I've been on the job hunt for about six months now after recently graduating with my M.A. in English. I'm 31 and have a solid academic background, including a 4.0 from both my undergraduate studies at Berkeley and my master's program, where I received the top fellowship. I've accumulated seven years of part-time experience in teaching, tutoring, and coaching, with awards for my work in those areas. Despite this, I find myself struggling to land a full-time role in academic advising, college application coaching, writing tutoring, or executive functioning coaching in the SF Bay area. In interviews, I focus on my empathetic approach and how I connect with my mentees, especially since I have ADHD myself and understand the challenges they face. I emphasize my journey from struggling academically to excelling at a top university, hoping to show that my methods can truly help resistant students. However, I don’t highlight my achievements during interviews; I prefer to let my resume speak for itself and instead demonstrate my cultural fit and teamwork skills. Despite my efforts, I've only been able to secure 1099 gigs so far, and I feel like I'm getting ghosted by employers. I'm genuinely confused about what I might be doing wrong. If I can't find a job soon, I'm worried about my living situation and how I'll manage basic needs. It's disheartening to think that after all the hard work I've put in to build an ideal resume for this niche, I might not be able to secure a position in a field where I feel uniquely qualified. I’m starting to wonder if I need to broaden my search or rethink my approach.