I had never heard of a machine learning engineer until my friend told me that it was the career he wanted to pursue. He had never heard of it until he saw a TikTok about it.

He intends to spend the rest of his life pursuing this career, going to college studying for it, and spending years perfecting his craft, all over something he saw on social media.

I have heard and read about countless critiques of social media that address the addictive and often dangerous side effects. However, those critiques fail to acknowledge the inspiration and job opportunities social media can provide.

Take for example, Patrick Ta, Celebrity Makeup Artist. Ta was inspired by other makeup artist influencers to start his own influencer career and brand; Patrick Ta Beauty, according to a 2023 article published by The Influence Agency. Ta’s company has now grown to be worth approximately $50 million, according to that same article.

Stories like Ta’s are an inspiration for TikTok viewers, especially younger ones. A survey conducted by Junior Achievement USA, a youth mentoring non-for-profit, found that 76 percent of teens are likely to start their own business because of inspiration they get from social media influencers who have started their own business.

Social media allows viewers, especially young people, to be exposed to entrepreneurs and CEOs with a single scroll, according to a 2023 article by Umnico, a marketing services company.  This exposure can serve as inspiration for all teens, but especially those who may struggle to find successful role models in their life, according to a 2024 study by Psychology Today.

Not only can social media give inspiration for career paths, but it can also create them. This inspiration and opportunity can be especially helpful for young adults hunting for jobs in the current economy. The job market has been more challenging in recent months, and The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey shows that job openings continue to fall, according to Yahoo Finance. With this uncertain job market, social-media-related jobs are becoming prevalent, according to a study from 80Twenty, a marketing agency.

One key example of this is in the growth of influencing as a profession. The number of social media influencers are increasing by a rate of approximately 10 to 20 percent annually, according to Influencity, a marketing application for influencers. There is no question as to why we are seeing this growth; influencers make serious money. In a study conducted by DemandSage, a data research company, it was found that influencers have the ability to make more than one million dollars annually. Although influencing can be a unpredictable job, it is a new field that social media has unlocked that is highly lucrative, making it an amazing job opportunity.

So, while there are valid concerns regarding safety and addiction to social media, it is important to recognize the doors it can open. The same algorithm that found a future career for my friend can also push people to find their dream job, become a successful influencer, or start a business. Who knows? Maybe a 30 second video might spark a 30-year career.