I did everything ‘right’ in college, but couldn’t get a job in my field after graduation. Now, I’m going back to school.

• But after applying to over 100 entry-level jobs, I struggled to find a full-time paying job.

• I have now decided to pursue a different career path and go back to school for my master’s degree.

When I graduated with journalism diploma Three years ago I expected to have a full-time, paying job in my field by now.

Instead, most of my days are spent in a busy mix of part-time and unpaid roles.

I often find myself running to my retail job in the morning, catching the train in the afternoon to pick up the kids I nanny, and then returning home for a while. quick dinnerand then I finish the day with a few hours in my unpaid, remote internship.

This isn’t exactly how I imagined spending my 20s in New York, but here we are.

I did everything I could at university to prepare myself for the ‘real world’.

When I was an undergraduate student san diegoI asked almost everyone I could how I could be successful after graduation.

I did everything “right” by following the advice of professors and industry professionals.

I made the dean’s list every semester, served on the board of directors of a student organization, worked multiple jobs, won an award for my thesis project, and even graduated summa cum laude. At the time, I thought these achievements would make it easier for me to achieve my goal. first full-time role.

But when it’s time to start applying for full-time jobsThe only offers I received were for unpaid internships. I felt like I had failed; It’s as if I worked too hard to get unpaid or minimum wage jobs at university and was struggling to make rent every month.

Plus, seeing my friends and LinkedIn connections lead to full-time jobs and graduate school acceptance letters adding even more fuel to the fire. I felt alone.

So, after two years of trying in San Diego, I decided to take a risk and move to New York City to continue my job search. Unfortunately, I still had no luck.

But as I started networking more and sharing my experiences with others my age, I realized this was happening to many other people, too.

I wasn’t the only one struggling; I graduated from a university. tough job marketA period of fewer entry-level positions, hiring freezes, and uncertainty about new technologies such as artificial intelligence.

I have now decided to pursue a new career path and return to school.

After years of throwing my hat in the ring for 100+ entry-level positions and working multiple jobs to avoid gaps in my resume, I finally stopped beating myself up.

Instead, I turned to other things that made me happy, like pottery classes, yoga, and volunteer work. In fact, the more I became involved with local and national nonprofits, the more I discovered my passion for working in these areas.

I am now particularly interested in women’s health issues and have decided to pursue a career in public policy. However, I know that having a master’s degree in this field can make me a more competitive candidate.

So, although I poured my heart and soul into undergraduate experiences that would help me stand out in the competitive job market, I decided to take a risk and go back to school abroad, this time.

Luckily, I was accepted to a prestigious school in France with a scholarship that would cover a significant part of my education.

Of course, there is no guarantee that I will easily find a job after completing my master’s degree, and the thought of going back to school is scary. But I’m looking forward to continuing to network and learn more about the career path I’m excited about.

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