I'm approaching my 200th job application since graduating in December 2024 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. Before anyone says anything: I put together a thorough custom degree combining mixed media creation/analysis and environmental anthropology. It may not be the most marketable degree on paper, but it reflects my actual interests and strengths, and I'm proud of it.
I spent most of 2025 unemployed, picking up occasional paid gigs but nothing steady until October, when I landed cashier work at a grocery store for a few cents above minimum wage. My application response rate hovers around 5%, despite sending 1-2 thoughtful follow-up emails per application (spaced out enough to be professional, not so long that I've been forgotten).
Most of what I'm applying for involves writing in some form: journalism, copywriting, ghostwriting, administrative roles, campaign organizing, volunteer and guest coordination, production assistance. I've also narrowed my search from nationwide to just my state, hoping that helps narrow the applicant field. My working theory on why I keep getting passed over is that being a generalist is hurting me: I suspect recruiters are skipping my resume because I don't have enough industry-relevant experience in any single sector. I've held a lot of different jobs and can adapt quickly given proper direction, but I need somewhere to actually prove that. A lot of the roles I want are in the nonprofit or public sector, and entry-level openings there are genuinely hard to come by.
At some point I have to ask: what am I doing wrong?
I'm nearly 30, carrying debt that keeps growing, and struggling to keep up with bills. My partner is still in school, but even she landed a job this summer - applied on a Wednesday and got an offer on Monday - and I'm still waiting to hear back from interviews I had two weeks ago. I know depression is coloring my outlook, and has been for a while. I can't keep performing hopeful confidence that things will turn around when the evidence keeps pointing the other way. I don't want to live large or make a name for myself. I just want to get by. But it increasingly feels like the only options are selling out into tech like everyone else in my family or falling through the cracks entirely.
I used to believe every person was both the marble and the sculptor of their own life, but without opportunities given by others, we're all just staring blankly at the marble without any tools.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm seeking with this post - affirmation or condolences or someone to tell me I'm being overly dramatic - but I need the vent, and would appreciate any kind of insight the lovely people of Reddit might provide.