24 years old and already "mature" in the profession
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Trang, born in 2002 (Kham Thien ward, Hanoi) is a makeup artist. Ms. Trang started her makeup work in 2022.
After finishing high school, I applied for the university entrance exam. After that, I decided not to go to university but pursue my passion to become a makeup artist. Up to now, I have become a lecturer, a makeup artist for one of the major academies in Hanoi," Ms. Trang said.
Hoai Trang's current income ranges from 50-100 million VND/month.
Ms. Trang said that currently the makeup industry has very high competition, professionals must constantly cultivate and learn new trends. More importantly, you must identify a personal makeup style with high personality and personalization to be remembered by customers.
Commenting on the specific characteristics of the profession, Ms. Trang said that in this field, young personnel under 25 years old have great potential to break through and succeed: "The energy of youth is extremely admirable. You have health, a lot of inspiration, innovative thinking and sensitivity to catch up with new trends.
Ms. Nguyen Thuy My Anh, born in 2003, is a freelance photo model in Hanoi. Like Hoai Trang, My Anh did not go to university but entered the labor market right after graduating from high school. Previously, My Anh had experience working as a photo model since 10th grade.
According to My Anh, her income reached its "peak" at the age of 21, and is now starting to decline.
Our industry has very harsh rejection. At 23 years old, many people are just starting to start working, for us, we have to start thinking about switching to another job. From an income of hundreds of millions of VND per month, now I only have an income equal to 1/3 of my peak period," Ms. Mi Anh said.
To maintain income, Ms. Mi Anh is willing to act in short films, both participate in acting and write content. She even agrees to let the brand take a test shot to check customer reactions, and only officially sign a cooperation contract if they are positively evaluated.
There is an extreme trend of "rejuvenation
Young people labeled as old are the consequences of extreme rejuvenation - Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, former Director of the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs, shared.
Having spent many years attached to social security policies and the labor market, Ms. Huong cannot help but worry about a reality that is happening: many workers just turning 26 - the most energetic age of their lives - have been tacitly considered "old" by some professions and pushed to the edge of recruitment.
Ms. Huong "pointed out" some professions where the age of 25 and 26 becomes an invisible barrier.
Technology and programming (IT) sector: This is the field with the fastest structural transformation. Many technology startups or software outsourcing projects only prioritize recruiting new graduates or personnel under 25 years old. They need people who are capable of "plowing" continuously at night, accepting low starting salaries and not burdened by family pressure. Entering the age of 26, if personnel have not yet been promoted to management or specialized engineer positions, they are very likely to be replaced by a younger, cheaper wave.
Textile, garment, footwear and electronics assembly industries: In industrial parks and export processing zones, the "professional age" of workers directly standing on the production line is very fast. Workers aged 18-25 are always sought after thanks to good eyesight, agility and flexibility. By the age of 26, the health of workers begins to decline. Many businesses seek to cut this group of personnel to avoid increasing salaries based on seniority or paying higher levels of insurance and benefits.
The field of services, livestream sales and content creation: The boom of the digital economy creates industries with extremely short lifespans. Positions such as photo model, streamer (live broadcast content creator), beauty consultant... require continuous innovation in appearance and youthful energy. At the age of 26, many workers have been criticized as "unenthusiastic", no longer keeping up with the psychology and language of Gen Z or Gen Alpha.
This paradox is not only a story of harsh age discrimination, but also reflects the extremely strict and extreme human resource management thinking of a part of businesses today. In the overall picture of the labor market, it is easy to identify some sectors that are tending to "rejuvenate" in an extreme way," Ms. Huong said.
