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Founder says: Mark Cuban tells Gen Z to stop waiting for the perfect job
Who: Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and investor, on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, followed by comments to Fortune (reported 29 October 2026).
What he said: "Don't get the perfect job because those are hard to find. Just get a job." He added that showing a future employer you "moved up the line" is what counts, even in a first job at McDonald's or Dairy Queen.
Context: Cuban's own early jobs included selling trash bags, slicing deli meat and bartending. In separate comments to Fortune, he told young workers to learn to keep a schedule and work under a boss, get along with colleagues, understand how the company makes money, and accept that a real career step up can take two or three years. His advice lands while entry-level and graduate hiring remain tight in many countries.
What it means for you:
- If your search for a "right fit" role has run for months, a nearby job that builds a track record (responsibility, promotion, measurable results) can strengthen your next application more than a gap.
- Whatever the job, collect proof: a raise, a shift you ran, a process you improved, a number you moved. Those become resume bullets.
- Keep applying for your target role while you work. Learning how your employer makes money is a story interviewers in any field want to hear.
Source: Fortune, 29 Oct 2026