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Struggling to Find a Job

The struggle is real and is being experienced by many. Sharing a part of my fight.

By Nivedha MunirajuluPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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The Journey

People say that life is easy and tough, they also say that successful people achieve success because of their luck! But my journey has taught me that...

People achieve success only when they have faith in their goal and the hard work they have put every single day to achieve it.

I started my journey towards becoming something in 2011, fresh out of college with a Computer Science Engineering degree. At that point in life, I was not sure what I wanted to become. That unsure path led me to one of the largest retail company in the world—Amazon, where I worked with the ops team. After few years I realized how little I knew about Business and Technology. I decided to hone my knowledge by pursuing a Master’s of Science degree. And true enough, I was introduced to this vast program which not only helps boost my knowledge but also improved my soft skills.

I was immensely happy on my graduation day. It reminded me of my journey, the hard work I had put in my academic life, the life I had to live away from family. On the day of my graduation, I was in tears. I felt I had achieved something in my life. The intensity of such feeling is that it lasts only for few moments, after which they become memories. And I knew early on that I must work harder to retain that feeling.

In May 2017, I started to search for a job. I would be lying if I said it was a cake walk. It was very hard and it still is. I thought that with a Master’s degree and my experience with Amazon would definitely fetch me a job where I could continue my career. But my plans failed as reality hit me like a bolt from the sky.

Companies usually ask for candidates who have 'n' years of experience. No one wants to hire a graduate who is fresh out of college. Unless given an opportunity, how can anyone possibly earn experience this way? Or was there a way no one told me about? A zillion conspiracy theories took birth along with each application I sent across to these companies.

I submitted more than 2,300 job applications for which I mostly got two responses:

  1. Rejected (Found a better match for the job).
  2. We don't sponsor international students.

70% of the response I used to get was Option 2.

After 6 months I had an interview scheduled. I thought "ok, this is it, I can do this." There were four people on the panel and me on the other side of the call. The first question that the hiring manager asked me was "Do you require sponsorship?" It's one of those feelings when you know your cycle lost control and there is nothing much you can do about it, instead you embrace it as much as possible. Disappointment and sadness flooded through me. I already knew what would happen next.

I picked myself up like a little kid, looked around if anyone was watching as my emotions fell so hard and after they apologized for any confusion caused, I hung up the call.

Yes, there is also an easy way of getting a job. It's called "a reference!" Most people get interview calls from companies when they are referred by an employee of that company. I tried that too. Linkedin is one such platform which I used to make contacts and requested few to refer me for available positions. But the response was always negative. Few of my course mates landed themselves a job through their relative who is already in senior positions in the company.

If this is how companies hire, then there should not be a system of an online application form. The system just keeps sending automatic rejects even though I know I can perform.

It has been 8 months now. And I am still moving with all the energy that I can gather. I know that it is not my fault, I also know that there is someone out there willing to give me that opportunity that I desire. It's all about the right time. My faith is still high, I still believe that I can do amazing things, I will find a job which will make me happy and help me grow. I am not going to quit even if it gets harder as I move.

I believe that the whole point of education and getting a job is to make earth a better place to live. A forum that allows you to understand your life purpose, your contribution to the society, defining the way you want to live your life. People have got to understand each other and make opportunities available to all those who have worked so hard to reach where they have reached.

I believe that every single person who is struggling, like me, has their own story. It is never too late to muster yourself up and keep trying harder. Because whenever you are tired of trying or about to give up, there is always a door which shows up for you to open.

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About the Creator

Nivedha Munirajulu

"Resident of Earth"

Education - Master's

Language - Kindness

Color - Blue

Food - Alfredo Penne Pasta

Drink - Coffee

Alcohol - Margarita [strawberry/Mango]

Hobbies - Coloring, Singing, Driving

Uniqueness - My smile

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