job market so bad, I actually have to believe in myself

rethinking ambition, risk, and what a “real job” looks like in 2025

Photo by Abbie Bernet on Unsplash

I saw this TikTok the other day from a recent college grad where she said:

“So many women I know want to be more than just one thing. They want to be like Hannah Bronfman, Emma Grede, Morgan DeBaun—multi-hyphenates. The kind of people who can talk about wellness, business, beauty, investing, all in one breath.”

Her perspective reflects a career shift that I’ve already started seeing among my peers, especially among people who were never expected to need a “Plan B.”

Several of my friends who graduated from top MBA programs last May still haven’t found traditional roles, a trend the Wall Street Journal highlighted in January. But what’s fascinating is that most of them aren’t even looking anymore. They’ve built consultancies that are now growing beyond what they ever expected. For some, the lack of options was the push they needed to create something of their own.

Others did land jobs, either in soul-crushing roles they pursued primarily for the high salaries or in more aligned positions that fall below the post-MBA median. They are adjusting. Making tradeoffs. Figuring it out in real time. And while that’s not inherently a problem, it does signal a broader shift. People are redefining what a “good” job looks like and increasingly building lives that prioritize fulfillment, flexibility, or ownership over just compensation.

And honestly, I get it. Because for many young professionals, the traditional path isn’t pathing right now.

---

From Side Hustles to Portfolio Careers

Over the past year, I’ve watched more and more of my classmates start to quietly experiment, whether they have jobs or not. Some are launching Substacks. Others are posting content more consistently or offering one-off coaching and freelance services on the side. It’s not always loud or branded, but it’s happening. And like past grads entering the workforce amid economic downturns, people aren’t waiting for permission. They’re building in public.

It’s not about going viral. It’s not even about monetizing, at least not right away. For most, these projects aren’t replacing full-time roles. They’re running alongside them. A creative outlet. A hedge. A way to test what else might be possible.

And for the most part, no one’s judging. At least, not as long as you’re not making your MBA your whole personality or filming every social interaction. In those cases, sure, there’s some skepticism. But when people keep it lowkey, it’s just seen as a lifestyle thing. Nothing too serious.

Still, that’s what got my attention. Because the people I know who are starting just-for-fun newsletters or consulting on the side aren’t unserious. They’re ambitious. Thoughtful. Tapped in. And whether they name it or not, they’re building portfolio careers.

That’s what made me start paying attention. Not because I was desperate. But because I wanted to understand what it might look like to build something more flexible and resilient. Not as a fallback. But as a strategy.

---

Owning More Than One Path

I’ve been watching portfolio careers play out since I was a kid.

My mom is a licensed dentist turned real estate agent. When I was eight, she sold her practice to have more flexibility and be present with my brother and me. She started investing in real estate on the side, got her license, and eventually built a full-time career from it. She’s now been in the field for over 20 years. Even though she still keeps up her dental license, she has no plans to return. She chose autonomy. She never looked back.

Both of my parents were obsessed with personal finance. I grew up listening to The Clark Howard Show during school pickups, surrounded by conversations about budgets, real estate, and financial independence. But despite all that, I didn’t see myself following that path.

If anything, I ran from it. I hated the endless trips to Home Depot, the urgent emergencies, the grind. I craved structure. PTO. Defined roles and responsibilities. A job I could leave at the office.

At Spelman, most of the high-achieving students I knew interested in business were pursuing elite corporate tracks through programs like SEO and MLT. I followed that path too, landing in consulting after majoring in economics. It felt like the smart, stable choice.

Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, didn’t appeal to me. What I saw growing up looked like hustle-heavy solopreneurship. What I saw at HBS, the Silicon Valley, VC-backed, Stanford dropout kind, felt far away. White. Elite. Coded in a way that didn’t feel like mine. Maybe that’s changed. I hope it has. But at the time, it felt like both a cultural mismatch and a financial gamble.

Then my dad passed away suddenly. My mom didn’t work for almost two years, without any changes to her lifestyle. She had built enough of a cushion, while consistently living below her means, to take time off and grieve without financial stress. And I realized that while I liked consulting, I couldn’t have done the same.

That’s when the idea of a portfolio career finally clicked. I used to think wanting to make money in my sleep was lazy. Now I see it for what it is: a desire for financial stability, regardless of what’s happening in the economy or at your company. Multiple income streams aren’t a luxury. They’re a strategy.

As I graduate into one of the strangest job markets in recent memory, I’m not rejecting the path I’ve built. I’m just expanding it. There’s more than one version of success. And maybe I don’t have to choose.

Maybe I can build a portfolio life that honors all of it: ambition, security, flexibility, ownership.

---

Redefining Success (On Purpose)

That’s why I’m being really intentional in my post-MBA job search.

I’m not looking for just any leadership development program or a vague corporate role with “strategy” in the title. I’ve done career coaching. I’ve worked in human capital consulting. I know the kinds of problems I want to help solve. And I know what I want to build long-term.

That’s why I’m looking at remote-first leadership consulting firms that align with how I want to live and work. I want my next role to challenge me but also support me as I continue growing my own business on the side. For me, a job is not a placeholder. It’s part of the portfolio.

Because I don’t just want a title. I want a platform.

Alongside meaningful full-time work, I want to build thought leadership. Speaking engagements. Brand partnerships. Maybe a book one day. None of that happens overnight. But they all build on each other. The writing builds the visibility. The visibility builds the credibility. The credibility creates options.

It’s not “either-or.” It’s all part of the same strategy.

Because I don’t want to just climb. I want to design. A career. A business. A life.

Optionality isn’t a consolation prize. It’s the strategy that’s helping me move forward with clarity, especially in a moment where the traditional path feels less certain than ever.

So yes, the job market is rough. But maybe that’s what finally made me realize: I don’t need the perfect plan to believe in myself. I just need the next right step.

---

What about you?

Are you building a portfolio life by choice or by necessity?
What does optionality look like for you right now?

I’d love to hear what you're navigating—and what you’re building.