Last May, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from The New School, a relatively large private institution in New York City.
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I knew competition postgrad would be competitive, but I did not anticipate a grim job market and AI takeovers.
As a Dean’s List student with a 3.9 GPA and multiple extracurriculars under my belt, I figured I’d be a top candidate for my first entry-level job.
Boy, was I wrong.
Moving to New York City was my dream for as long as I can remember
I figured graduating would mean freedom from the confines of a classroom. But when I followed my dream to New York City, that freedom was paralyzing. I quickly learned that I still had a ways to go before I could start living my life.
I found myself stuck behind a counter working my part-time job as a barista and questioning everything from why I went to college to why I feel so passionate about staying in one of the most expensive places on earth. Additionally, I felt guilty for relying on my parents to pay my rent and help keep me here away from my home state of North Carolina.
I felt like an idiot for leaving my family, even though I always knew I was meant for more than what my hometown could offer, and yet the city remains financially challenging for someone like me with student loans and only a part-time job. Thankfully, I have a cushion should I need it, but I expected to be financially independent by now.
Navigating a competitive market
Since graduation, I have applied to roughly 200 positions, ranging from internships to entry-level to contract and temp roles. And while that number doesn’t seem like much compared to the other grads who’ve sent out 500+ applications, I like to think I’m playing the market strategically by applying to roles where I’m a decent fit. I’m also attempting to set up informational interviews.
However, regardless of my strategy, I keep getting ghosted and rejected by automated no-reply emails months after applying.
When I discovered that I wasn’t the only one struggling, it began to make sense. However, after dealing with COVID interruptions in high school, worker strikes in college, and mental health struggles surrounding personal issues, I was burned out.
Courtesy of Dove Williams
As a result, I had forgotten why I went to school in the first place. As I began applying, I found myself flexible to take just about anything and started to lose myself in the process.
Seven months into underemployment, I got laid off from the café, but thankfully found another part-time job with a friend’s help.
A month later, in January, I got my first interview for a job in my field. Followed up three weeks later, only to be told they were still in the first round and haven’t heard back since.
A month after that, I hired a career coach to help me navigate the market. She rewrote my résumé, reviewed my LinkedIn profile and portfolio, provided industry insights, and redefined my career path.
I then got another interview, this time for an internship. I haven’t heard back from that either.
What frustrates me the most is the silence. Anxiously waiting to know whether or not I got the job, or at least an interview, is soul-sucking. It makes me doubt myself and my skills. It makes me feel like a failure.
Learning to overcome what you can’t control
New York is already an incredibly lonely place, and lately it’s been a lot lonelier when I’ve been confined to a room applying to jobs away from home.
At only 23, I feel like I failed despite working my ass off in high school and in college, only to get “Unfortunately, we have decided not to proceed with your candidacy at this time, but we appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to the application process.”
I have no idea what’s next for me or when I’ll get a full-time job, but one thing I’ve learned about being underemployed is you’ve got to make the most out of it because life is unpredictable, and you shouldn’t let it slip away because things are uncertain or stagnant.
And if you need help from your parents, whether it’s a roof over your head or an allowance, there’s no shame in that. This is an extremely unprecedented and scary time for everyone. Even if you’re not job hunting, we could all use a little support.
