Landing a first job has become an uphill battle for many fresh graduates, even those with strong academic records. As competition intensifies and hiring slows in several sectors, many young job seekers are turning to alternative sources of income while continuing their search.A fresh graduate's search for work takes an unexpected turn. (Representative Image)A recent post on X has highlighted one such story after a user shared his conversation with a Rapido rider who had graduated this year with a Computer Science degree but had been unable to secure a job despite submitting hundreds of applications.The post was shared by X user Niraj, who said he met the rider during a journey and recognised a college sticker on his helmet. The two ended up chatting while waiting in traffic.(Also Read: 'He was scared to reschedule': Recruiter pauses interview after candidate arrives from hospital)"Last week, I met a guy on Rapido. I recognised the college sticker on his helmet and ended up talking to him for about 10 minutes while we were stuck in traffic. It turned out he graduated this year with a first division degree in Computer Science. Two months later, he is doing rides from 6 am every day because his savings have run out and nobody has called him back after more than 500 job applications. He said he had honestly lost count."His parents still think he is at home preparing for interviews. He never corrected them because he does not know how to bring it up without making it a bigger issue. He was not being dramatic about it. He simply kept saying, 'The market is like this right now,' and continued driving as though it was completely normal.“I do not know, but this seems to be happening to far more people than we realise. Maybe the job market is especially tough for fresh graduates right now.”A glimpse into the struggles of fresh graduatesWhile the story centres on one Rapido rider, it reflects a challenge many young professionals are grappling with. Despite earning a degree and applying for hundreds of jobs, some graduates are taking up gig work to support themselves while continuing their search for full time employment.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)