We’ve all been there at this point. Staring at a job posting from less than an hour ago, with hundreds of applications somehow already submitted. Frustrating, yes. Disheartening, definitely. I’ve reached the point of having a spreadsheet to keep track. I added a ‘No response in more than 4 weeks’ option, hoping it wouldn’t be used. It’s now at 2/3 of my applications; the rest is filled with rejections. One massive spreadsheet (that hurts too much to count the total of), a handful of interviews, and zero joy. And most of these are 0 hours, or part time. I’m hoping to do a PhD, something that has also been a humbling experience. Not because of the academic side, I’ve been so lucky to have met many a kind academics over the past few months. But the funding, the thing that would actually let me do the degree in the first place, has been brutally competitive. Not just because I’m a MA student (and therefore don’t have as many options to join existing funded projects), but also because in the state of the job market, why not stay in education?
And I’m not alone on this one. According to the BBC, 16.1% of young people are unable to find work, and that doesn’t even include those out of work but not looking for a job. The current economic situation, reduction in entry level jobs, AI and raising ‘entry’ expectations have all been blamed. But trying to understand why hasn’t fixed the problem. Additionally, we’ve all been stuck in a similar loop at least once to one they describe – trying to get a job to get more experience, to not get the job because you need more experience. That is not good for anyone. The health foundation found that the effects are greater than the monetary, with the job market having “long-term physiological health effects and negative consequences for people’s mental health, including depression, anxiety and lower self-esteem.” There’s almost a sense of dread coming from every application, and, at least for me, a growing numbness to the seemingly endless rejection letters.
Outside the joys of the job market, there’s the general uncertainty of the rest of the world too (I probably don’t need to explain to anyone that the world feels heavy right now). And by the time this goes to print, I’m a solid 80% sure something else will have happened that makes where I’m going as a graduate even more uncertain.
I feel like I’m solely complaining, so I want to point out, I do not regret doing my degree. It helped me in so many ways. And the world I am graduating into isn’t all bad. As a social media editor, the jobs I’ve been applying to, and love working on, wouldn’t have existed even a few years ago. But then again, neither did AI. I’m also lucky to be in a position where I can move home and give myself time to figure things out. But it’s kind of a cold comfort. When I walked across the stage last year, I knew what I was walking towards. I had my MA set in place, my student loan secured (because I quite like existing), and excitement about the year to come. This time (though I won’t get to walk the stage until next year), I will graduate into an almost impossible job market, a shaky at the best wider world, and no idea what comes next. The most comforting thing right now is knowing I’m not alone. But not being alone doesn’t pay bills.
Image credit: Ruby- May Elger
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