A new graduate from American University described how entry-level hiring requirements that demand experience can block traditional pathways into internships. Ayala Ossowski said she faced silence on more than 100 internship applications, then used a targeted in-person networking approach while working at a pizza shop. Ossowski’s strategy—wearing her university baseball cap to cue her student identity and prompt conversations with customers—led to direct discussion about potential internships. The episode highlights how credential signaling and relationship access can matter when hiring systems filter candidates before interviews. For higher education leaders, the account underscores the importance of career services that create structured employer touchpoints and reduce experience gating. It also points to the continuing mismatch between what students can demonstrate and what employers expect. As internships and early-career pipelines remain under strain, universities may be pressured to expand experiential learning and employer engagement mechanisms that function even when formal postings are bottlenecked.