‘Just Get a Job’ — A Deep Dive Into Why It’s Not That Simple
First of All, Let’s Talk Logistics
You want someone to get a job?
Do they have an ID?
Do they have access to a phone or email to even apply?
Do they have reliable transportation?
Do they have clean clothes to wear to an interview?
Do they have a mailing address to receive documents or paychecks?
Do they have a place to shower, sleep, eat, and rest between shifts?
The answer is usually no. Not because they’re “lazy.” Because poverty is loud. It screams at you from every angle. It eats up your energy. And before you even clock in, you’ve already fought a battle just to look like everyone else in the room.
Most jobs require the very things that people in survival mode don’t have. If you’ve never had to take a bus two hours to work for eight hours on your feet and then back again—only to sleep in your car or a shelter—then you might not get it. But that’s the daily grind for a lot of people.
But Wait—Let’s Talk About Health
Not everyone can work. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. You don’t always see disability. You don’t always see trauma. But it’s there.
You don’t see the man with bipolar disorder who cycles through mania and depression so hard he can barely keep track of time. You don’t see the woman with chronic pain who smiles through it because she knows people will assume she’s fine. You don’t see the PTSD from a childhood of abuse, from war, from rape, from things we don’t talk about in polite company.
And let me ask you this: if you were battling cancer, grieving your child, or sleeping under a bridge for the third winter in a row… could you “just get a job”?
Then There’s the Hiring Process
Ever applied for 30 jobs and heard nothing back?
Now try doing that with a criminal record. Or a GED instead of a diploma. Or gaps in your resume because life knocked you out for a while.
Try doing that while Black. While trans. While disabled. While undocumented. While looking “rough.” While using a homeless shelter as your address.
Employers don’t just look at skills—they look at what makes them comfortable. And a lot of folks don’t fit the picture of what “professional” looks like. So they don’t get a call back.
And even if they do—are we ready to talk about what minimum wage actually buys you in this economy?
This Ain’t Just About Work—It’s About Worth
Saying “just get a job” assumes that a person’s worth is only measured by how much they can produce. That if they’re not grinding for 40+ hours a week, they’re disposable.
But people are more than productivity. More than paychecks. More than whether or not they can fit into a broken system.
Sometimes people need healing before they can hustle. Sometimes they need support before they can stand. Sometimes they need grace before they can grow.
We talk so much about “personal responsibility,” but rarely about community accountability. We expect the individual to carry the weight of a society that continues to raise rent, lower wages, cut services, and then shame people for drowning.
So What Should We Say?
Instead of “just get a job,” try asking:
What systems failed them?
What barriers are standing in the way?
How can we help remove those barriers?
How can I be part of the solution instead of pretending I’m above the problem?
Because if you were born into different circumstances—if life had turned left instead of right—you could be in that same position. You could be the person someone whispers about in disgust. But you’re not. And that should make you grateful, not judgmental.
Let’s Keep It Real
“Just get a job” isn’t just a phrase—it’s a wall. A way to shut down empathy. A way to pretend that struggle is always a choice. But it’s not.
People are trying. People are tired. People are navigating trauma, illness, poverty, and pain—and doing the best they can with what they’ve got.
The least we can do is stop throwing slogans at wounds and start showing up with solutions.
Let’s stop talking down.
Let’s start building up.
