I’m a final year student in uni and I’ve been super anxious about job hunting. At first I had decided to start looking after this semester has ended but recently I had to go for a career counselling session and it really sent me down a spiral.
After the first session I was tearing up and full on cried after I went home as the session made me feel really unprepared for job hunting. Felt this was as my resume isn’t as stacked as other people and the advisor kinda came across in a way that it was necessary to have more than what I currently have.
Today I had the second session and while I didn’t cry at first, after I got home and talked to my mom about it im just feeling very stressed and overwhelmed. I’m the type to get nervous and stuck on my words especially during interviews and I know that that wouldn’t fly during the actual thing. I’m just super anxious about it all.
Also would like to know how to stop myself from crying during stressful times like this as I really do not want to cry if an interviewer is too harsh on me.
Hi @user0417, it sounds like you’re feeling really anxious and overwhelmed about job hunting, especially after those career counselling sessions. From what you shared, it seems like the feedback you received made you feel unprepared and compared to others, which must have been really discouraging 
. On top of that, you’re worried about getting nervous during interviews and how to manage your emotions if the situation feels harsh. That’s a lot to hold at once, and it’s completely understandable that you’d feel stressed.
I just want to say that it’s okay to feel this way as job hunting is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of finishing school, and you’re not alone in this. Many people don’t have “stacked” resumes and still land jobs because employers also look for potential, personality, and the ability to learn.
One thing that sometimes helps with interviews is practicing short, simple answers or a short self-introduction you can rehearse beforehand. It can give you something to fall back on when you’re nervous. And for the crying, you don’t have to “fix” it completely. But some small tricks (like taking a slow sip of water, grounding your feet on the floor, or focusing on your breathing) can help calm your body enough to stop tears from spilling over in the moment.
You’ve already shown resilience by attending those sessions and reflecting on what you can improve and that’s a real strength 
.
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Hi @user0417, as a uni student myself, this is definitely one of the biggest concerns haunting us all 
I want to assure you that you are not alone. Recently, I have came across a few articles online on this issue. Your fear is very much valid, but it is definitely not a “do or die” scenario. This article (Long hunts, few replies: Singapore university graduates finding it tough in job market, CNA poll shows) details the main barriers to landing a job and gives tangible advice on how to improve your prospects. Keep your head up and wishing you the best of luck with your job search!
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I can relate, during my final year of uni i was also worried. I wanted to savour the last moments of jus being.student but got classm who were going on/ comparing abt jobhunts. They were outgg types, later from linked in i saw they got into insurance etc.
Not the field we studied
Wish someone had told me this a decade ago so here goes.
My advice - apply for internships. Or look for contract or temp roles related to the roles or industry you are looking to get in. A lot of companies generally are open to accepting interns. Don’t look at it the wrong way - It’s a good way to access if this kind of job/role is 1) what you want to get into or interests you 2) suitable with you/ something with prospects and long term path to pursue
In fact, if you get into internships, suggest “job shadowing”. When you job shadow, you get more insights into what the day to day looks like in that particular role.
Not all internships will lead you to a full time job but it’s usually good to have an internship in your track record.
Secondly, look into the profiles of the roles you want to apply. Example - if you want to be a programmer in a tech industry. Look at Linkedin, some of people who are programmers in those tech companies or tech startups. Find out what they have, how they “market” themselves, connect with them and heck shoot them a message and ask them how they land that job. You’d be surprised, people might be friendlier than you think and respond to you with advice.
For the interview thing, if you’re not the spontaneous fly by kind of person, then prep those questions ahead of time. RESEARCH what normally they would ask. Sometimes reviews on Glassdoor will describe interviews and tell their experience interviewing that particular company like “the interviewer asks this or that”. Then REHEARSE. It might not sound genuine or you think you don’t want to sound robotic. But practice makes perfect. When you rehearse, you can retain some “keywords”. Those keywords can be crucial as interviewers will pick up some “keywords” you might mention.
Lastly, go for as much interviews. Build that “exposure”. More exposure to attending interviews will make it less daunting. Always overwhelming not gonna lie and sugarcoat, but over time when its repetitive exposure, you will muster up more courage and confidence.
Also that advisor is crap. Don’t sell yourself short. Believe that you have a specialisation to offer, career advisor or coach always say these kinds of crap like “oh you need to upskill to level with the rest due to competitiveness”. Everyone is always going to be better than you. Point being you already have something to offer and to not led them to think otherwise