First of all, their facebook and myspace may be full of it.

Second, no one is 100% successful all the time. In fact its better to experience failure now. Learn how to accept it, deal with it, get over it and keep on trucking!

Third, its called life. A true and successfull life has both highs and lows, the preverbial roller coaster analogy. Life isn't fair and balanced. It doesn't always care that you worked harder, faster and more efficently. It doesn't always pat you on the back, sometime it kicks you in the ass even when you do not deserve it. It will continue to do this forever.

Fourth, don't fail life's most important test. Don't give up or get really disheartned. Feel bad, mull in it, but then snap the hell out of it and get moving. Get it done. Keep trying. Keep applying yourself. Keep moving forward. Thats all that really matters..moving forward and seeing life as an opportunity and an adventure.

Ok.. that all the energy I have. I am going to take a nap

Seriously.
_________________________
Get ready for rush hour!

wow, i could have written this exact post 3 years ago. i had just graduated from a prestigious university ("public Ivy") and they had instilled the SUPER FALSE notion that once i graduated, everything would be handed to me on a silver platter cuz duh! i had just graduated from X University! how could any employer NOT want to hire me???

sigh...i found out the same way you're experiencing it...that being rejected sucks! it took me a year to find a full-time job and in the meantime, i waitressed for a few months and then ended up working at a tiny non-profit. i proved myself there and i think that that really helped get my foot in the door at my current job.

look, it's not easy after graduation but guess what? all those people with internships and grad programs are probably envious of you b/c they think you have free time while they're pushing paper or reading 10,000 pages a week. the grass is always greener on the other side, but trust me, you'll get through it. it makes you value what you have that much more when you finally get it. PM if you wanna talk more. later!

Imabeliever hit it on the head, particularly about failing life's most important test. What do you do when things get tough? Take a deep breath, plot your course and get moving. About the only thing you can control in life is your attitude and your reactions. Choose them wisely, and the rest will come in time.

Don't ever compare your own life's path to others- everyone moves at their own pace. Plus, I bet that 99% of people are elaborating in SOME way or another...isnt the point of those to show off anyway? Go at your own pace. There is a reason you arent getting these jobs, and it might even be becuase something BETTER will be coming your way. I am a strong believer in optimisim. If you feel good about yourself, good things will happen. If you start to fall into a rut and thinking bad about yourself...you might just suck yourself in. Keep you head up and your hopes high

Being just out of school is tough! We have all been groomed to believe that just because you go to college and graduate with perfect grades that you will land that amazing job with the amazing salary bypassing entry level. The reality is your lucky to get that entry level position that pays $15/hour. You will know when the right position comes along but get used to real life and don't focus on what others are doing chances are they are just making the coffee and making copies.

I think we're in the same place right now. I just graduated at the end of April from the best college in Ontario for my desired profession, and have had zero luck finding a job so far. I set the bar high in the beginning, and I've slowly been lowering it yet I still don't have a job. I'm starting to feel like a burden on my friend who has allowed me to stay at her house rent free. Every time someone asks if I have a job yet it stings. The jabs about my unemployed status don't help, and just make me think I'm even more of a lazy-looking loser in their eyes. The worst was my grandma calling me to wish me a happy birthday a week ago and telling me that I'm not going to find a job.

The only thing I can say for both of us is stay positive. There's no way that this is going to last forever, as something is bound to open up that'll be perfect for you.

First of all, you cannot compare your life to everyone else in your life. You are at a time and place where it seems that you are going no where. I think anyone between the ages 24-35 feels that way. I know I do. Sometimes I beat myself up sometimes for not having the dream job, a house or a brand new car and I am 26. I didn’t even get to finish college. But I have to look back at the struggle I had to face with my mother's illness. That set me back years compared to my friends. However, I learned lessons in life that they might not even deal with until they are in their 40’s, 50’s or 60’s.

But the bottom-line is you have to remember things happen for a reason. I know that is hard to think of NOW, but trust me. There is so many times where things seem so dark and then something happens to light the way. And I look back a couple years later and laugh. I now can see the big picture. So what if you get rejected from the job you THINK you want. Little do you know there is something out there waiting for you instead! Something you might not get if you get accepted to another place. You just don’t know yet. Your friends got lucky early, that’s all. Your time will come.

Let me ask you this? Are you healthy? Do you have a roof over your head? A car to get you where you need to go? Do you have food in your stomach everyday? Do you have a great family? Do you have great friends that care about you? Most people don’t even get to go to college because they don’t have the money for it. Then what else do you need? If you emit this negative energy in the universe, how do you expect to get positive in return? If you remember all these little positive things you will start to realize you are NOT a failure. Get a little note pad and a pen and keep it by your bed. Everyday write down something you are grateful for. It could be as simple as you are grateful you have hands to use or two feet to stand on. Keep this by your bed. If you are ever feeling like you are a failure, read your book. It will remind you that you are just at the beginning of your road. Life is not about how many steps you haven’t taken yet, it is about the ones you have.
There is an amazing song by Mary Scmich (produced by Baz Lurhman) called “Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen.” It has to be the MOST amazing song ever written. I listen to it when I am feeling just the way you are now. Search for that song and listen to the lyrics. They are simple yet powerful. I love the line: “Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.”
It will make you realize that you are a special person. You are put on this earth for a reason, you may not know it yet, but you will soon. Hang in there sweetie. We are ALL there right now. If you ever want to talk, you know where you can find me.

I understand how you feel I have had a ton of rejection letters. It took a change of interest for me to find my way. 21 rejection letters from med school later I am on my way to Pharmacy school and I am actually excited about it I was not about medical school. So look closely and thing that every thing happens for a reason.

pinupsweetheart- i couldn't agree more! i'm in college right now and already two years behind everyone and only going part time as i can't afford full course load.. anyway. i also get frustrated because sometimes i feel as if everything's at a standstill: i still don't have a car, a degree, a proper job, money to afford the surgery i need, i haven't seen my home country or my family in over six years and still can't afford the trip, etc, etc..
my point is: there's always going to be things we're unhappy about. that's life (cue Frank Sinatra!). the beauty of it is that as much as it is ever-changing, you can never predict which direction it will take. you might be in a slump right now but there's something around the corner waiting to bring you back up.
as for landing that job- you do realise that about 90% of that is called being in the right place at the right time? you're not doing anything wrong and although it sucks right now there's nothing you can really do about it except keep putting yourself out there, going to job interviews, soliciting grad schools and professors and generally getting people's attention.
personally i've found human contact is key when it comes to such opportunities. once you grab someone's interest enough to get them excited about you, things will be much smoother. good luck!

Have you tried temp agencies? They might not pay you enough but it's a start somewhere. They can help you find a position that your good at or in the field that you want to be in or just any type of office job. It is temporary but if the company they sent you to is looking to hire after being a temp for a certain amount of time, then that might be your opportunity. Otherwise, you can just use the temp agency to have some cash flowing in and getting the experience in an office.

As for the myspace and other sites like myspace, the majority of the people on them lie about their income, jobs, age, marital status, etc. I wouldn't trust what they wrote on those sites.

I graduated from university when I was 21 and after a year of unemployment I went back to school and did an IT diploma, think it would help me get a job. I didn't. I ended up working in a call center. I had to take a big step: I moved to the middle east and this year I got a great job in IT, that I love.

I am 28, so all of this took some time. When I move back to Canada I will have experience and I won't be afraid to look anywhere for work (I was limiting myself to a small region before).

I know how you feel about failure, too. I was the top of my class forever, until I got to university, so I expected more from myself. Don't worry that your friends have great jobs. You will too, but be patient and don't be afraid to leap.

Been there too. Graduated among top of my class and it seemed everyone but me got a job, some even before the graduation ceremony! My life plan went something like, get my degree, go steady with my then boyfriend, find a job and get married! It was such a huge shock when the dream started to disintegrate and I felt like such a failure, even questioning if I chose the right field for my studies. But, like Le Luxe said, it must be that there's something better awaiting you! It happened to me after more than a year of job hunting! Of course, doesn't mean you sit and wait, you keep applying and enjoy the free time, once you start working, it won't ever be the same! Patience ...

Try reading "Quarterlife Crisis" by Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner. It's all about the post college crisis. I think we tend to have this picture of what post college/age 25 is supposed to be (great job, marriage, perfect house, kids), but really it's an impossible goal. It takes time to find a job, and especially a good one, and it's ridiculous to measure yourself against others. Most of the people I knew from college and high school that are making more money than me have some other aspect of their life that totally sucks, but is great for me (for example, maybe they work 80 hour weeks, but have no social/family life; I work less and make less, but I have a great social/family life).

Just give yourself time, there's no deadline for anything in life. Things happen as they happen. Find things to distract yourself: volunteer, join a book club, etc. You never know who you could meet that could turn out to be a great networking contact. Job hunting is a lot harder than people realize, especially if they've been out of the job market for awhile. It's better to take the time to find a job that makes you happy, than to end up somewhere that you hate.

Keep your head up and continue moving forward. I felt the same way after I graduated from a good college, depressed and empty. Focus on your hobbies and figuring out what you want to do. This is actually the topic of my novel. It's about a girl like you, just realize you are not alone that more and more people feel that way. Most importantly & contrary to popular belief in America: your job does not define you, you do. Your personality, your kindness, your actions, etc are what's important. You are in transition, a job will come.

hey PartySugar, you wrote a novel??? tell us more about it! when is it coming out??

Tawndy is right Temp Agencies are great way to gain some on the job experience. If there is a particular company you want to work for do some research and find out which agency they work with and call them to set-up an appointment to get yourself placed. That is how I got back into apparel when I moved back to Portland, OR after moving from NYC. Most agencies specialize in certain industries so do your research and something will happen. It is a job to find a job.

i know it might be hard for you to understand this right now, but these are the times in your life when you are LIVING!

being tested or challenged is how we find out who we really are!!!

you're getting closer to becoming a really interesting person that's what struggle and change is about!

being perfect and never having experienced failure means you've lived a sheltered life without taking chances.

SO APPLAUD YOURSELF! you are OBVIOUSLY taking chances and things may not go as planned, but THAT'S how you get on the road to the most interesting places in your life. through the DETOURS

i had to put myself through university and worked 3 jobs and it took me 7 years to finish. when i got out i was so much older than everyone, i felt i had so few opportunities, but i never stopped trying. i got fired 3 times before i started my own company and had a huge success. turns out i'm not a great employee because i'm a great entrepreneur! who knew?

i know it hurts sometimes, but remember there's a special plan for you. and it's our job to find it! it's a lifetime journey!!

p.s. i couldn't agree more about temp agencies! that was a great way to explore and got offered SO many jobs that way!

I totally sympathize with you. I graduated in December, and never would I have imagined that I would graduate not knowing where and what I was going to do next. Throughout school we have a plan, our life is controlled, and the moment we get out, it's as if we are thrown out there, with little to no experience in the real world. It doesn't help that our family members and such seem to put their two cents in asking why we don't have that full time job, or why we don't have things in order. I've just learned that they are negative, and while we can't get rid of every negative person or situation in our life, it's best to keep our distance. Last weekend I was on vacation and a family wedding was taking place. I decided not to go, I thought enough was enough. At first I felt bad about my decision, but you know what??? I found great positive people at the place where I was hanging out instead! Accentuate the positive! Do what makes you happy! Nobody can make you happy, but yourself!!! If people are getting you down, and discouraging you, take a break and do what makes YOU happy! My dad was giving me a bad time about jobs, and all it did was get me down, but the second I decided he had NO right to discourage me, and I ignored it, I'm in a much better place, and I have an interview for my dream job! I give you props, and I'm sure you are a wonderful person who deserves the world. My advice to you is just do what brings you contentment, and everything else will follow!!! I promise!!!!!!!! Have a great weekend, you deserve it!