Dear counselor,

I graduated in 2013. I am now 22 and have become stuck as a waitress. What started out as a short-term solution to paying bills has now become a seven-month job working irregular hours at minimum pay. I have come to wonder, why as a graduate am I not able to get a better job?

My CV is good although arguably basic. No one will take you on without work experience or a completed internship, but like so many other recent graduates, I am not in a financial position to take on an unpaid internship, and any paid ones are like gold dust. It’s a vicious cycle. It appears you need experience in everything before you will even be considered for an entry level role.

I feel extremely miserable at my current job but I can’t afford to quit. How can I find the employment I’m looking for?

Leila

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