The "I Want Someone With More Experience" Trend Explained

Inside the absurd, hilarious, AI-fueled TikTok trend where people are claiming they interned for Cleopatra to satisfy impossible job requirements.

"I love your portfolio, but we really want someone with more experience."

It is the sentence every job seeker dreads, and right now, it is the spark for the funniest trend on the internet. At Bennett Creative, part of our job as a leading Austin social media agency is to inhabit the feeds so our clients don’t have to. We watch the ripples of internet culture turn into waves, and while many trends in 2024 leaned heavily into emotional vulnerability, 2026 has seen a massive vibe shift toward absurdism. The internet is tired of being sad about rejection; now, it wants to laugh at the chaos.

Enter the "Malicious Compliance" trend. It is smart, it is technically impressive, and it is something we are actively looking at for our braver clients.

Want to know more about "I want someone with more experience" trend? Why it’s taking over Reels and TikTok, and how businesses— home builders, sales people, and attorneys—can get in on the joke.

What Is the "I Want Someone with More Experience" Trend?

If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram Reels lately, you’ve likely stumbled across the setup: a text overlay quoting a recruiter saying, "We're looking for someone with a bit more experience."

It is a paradox that has frustrated job seekers, particularly Gen Z and those pivoting careers, for years. How do you get experience if the entry-level job requires experience?

The trend is the ultimate act of satirical malicious compliance. Instead of complaining about the requirement, creators are saying, "Oh, you want experience? I’ll give you experience."

The video then cuts to a series of AI-generated, photorealistic images showing the creator "working" throughout ancient history to prove their qualification.

The Vibe: The humor lies in the contrast. The images usually depict high-stakes historical events, while the creator inserted into the scene looking like they're owning the ancient project so are clearly qualified for this 'new' job they're applying for.

We are seeing incredible examples on the platform:

• The Project Manager: A video showing a creator standing next to Noah in front of a half-built Ark, flashes to the creator standing on top of the Great Wall of China holding a long scroll, flashes next to the creator standing next to the Trojan Horse giving a thumbs up to the Greeks hiding inside. 

• The Executive Assistant: A creator holding up eyeliner samples for Cleopatra, flashes to the creator holding a stone tablet with “March 15” circled in red standing next to Julius Caesar, flashes to the creator standing next to Marie Antoinette holding a platter with a cupcake on it while people try to storm Versailles. 

• The Attorney: An attorney standing in the Library of Alexandria with scrolls piled up to the ceiling, flashes to the attorney, holding a scroll, standing in a muddy field at Runnymede next to King John with a quill, who doesn't want to sign, flashes to the attorney holding a stack of papers labeled “Pre-Nup V2” standing next to King Henry VIII while he looks at a woman.

  
  

It’s hyperbole at its finest. It says to recruiters: "If helping build the Pyramids isn't enough project management experience for this $18/hour internship, nothing will be."

Why Is This “More Experience" Trend Going Viral Right Now?

As a video production company and strategy team, we always ask why something hits. Why this? Why now?

This trend is the perfect storm of three cultural drivers:

1. Economic Exhaustion

The job market is brutal. The "ghost jobs," the endless interview rounds, and the impossible requirements have left people burnt out. The previous trend of posting tearful videos about rejection has saturated the market. People are still frustrated, but they are done crying on camera. They want to punch up at the system through comedy.

2. The Rise of "Malicious Compliance"

Internet culture loves it when someone follows a rule so literally that it breaks the system. This trend is the visual embodiment of that. It’s a way for job seekers to reclaim a tiny bit of power in a situation where they feel powerless, by mocking the absurdity of the gatekeepers.

3. Accessible AI Tools

A year ago, AI photos and videos were bad. Creating a photorealistic image of yourself hanging out with Julius Caesar wouldn't have turned out great. Now, tools like Midjourney and DALL-E 3 have democratized high-end visual effects. This trend is a flex—it shows off the creator's ability to use new tech to tell a joke.

Can Serious Businesses Actually Use This Trend? (Yes, Even Attorneys)

This is the question we get asked most often by our clients when we present a meme-based strategy. "That’s funny for a 23-year-old influencer, but does it work for my business?"

The answer is yes, but it requires nuance.

The core of social media marketing today is relatability. Even "serious" industries deal with absurdities, red tape, and impossible client demands. Our attorney clients won't go for dancing to Sabrina Carpenter trends, but they might go for something like this. Tapping into this trend shows you have a pulse and a sense of humor about your own industry.

Here is how Bennett Creative would adapt this trend for different client niches:

The Home Builder 

Instead of a job seeker, frame it from the perspective of your seasoned foreman or architect reacting to a difficult client.

• The Setup: Client asks, "Have you ever built something like this before?"

• The AI Visuals: Your foreman consulting on the blueprints for the Roman Colosseum; your team stacking stones at Stonehenge looking tired of the heavy lifting.

• The Caption: "Yeah, we’ve done a few tricky builds in our time."

The Attorney / Law Firm

Lawyers deal with archaic systems constantly. Lean into the history of law.

• The Setup: A junior associate being told they need more experience drafting contracts.

• The AI Visuals: The associate begrudgingly helping draft the Magna Carta with a feather quill; sitting in Hammurabi's court taking notes on a clay tablet.

• The Caption: "Checking my archives for relevant precedent."

The Medical Professional (Doctor/Dentist)

Medicine has a wild history. Use it to show how far you’ve come.

• The Setup: A patient questioning your credentials.

• The AI Visuals: You as a medieval plague doctor looking skeptical at a patient; you assisting in an ancient Egyptian mummification (for a plastic surgeon).

• The Vibe: "Trust me, our methods have improved since my residency in the 1400s."

The Coffee Shop Owner

The service industry is full of demanding customers.

• The Setup: A customer complaining that their latte is taking too long.

• The AI Visuals: You serving coffee to exhausted soldiers during the American Revolution; you trying to explain what "oat milk" is to a confused Victorian-era patron.

• The Caption: "We’ve been caffeinating the masses through worse crises than the morning rush."

How Are People Making AI Videos? (The Technical Breakdown)

Part of being a full-service video production company means knowing the tools. This trend isn't just about having a funny idea; the execution makes or breaks it. The funniest videos look like convincing, grainy archival photos.

Here is the workflow we see creators using:

Step 1: The Image Generation (Midjourney or DALL-E 3)

You cannot just ask AI for "me with Cleopatra." It won't look right. The secret sauce is prompting for a specific photographic style.

• The Prompt Strategy: You need to specify the medium. Use terms like "grainy black and white photograph from 1920," "daguerreotype," or "faded Polaroid."

• The Scene: Describe the action clearly. "A tired man in a modern hoodie holding a clipboard stands next to Noah in front of a large wooden ark. Photographic style."

Step 2: The Face Swap (Crucial for Comedy)

The AI won't perfectly capture your likeness in the initial prompt. The funniest videos feature the creator's exact bored facial expression pasted onto the historical figure’s assistant.

• The Tools: Creators are using tools like the InsightFace Discord bot or FaceApp after generating the initial image to swap their real face onto the AI body. This consistency ensures the audience recognizes you in every era.

Step 3: The Edit and Audio

The images are usually stitched together in a fast-paced slideshow on TikTok or Reels. The audio choice is vital.

• The Dramatic Drop: Many use intense classical music (like O Fortuna) or epic cinematic scores (like the Succession theme) that drop right when the historical photo appears. This heightens the absurdity of the claim.

Leveraging Trends for Your Brand Strategy with Bennett Creative

The "Someone with more experience" trend is a perfect example of how quickly digital culture moves. It morphed from genuine frustration into high-concept, AI-driven comedy in a matter of weeks.

For brands, the takeaway isn't necessarily that you must make a video of yourself building the pyramids. The takeaway is that audiences are responding to authenticity, humor, and a willingness to acknowledge that things are a little weird right now.

At Bennett Creative, we don’t just watch these social media trends for entertainment. We analyze them to understand what makes audiences tick, so we can build better video strategies for our clients. Whether it’s high-end commercial production or nimble social media content, knowing the cultural conversation is half the battle.

If your brand is ready to stop chasing trends and start utilizing them strategically, give us a shout. We have, after all, 5,000 years of experience to offer.