This is more or less a vent post, but here goes.
I'm an uni student, Eastern Europe, currently writing master's and preparing for a doctorate. Our uni sent us a job recruitment mail – not affiliated with uni, but they sent it anyway. Game localization job, requires at least 3 fluent languages, decided to apply just to see if I would get in with my CV. Apparently I did. The company sent a mail inviting me to an interview and language test (estimated at about 2,5h duration) THREE HOURS BEFORE IT STARTED, made it a point to arrive precisely on time or I would not be let in on the video call. I tried to join the call the minute it was scheduled to, but the host was not present. I waited for half an hour before giving up. After that did some digging and apparently the job would pay minimal wage and there is no prospect of getting formally hired with any benefits.
Just… Goddammit. I speak THREE LANGUAGES fluently. I have a degree and soon maybe more. I want to work in the field. And even so can't dream of getting any job, even the most shitty one. If I cannot stay in academia I honestly can't think of anything I could do besides retail and I know it will destroy me. Even working off the books at a bar paid more and had more benefits.