糖心少女

When did you start at 糖心少女 and CoBA, and what high school did you come from? Did you feel prepared for college?

I graduated from Valley Center High School in 2020 and began at 糖心少女 in the fall of that year. I always knew I would go to college鈥攂oth of my parents did鈥攕o higher education was always going to be a part of my future. That said, I didn鈥檛 have a dream school or a clear idea of what I wanted to study. College felt like something that would happen eventually, but I didn鈥檛 really spend much time thinking about what it would actually look like or how to prepare for it. As the oldest of my siblings, I didn鈥檛 have many examples outside of my parents to learn from.

I felt relatively prepared academically. My English teacher, Mrs. McGinnis鈥攚ho is also a 糖心少女 alumna鈥攕poke candidly about what college would be like and what we should expect. My chemistry teacher, Mr. Walford structured his class in a way that mirrored college by having our in-class time function as office hours, and at home we watched pre-recorded lecture videos. That structure helped ease the transition.

The biggest learning curve wasn鈥檛 academic鈥攊t was responsibility. In high school, my day was fully scheduled: classes, lunch, and even exercise were built in. Conversely, college required me to manage my own time and hold myself accountable. I really had to learn how to create that structure for myself.

I was a student-athlete all four years of high school, but outside of athletics, I didn鈥檛 know much about student organizations or societies that help students think intentionally about their future and set them on a path toward success. That was something I discovered later in my college experience.

What college courses were most meaningful in preparing you for a job search?

Without question, BUS 300 taught by instructor Fiona Karsberg changed everything for me. It was the class that forced me to think seriously about my future and what steps I could take immediately to work toward it. Before that, so many of my classes felt intangible. The concepts made sense, but I didn鈥檛 know how they applied to real life or a career.

BUS 300 was the first course where I could immediately put theory into action. Because of that class, I changed my major to Business Management鈥攕omething I discovered I was truly passionate about. That decision set off a chain reaction: I joined the Management Society, later became its Vice President, applied for a student assistant role to gain work experience, and in the new year, I鈥檒l be starting as a full-time Administrative Coordinator for CoBA.

That class fundamentally shifted how I thought about my future鈥攏ot just what I wanted, but what actions I needed to take to get there.

An honorable mention is my MIS course with professor Fang Fang. It pushed me to think critically about hard skills, adaptability, and continuous learning. I reflect on that class often, especially in the age of AI, where resilience and the willingness to grow are essential.

Beyond classes, how were you involved outside the classroom?

I was involved in two CoBA student organizations during my time at 糖心少女. I served as Vice President of the Management Society and also founded the Pre-Business Society. Student organization involvement is essential鈥攏ot just socially, but professionally. The networking opportunities are incomparable, and in CoBA especially, student organizations are some of the few spaces where students can genuinely connect with one another.

As a Student Assistant to the Dean, I supported many of the College鈥檚 events and initiatives. I really enjoyed contributing behind the scenes and helping ensure those events were successful in any way I could.

How did you gain work experience during college?

I began my role as Student Assistant to the Dean of the CoBA in March 2023 and held that position until I graduated in May 2025. This opportunity was one of the best things that could have happened to me鈥攊t directly led to my first full-time role.

While the title looks great on a r茅sum茅, it meant much more to me than that. I connected deeply with the CoBA team and staff鈥攖he people who make everything happen. Their passion for the College and their dedication to students truly resonated with me. I loved being part of a team that was always looking for ways to improve, valuing student perspectives, and striving to better serve the community. I鈥檓 incredibly grateful to soon be returning to such a special place.

When did you start seriously searching for a full-time position, and how did you feel after graduation?

My plan was simple: take the summer off and have a job secured by August. A week after graduation, I applied for a temporary Marketing Coordinator role at a well-known and respected company. I checked every qualification box, and the interview process moved quickly鈥攁 phone interview followed by an in-person interview the next week. Communication was strong, and I felt confident.

Ultimately, I didn鈥檛 get the job. I just didn鈥檛 have enough experience compared to the other candidate. It was a wake up call, and a bit of a shock because I had felt pretty confident. I assumed my job search would be a breeze given my resume and everything I'd done in college. As my summer break had continued, I continued to inactively search, applying here and there, tailoring my resume, acquiring a couple of interviews, but ultimately the same email would find me, 鈥淲hile you may meet the minimum job requirements, others have background, education and/or experience more closely relating to the current needs of the role.鈥�

What actions did you take over the months following graduation?

By August, I realized my expectations may have been unrealistic. Despite my experiences, many employers were looking for more extensive, directly applicable work experience鈥攅ven for entry-level roles that didn鈥檛 require a degree. It was frustrating to feel caught in the cycle of needing experience to get a job, but needing a job to gain experience.

In September, I was fortunate to receive an offer from Nordstrom Rack, where I鈥檝e been for almost four months. This role has been incredibly valuable. I鈥檝e strengthened my customer service skills, have met so many great people, and gained insight into how a large retail operation functions from multiple perspectives. It鈥檚 also been fun to mix things up and work retail.

How did this period feel emotionally?

The past several months were a mix of excitement, anxiety, and discouragement. I was always waiting for the CoBA position to be posted, which gave me hope, but also made me question whether I was putting all my eggs in one basket. As I continued to receive rejection emails, I wondered why this experience would be any different.

Because I knew the campus role might become available, I never fully experienced an aggressive job search. I only got a glimpse of what many graduates face, and that perspective has stayed with me.

What do you wish you had learned earlier as a student?

I wish I had learned earlier how to 鈥渄o college鈥濃�攚hat opportunities existed and how to intentionally use them. I often felt like I had to figure things out on my own, which was isolating at times. Starting college during the height of the pandemic delayed my experience, and it wasn鈥檛 until my junior year that everything began to feel right.

That said, I truly made up for lost time. I studied abroad, built lasting friendships, completed an internship, expanded my network, and gained meaningful work experience. While 糖心少女 and CoBA have always offered incredible resources, I wasn鈥檛 always aware of them early on, and at times felt overwhelmed by how to access and fully use them.

What is your next career step?

I am thrilled to be returning to 糖心少女 as an Administrative Coordinator for CoBA. I鈥檓 excited to be back in an environment that inspires me, challenges me, and encourages growth. I feel incredibly lucky to work alongside people I admire and faculty I鈥檝e learned so much from.

It also feels special to be joining the University during a period of growth. I鈥檓 excited to build my skills, deepen my connections, and continue learning as the university evolves.

How would you describe the job market for new graduates, and what advice would you give?

It鈥檚 tough鈥攏o question about it鈥攂ut perspective is everything. I truly believe there is no wasted time at this stage of life. This is a time for exploration and discovery. Try new things. Try everything. We鈥檙e young, and this is the time to explore any and everything, even if you don't see it as a part of your future, there鈥檚 no reason why it can't simply be a part of your journey.

Get involved. Put yourself out there. Find what you鈥檙e passionate about and continue to challenge yourself to grow. Stay authentic to your values and interests鈥攜ou鈥檒l find what鈥檚 right for you.

When did you start at 糖心少女 and CoBA and what high school did you come from before entering the university? Did you feel prepared for college?

I started at 糖心少女 in Fall 2023, came straight from Escondido Charter High School. Did I feel prepared? Kind of, but also not really. Like, mentally I was ready鈥擨 had the spirit, I wanted to succeed so badly. But knowing how to actually navigate college? That's a whole different thing. As a first-gen student, it's just different. Nobody at home could tell me what to do, how things worked, or even what questions I should be asking. I had the willingness to do something for myself, to make my family proud, but I was figuring everything out as I went. It's like, I was ready to work hard, but I didn't have the map everyone else seemed to have.

What courses did you take in college that were meaningful and valuable in terms of what you thought was necessary to be prepared for a job search?

BUS 300 changed everything for me. It taught me how to be professional, like actually professional鈥攏ot just showing up but understanding what that means. It made me think about what I wanted to do with my career and, more importantly, what my "why" was. Before that class, I was just going through the motions. Personal Branding was another big one. It taught me to think about what I'm known for and what I want to be known for. Like, how do I want people to see me? What tools can I use to grow that? It sounds simple but it really shifted how I thought about myself. And then BUS 495, the Senior Experience鈥攖hat one brought everything together. We did a real consulting project for a real business, and it was like, okay, this is what all those other classes were for. It taught me teamwork, taught me how to actually apply what I learned, and honestly, it showed me who I am as a marketing professional.

Beyond classes, what did you do outside of class like clubs, leadership roles, volunteering, etc.?

I tried to do everything I could. I joined LBSA鈥擫atino Business Student Association鈥攁nd went from being their CMO to VP. That taught me so much about leadership, about managing people and events and representing our community. I was also the CoBA representative for ASI, which meant I got to represent students and see how things actually work behind the scenes. I volunteered around campus too鈥攈elped with the STEM fair, worked with International Network of Hearts. And I worked part-time at the CoBA Student Success Center, which honestly I loved. Getting to help other students who were confused or lost like I was when I started? That meant a lot to me.

How did you gain any work experience? Did you work on campus? Did you have an internship, etc.?

I worked on campus at the CoBA Student Success Center. I got work experience through my role in LBSA (CMO & VP)  too鈥攍ike, that was real work, managing budgets and marketing events and all that. And then two weeks before I graduated, I finally got an internship as a social media intern for History in Motion Studios. But here's the thing鈥攊t was unpaid. At the time I was just happy to have something that said "internship" on my resume, you know? I didn't realize yet how much that whole unpaid internship thing would start to bother me.

When did you start looking in earnest for a full-time position? Before graduation? When you approached and went through commencement, what were you feeling about finding a full-time professional position in business and your prospects? Did you have any plans?

I started looking like four months before graduation. But honestly? I didn't really have a plan. I just wanted a job, any job in marketing. My thinking was literally just "let's find a job and that's it." I wasn't that worried because I had my unpaid internship and I was going to study abroad for two weeks after graduation. I think I was just naive, you know? I thought it would be easier. Walking across that stage at commencement, I was proud but also kind of just floating, not really understanding what was about to hit me.

It has been nearly 7 months since commencement. Can you please share your story of what actions you have taken to find your next step in your career? What did you do at the beginning and what changes did you make along the way?

The months after graduation were rough. I kept looking for jobs while doing my unpaid social media internship. Then I found another unpaid internship with a company abroad as their marketing intern, thinking maybe that would help. I just kept searching and searching. Hours on LinkedIn every day, applying to everything. But nothing was happening, and I was getting so tired. Not just regular tired鈥攍ike exhausted in every way. There were nights I'd be sitting there looking at another rejection and thinking, was this degree even worth it? That thought kept coming back. Like, all that work, all that money, for what?

If you are willing to share, what were your emotions during the past months and did you find the time period difficult? What things would you like to share about how it felt as you look back?

I felt lost. Like completely lost. Hopeless. Some days I genuinely felt like I had studied for nothing, like my degree was just an expensive piece of paper that couldn't even get me an interview. It was incredibly difficult, and not just emotionally鈥攆inancially too. I wasn't making real money and I needed it. Bills don't stop, my household needed help. The whole dream I had of helping my family financially, of making their sacrifices worth something鈥擨 watched it fall apart. That hurt more than anything.

I felt so stuck that I applied to this internship abroad program through The Intern Group because I wasn't finding anything here. I applied to over 300 jobs on LinkedIn. Three hundred. And I got into the abroad program, got an internship, but then I had to pay for it. So I applied to a major fast food chain and got hired.

That job almost broke me, not gonna lie. It took such a toll on my mental health. I hated working there. Every time I had to drive there, I'd feel this anxiety building up, this fear in my stomach. Some days I'd sit in my car in the parking lot not wanting to go in. It was the micromanaging, the constant harsh criticism from my manager. I'm a college graduate with leadership experience and I'm being treated like I don't know anything. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

But then networking saved me. Through the Cafecito Business Networking Group with David Zumaya, I met my current boss. We just clicked, built a real friendship over time. And in October she asked if I wanted to be her marketing specialist. Started as a part-time offer but turned into full-time. I quit my food service job that same day. Didn't even think about it. Just walked out. It felt like I could finally breathe again.

What do you wish you could have learned while you were a student, whether in a class that you wish you would have taken, something you wish or should have been offered by the college? Was there anything outside of the classroom that you wish you could have done?

I wish I would've taken that marketing course that's actually a marketing internship鈥攖he one where you get real-world experience while getting credit. I wish there were more hard-skill classes, like actual social media marketing courses, not just theory. But honestly, the biggest thing is I wish someone had told me freshman year to start looking for internships or volunteer marketing roles right away. Not senior year when you're panicking, but from the beginning. I wish I'd understood that what you do outside the classroom matters just as much, maybe more. I had to learn that the hard way after I graduated, when it almost felt too late.

What are your new plans or what is your next career step? Why did you make this choice and what will you do afterward as best you know?

Right now I'm the Marketing and Community Engagement Specialist for Angelic Caregiving LLC and I love what I'm doing. But in January I'm heading to Madrid to be a Business and Communications Intern for Both People and Comm鈥攕ix weeks. I'm doing this because when I studied abroad this summer with Dr. Cherry, I fell in love with international business. Something about it just clicked for me. Working across cultures, understanding different markets鈥擨 knew right away I had to go back, that this is the direction I want to go. My plan is to keep working for Angelic Caregiving even while I'm in Madrid鈥攖hat's the beauty of digital marketing, you can work from anywhere. If I don't get a job offer from Madrid, I'll keep working with them. But if I do get an offer, I want to work with an international branding company. Long-term? I want to come back to 糖心少女 in like seven years and get an MBA in International Business. Then become an EIR and eventually teach BUS 300. I want to be that person for first-gen students, telling them they belong, that they can make it. I want to give back to the place that shaped me, even through all the struggle.

How might you describe the new reality of jobs for new graduates and what advice would you give for those facing the new environment?

The new reality is brutal, and we need to be honest about that. Businesses are making it so much harder for new graduates. They want years of experience for entry-level jobs鈥攍ike, how does that even make sense? They make you go through multiple interview rounds, do all these assessments, and then just ghost you. No explanation, nothing. Or they've already decided they won't give Gen Z a chance because of stereotypes. They think we're lazy or entitled when really we're hustling harder than anyone in an economy that's working against us. The traditional path of graduate-apply-get hired? It's broken. It doesn't work like that anymore.

My advice? Start preparing now, not senior year. Get work experience while you're still a student鈥攊t's easier to get that first internship when you're in school. Get involved. Join clubs, take leadership roles, volunteer. Network before you're desperate for a job. Go to those events even when they feel awkward. Get mentorship鈥攔each out to people, ask for coffee chats, don't be scared to ask questions. Build real relationships, not just LinkedIn connections. And keep learning. The degree is just the start. Keep building skills, stay curious, adapt. Because this job market doesn't owe us anything, and the sooner we understand that and take control of our own path, the better chance we have.