I didn't struggle, but then I had a lot of industry experience already under my belt - compared to my peers who I graduated with. Enter the IT roots of Sydmin..
I started "working" in my industry when I was 16. I did IT support for the local community I lived in. Windows reinstalls, virus/malware checkups, new software installs, that sort of thing. Before it was super easy and Google was a widespread thing. I used to go to families, old folks, anyone who really wanted any help. I put cards up in the local newsagents, advertised my mobile number and people called me. I charged a small hourly fee, publicised on that ad and soon enough I had a few repeat customers that happened to own local businesses and it grew from there.
Before I knew it I was doing website design, hosting, bespoke application development - I had to teach myself all of what I needed to know. Soon those £15 an hour "Windows checkup" jobs were behind me and I was charging £50 an hour website design and £10 a month website hosting, support and email. I handled everything from their domain registration to anti spam rules on their inbox. It was a great little earner and it got me acustom to the business world, how people treat each other and how real work is done. It taught me a lot about the industry and about the technology. I contracted for a local school doing network and server support. I got some hand-me-down rackmount 1U servers and network gear and built my own homelab. I taught myself how to setup and configure a network the hard way, with enterprise level kit.
I went to university and continued to build applications, websites - except with my experience to date I was now writing my own contracts up, agreeing SLAs, having client meetings on the days where I had no contact time. When people came back from their placement years wide-eyed and reeling in the corporate environment, I found I had been doing it freelance, on an off, for about 5-6 years. It was a bit of a shock - I had this wealth of experience that I thought I had just blagged my way through to get some extra money and it turns out this experience could be directly applied to what I wanted to do going forward. Landed on my feet, I did.
I interviewed for a full time systems analyst position in my third year. I got the job offer, accepted it working 2 days a week until I graduated when I would become full time and stayed there for 2 years doing a mixture of business analysis, systems analysis, project management and general bits and pieces.
So uh, yeah. I had a slightly unique start to my professional career. I encourage anyone who is passionate about IT, technology or anything like that to do exactly the same.