Three years after graduating with the honors of Yale and he won a master’s degree in bilingual education, Jacob Cramer is still looking for a job. Now 24 years old and living with his parents in Ohio, the former Fulbright scholarship holder has become public with his frustration, sharing on Instagram that he had to face more than 400 refusals. Its frank posts reflect an increasing anxiety among the most educated graduates of the labor market today.
Cramer, who studied psychology and Spanish, moved to Spain after obtaining his Yale diploma to teach English on a Fulbright scholarship. At 23, he published a book of children’s images, Grandmother’s exchange of letters. He has since returned to Ohio and is back home with his family.
“I obtained my Yale diploma with honors 3 years ago, I obtained a master’s degree and I cannot even get an unpaid internship,” he shared in an Instagram message. He added that he graduated from Yale – “one of the best universities in the world” – with only 21 years.
Now, after nearly 500 requests, he is still waiting for a breakthrough. “After 473 refusal, I am 24 years old, I live at home and ready to bring my skills to the right opportunity if my bank account allows it.”
Cramer hopes to work in the children’s media, a space that fascinated him. “I have friends who earn $ 100,000 + as NASA scientists, consultants and engineers. I studied psychology and Spanish, I obtained a master’s degree in bilingual education, and I have experience in the creation of programs for children, in particular the foundation of a non-profit organization which served more than 750,000 people and interpreting my own social-emotional theater abroad.
He also thanked his father for having encouraged him to continue higher education: “It turns out that Yale does not give job offers with the diploma! So thank you for always believed in me, dad.”
In a position with self-deprecating humor, he wrote: “Jacob thought it would be easy to find a job after obtaining his Yale diploma. Jacob did not find a job. He is stressed and depressed. At least he doesn’t have to wake up for 9 am. ”
The experience of Cramer highlights a broader trend, because even graduates of elite institutions like Cambridge have recently spoken of the challenges of labor security in a tightening labor market.
