Graduates Struggle to Land Internships Amid Tight Job Market

Pandemic-era hiring challenges continue to impact young professionals seeking early career opportunities.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:04pm

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A photorealistic studio still-life featuring a stack of resumes and a pen on a clean, monochromatic background, symbolizing the challenges recent graduates face in securing employment opportunities.The competitive job market leaves many recent graduates struggling to land even entry-level positions or internships.Los Angeles Today

Muneeb Iqbal, a soon-to-be graduate with a master's degree from the University of Southern California, is struggling to secure an internship or job despite the thousands of open positions nationwide. His experience reflects the ongoing challenges young professionals face in the current tight job market, as employers remain cautious about hiring amid economic uncertainty.

Why it matters

The difficulty graduates face in finding internships and entry-level roles highlights the lasting impacts of the pandemic on the job market, especially for early career professionals. This trend could have long-term consequences for young people's career trajectories and the overall pipeline of skilled talent.

The details

Iqbal has applied to over 4,000 positions but has yet to receive a single job offer or internship opportunity. He attributes this difficulty to employers' reluctance to bring on new hires, even as many companies report labor shortages in certain fields. The competitive landscape has forced many graduates to lower their expectations and settle for unpaid internships just to gain experience.

  • Iqbal is set to graduate with his master's degree in May 2026.

The players

Muneeb Iqbal

A soon-to-be graduate with a master's degree in integrated design, business and technology from the University of Southern California.

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What they’re saying

“I've applied to over 4,000 positions, and I haven't even gotten a single interview. It's really discouraging.”

— Muneeb Iqbal, Graduate Student

The takeaway

The struggles faced by recent graduates like Muneeb Iqbal highlight the ongoing challenges of the post-pandemic job market, where even highly educated young professionals are finding it difficult to secure meaningful early career opportunities. This trend could have lasting impacts on the career trajectories of an entire generation.