Your World Today Commentary: Dealing with application obsession

I am graduating this May. My last edition of Your World Today explored my feelings of anxiety and excitement about the milestone (we’re down to 72 days). What makes me more nervous than graduating is the idea of finding a full-time role.

I have been able to gain a lot of experience during my time at Shippensburg University. I have had five internships in my field, leadership in on-campus organizations and plenty of projects to train me for the future. I feel prepared. I am prepared. But will an AI bot scan my resume and toss my application out? Will a company that seems legitimate invite me for an interview and turn out to be a scam?

I am confident in my abilities, but I am nervous that others out there are simply better than me. My own mind can run in circles, discounting my hard work and experiences.

As a result, I am applying to any position that is related to my ambitions. Ideally, I would like to work in social media marketing, as that is where my experience is the strongest, but I am applying for positions in many industries across the country. However, I also worry that I will accept a job offer that is not right for me due to desperation. I want a job, but I want to enjoy my job and build a career.

Applying for positions can be maddening at times. I have not felt this unsure of myself since I was in high school. I remember applying for internships during my sophomore year; it was tough, but I was able to see the fruits of my labor fairly quickly. Today, I am submitting applications left and right and receiving rejection emails or simply being ghosted.

It is frustrating, but I am reminding myself that it is early. I do not need to stress myself out. I am not a failure if I am not hired for the first role I apply to. Or the 10th. Or 20th.

If you are stressing about getting a job after graduation, know that you are not alone. Focus on why you’re doing this, why you chose your major in the first place. I chose communication, journalism and media because I am passionate about storytelling. I know that the right role will find me, even if it takes some time. And you will too.