28F and feeling in a career limbo despite it all, is it worth to start from zero all over again?
This is going to be a long post. I'm an international relations gradate who got a degree right during the pandemic. For reasons including personal, health and the pandemic context itself I didn't start job searching right after graduating. By 2021 I got the opportunity to do a master's degree in the same field which I completed after going through mental health challenges, which again made it difficult for me to join the job market.
After finishing my master's I started job searching right away with the difficulty that most jobs available required at least 2+ years of experience (and I only had 6+ months from internships). Decided keep study a third language, get a certification while still job searching and volunteering. Got my first job after over a year of job searching, I did well but it was a short term project and contract which left me unemployed again for about 6 months, then again I got another short term contract and thing didn't go well. This where I'm now unemployed again sending applications but being selective at the same time, getting into interview stages just to get rejected some of the reasons given is that i'm over qualified others say I don't have enough experience. I don't understand then what the job market wants anymore and I'm beyond tired and entering a burnout stage. I feel like my degree has very little options on todays market.
I know I'm doing this in a position of privilege considering where I am from and where I live, a country in which most people don't even get a degree. And I have a great support system but is difficult not to feel disappointed about myself.
I am asking for advice, should I just keep trying while also looking for remote job opportunities (which so far haven't turn out well, again for the lack of direct experience or a minimum of 2 years as some platforms ask for) Or should I start from zero and go into culinary school? (my longtime dream career even before getting into IR) The thing is that I'm afraid of not getting good results all over again if I got to cooking school which takes 2 years with internships included and I'm not getting any young. There are many trade-offs that I need to evaluate about keeping job searching in a field that feels hopeless or getting into something completely different that won't give me immediate results after all.
Posted May 28, 2026, 5:13 PM UTC