📄 Abstract
Passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) is an important professional milestone, but it does not guarantee immediate employment. This study explored the lived experiences of eight unemployed 2024 Social Science LET passers from Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) Can-avid Campus. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the researchers examined participants’ experiences after licensure, the meanings they assigned to unemployment, and the coping strategies they used. Interview and focus-group narratives were analyzed thematically. Six themes emerged: initial triumph followed by emotional decline; professional in-betweenness and identity confusion; pressure from family expectations and social comparison; perceived barriers and systemic challenges in employment; diversion toward alternative career paths; and coping through distraction, faith, and social support. Participants described pride and happiness after passing the LET, followed by uncertainty, self-doubt, and pressure as unemployment continued. They also identified limited vacancies, competition, documentary requirements, and perceived reliance on personal connections as barriers. To manage these challenges, they sought support, practiced faith, kept themselves occupied, and considered other career options. The findings suggest that graduate employment support should include practical preparation, transparent information about hiring, career guidance, and attention to graduates’ psychosocial well-being.
📚 How to Cite:
Mariel E. Biasong , Antonette G. Gamayan, Estelita A. Madriaga , HOLDING THE LICENSE, MISSING THE ROLE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF UNEMPLOYED 2024 SOCIAL SCIENCE LET PASSERS FROM EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY CAN-AVID CAMPUS , Volume 12 , Issue 10, October 2026, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) , Pages: 462 - 468 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra31847