I applied for jobs after college for over a year before I landed one. I just had to cry and keep going.

• Carter James started looking for a job months before graduating in May 2023.
• James didn't start his first full-time career role at Sony until January 2025.
• Content creation, freelancing, and small projects kept him busy during his job search.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 25-year-old Carter James, a content integrity coordinator in New York City, about spending over a year after college graduation looking for full-time, permanent work. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I felt let down when I failed to land a job right after graduating from undergrad in May 2023. That January, I started applying to between 10 and 20 jobs every week, but my dreams of making it in my industry diminished with every rejection.

A year after graduation I relocated to New York City and moved in with my partner. I felt so discouraged while job hunting there. I was an independent creative who struggled with academics. To make matters worse, growing up, I was told that a college degree was my ticket to career success. Now, there I was, struggling to find work.

I managed to talk myself out of the negative self-talk and kept applying for jobs. Finally, after two years of job searching, I started my first career job at Sony.

My internships possibly stood in the way of finding a job after college

After deferring school for an academic year because of COVID, I graduated from Berklee College of Music with an undergraduate degree in music business, production, and technology — an independent degree program.

Throughout school, I worked with high-profile clients at some cool part-time internships and reputable media companies. I targeted jobs in music and broadly in the media and entertainment industries. Unfortunately, I kept getting passed over.

I thought I didn't get hired because I was a recent college graduate and didn't have close relationships with my Berklee professors. Yet some potential employers told me I was overqualified for the roles because of my work experience during my time at Berklee.

At the same time, I faced imposter syndrome if I thought I was about to apply for a role that seemed above my capabilities.

I focused on content creation, freelancing, and small projects while job-searching

I often didn't hear back from any employers, but at the time, I didn't worry about the rejection because I thought I had more time to find a great opportunity. I was very confident in my résumé.

I focused on freelance content creation, such as songwriting professionally. The projects paid very little, but as an independent musician pursuing my artistry in the long run, I felt optimistic about self-employment as a serious career option.

I posted more social media content than usual because of my free time. I liked feeling acknowledged that I still existed. My efforts paid off: I started with 15,000 followers on Instagram in 2023, and now I've reached over 70,000.

A few fashion brands and audio tech companies hired me to showcase their products on my social media. During this time, I continued to send off résumés and cover letters for full-time, part-time, seasonal, and contract work.

I crashed at the bottom of a barrel after every rejection

I cried on the phone with my mom so many times, asking her if I should get a job at a diner or go back to working at movie theaters. My life felt like a roller coaster with so many ups and downs.

I felt so upset when I thought I had landed a job and didn't start anything at all. Those rejections felt like crashing at the bottom of a barrel. I just couldn't take the overwhelming emotions for another two years or so. I felt like a ticking clock, counting down every week and every month.

Industry professionals encouraged everyone not to give up

I kept asking myself: "I'm qualified; I'm a go-getter; why am I not getting hired?" Or, "Do I walk around the city with my résumé and pass them along to prospective employers?"

I reminded myself that the pandemic contributed to a lot of my job rejection because the live music industry halted during that time. I knew that I lived through unprecedented times.

Second, I came across LinkedIn posts by industry professionals who kept encouraging everyone not to give up. Living with my partner, who worked every day, also inspired me to keep going.

Finally, a recruiting agency helped me land a role at Sony

So, how did I land my current career role at Sony? I connected with a recruiting agency that had Sony as a client.

I first worked at the front desk at Sony as an administrative assistant for over a month. Then my agency recruiter contacted me about a full-time position at Sony that came across her desk. I jumped at the chance to find stability in my career. I felt excited and grateful.

After two rounds of interviews, once with my current supervisor and then once with the current manager of my department, I accepted a job offer.

My main takeaway is this: Do not wait for opportunities to come your way if you've just graduated from college and are looking for steady work; be proactive in your job search. During my job search, I grew more as a creative and as an individual, than I ever have before.

If you struggled for years before finding a job and would like to share your story, please email the editor, Manseen Logan, at mlogan@businessinsider.com.