When we start school, it is constantly pounded into our heads about how important our education is. We are taught to go through grade school, middle school and high school, of course. But we are also encouraged to continue our education after high school and pursue a college degree. That is what we are taught, and if circumstances allow, that is what a lot of people do, including myself.

It is pounded through our heads all through school that if we want to grow up and get a good paying job and start a career, that we need to get a better education after high school.

So, here I am after undergraduate school. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree over a year ago. Then, since I decided to go ahead and pursue my Master’s degree, which I am half way through the program. I decided to continue my education because I wanted that amazing career that I was told I would get if I got this far.

I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree 14 months ago and guess what? I still don’t have that amazing career. I have applied for numerous jobs. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have a job. I have worked full time since I was 15 and I have never had a lapse in employment. I just don’t have that “better” job that I was convinced I would get after college.

So, we are taught that we need a degree to land that great career. Since I have graduated, I have changed the type of jobs that I apply for and I apply for jobs that say “Bachelor’s degree required” in the job description. After everything we were taught in high school, I would believe that I would at least be able to get an interview.

Wrong.

I apply for jobs and I am denied because I “don’t have the proper skills.” I can’t even begin to express how frustrating this is. We were never taught in school that we needed to have the skills to start a job. We were just taught that we needed the degree. So here I am with the degree. How am I supposed to gain the skills if I can’t even get a chance? Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

I need to just take a moment to vent about this because I believe this is incredibly unfair.

It is almost impossible to get the skills unless you start working somewhere and you are trained, unless it was something that you learned in your classes at school.

So why can’t I get an interview? So don’t I get a chance? I did what I told. I did what the job description asks for, which is a degree. Why do I need the skills if I have my degree? I have proven that I can keep a job. I have never not had a job. I have proven that I have the motivation and dedication and that I am a fast learner. My GPA is a fine example of that.

I feel like this is a huge problem because I know tons of college graduates who are in the same boat who live in various cities and who live in various states. It is not just me. It is not just the area. College graduates all over are stuck with thousands of dollars in student loan debt and they are forced to work somewhere not by choice, not for what they went to school for.

Come on. Just give us a chance. We at least deserve an interview.