Struggles of Job Searching

Growing up, they always told you if you went to college, you would have it all figured out when it came to finding and getting a job. Boy were they wrong. I want to say I have applied to almost 200 jobs over the past 3ish months. The fact that I have not even gotten one interview is so frustrating, but I know I have to be patient. I have a Bachelors of Science in criminal justice as well as a minor in psychology, and I still have no leads. I feel like I am doing something wrong, but after talking to people in various facebook groups and my friends, I realized that I am not the only one struggling. It is unfortunate because I know I can do the work being asked in the job description, but then if I can do it, hundreds of others are qualified as well. Through the countless emails I have received saying something along the lines of "while we appreciate your application, we will be going in another direction with the hiring process", it definitely gets discouraging and frustrating. I applied to Target last week looking for a full time position and they declined me. I was shocked to see that I could not even get a job at Target. This almost pushed me over the edge and I was venting to Cameron that I feel like a failure. He did some research and reached out to his particular facebook and reddit groups asking for feedback, and all the comments were saying to not even think twice about me getting denied. This is because companies like that can see that I just graduated and most likely will not be staying with that particular job for long. These corporations are looking for someone vulnerable who will stay for a long period of time, not really expecting to ever progress in their career process. It is unfortunate because I hear all the time "work forces are struggling for workers" and then I go apply and apparently I do not fit their criteria. I also have to keep in mind I am applying to jobs at a time that a lot of other college graduates are too. It is unfortunate because I want to help and I want to work for my money.

The reason why the idea that if you go to college then you will have everything figured out bothers me so much is because it simply isn't true. If I could go back in time, I would have told my high school self it is not worth it. It is too bad that during these transitioning years, we are pressured to have what we want to do for the rest of our lives figured out and what college we will be attending. I started out at the University of New Hampshire. It took me a solid month to realize that school was not for me, but I felt bad transferring. I genuinely felt bad because I thought people would think I am a quitter. Why? No idea because why should I feel bad about attending and paying for a college I do not like and feel comfortable at? I loved SNHU, I really did. I made some good friends the first two years I was there. But during that transition from UNH to SNHU, I was considering not even returning to college right away. I had completed 90% of the process of enlisting into the United States Army active duty. I was determined and then I met Cameron while he was on leave. Ironically that same week, my recruiter had to take an unexpected leave of absence and quite literally ghosted me. I took this as a sign to see where this new relationship leads me and to just finish my college studies in one go without taking a break. I just look back now, and I could have easily just not gone to SNHU. I could have gotten a job then which would allow me to not be stressing about money now. I just had that fear of not succeeding and completing school. I wish this was not instilled in our brains because over $100,000 in student debt is not worth it to me. It is totally okay for people to follow certain paths and their desired careers, which I fully support, but with my particular major, I did not need to go to school for criminal justice. First attending SNHU, I had the passion to become a cop, something you do not need to have a degree for. 

The biggest piece of advice I have for you guys who are in somewhat the same boat as me is something my papa tells me every time he calls to check up on my progress. You have to be patient. Do not get discouraged and too down on yourself. Keep your head up and stay positive. Change your job, change your major, go back to school, leave school. Life is too short to be unhappy. I am a firm believer that positive thoughts create positive outcomes. Think of every time you have been in a bad mood. What conveniently happens when you are? You stub your toe or catch your belt loop on a door handle as you walk by. It's a universal experience, I know. But seriously, everything good takes time. Keep going.