You're not alone.
You may think you're the only one without a job after graduation. Well, this isn't the case. "The public perception of the value of a college degree may reflect the fact that today’s young adults are not as financially stable as their parents were. They’re more likely to live with their parents, more likely to be underemployed (if not unemployed) and more likely to have debt than previous generations." Unfortunately for our generation, things are looking rather bleak. The age at which young adults are reaching the median salary of the United States has increased from 26 to 30 between 1980 and 2012.Not only is it more difficult to reach a respectable salary for us, it's also much more challenging to land a job because of how high the bar has been set. Nowadays, you need a college degree and relevant work experience to have a fighting chance.
Your degree is worth everything.
You might be thinking to yourself "I went through four years of tough times to get my degree, yet I have nothing to show for it. Was it pointless?" Well, the good news is that no, it wasn't pointless. In fact, "Millennial college graduates ages 25 to 31 who are working full time earn more annually—about $17,500 more—than employed young adults holding only a high school diploma. who are working full time earn more annually—about $17,500 more—than employed young adults holding only a high school diploma." So, although right now you may be jobless, once you do land that sweet, sweet job you've been after, your pay will be much higher.
Get an internship.
"Researchers at the Georgetown center found that 63 percent of college graduates who completed a paid internship received a job offer, compared to 35 percent who never interned during their time in school. Those graduates with paid internships also scored an average starting salary of $52,000, 28 percent higher than their peers without internship experience." Getting an internship is definitely a huge factor in post-graduate employment. If you graduated and didn't have an internship while you were in school, get one now. It doesn't have to be a paid internship, or anything fancy. Any relevant work experience will beef up your resume and make it much easier to land a well-paying position.
Be wary of depression.
Post-graduates have a tendency to suffer from depression shortly after being released into the real world. There are many reasons for this (which can be found here), but the main reason is due to not having an employment plan before graduating. If you go through all of junior and senior year without thinking to yourself "what do I want to do when I graduate?" or "what's my plan for the months after I graduate?", you may be in some trouble when graduation swings around. To avoid this depression, form an employment plan or set a long-term goal for yourself. These sorts of things can help structure your life and give you a sense of balance and fulfillment.
Just keep swimming.
Whatever you decide to do with your life, just remember to keep your head held high. You are not alone. There are people around you who love and care for you. Keep pushing ahead, keep your goals in mind, and don't let anybody bring you down.
