Unemployed & Lost

Hey, I am a 2024 grad from a non-target & I am still looking for a full-time opportunity. I am lost man, applying everyday & getting almost no interview calls, I feel lost, stressed & don't know what to do next.

Any advice is appreciated.

12 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some actionable steps to help you navigate your job search and reduce stress:

  1. Networking:

    • Cold Emails and Coffee Meetups: Reach out to professionals in your desired field. Use LinkedIn to find alumni from your school or people working at companies you're interested in. Request informational interviews or casual coffee chats.
    • Leverage Your Network: Call up old classmates, coworkers, and use your school's career services. Networking should be a primary focus, especially early in your career.
  2. Job Search Platforms:

    • LinkedIn and Indeed: Set up daily alerts and saved searches to streamline your job search. Spend a maximum of 2 hours per day on these platforms to avoid burnout.
  3. Resume and Interview Preparation:

    • Resume Review: Have someone review your resume. You can hire professionals from platforms like Upwork or Fiverr if needed.
    • Technical Interview Prep: Study technical interview questions thoroughly. Practice your answers to ensure they are detailed and meet the interviewer's expectations.
  4. Daily Routine and Mental Health:

    • Routine: Establish a daily routine for job searching and stick to it. This includes setting measurable goals like reaching out to a certain number of new contacts or applying to a specific number of jobs each day.
    • Hobbies and Social Activities: Engage in activities that keep you sane and balanced. This could include volunteering, going to church, or even studying at a local café like Starbucks. Avoid staying indoors all day.
  5. Positive Outlook:

    • Stay Positive: Maintain a positive perspective. Remember that challenges are part of the journey, and the best is yet to come. Keep pushing every day and stay optimistic about future opportunities.
  6. Alternative Paths:

    • Consider Lateral Moves: If you haven't found a job by a certain date, consider roles that allow you to lateral into your desired field later. Positions at firms like Deloitte or management consulting firms can be good stepping stones.

By following these steps, you can enhance your job search strategy and maintain a healthier mindset during this challenging period. Good luck!

Sources: Overwhelmed here, words of wisdom would help, Recent Grad -- Lost & Frustrated, Seeking Advice, Job Search Advice, Finding New Jobs, Graduating MSF - no job

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Have you been in contact with your network? Or spoken to past coworkers from your internships?

 

any recent success? I've seen a lot of rogue entry level opportunities pop up online recently.

 
Most Helpful

Fellow unemployed 2024 grad from non-target. It's definitely a tough job market, but make sure you stay resilient. Some things that I've been doing to maximize my interview opportunities are networking heavily (10+ cold emails per day), staying up to date on market conditions and potential hiring waves (read the news, etc), keeping financial modeling skills sharp, taking the SIE, and pursuing hobbies. The hardest part is keeping yourself busy while unemployed and to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It's alright to feel down for a little, but where you end up will be the result of the actions that you take now. If you want a job you got to go take it, no one is going to give a recent grad a job if they don't put in the extra steps to show they really want it. Right now, persistence and hunger are the name of the game. It's not about what you want but how badly you want it.

Now, go get that job and stay f**king hard!  

 

Mentioned below but again, , Took CFA L1 but was unsucessful in my outreach/job hunt. So still applying and networking and hoping for the best with my results!

 

Landed a role at a PE-backed platform in Corp. Dev. While not IB, it's adjacent and I believe the experience could be used to leverage back into banking should I continue to desire that path. In relation to the previous post, this opportunity presented itself through the network I built at the end of last year and many contacts reached out looking to fill roles. Make sure to keep grinding and stay persistent if you're still looking. The job market still is rough but stick to the basics and you'll land, I'm proof of that. 

 

Quaerat ut dolores rem illo. Beatae quasi quam porro nostrum sunt. Blanditiis aliquid vel quod occaecati.

Natus corrupti et velit aut. Consequatur sunt sint excepturi sit iure et assumenda ea. Ipsa ab similique praesentium sunt mollitia mollitia. Et nostrum vel quaerat blanditiis qui. Harum laboriosam facere iste quasi.

Dolores sed in provident perspiciatis. Omnis vel eum enim et minus est. Eos dolorem vero necessitatibus praesentium aut voluptates temporibus. Voluptas facere ea nostrum voluptates fuga maxime aut asperiores. Aut officia impedit et.

Mollitia voluptatem in error qui. Temporibus libero doloremque suscipit cumque praesentium in totam. Quo nobis qui rem dolorum molestiae.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”