Young Graduate Applies to Hundreds of Jobs amid Tight Labor Market: 'One Rejection Each Day'

As the job market slows and competition rises, a recent University of California graduate shares her persistent, months-long search for an entry-level position in marketing. Amid one of the slowest hiring periods in the last decade, recent college graduates are struggling to find their footing in the job market.

Katherine Diep, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of California, Irvine, has applied to between 200 and 300 jobs since last fall in pursuit of her first full-time position, underscoring the challenges many young professionals face this year.

Diep, who earned her degree in business economics in June, has been seeking work primarily in events marketing. Her efforts have focused on companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as remote opportunities with organizations based in the Midwest. “I’ve been getting a little more luck on those,” she says of the Midwest-based remote roles.

Woman in job interview | Source: Pexels

Despite her persistence and volume of applications, Diep has only been interviewed for five positions and has not yet received a job offer. Her experience reflects a broader employment trend: the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that hiring is currently at one of its lowest points in the past ten years, while data from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas indicates that job cuts have increased 47% year-over-year. According to Glassdoor, confidence among entry-level workers is also at a historic low.

Competition is fierce, Diep says, noting that recruiters have cited an influx of applicants from both recent undergraduate and master’s programs. Adding to her concerns is the growing presence of artificial intelligence in marketing roles—a factor that led her to shift her focus from backend and brand marketing to events marketing.

“AI was kind of creeping up in my mind, and I pivoted to events because I feel like in-person events, AI can’t really achieve that,” she explains.

The emotional toll of the job search has been considerable. Early in the process, Diep was confident in her abilities. “I can kill it, and they can hire me on the spot,” she recalls thinking. But after receiving multiple rejections, particularly after interviews, self-doubt began to set in. “At that point, they’ve seen how I am as a person, as a character,” she says. “Is my character wrong?”

Woman in job interview | Source: Pexels

Diep also points to the demoralizing effects of constant exposure to other people’s successes, especially while browsing LinkedIn during job applications. “It’s kind of inevitable to see other people” posting about new jobs and promotions, she says, which serves as a stark reminder of her ongoing search. Still, she remains resilient. “Even till today, I probably get, like, one rejection each day,” she says. “It’s just normal.”

Until she lands a role, Diep says, she plans to stay active and focused: “I’m going to try to keep myself busy and work on my skills.” Her goal remains clear. She will continue applying “until a company can see my worth.”