It’s just the new generation TV
Entrepreneur Oliviu Matei, the founder of Holisun, brings a more nuanced perspective. “” “Tiktokul now, it is nothing but a substitute for the TV 10-20 years ago. who want to progress or have more intellectual interests.
In his opinion, it is a recurrence of the same tendency, adapted to the times. “Do you know why people stay on Tiktok or why people were watching TV or why they do less intellectual things? Because they are developing. (…) Until 25 years we all develop intellectually, gradually, we want to see models, we want to experience, we want to see what happens, if I do, It involves Networking, obviously I only become aware of the potential of social networks as social networks. I … Lost of the time at the buffet. Oliviu Matei believes.
Young people are only in training
Clinical psychologist Dr. Cristina Elena Petre explains the phenomenon through an evolutionary lens: “The new studies talk about the fact that between 18 and 25 there is a developmental stage, called the emerging adult. In general, the years of study ends around the age of 25, as opposed to past generations, when university studies were not so frequently followed. Thus, the wait for the young man between 18 and 25 years to enter the labor market and be interested in professional social networks could be unrealistic, as the young man is still in a period when he builds his professional competence. In some trades, it cannot work in the desired field before having a bachelor’s degree ”.
In fact, she adds, the influence that applications like the tik tok have, depends on the level of education of the person. “The Internet is a space in which a lot of information occurs, but they need to be filtered. Thus, the lower the level of education, the more the user can orient themselves to people who promote ideas such as the fact that the school does not help you, that it can be earned with minimal effort. An increased educational level suggests certain features of a person (as well as to the performance Jobs and, automatically, greater involvement in finding the ideal job, which explains the use of networks like LinkedIn ”the specialist continues.
Therefore, no one proposes the demonization of tiktok. On the contrary, the specialists point out that the platform can be a space of education and development, if used consciously.
The professional future of a generation is not only built from likes and views. It needs clear landmarks, educational guide, inclusive employment policies and valuable content. It needs a conscious choice: real -time influence or impact.
