Why does it feel impossible to start a career even after doing everything “right”?
I genuinely feel like a complete failure right now.
I’m finishing an MBA in Finance & Analytics from a decent business school after already completing a finance-focused undergraduate degree, and somehow I’m still struggling to get even an entry-level opportunity that pays enough to survive in a metro city.
Before anyone says “maybe you don’t have skills or experience,” here’s the reality:
- Multiple internships across finance, analytics, treasury, research, and operations
- Experience with SAP, Excel, Power BI, financial modeling, equity research, forecasting, liquidity management, and reporting
- Certifications from Bloomberg, Wharton, JP Morgan, Google, Microsoft, including certifications in AI and Generative AI
- Research papers published and recognized internationally
- National-level competition wins and academic recognition
- Projects involving R, SPSS, quantitative analysis, market research, and data analytics
And yet most of the offers I’m getting are between ₹5k–₹15k a month, often with no relocation support, no proper role clarity, and barely any growth.
What hurts more is that recruiters and professionals constantly say things like:
“Strong profile”
“Impressive background”
“You’ve done a lot for your age”
But after that?
Ghosting.
Rejections.
Silence.
I genuinely don’t understand what companies want anymore.
People keep saying “upskill yourself,” but how much more am I supposed to do? I already tried building technical skills, finance skills, analytics skills, and now even AI-related certifications because everyone says AI is the future.
At some point it starts feeling like no matter how hard you work, it still won’t be enough unless you have connections, referrals, luck, or family backing.
I’m not saying I deserve a huge salary or some elite position. I just want one fair opportunity to start my career properly.
Right now I honestly feel burnt out and defeated. Years of effort, exams, internships, networking, certifications, and applications — and somehow I still feel unemployable.
Has anyone else experienced this after an MBA or while trying to enter finance?
How did you recover mentally from this phase?