Graduate says they followed all the career advice—and still couldn't land a job after 500 applications

A post on Reddit’s r/GetEmployed has stopped a lot of people in their tracks, not because the story is unusual, but because it is so painfully familiar.

The original poster graduated in May with a four-year degree in communications. They completed unpaid internships, held leadership positions in student organisations directly related to their field, earned online certifications, and built freelance experience. Since graduating, they have applied to nearly 500 jobs, tailoring each resume individually and writing cover letters by hand rather than using AI, which was a specific requirement in their field, where many employers screen out AI-generated applications.

The results: ghosted by their biggest lead, which was a volunteer role that wasn’t even paid. The only interviews they have landed have been for what they describe as scam jobs selling phone plans in Costco for $30 a day.

“I feel so useless and worthless,” they wrote. “I give up.”

The person writing them has done everything they were told to do” the degree, the internships, the certifications, the networking calls with people already in the jobs they want. After every, they are still here, 500 applications later, losing hope. That is not a personal failure. But it is causing real distress, and the comments in the thread reflect an understanding that the job search, at this scale and with this outcome, takes a genuine mental toll.

The industry problem is real

Several commenters acknowledged that PR and copywriting are particularly difficult fields to break into right now, not just because of the general job market, but because of AI.

“I’ve heard this is really hard to break into, especially with AI,” one commenter wrote, suggesting the original poster consider entering through a different role at a target company and moving laterally into communications once inside.

One commenter pointed toward a specific alternative: “Have you tried looking into the nonprofit sector? They need grant writers, comms people, etc.” It’s a pathway worth considering because nonprofits often have genuine communications needs and may be less inundated with applicants than corporate roles.

You’re not the only one

The most consistent theme in the thread wasn’t advice, by empathy and recognition.

“In a similar boat as you. Unfortunately the current job market is [expletive]. No matter what you studied in or how much dedication you put into building up your background and skills,” one commenter wrote.

Another described being rejected from a Target or grocery store four hours after applying, at 2 a.m. They stated that they were rejected by an algorithm before a human ever saw the application. “And [it] doesn’t help the fact that in today’s society, more and more companies are relying purely on AI to pick the ‘ideal candidate.’ Which, news flash, completely obliterates the job market as a whole.”

One commenter offered something honest and quietly devastating: “It’s the world you live in, unfortunately. We took for granted that we lived in a world that made sense and just worked. But now we know that wasn’t always the case throughout history. And now we’re back getting a reminder of that.”

Another tried to reframe the psychological experience without dismissing the difficulty: “Good luck. I have been there too. I’m sorry; I understand it feels so crappy. You’ve done everything right. Think of it as a game, because it appears they have made it a game with gimmicks. So batter up?”

And one commenter, unable to offer anything concrete, said simply: “I genuinely wish I can give you advice as well but it’s something I’m also struggling with. We just gotta keep having hope.”

If you are in a similar place, it is worth saying clearly: what you are feeling is a rational response to an irrational situation. The job market right now is not a fair test of your worth. A system that ghosts you after 500 applications and rejects you from volunteer roles is broken, not you.

If the weight of it is becoming genuinely hard to carry, speaking to someone like a counsellor, a trusted person, or a mental health resource, is worth considering alongside the job search, not instead of it.

Read related: ‘Not good’: Reddit’s verdict on the current US job market