Hi everyone,
I'm a 34-year-old woman looking for a data analytics, data science, or even a customer service/client service role in New Jersey or New York. I currently live in Bergen County, NJ. I also have previous experience working in luxury hotels and exhibitions, so I'm open to customer-facing roles as well.
I graduated with a Master's in Data Science from a small, non-target university in New Jersey in May 2025. Since then, I haven't been able to land an internship or a full-time job, and honestly, it's becoming discouraging.
This isn't my first time asking for help. I've posted on Reddit before, reached out on LinkedIn, visited the Bergen County Job Center, and applied to thousands of positions. A few people kindly offered referrals, but I was still rejected by AI tracking system, often before speaking to anyone. I've even had several LinkedIn interviews canceled on the day they were supposed to happen, followed by complete silence.
In 2024, I completed an unpaid externship through Extern, where I worked on a sentiment analysis project using Amazon web-scraped data. Other than that, I don't have professional data experience.
I've applied to jobs at Walmart, Costco, banks, insurance companies, airline, fintech... and countless data-related positions. I tailor my resume for every application, but I still receive mostly automatic rejections. I did make it to the second round for an Associate Banker position at Chase, but unfortunately wasn't selected.
I don't require visa sponsorship, but I wasn't born in the U.S. I previously worked in Singapore and Vietnam, where finding a job wasn't nearly this difficult. I'm not sure what's holding me back here.
Since graduating, I've continued learning through DataCamp, personal projects, and practice. I've worked with Python, R, SQL, Tableau, machine learning, AI agents, and workflow automation. I also earned my CompTIA A+ Core 1 certification, hoping it would help me get an entry-level IT support or help desk position, but that hasn't led to any opportunities either.
Even my husband, who works for a private bank in NYC, referred me for several openings. After I applied, he spoke with HR, but I either received an immediate rejection or never heard back. Even internal referrals haven't been enough to get me an interview. My cousin, who's currently interning at a startup in NYC, has also struggled. Her company isn't hiring interns full-time, and she's been ghosted after 7 rounds interview for software engineering positions.
At this point, I'm just looking for someone to give me a chance. I'm willing to learn, work hard, and start from the bottom. If anyone has advice, knows of internships or entry-level roles in New Jersey or NYC, or is willing to offer guidance or mentorship, I'd be incredibly grateful.
Some days I honestly wonder if I'm just not meant to build a career here. I've spent over a year studying, earning certifications, improving my resume, and sending thousands of applications, yet I still can't seem to get my foot in the door. It's hard not to feel discouraged when so much effort doesn't lead anywhere.
Thank you so much for reading.
