This piece was originally posted on RaceWire as part of My Great Recession.

2009 hasn’t been a great year. I graduated from college exactly a year ago today, am living at home with my parents and am still looking for full time employment. When I graduated, I interned for a publishing company and then fulfilled a personal desire to travel to Calcutta, the city where my mom grew up. When I came back, it was October, and the jobs everyone promised me would be waiting when I returned were no longer around.

In January my best friend from college died. It’s painful to find the will to do day-to-day things, including finding a job. It has taken months for me to turn some of my energy spent in grieving towards finding full-time work, and this effort has come with very few rewards. I have applied for a range of jobs, for nonprofits, for publishing houses, for freelance writing positions.

I’ve rewritten cover letters and resumes so many times, to show off my “marketable skills” for assistant positions, receptionist work, office filing. I fit the job description and requirements, have even made it to final rounds of selection. I typically receive a response along the lines of “we’ve decided to hire someone who has more years of experience.” I’m back to applying for internships now – anything to fill up my time and make me feel like I’m working towards my goals.
—Nina Jacinto