I’ve been looking for a job for about 4-5 months, and it’s been going nowhere. I have a community college degree in data, a few certificates, some retail and election work, and internships.

I don’t think my family and friends understand that, so far, I’ve not come particularly close to anything relevant in my field. They seem to think with my skills, I could waltz into any company and get a cushy job. I always get strange looks when I discuss what I’ve been interviewing for. It’s very discouraging. On one hand, I appreciate that they clearly think I’m some one-in-a-million computer whiz, but it’s getting a bit embarrassing to know that in terms of the job market I’m really not.

As an example, I recently had two rounds of interviews for a call center job. I know the place and for a call center position, it’s pretty high-end. I wasn’t dying to work there, but I would have liked to get it. My mom, on the other hand, told me she didn’t think it was a good fit for my skillset and wondered why I even applied. And then after they rejected me, it was all “oh, too bad, they don’t know what they’re missing.” Well, I appreciate that, but it doesn’t mean much given I know you thought the job was a joke.

I’m always getting sent jobs from my family and friends that they think I’d be great for, and I apply, but I know I’m never going to get them. And they always ask me for status updates like there’s a chance. And every time I do get an interview, I almost hate mentioning it because I know they’ll be puzzled I bothered wanting to work there, and then I still get rejected. Just today I got rejected from a company I recently discussed with a friend, who clearly didn’t think highly of them. So to not even get a job there hurts.

Don’t get me wrong, this is hardly the primary reason I’m agitated and stressed every day. But I feel like I could sit them down and explain the state of job seeking and none of them would get it. It’s just frustrating feeling like nobody’s in the same boat, particularly considering I try keeping my unemployment whining to a minimum around them (hence why I’m finally making my first post here).