Has the Job Market Crashed or Just me?
10.05.24 Captured by Author
Are we all feeling the pressures of matching where our parents were at our age? Every time I’m on the phone with my Dad, he reminds me that he was already working for a big company, making a lot more than I am right now. He was even able to afford an apartment all on his own. Today, I know a multitude of post-grad students who are unable to find a job that will help them pay back student loans. The real question is - how are we supposed to succeed in a society that encourages us to follow our dreams but does not provide enough opportunity for our dreams to come into fruition?
Each morning, on my phone, I am flooded with alerts notifying me that the post-grad unemployment rate has surpassed the average unemployment rate in America. At Northeastern, I was taught to take advantage of my connections through LinkedIn and our career center, where it seemed I was guaranteed a job right out of college. For me, this wasn’t the case.
After finishing up my degree, I knew I needed a mental break to pursue something (even temporarily) that would rejuvenate my soul. I applied for a job at Parlee Farms, where I spent two and a half beautiful months among a vast apple orchard, majestic flower gardens, and enjoying delicious pastries from inside our shop. Arriving at work felt peaceful, and conducting field trips into the orchard for students to learn about how we produce various fruits filled my cup. Throughout college, I knew life on a farm was something I always wanted to try at least once. I assumed that it would provide me the peace I knew a life in diplomacy could not. This job provided me with just that. The issue: it was a seasonal position. Once the farm position had come to a close, I re-entered the job market directionless and still unsure of what my next big move would be. I took on yet another local job at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Customer Service and Sales to ensure I was refining my skills while I figured out what was next for me. I spent months during this time applying to internships and positions in various fields of interest: marketing, media creation, sales, photography, international affairs, etc. After submitting a handful of applications and receiving only one interview, I had a feeling that finding my next job would be tough. What was going to be the solution after all? I wasn’t sure how much longer I wanted to stay in my hometown, and I felt I needed to try something I was more passionate about, but where could that be, and what would I do?
Parlee Farms
09.10.2024 Captured by Author
Ultimately, I decided to pack up my life and relocate to Orlando, Florida, to work for the mouse. This was a bold choice for me, as I’ve never once thought about working for Walt Disney World or moving to Florida full-time. I should give myself more credit for moving down here because it felt very much out of character for me. I’ve always been drawn to experiences like the Peace Corps or working for a National Park, and I still dream of engaging in similar experiences in my future; given the job market, though, I felt it would be best to find a way to make money, refine my photography skills, and create invaluable memories.
Now, almost halfway through my program, I find myself re-entering the job market yet again, with even less luck than I had the first time. Each day, I wake up with crippling anxiety about what my next career move will be and what my life will look like come January 2026. Quite honestly, these thoughts consume most of my day to a point where it can be difficult to enjoy the experience I’m in currently. Why is it that I have a four-year degree from a prestigious university (with great marks, may I add) and I can’t even land an interview? How do I know what is the right decision for me and my future? Why can’t I enjoy where I’m at right now without thinking about what’s next?
The fact of the matter is that no one actually knows what they’re doing. We’re all living life for the first time, even our parents. We can look to our superiors for advice, but they’ve never experienced life at our age at this exact time, which leaves big decisions like career changes or major moves up to us —and that’s scary. I feel the weight of making big decisions for my future every single day, questioning whether or not where I am in life currently is right for me. With this being said, let me remind you that it’s okay to not know what’s next for you. It’s okay to feel anxious about making decisions toward your future and not feeling 100% confident in them all the time. I’m not even totally sure how I want to conclude on this topic because I’m still in the middle of figuring this all out myself, but just know that if you’re like me, and having some trouble figuring out what’s meant for you in life, especially when it comes to a career… me fricken too.
