This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Annie Tran, a 22-year-old based in College Station, Texas. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
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Earlier this week, I graduated college with a degree in marketing from Texas A&M University. It kind of feels surreal. One of my biggest fears was walking the stage without a signed job offer, but here I am.
I’m ready to go out into the world and not have to do school or worry about tuition, but at the same time, I still have so much more to learn. I’m not sure how to be the big adult everyone expects me to be.
I really don’t know what’s next — and sometimes it feels like I’m the only one who doesn’t have it figured out — but I can’t and won’t give up.
I’ve been applying to jobs for nearly a year
I started applying for post-grad jobs in marketing and communications last summer, though I wasn’t really expecting much from the roles I applied for then. I just figured I might as well start early.
Since then, I think I’ve checked LinkedIn every single day. I filter for and apply to jobs posted in the last 24 hours, and I also apply to jobs on the “Find an Aggie” online directory, a place to find jobs through Texas A&M alumni.
Most places just send me a “thank you for your time” rejection email, and that’s it. I’ve started personalizing my résumé for each job and reaching out on LinkedIn to people in similar roles or on teams I’m applying to, but I’ve still only gotten two interviews.
It feels like I’m the only person in my circle without a job offer
It’s really disheartening to apply to entry-level roles looking for three to five years of experience. To top it off, my graduating class is hearing about high-level employees being laid off from their companies. If people who’ve been working for so long can’t keep a job, how am I going to get one?
It feels like everyone around me has a job, but I have to remind myself that people don’t generally talk about or post about not having one because it can feel embarrassing. Only seeing people posting on LinkedIn about getting jobs makes me feel all alone in this.
The worst part is when I’m on LinkedIn and see someone announcing they got a role, and that’s how I find out I got rejected. It makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong. It’s frustrating and makes me want to quit.
I plan to work with AI, not against it
A lot of people have told me AI will probably replace most jobs I’m looking for, but I don’t think that’s the case. I still don’t think AI does as well as a human in my field, and I don’t think it will for a while.
I use AI a lot, and I think being able to use it in my work to become more efficient will actually help me in the workforce.
Many of my classes even encouraged it because it’s tough to survive in the business world without knowing how to use it. I think it’s to the point where if you don’t know how to use AI, you might not even be able to get a job.
Moving back in with family feels like a step backward
As of right now, I will be moving back home with my family, which will be an adjustment because I haven’t lived with them in four years. My brother will also be moving back home, so all four of us will be under the same roof again. For my family, it’s not odd to move back home, but for me, it feels like I’ve failed.
I’m really grateful that I have somewhere to stay and I don’t have to pay rent or worry about how I’ll pay for my next meal, but the mindset is still there. It feels like I’m physically moving backwards rather than moving forward after graduating from college, but I think I’ll get over that soon.
I wish I didn’t spend so much time worrying about postgrad
Recently, I did something completely out of my comfort zone — a 5K and obstacle course with friends — and it really helped me escape from the worries about graduation. It reminded me that I’m still here making memories with college friends, and it’s not all over yet.
It made me realize that I had spent so much of the past year worrying about what the future would look like that I had missed fun moments in my senior year.
What I wish I could’ve told myself a year ago is to be more open to trying new things, to say yes to experiences, and enjoy the moment.
Are you a recent college graduate with a story to share about navigating the job market? If so, please reach out to the reporter at [email protected].
