**Our Take**
This reader's story is about a tension most young professionals feel but rarely name aloud: the gap between gratitude and growth. You can be grateful for a job, especially a Machine Learning Engineering role out of undergrad, and still know it isn't right for you. That's not weakness. That's self-awareness.
What stands out here is that this reader is doing everything "right." They accepted a relocation from the Bay Area to the East Coast. They're starting a part-time master's program this fall. They've been logging overtime for months as their company's leadership pushes AI expectations past reasonable limits. They're grateful, they're learning, and they're burned out. The culture is deteriorating, the climate doesn't fit, and the social isolation is real. Yet they still wonder if they're doing something wrong because the job market isn't responding to their applications.
Here's the practical truth: eight months is not a red flag on a resume. It is, however, an honest signal that you've seen enough to know what you need. Trust that. The market for entry-level MLE roles is tight, especially for bachelor's-level new grads. That's not a reflection of your ability or your effort. It's a structural reality. You can keep applying while also taking steps to make your current situation survivable. Set boundaries on overtime. Use your master's program as an anchor for long-term perspective. And give yourself permission to dislike a place without guilt.
The question isn't whether you should move on. It's whether you're willing to trust what you've learned about yourself in these eight months. Your growth has already given you that answer. Now it's about acting on it with patience, not panic.