Nationwide — A. Rasberry, a 38-year-old African American woman from Virginia who has long valued higher education, now regrets the path she took. Despite earning a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in business administration from Saint Leo University in Florida, she has struggled to find work in her field for the past four years. With more than $250,000 in student loan debt, Rasberry has been forced to pivot her career to make ends meet.
Despite facing low unemployment rates and a job-seekers’ market in the U.S., Rasberry has found her job search challenging. She believes her lack of experience is the main reason employers have passed her over. Although she gained some entry-level experience in banking, human resources, and bookkeeping while pursuing her degrees, it hasn’t been enough to secure management positions, and she is often overqualified for entry-level roles.
Rasberry’s advice for those considering higher education is to carefully evaluate a school’s job placement programs and internship opportunities before enrolling. She regrets not doing so herself and believes her degrees have been both “a blessing and a curse.” She also recommends weighing the value of education against work experience when planning a career.
While continuing her job search, Rasberry has worked multiple part-time jobs to cover her living expenses in Virginia, which ranks among the most expensive states. She recently completed training to work remotely for TurboTax and has been working as a direct care liaison in healthcare. This role provided certification at no extra cost, offering both job security and flexibility, although the pay—$21.50 per hour—has not been enough to consider it a long-term career.
Despite a recent promotion to a remote care plan consultant role with a $70,000 salary, Rasberry remains committed to finding a higher-paying job in business. She continues to submit job applications, determined to make full use of her education while balancing her current work responsibilities.
