Was finding a job always this hard?

Finding an entry-level job in the career I want to get into has been more of a challenge than anticipated. 

I’m going to not be a professional and just be relatable for this one.

Okay, so as I am sitting here in my two-bedroom apartment, I’m thinking about the fact that I’ve applied to at least 20 jobs in the last month and am still unemployed. 

My resume is great, I’ve had qualified people read it and they all say they would hire me. I even have a bachelor’s of science degree and lots of volunteer experience. Yet somehow I’ve gotten to the point where I’m saying random stuff like “I’m gunna start my own business or a blog”.

I’ve been using Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job platforms searching through some embarrassing written applications looking for a job. I’ve applied to them ranking from Environmental Biological Wetland Scientist to Retail Keyholder and have had no luck. I go through the long forms applying, they all for some reason sound like the exact same questions. 

What makes you qualified? 

Do you have at least 3 years of experience in this field?

How much money do you ideally want?

Can you lift 50lbs?

Does your family love you?

I feel bamboozled because I’m starting to think these applications aren’t reaching the companies I’m applying to. I could write the most heartfelt paragraph on these applications and the robot shifting through them would be like

beep boot “ I don’t care you have passion or goals, you don’t have 3 years of experience for this entry level position”

Soulless, these job boards feel soulless. I think the only way people are getting good jobs is if their dad’s best friend gives them one or they lie on their resume that they’ve been to the COP 22 meeting for science, invented the covid vaccine, and held a panel at the white house. 

I know I’m not the only one too. I’ll be talking to some of my accomplished friends who want to go into marine biology and they’re working at a cafe selling lattes to influencers. I’m sure you can relate. 

Now I’m in a lucky situation where I saved up enough money from my last job to make it by and am still young enough to have my dad’s help on the bills, but damn, hasn’t it gotten expensive to live! 

I’m super grateful and still dow eyed enough to think I’m going to become a millionaire by next week. I’m riding on that belief. But I am this close to start knocking on doors and handing out my resume to real people. 

All I want to do is help the world. I haven’t talked about this yet, but my dream is to save the world, and to save it from ourselves. Now I have the degree, I have the passion, I have experience, I have the knowledge, and I have the skill. Yet these robots don’t see that. 

How am I supposed to help the world if the world won’t hire me?

I’m supposed to get all this experience but no one wants to teach it. Not even the President has 5 years of presidential experience before they get the job. And that’s an entry level position.

I don’t want to lower my standards and work at the McDonald’s down the street, I’ve never even had to do that before I got a degree. I’ve been working jobs since I was fifteen and they say once you get a degree, doors will start opening up to you and all your dreams will come true. 

Now I loved university, it taught me lots of great things, I met amazing people, and experienced some of the best moments of my life there. But now that I’ve been out of school for the first time in my conscious life, I see how there is a difference between learning in school and learning outside of school. 

In school, the world is your oyster, endless possibilities, and if I just get an A in this course, my future will be set in stone. Outside of school it’s just an oyster. You don’t have highlighted deadlines or a new research project, you just have you. It becomes completely up to you to achieve your dreams and finish your deadlines.

Opportunities don’t magically appear, you have to find them. If you don’t make yourself known, the opportunities won’t be available to find you.

I think the best thing to do if you’re in or have been in my situation before is to remain calm, do your breathing exercises, and curse the human society for making money the thing that drives us.

Jokes aside, I know once I get the job I’ve been looking for I’ll be here complaining about how hard that is. 

But until then, 

fuck these soulless job boards.