When I first moved to NYC, I did what many people starting out do, and I walked around with printed copies of my resume. I was looking for anything, really. Just something to help get me on my feet while I settled in. It sounds very old-fashioned, but it worked. Especially with service industry work, the biggest part of the job is showing up. So if you can show up before you even work there, it’s major points in your favor. I happened to get hired at the first coffee shop I went into (having done a little research online), but I consider myself extremely lucky. Every industry is competitive in NYC. You need to be in the right place at the right time because everyone who comes here is qualified in some way. 

So that said, I feel for this TikToker who has recently sparked debate online by doing just this and having little luck. Not everyone feels the way I do, though. See for yourself.