I knew competition postgrad would be competitive, but I did not anticipate a grim job market<\/a> and AI takeovers.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Boy, was I wrong.<\/p>\n Moving to New York City was my dream for as long as I can remember<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. Thankfully, I have a cushion should I need it, but I expected to be financially independent by now.<\/p>\n Navigating a competitive market<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, regardless of my strategy, I keep getting ghosted and rejected by automated no-reply emails months after applying.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The author relies on her parents for financial support.Courtesy of Dove Williams<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Seven months into underemployment, I got laid off from the caf\u00e9, but thankfully found another part-time job with a friend’s help.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n A month after that, I hired a career coach <\/a>to help me navigate the market. She rewrote my r\u00e9sum\u00e9, reviewed my LinkedIn profile and portfolio, provided industry insights, and redefined my career path.<\/p>\n I then got another interview, this time for an internship. I haven’t heard back from that either.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Learning to overcome what you can’t control<\/p>\n![\"Dove](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/f6c13fda5ee57b26214fce084d8efe19.jpeg\"\/)
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