Feeling defeated: Biomed Honours grad, international student, 100+ rejections in research. Is the degree useless?
Hey everyone,
I graduated from UniMelb with Biomed Honours recently. I’m an international student and I’m honestly hitting a breaking point. I’ve been applying for Research Assistant roles since July, sent countless cold emails, and just keep getting rejected because I "don't have enough research experience" (even with the Honours year).
I’ve got a lot of casual experience in events and administration, but it feels like that doesn't count for anything in the science world. My visa gives me a 2-year window and 1 year is already nearly gone. I’m aiming to find any relevant work by July, but I feel like I’m shouting into a void.
Has anyone else successfully transitioned out of the "lab or bust" mindset? Are there specific Melbourne companies or roles that value the Biomed degree + Admin skills? I’m starting to feel like my degree was a waste and I’m really struggling. Any advice is appreciated.