It has been about 3 months since I have started searching for a job. While I do currently have two part time jobs to pay for my bills I need a full time job not to just pay my bills but also to gain experience in the healthcare field so that one day I can apply to a PA program and become a physician assistant. That is the goal. I have had no luck so far. I was able to obtain a couple of interviews but they have not led me to a full time job. This is the one thing I did not think about during my senior year of college. I just assumed I would quickly be able to find a job with my degree. But sadly that is not the case, it takes time.
How do I feel about it? I feel left behind. All of my friends have found jobs but yet I am still in the waiting room. So I decided while I am waiting for responses from job applications I have sent out each week I would start looking for side hustles. I kept seeing tik tok posts about the UGC creators and how it has helped many people earn some money on the side or even as a full time job. So I decided to jump on the train. It should not be hard for me to start because I already love shopping and sharing those products. Along with starting the UGC journey I am gonna restart and make a new blog where I can share my journey as well as other tips and tricks regarding post college life and beauty and fashion, this is the blog. This is how I prevent myself from dwelling on the thought that I still do not have a job.
If you feel this way after college then it’s okay. It is okay to feel behind everybody else for a while but hopefully it motivates you to start doing new things or plans that you have put off for a while. While I still think like this every now and then I have to remember that everybody is on a different path and at some point I will be able to achieve my goal as well. I have to be patient. It does not make me less than everybody else. Many people around me have been supportive and told me that I am not alone. Since I am sharing this you are definitely not alone either.
On that note, I would like to end this blog post with a lesson based on my experience.
- One is to start finding a job your senior year way earlier than I did. The reason I started looking for a job so late is due to plans of traveling after college but were canceled last minute. Also, If you are on the PA route as well, start that journey way earlier. Maybe start after graduating High School or your freshman year of college for healthcare experience. Start taking courses for either CNA, MA, or EMT. One thing I regret is being a Certified nurse assistant instead of a medical assistant. The course would have taken longer, which is why I recommended starting earlier, but you would have a lot more opportunities available to you if you want to experience the dermatology or clinic area. This is based on my job search. I wanted to experience working in the dermatology field so I searched up jobs that were mainly in that field and many of them are looking for medical assistants. This is the only reason why I’m saying I regret it. Although, I do not rule out being a CNA. It was definitely an experience to be experienced. I have learned a lot about healthcare and about myself as well through the job experience. It has made me become more understanding and compassionate about those who do work in our healthcare system. It is hard work.
- Start volunteering in places that are related to healthcare as soon as you start college or maybe even before if they let you. I wish I did this but then again I never knew about becoming a PA my freshman year. I started out with wanting to go into research since I loved science so much. Before I went to college I did not even know what a physician‘s assistant was, all I knew was a doctor or a nurse. This will help you your senior or junior year when you need to fulfill and internship requirement. I made the mistake of finding an internship last minute because I did not understand that I had to search on my own for an internship. I am so grateful for my advisor. She really helped me out.
- My last lesson is to brush up on your interview skills. My tip is to know the company and be yourself. It shows that you really want the job and you have done your research. Next Tip, be assertive. I say this because I had a 15 minute interview including the waiting time and mind you I drove almost 30 minutes for the interview, and the person interviewing me did not ask a single question about me. All the person did the whole time was talk about the job and that was it. I left the interview confused. I was well prepared for the questions but they never came. It seemed as if the interviewer already had made up their mind or maybe it was a test. This is why I say be assertive when they do not ask questions. Make sure to leave an impression. Lastly, always email after an interview to check on things. If they do not respond then it is okay because you did everything you could. With each interview I learned something new and I changed how I proceeded on the next one. These are the things I picked up along the way. They probably teach this in school as well but sometimes people forget. I think the most important thing I learned was that you are never fully prepared because then you would be a robot. Practicing at home is different from the real deal. In the moment your mind gets to you and your nerves get to you. Questions you had in mind disappear and you forget what you practiced. So to fix this is just be yourself. Showcase who you really are because you know yourself the best and they will see that. If you ramble it is okay. For me, I ramble every now and then to keep myself calm. If they do not see how successful you can be then it was not meant to be.
To every post-college student or anybody waiting on a job and actively applying, I say It will happen, we are in this together, and I wish everybody good luck!
The Real Beth R. 
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