By Nicolas Lucente, Mulitplatform Journalism major, D.U.Quark Intern
Getting a job has always been difficult. I am not saying my life is harder than others. All I am saying is this is hard and people expect you to get a job the second you get a degree, I am here to say that it it is not that simple.
I have been applying for months now and I have not gotten a call back. Yes, I am pursuing a career in journalism, sports announcing or creative development, which is incredibly difficult to land a job in. However, I am trying and people do not understand that dreams are hard to achieve.
And if I can expand, dreams are hard to achieve. Everyone knows that dreams hard hard to achieve. However, everyone tells you to “shoot for the stars” and to “strive for your dreams.
” Except, they do not tell you that you are going to struggle for a few years. I haven’t gotten there yet, but from what I have heard, I am going to struggle for a couple a years before I potentially find success.
Life becomes different. I haven’t graduated yet, but I am already feeling the pressure of graduation. My parents are asking me, “Where have you applied,” and “Where are you looking,” as if I know what I am doing. I don’t know what I am doing if I am being completely honest. I am trying my best to apply to as many jobs as possible, but they all say “you need at least 3+ years experience to do this job.” What am I suppose to do? Gain three years of experience in said field in two months? It is not possible.
I am fine with the struggle. The struggle breeds success in my opinion. Though, struggle also means living in swallow for a minute. Minute meaning a couple of years of living with a struggle trying to figure out exactly what you what to do for the rest of your life.
Again, I am fine with this concept, but what is the point of going to an extra four years of school to earn a degree to just learn that you hate the industry that you are about to enter. To me, it is mind boggling. Of course, you have to learn and take what you have learned and adjust to society.
I guess what I am frustrated with is the fact that there is no one to strictly tell you what you are prepared to do. Most applications involve a “3+ year requirement” of said experience before landing that job. Of course, most if not all all college students do not have said experience applying for that job, even though they believe he or she feels they have the proper amount of experience.
My question is, who guides you properly to the proper starter job? You may answer the career center or your mentor or even your advisor, but no one reaches out. No one tells you what you are supposed to do after graduation voluntarily.
I am not ranting about the flaws of college, and I do not want this to come across that way. All I am saying is that more people are confused as to what to do after getting their degree more than you think they are. The education is great, but what now? We want, we need to make a living for ourselves. We simply need to know where we fit into society.
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