Job Searching

I am back. Sorry to the three of you that read this for going MIA for a bit. Life got busy, as you all know it can. The holidays, job searching, and other commitments got in the way.

It has been eight months since I finished my master’s degree, and I still have not been able to find a job. When I say that, I mean a job that makes my degrees worth it. Sure, I could probably find a job at Food Lion or 7-11, but then all of my hard work for my degrees would be for nothing. Every day, I apply to over 20 or 30 jobs, and nothing ever comes of it.

The thing that keeps me up at night is why? Why haven't I received something yet? According to Forbes, the white-collar job market is facing increased competition and fewer openings as companies become more selective in their hiring processes. Because of this, I have a more difficult time than someone without a college degree. When employers review my resume, they see someone who lacks more than one year of job experience. Even an entry-level job for which I am not qualified. However, if I’m being honest, I doubt they even see my resume, given the automated tools they use to screen their job openings.

Due to job “requirement” filters, my resume often doesn't even make the cut. Employers usually overlook the fact that I am a diligent worker, was ranked at the top of my class in both my bachelor’s and master's degrees, or that I am capable of performing the job effectively. They never even get to look at my resume because I only have 8 months of experience in my field. How do you get a company to give you the experience if they always request a minimum of one year of experience? What am I to do? Lie?

So many people have told me to lie. The problem is that if I lie and these jobs call my previous reference and ask how long I was there, and my last boss says, “No, she was only here for …” Then my reference starts to think I'm a liar. Essentially, I burn my only bridge. The thing is that I can’t force myself to lie even if it gets me the job. I live my life now in complete honesty. I spent too many years being the type of person I didn’t want to be, and now I won’t compromise my integrity to get the position.

So, that leaves me in an endless cycle of job applications that yield no results. The fact of the matter is that you have to know someone. Sadly, my family and lifestyle have not been very conducive to getting to know anyone besides my children. So, if you are one of those three reading this, keep an ear out for me.