The Stress of Job Hunting and Finding an Internship

Graphic by Nati Yeshiwas

The realities of what comes after graduation can start creeping in surprisingly early, making it difficult to enjoy the last two years in the safety of the unknown. Junior year is defined by taking only major-specific classes, watching everyone else find internships and figure out what they want to do, and making sure that all of the coursework will be completed on time to graduate. It is so easy to want to return to the college bubble that is freshman and sophomore year, where everything is new and exciting, independence is blissful, and classes are merely stepping stones to the person you want to become. 

Once it is time to start searching for internships or post-graduation jobs everything changes. The laid-back campus, restaurant, or coffee shop job suddenly starts to feel wrong, and the reality of “doing enough” takes over.

Do I know enough to get an internship in my industry? Do I need to go to grad school to get a job or do I focus on getting experience? Gaining job experience, building a strong LinkedIn profile, creating a polished resume, networking with professionals, and effectively marketing to recruiters – it all feels overwhelming.

Career fairs provide a conglomeration of all kinds of job industries, but somehow nothing ever feels like the right opportunity and everyone else seems more experienced. These fairs also require the confidence to sell oneself, stand apart, and be remembered by recruiters 

Then it is time to take to Handshake, Linkedin, or Indeed and start applying. The first problem is that all of the job postings sound completely wrong, and provide a long list of uninviting qualifications, and job descriptions that don’t make a ton of sense. So you apply for this job, spend hours fixing your resume, tailoring a cover letter, and crafting thoughtful responses to your questions. All of this time spent just builds the anxiety that you don’t have enough experience, your resume isn’t good enough, and every other applicant will be more qualified. 

Some applications result in no further communication at all, leaving you to wonder what you did wrong. It feels as though all the time invested in crafting these applications simply vanishes into a sea of online submissions, never to receive so much as a glance. 

All of the stress and anxiety caused by this job hunt is heightened by our generation's inability to deal with rejection. Modern media has created a society of comparison, where everyone portrays their online self as having it all figured out. This process would be easier to deal with if there was more of a general understanding that rejection is part of life. You won’t be right for every job that you apply for, but everyone has their own unique set of skills and experiences that will lead you to the position that is just right for you. 

This time is defined by the stress of not knowing what comes next, dealing with rejection, and wanting to fast forward to see what your future has in store. It is important to take it slow and know that you are doing enough, you don’t have to be everything you want to be immediately. Keep working that campus, barista, or restaurant job until something else feels right. Remember, everyone has worked extremely hard to reach this point. Stay patient with yourself as you continue your job hunt, knowing that each step brings you closer to the person you aspire to become.