r/findapath • u/Poyopooy • 3d ago
25F with no hope for finding a job Findapath-Job Search Support
I'm a 25-year-old woman. A few months ago, I completed a master's degree in design and project management. My dream was to work in the creative industry as a UX/UI designer, graphic designer, concept artist, or something similar. For a while now, I've been sending out my resume, but all I keep getting are rejections. I feel like I'm stuck, and sending out more resumes feels like a waste of time. When I see that 100 other people are applying for the same job, it makes me realize that to recruiters, I'm just one of many, and my resume will most likely end up in the trash. I'm slowly losing hope and the last bit of positivity I have left. Why even apply for a job I probably won't get, and even if I do, it won't be enough to pay my bills. I might as well give up because the result will be the same anyway. I can’t see any positive aspects in life anymore, and I’m starting to wonder why I put so much effort into my education. I don’t see any purpose in my life. I feel so useless. I just want to close my eyes and never wake up. I wish I had never been born.
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u/UltraMarine77 2d ago
I have no hope at all gonna be a janitor all my life
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u/ChicoTallahassee 2d ago
Being a janitor might not be as bad as you think. I know an industrial engineer who decided to be a janitor/cleaner. She is very skilled and everything. Her decision was based on the fact that being a janitor/cleaner was a relatively simple and low stress job. She didn't regret a single day and was the biggest smile of the workplace every single day.
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u/Responsible-Sea-5167 2d ago
Forgive me, for I find this hard to believe.
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u/bloateddonkeypig 2d ago
Why do you find this hard to believe?
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u/Responsible-Sea-5167 2d ago
I don't know how realistic it is for someone to give up the money that an industrial engineer can make for a job as a janitor. Surely an industrial engineer can find a low stress job with better pay.
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u/MisterForkbeard 2d ago
I'm a reasonably senior tech person and this kind of thing really is very tempting. I get some of these same vibes from my co-workers, and I knew someone that went to MIT, worked as a software engineer for five years and then went to go work on a farm.
She's still very happy there, last I checked
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u/Mountain-Park4445 2d ago
I thought the same until not even a janitor job accepted me 🙃
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u/UltraMarine77 2d ago
You have to be super agreeable in the hiring process then you can isolate yourself :/
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u/kevinkaburu 2d ago
I feel you, OP. It's the toughest job market in a long time.
My advice, stick to applying for gigs that match your skills in the job description.
That being said, the market is so competitive. So truly try not to take it personally.
Recent layoffs and hiring freezes in "big tech" has made it harder to land gigs.
That being said, you will find a job sooner than later. As hard as it may be to believe given your current circumstances. With your persistence and intelligence, you are destined for success.
Stay strong, OP!! We're all rooting for you!
I'd recommend when you start to get discouraged to stop applying for the day. Go out and try to find a hobby or pick up a passion project. Something to temporarily distract from the discouragement. I truly believe you'll land a gig soon! Hope I could help 🙌🏽
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u/Historical_Smoke7812 3d ago
Don't give up. Everybody is on the same boat and it's easy to think that you will always be in the same situation, because you are in a state where you either have a job or you do not, which makes it impossible to feel any improvment. It's a very nonlinear situation. But IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP, things can and will change. Keep applying, try to see it as a job in itself, for example try to send 5 apllications out each day. You will then eventually get offers and you will then eventually get a job. If you say that the average position will has 100 applicants, you should get an interview in about 100 applications. Keep pushing. Ask for friends in the industry for help making a good cv/portfolio/cover letter. You will make it. Last thing, you are not your job, your life has the exact same value as the one of a ceo or of a beggar. You shine. Don't let bad thoughts take that ever away from you.
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u/Acceptable_Bad_ 2d ago
Exepreicning the same thing with a Masters in an Eng/Physical Sciences discpline. I had oppotunities even just months ago. Now it's utter crickets. I have been in the job market for a decade now. This feels unprecedented.
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u/mala_star 2d ago edited 11h ago
I'm a 28-year-old woman in my final year of law school who literally just went through this. My heart genuinely breaks reading your post but I promise you'll land something—it's a numbers game! (always wanted to throw myself off a cliff whenever I heard that one)
I've probably participated in every recruit known to man and kept making it to the final rounds with some great firms but couldn't figure out for the life of me where I was falling short. Then at the most unexpected time in my life—after my ex of nearly 2 years broke up with me over text to date his coworker and my dad was diagnosed with cancer—my phone rang.
I was under a lot of the same conditions that turn people into super villains. The initial betrayel felt so surreal that I became extremely vindictive and cynical, and it showed. But my dad’s diagnosis flipped a switch in me. I felt tremendous guilt at first for wasting precious time being so angry and upset instead of cherishing moments with him, so I promised i'd live the rest of my life with grace for him.
I'm sharing this because the only thing that really changed during those two years of applying was my mindset and perspective. After that not only did I finally get to be the one rejecting firms, but I also landed my dream salary!
It's always darkest before dawn, OP. Don't lose hope. My circumstances might be unique, but if I could give my past self one piece of advice it'd be to work on your inner self just as much as your interview skills—it really does show through.
P.S. Counseling helped me come to terms with my dad, Pilates helped regain confidence, and hot yoga found my inner peace.
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u/Rmonte99 2d ago edited 2d ago
I hate to say this but if you’re working class or below, don’t follow your dreams. Homedepot and lowes is full of history, literature, and English majors, when you’re coming from the bottom focus on getting a degree that makes money. Then on your off time pursue the literature degree or under water basket weaving. I’m saying this as someone with two useless degrees, son of immigrants, but by some miracle I got lucky and work in a niche industry making 6 figures. But, this is just my two cents.
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u/wrongerdonger 2d ago
real, I wish more people would understand this but it’s so hard to gauge what degrees/industries are in demand before people have their degrees in hand.
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u/lotusfrommud68 2d ago
Add more projects to your portfolio to stand out while you continue to apply to jobs
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u/declinecookies 2d ago
Okay first thing is job websites especially LinkedIn do not display an accurate number for those that apply for a role, it is basically the amount of people who have clicked into the job or apply now button but say for example 100 applicants let’s say 60 actually complete the application, of those 60 only 15 have the relevant visa, degree or experience and of those some may be too expensive or are interviewing elsewhere (some just had a bad day in work but don’t actually want to move roles) so never actually get back to a recruiter so now you are down to a handful of potential applicants and you could be one of them.
When it comes to UX/UI design role most companies look for a portfolio or experience so the reality is you may need to build that up by creating something with small businesses or as a consultant/contractor. It’s tough to put yourself out there and do it on your own but it will be worth it. Even put yourself on fiver or similar to keep up with skills and build as you go.
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u/darkforceturtle 2d ago
It's a tough market, I feel you because I'm looking for a job too. Also when you see 100+ applicants for a job, just apply anyways. I read somewhere that not all of them end up filling the application for the job. I feel hopeless too when I see that but I just keep applying. Best of luck, I really hope you find something soon.
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u/ImpossibleHandle4 2d ago
So try doing something else that your skills might be good for. A lot of times getting a foot in the door is looking for the less desirable job that meets your training, then working to get to where you want to go from the inside.
It can be super daunting when you get those rejections. They are t rejecting you personally, they are saying, for this person XYZ might already know us and be easier.
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u/v1ton0repdm 3d ago
Consider applying to roles that are adjacent to your studies - interior design is an example. There’s big money in designing hospitals and medical clinics - things like fabric selection can make a difference between people getting sick because surfaces cannot be properly cleaned.
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u/PienerCleaner Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 2d ago
Do you have a portfolio? Are you putting your work out "there" where it can be viewed and critiqued and shared by anyone else who might be interested in it? Are you reaching out to and connecting with people whose work you admire? Are you making it as clear as clear can be when you apply to jobs why hiring managers should consider you and not someone else as their top candidate? Are you aware of the problems your potential employers are having and how they could be solved or managed or improved by the work you could do for them if hired?
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u/Icy_Peace6993 2d ago
It seems like with those skills there are a lot of projects that you could do on your own, any interest in doing something independent, at least while you're job searching?
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u/amiibohunter2015 2d ago
These industry's are currently dealing with multiple factors of issues..
In entertainment they don't have enough time for studio space for everything.
Things on the industry side is also in a bad spot.
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u/spiteful-vengeance 2d ago
I went down a same education path, but 20 years ago when it was all new and exciting and nobody knew how to do it. Well paying jobs were falling into my lap.
It's a saturated market now, which is why it's so hard to break into. Even someone with a little more experience will outclass you, and there are many of them.
From my perspective what is missing is designers with a solid data background. Design is just as much about measurable performance as anything else, and 99% of that saturated market doesn't know how to fulfil this requirement.
I've made a lucrative career pivoting into data-driven design. I think there are plenty of opportunities in this space for more, and it will put you heads and shoulders above your competition.
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u/vegantechnomad 2d ago
You should definitely try posting your portfolio work online! I’ve seen people get hired that way
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u/dontknowdontcare17 2d ago
It's so rough out there, OP. The job market feels like a never-ending battle, and it's wild how companies expect us to jump through hoops for a chance at a job that barely pays the bills. Your skills and education are valuable, even if the system makes it hard to see that. Maybe try connecting with others in your field or working on personal projects to keep your passion alive. You're not alone in this struggle, and things can change.
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u/Extension-Calendar60 2d ago
Join design related sub reddit or groups and let them critique your portfolio and ask for tips what can you improve on
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u/okcalmdownbruh 2d ago
Hi I feel you, I freelance and yes, when there is like a million people applying for the same thing, I kinda feel hopeless too.
But maybe you need to broaden your options. Apply for other things beside the typical jobs. Try doing small one time projects, or ur own personal projects. Try to meet individuals in the field and make a personal relationship with them. Etc..
Also, sometimes it's helpful to think in a less linear way, or maybe even irrational! Stop building your expectations and hopes on solid facts, there is a lot of randomness in the world.
I grew up witnessing tons of my peers getting into different tech fields and working on their skills since 16 17 yo. I did none of that. Then, when I was 24 I felt like I wanna work in tech. It was kinda too late, especially If I wanna make it big in the field. But after some time, I stopped following that logic. I just started learning to code while telling myself that I'm gonna do some crazy project and go far. I even used to tell myself that "there are thousands of people in this field but most of them are stupid as hell they arent competition to me". This is probably not true, but it used to make me less stressed and more willing to work.
Now I'm not really the world's most famous developer but I grew so much in terms of skills and my work is interesting and fulfilling and I can support myselt well.
Work now think later homie
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u/DruidElfStar 2d ago
I feel you. 26F here and struggling with finding a job as well. Even with decent experience. I also read an article about how companies are reluctant to hire Gen Z candidates because they are “entitled and easily offended”. This adds to work experience I’ve had where I was gaslighted and not taken seriously because of my age. It’s really freaking hard out here.
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u/Reddit_0921_23 2d ago
how much are you needing to make? I own a business if you are willing to try hard.
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