When I graduated with a degree in journalism three years ago, I’d hoped to have a full-time, salaried job in my field by now.
Instead, most of my days are a hectic blend of part-time and unpaid roles.
I often find myself running to my retail job in the morning, catching the train in the afternoon to pick up the kids I nanny for, coming home for a quick dinner, and then wrapping up the day with a few hours at my unpaid, remote internship.
It’s not exactly how I envisioned spending my 20s in New York, but here we are.
In college, I did everything I could to prepare myself for the ‘real world’
Ryan Walsh
During my time as an undergraduate student in San Diego, I asked pretty much anyone I could about how to be successful after graduation.
Following advice from professors and industry professionals, I did everything “right.”
I made the dean’s list every semester, served on the board of a student organization, held multiple jobs, won an award for my thesis project, and even graduated summa cum laude. At the time, I thought these accomplishments would make it easier for me to land my first full-time role.
However, when it came time to start applying to full-time jobs, the only offers I got were for unpaid internships. I felt like a failure — like I had worked too hard in college just to end up in unpaid or minimum-wage jobs, scrambling to make rent every month.
Plus, seeing my friends and LinkedIn connections land full-time jobs and grad school acceptance letters only added fuel to the fire. I felt alone.
So, after two years of struggling in San Diego, I decided to take a risk and move to New York City to continue my job search. Unfortunately, though, I still wasn’t having any luck.
But as I began networking more and sharing my experience with others my age, I realized this was happening to many other people, too.
It wasn’t just me who was struggling — I had graduated into a difficult job market, one marked by fewer entry-level positions, hiring freezes, and uncertainty surrounding new technology like AI.
Now, I’ve decided to pivot to a new career path — and return to school
Ryan Walsh
After years of throwing my hat in the ring for over 100 entry-level positions — and working multiple jobs to avoid gaps on my résumé — I finally stopped beating myself up.
Instead, I leaned into other things that make me happy, like pottery classes, yoga, and volunteer work. In fact, the more involved I became with local and national nonprofits, the more I discovered my passion for working within these spaces.
Now, I’m particularly interested in women’s health issues and have decided to pivot to a career in public policy. However, I know that having a master’s degree in this field could make me a more competitive candidate.
So, even though I poured my heart and soul into undergrad experiences that would help me stand out in a competitive job market, I’ve decided to take a risk and go back to school again — this time, abroad.
Luckily, I was accepted to a prestigious school in France with a scholarship that will cover a significant portion of my tuition.
Of course, there’s no guarantee I’ll easily get a job after completing my master’s program, and the thought of returning to school is intimidating. However, I’m eager to continue networking and learn more about a career path I’m excited about.
