Even with a master's degree, it's a gig economy

In 2024, Virgil Warren graduated with a master’s degree in studio art from NYU. When he entered the labor market, he knew it was going to be difficult, but he didn’t think finding a full-time job would be this hard.

“I’ve probably applied… it must have been at least 500 applications,” Warren said. “Of those, I probably interviewed for like 20 to 30 full-time positions.”

And while he continues to try and break into the New York art world pursuing his dream as an artist, Warren has had to make ends meet booking whatever opportunity comes his way.

“There’s no sense of consistency, very few full-time positions,” Warren said. “And a lot of these positions, they don’t like to go over 31 hours a week, because then they have to offer insurance.”

Even when jobs offer 30 hours a week, that’s often too many to work a second job. But Warren is hoping his resilience in this market will pay off soon.

“We gotta find new traditions,” Warren said. “Maybe we all will be doing gig work in the future.”

To hear Warren’s full story, click the audio player above.