As a child of immigrants, I grew up hearing that America was the land of opportunity. My parents reminded me often how lucky I was to be born on U.S. soil.
And while I am deeply grateful to have grown up in this country, the phrase “land of opportunity” has started to feel less true in recent years. I just graduated with my master’s degree and accepted a full-time role as a staff reporter at Weeklys—an opportunity I’m incredibly thankful for. But I also recognize how rare it’s becoming to step into a job right after college.
According to a 2024 report from Handshake, a student career services platform, only 30% of college graduates secured a job before turning the tassel. This year, job postings on the platform are down 15%, while applications per role are up 30%—a shift Handshake attributed to waves of federal funding cuts and the uncertainty surrounding the new presidential administration.
These national trends are echoing in the Bay Area. Several companies in the Tri-Cities have announced large-scale layoffs, including Tesla, which has cut over 1,400 jobs at its Fremont facility in the past year, and Fremont-based Confluent Medical Technologies, which plans to lay off 102 employees this June.
And so this is what I’m seeing: starry-eyed youth chasing dreams, heading off to college with hopes of changing the world—only to find little waiting for them on the other side. I have peers who are returning to their childhood bedrooms, discouraged after months of unsuccessful job hunting. There are so many brilliant, capable and driven young adults who can’t catch a break in this job market.
My fear is that this will break their spirit. That the spark that led them to dream big in college will burn out. And if that happens, it’s not just graduates who will pay the price—society will, too.
America must do better by its college graduates.
We deserve better.
