I have an upcoming '26 grad from a good school, econ major with excellent grades. Good internships last summer that did not translate into what he thinks he wants to do for first job. Has sent out I don't know how many resumes, had two interviews and no job offer yet. Lots of comments about the state of the economy and how "hard" it is.

But what drives me insane:

He is fixated on one or two major cities where he "must" start his career. He is fixated on what I think is a narrow field of jobs.

He, like OP's kid, is going to learn the hard way that not everyone starts out with a glamorous first job in their first choice city. But it's a big, big country with a lot of opportunities. There are a LOT of cities where these kids could be happy for a year or two or three.

I'm tired of the whining and refuse to indulge it.

PP again - he graduated in 2025 - so it was into this economy.

I keep reading messages like this but am not seeing it in my small circle. DS graduated from a LAC with an econ degree. He and his friends who graduated at the same time, with similar degrees, are all employed. Yes, some had to take jobs they didn't initially want but most have been able to switch positions. My DS was at a job he did well in and was recruited to do the same position at a company he was more excited by. They all live between two apartments in the city - loving life.

Anyway, not written to be a humble brag - just another perspective on the same issue.

Anonymous wrote:What was his major? My sister graduated in the early 2000s and did the same and has struggled her entire career, because of her major. Shes had jobs but had to be extremely creative with the jobs and networking It took patience and she’s even moved twice to different parts of the country.

I know plenty of others in the same situation who graduated from the late 90s - now.

Her employment struggles 20 years after graduating are not because of her major. No one asks about college major after the first few years.

I'm so sorry!

Graduating into a bad economy is awful. It's a massive factor in that first job search, and it's something that is completely beyond the kid's control.

No advice beyond what others offered above. Just empathy. At my age, I've seen multiple rounds of new grads go through it when the economy dipped in previous decades. It's a very hard experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump’s economy.

Trump fixing Biden's disaster.

+1. And I’m not a Trumper.

Anonymous wrote:The point is that there is no point to any of it. Life is random and unfair and control is an illusion. Doing the “right things” is no guarantee of a certain outcome. Never has been.

There’s a thread in Adult Children about a parent concerned that their educated child is a server at a burger joint and in a punk bluegrass band, or something. That kid is probably so happy, though. This generation is going to have figure out what makes them tick and build a life free from rampant consumerism.

+100

Anonymous wrote:Graduating dc did all the right things, worked hard to get into good school, worked throughout college with 3 internships, top grades, and cannot find a job. And so many stories of 2025 grads still looking. Just depressing.

For a bit of perspective, this isn’t a new phenomenon:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-01-mn-42197-story.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Graduating dc did all the right things, worked hard to get into good school, worked throughout college with 3 internships, top grades, and cannot find a job. And so many stories of 2025 grads still looking. Just depressing.

It sucks not to be arranged but its only February.

+1 keep plugging away and doing the right things. Lots of companies only post jobs as they need them and they don't have an opening yet for June and beyond.

If they haven't lined anything up by graduation, look into signing up with a temp firm. My friend's son did that and it ended up turning into a FT job in his major.

what majors?

Anonymous wrote:The point is that there is no point to any of it. Life is random and unfair and control is an illusion. Doing the “right things” is no guarantee of a certain outcome. Never has been.

There’s a thread in Adult Children about a parent concerned that their educated child is a server at a burger joint and in a punk bluegrass band, or something. That kid is probably so happy, though. This generation is going to have figure out what makes them tick and build a life free from rampant consumerism.

Punk bluegrass band means parental success in my book. A lid with such eclectic tastes will figure it out eventually.

Have you read the reasons here? We have been discussing this for days

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1313586.page

Anonymous wrote:Trump’s economy.

Trump didn't invent ai, dumb dumb.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trump’s economy.

Please google economic failures of the Biden Administration and start educating yourself.

To be fair Biden guarded employment at all costs. He was successful in moving through legislation and funding into infrastructure, chip manufacturing, clean energy and other industries. This created jobs and opportunities for new grads. Trump has done the exact opposite, funneling money his pocket and Elon’s pocket, trashing the economy and increasing inflation with tariffs. Companies are responding to the profit loss from Trumps slump and increased supply costs from tariffs by cutting labor. It will be rough for new grads for a while. Perhaps we shouldn’t have elected a dementia ridden boomer with a circus of regressive incompetents for his cabinet.

This.

FFS, take it to the Politics forum.

It's actually really bad for internships coming in - junior year.

Firms are expecting smaller classes due to AI.....

Prepare yourselves.