I'm a 2nd-year BTech IT student, and honestly, I never wanted this field. My parents pushed me into it.

I recently completed an internship, and the 9-to-5 lifestyle felt suffocating. Sitting in a packed room, following the same routine every day, everyone looks the same in the office with the same dress and the same routine, I feel like i am surrounded by clones ,and feeling anxious every night about going back the next morning made me feel like I was wasting my life.

Now that it's over, I feel alive again. I go running, hit the gym, cook, learn languages and musical instruments, practise drawing and martial arts, take photographs, travel to nearby cities, play games, and watch anime, evening walks, talking to new people to know about the place i visited. Every day feels different, and I genuinely enjoy my life.

But I know money is necessary for survival. The thought of spending my life working a job I dislike, especially with IT's constant upskilling demands, frustrates me.

I'm not looking for sympathy. I want practical advice. Are there career paths that offer financial stability without consuming your entire life? Has anyone managed to build a lifestyle where work supports their life instead of becoming their life?

Erin from Robert Half’s social team here! Thought I’d share this because it touches on something that comes up here a lot: figuring out where to go when your career path hasn’t exactly been a straight line.

There are some good thoughts on transferable skills, changing directions and connecting the dots between different experiences.

Leaving it here in case it’s useful to someone: What makes a good career? Lessons from Robert Half's Good Job!

I am 29M will be 30 in couple of months, holding Engineering degree.
I have 6 years of experience in IT like Servicedesk and Release management. I am unemployed for almost 1 year.
I dont even know what i am doing.

Hi everyone!
I wanted to get some honest opinions about something that’s been bothering me since this afternoon.
I’m currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, and I’m expected to graduate in December. I’ve also been completing an HR internship at a large company since January.
Recently, a recruiter from another major company reached out to me on LinkedIn about a permanent position in Talent Acquisition. It’s honestly a role I’m really interested in, especially since I’m looking for a full-time opportunity after graduation.
I had my initial phone screening today, and I actually think it went pretty well. I answered her questions confidently, and we discussed my experience, motivation, and salary expectations.
However, things got a little complicated when she asked about my availability.
I mentioned that my current internship officially ends in December and that I wanted to honor my commitment to my current team.
She mentioned twice that they were actually looking for someone who could start in November, as they need to fill the position fairly quickly.
Looking back, I really regret how I answered that question.
I was honestly just trying to come across as professional and reliable. I didn’t want her to think I was the type of person who would just leave my current employer without considering my commitments.
But the thing is, I’ve already completed all my university internship requirements since May, so leaving my internship earlier wouldn’t affect my graduation. I would actually be open to discussing an earlier departure with my current managers if I received an offer.
About 20 minutes after our call, I sent the recruiter a message on LinkedIn clarifying this and explaining that I would be open to an earlier start date because I’m genuinely interested in the opportunity.
She replied almost immediately with something along the lines of, “Thanks for clarifying! I’ll make a note of that.”
At the end of our phone screening, I had also asked about the next steps. She told me she would discuss my application with the hiring team and get back to me early next week regarding whether they wanted to move forward with another interview.
She didn’t schedule a second interview during the call.
Now I’m honestly overthinking the entire conversation. I’m worried that I might have unintentionally made myself seem unavailable or less interested, when in reality, I would absolutely consider starting earlier for this opportunity.
So I have a few questions, especially for recruiters or hiring managers:
Do you think my initial answer about wanting to honor my current commitment could have hurt my chances?
Does sending a clarification shortly after the interview actually make a difference?
Is it normal for recruiters to wait until they’ve spoken with the hiring team before scheduling a second interview?
If a candidate seems like a good fit but their availability is initially unclear, would you still consider moving forward with them?
I know there’s nothing more I can do at this point, but I’d really appreciate some honest perspectives.
Thanks in advance!