Gen Z influencer Lohanny Santos, 27, who went viral for teary video about trying to land a minimum wage job with two college degrees now dreams of being top influencer thanks to sudden fame

A Gen Z graduate who went viral for walking around the streets of New York City with an armful of resumes now claims she wants to be an 'A-list influencer' thanks to her new online fame.

Lohanny Santos, 27, graduated from Pace University in 2020 with a dual degree in communications and acting, but complained that she couldn't get employed. 

In November 2023, she lost the babysitting gig she'd held since graduation and struggled to find another job to replace it.

Santos was trying to become an online sensation at the same time, posting every day to TikTok - but she decided that her days of pursuing fame were coming to an end.

That all changed when one video, in which she touted her ability to speak three languages - English, Spanish and Portuguese - and voiced her dismay that employment opportunities weren't falling into her lap, racked up millions of views.

Since going viral, Santos has announced that she's ditched the job search altogether and intends to become a full-time influencer off the back of her newfound fame.  

Lohanny Santos, 27, says she wants to be an 'A-list influencer' after finding online fame

The Pace University graduate went viral after walking around the streets of New York City with a stack of resumes, searching for employment. 'This sucks. I just want to be a TikToker if I'm being so for real with you, but I can't be delusional,' Santos says in one video

The 27-year-old attained TikTok virality overnight, gaining millions of views and growing from an audience of 50,000 to over 160,000

In the viral clip that gained her overnight notoriety and currently stands at over 25 million views, a teary-eyed Santos said it was 'the most humbled I've ever felt in my life.'

'It's honestly a little embarrassing because I'm literally applying for, like, minimum-wage jobs,' she said, clutching a stack of files.

'This sucks. I just want to be a TikToker if I'm being so for real with you, but I can't be delusional. I literally need to make money.'

Within hours of uploading the video, it gained millions of views. Her account also racked up tens of thousands of followers, growing from an audience of 50,000 to 160,000-plus.

'I really was hoping it was going to happen sooner,' Santos told Fortune. 'I was hoping it was going to happen the moment I downloaded TikTok.'

Since going viral, the 27-year-old has landed a deal with a contraception pill brand. Her LinkedIn profile lists her as an 'actor and social media content creator.'

On Instagram, where she has over 43,000 followers, Santos posts about attending influencer events, takes copious selfies and stages photoshoots in her high-rise apartment.

She has a new talent agent at Missmanaged LA and says 'people are seeing in me what I’ve always seen in me.'

'I’ve always been so hardworking and so ambitious and I see myself on TV screens, I see myself in red carpets, I see myself being an A-list influencer,' Santos told Fortune.

'I see myself as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, I see myself under a huge spotlight - and I feel like for the first time people can see that in me.”'

The 27-year-old was pursuing online fame at the same time as a standard 9-to-5, but has since decided to drop the job search altogether. Her TikTok account grew from an audience of 50,000 to 160,000-plus overnight.

Since going viral, she has scored a brand deal with a contraception-pill company and signed with a new talent agency, saying 'people are seeing in me what I’ve always seen in me'

Her LinkedIn profile lists her as an 'actor and social media content creator'

According to a September 2023 study, around 57 percent of Gen Z-ers would choose to become an influencer if given the chance. Three in 10 would even pay to become one

Older Instagram posts show that Santos has partnered with other agencies in the past. She was signed with Grail Talent in November.

Even before the job search video was posted, the 27-year-old was promoting fast fashion brands and attending promotional events for a makeup company, an influencer marketing group and a rooftop bar in Times Square.

Still, Santos sees herself growing even more. 'I want opportunities to lead a creative life, to do all the things I dream of, whether it’s starring in a movie or being a full-time content creator or being in a Super Bowl commercial,' she explained.

And she is not alone - being an influencer seems like an appealing career to many in her age group.

According to a September 2023 report from Morning Consult, around 57 percent of Gen Z respondents said they would like to become an influencer if given the chance.

This figure was over 10 percent higher than the 41% of adults overall who’d opt for the emerging career path.

Roughly 53 percent of Gen Zers believe becoming an influencer is a reputable career choice, and a similar fraction would quit their current jobs if they could become an influencer and financially sustain their lifestyle.

Three in 10 would even pay to become an influencer, the study found.