I’m a graduating senior majoring in communication at a Connecticut university, and instead of looking forward to the moment I cross the stage, I feel a knot in my stomach every time someone asks, “So, what are your plans after college?” 

The honest answer? I don’t know. And that terrifies me.  

All year, I’ve been doing everything I was told would set me up for success. I’ve been polishing my résumé, networking, taking internships, building a portfolio, and looking at job boards months before graduation. I’ve talked to professors, alumni, and friends. And still, every time I even think about graduation, I spiral. 

I’ve also talked to students who graduated last year, the ones who were sitting exactly where I am now. They tell me the job search is “humiliating,” “exhausting” and, most commonly, “brutal.” One friend applied to over 120 positions before getting a single interview. Another, a strong student I’ve always assumed would thrive, is still unemployed. Several others have jobs that have nothing to do with communications at all: barista, receptionist, retail. 

Sometimes, after hearing about how oversaturated this job market is, I wish I had picked a different major. But now I am in too deep. I have invested four years and thousands of dollars in this path. I cannot just turn back. So instead, I sit with the anxiety of wondering whether all this effort will pay off. 

My fear is not just emotional. It is backed by data, especially for communication and journalism majors. 

Connecticut officials like to point out that there are thousands of job openings. According to the state Department of Labor, there are 80,000 job openings statewide. But when you narrow that to media and communication roles, the picture changes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that media and communication jobs nationwide are projected to grow more slowly than average. 

According to PR Daily, “The marketing and media/communications sectors have been among the hardest hit since the pandemic. When comparing current job openings to February 2020, they’ve endured drops of 24% and 26%, respectively.” 

Part of the problem is that many “entry-level” communications roles are not entry-level. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that “even before AI, many entry-level jobs were facing extinction, with 35% of employers posting jobs on LinkedIn requiring three years of experience for them.” 

For communications jobs such as PR assistant, social media coordinator or event coordinator, employers often expect polished portfolios, formal client experience and multiple internships. Many students cannot afford unpaid internships. Many work full-time to pay tuition. Many commute long distances and cannot take low-paying opportunities in New York or Boston. 

We graduate qualified but not experienced enough for jobs meant for recent graduates. 

Even when we apply, we wait. And wait. And wait. 

A 2024 hiring report showed the average hiring timeline was 44 days. Communications roles, which often require writing tests, multiple interviews and portfolio reviews, can take even longer. Job seekers on forums like Reddit complain that they’re still looking for jobs many months after graduation. 

In a state like Connecticut, that timeline is dangerous. According to the United Way of Connecticut, 40% of households in 2023 were ALICE households, people who work but still cannot afford basic needs. Many new graduates fall into that category immediately — not because they are unqualified, but because the system is not built to support them. 

So yes, I am scared. I am scared I will walk across that stage, degree in hand, only to end up lost in the same maze last year’s seniors are still navigating. 

Connecticut can change this story. 

First, employers must stop calling jobs “entry-level” when they require years of experience. If companies want local talent, they must be willing to train us. 

Second, Connecticut’s colleges need real pipelines between communications programs and in-state employers, including marketing agencies, nonprofits, hospitals, universities, state agencies and local media outlets. Communications students should not be left to network or sink. 

Third, the state needs to offer paid internship opportunities, especially in communication, where unpaid internships still dominate.  

Finally, employers must shorten hiring timelines. Even a simple “no” is better than months of silence. 

I love Connecticut. I want to stay here. I want to work here. I want to build a career here. I want to build a family here. But I cannot do any of that if the state and its employers do not make space for graduates like me. 

Graduation should feel like a beginning, not an end. 

I have spent four years earning my communications degree. I just want a fair chance to use it. 

Madisyn Kuhnly attends Central Connecticut State University.