Recent Cybersecurity Graduate Struggles to Find Employment Despite Qualifications

The poster graduated in August with a B.A.S. in Cybersecurity (3.57 GPA, Dean’s List) and a Security+ certification. They completed an AWS internship focused on compliance (NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, RMF) and have since applied to roles like GRC, IT audit, and junior ISSO, primarily targeting federal contractors in the NoVA/DC area. Despite tailoring their resume, leveraging referrals, networking with 200+ professionals, and sharing GRC projects on GitHub and LinkedIn, they’ve received only one interview—for a help desk-adjacent role. They’ve applied to both clearance-required and non-clearance positions without success.