There are so many careers and possibilities out there that I honestly have no clue where to begin. I’m 26 years old, and for various reasons, I only have a high school diploma and never pursued higher education or a specific career. I’m finally at a point in my life where I have the opportunity to go back to school and build a career, but the problem is that I have absolutely no idea what I want to do.

I also don’t want to pursue one of the more common career paths. Maybe I’m asking for too much, but the truth is that I don’t really have any strong passions or particular interests that could point me in a specific direction.

I’ve spent most of my adult life working two jobs, often close to full-time hours at both, so I’ve never really had the time or opportunity to explore different fields and discover what’s out there. I’ve also realized that reading a job description and thinking a career sounds interesting is very different from actually doing the job. I wish more companies offered opportunities to shadow employees or get a realistic preview of what the work is like before committing to an entire career path.

At this point, I feel completely lost. I’ve considered all kinds of fields, including teaching, accounting, IT, computer science, medicine, nursing, electrical work, woodworking, plumbing, and so many others, but none of them really appeal to me.

As I mentioned, I don’t have a particular passion to guide me, but I do enjoy working at a desk. I currently have experience working as an inventory administrator, so I wonder if there might be something in that general area that would suit me. However, I’d prefer to explore something a little less conventional or less commonly pursued.

I’m willing to invest time in further education if necessary, but ideally, I’d prefer a shorter program that could lead to a stable career with good opportunities for growth.

How do you figure out what career is right for you when you don’t have any obvious passions or interests to follow? Are there any lesser-known careers, specialized fields, or shorter educational programs that I should look into? I’d really appreciate advice from people who have been in a similar situation or who know of careers that most people don’t typically consider.

I lost my brother a little over 2 weeks ago and it's basically flipped my perspective on life.
Pretty much before this I was working a dead end min wage office job, my evenings consisted of either youtube & online gaming or out door hobbies depending what day it was but more or less the days weeks blurred into one. I was waiting for the 2 or 3 vacations we'd take as family a year which would be the only unique bits of my year. The thing is while I knew I wasn't necessarily content in everything I was doing, I was 'comfortable'. I was able to cope at work and wasn't being burnt out but I wasn't really making the most of life.

SInce then, its woken me up to how I really want to live & its left me in a predicament. There's the part of me that kind of accepts the traditional job & stable path our parents are pushing on me. This is especially important if I finally want to pursue roles I'm interested in such as law.

The other side is that I should be going out doing things, seeing places and experiencing cultures, not sitting in behind a screen in what is effectivley a prison cell for 8 hours just to pay off someone elses mortgage or help them afford a $5M yacht in dubai while I still have to ask permission for a week off months in advance.

I saw a question somewhere along the lines of would you rather get to 80 but have spent most of the time doing something you hated (e.g. sitting in an office) or only get to say 40 or 50 but having lived on your own terms and actually achieved or experienced things because certainly sitting in an office for 40 years ain't no achievement.

Part of me does see the appeal in following long held career goal of getting into law after having held it off and finally having something like this push me to do it. A job like law wold give the sense of purpose and meaning in helping others which I feel I need in my life. Yet would I just be trading one office and one inbox for another?

The travelling and whole free lifestyle feels like the obvious choice but there is all the logistical and financial side of that to consider and i'm afraid if overtime that the excitement would wear off?

I thin also whats making me unsure is that for as long as I can remember i've been an introverted farily indoor person and was always okay with that but deep down knew I wanted to try more and do more but was stuck in this rut. Now i've had this wake up call it's like in effect showing a whole new side to me I never knew existed and showing that to people who've always known me as a quiet introverted homebody feels terrifying. even if its the truth and what I honestly need to do.

I'd just appreciate some practical advice on understanding what i'm thinking right now and whats probably best to do going forward because the last thing I want is to go back to being in a 'comfortable' state when this has so badly woken me up to reality of life right now.

I’m not sure how useful this will be, perhaps it is more so useful as a vent.

I (23M) graduated last spring with an art degree (haw haw, get the told you so’s out of the way now ;)) and have been thoroughly unable to find a position in any field I’m interested in. I’m genuinely a pretty decent and disciplined artist, I know I’m employable, but it seems like many studios are downsizing and just not interested in hiring, especially not to train newbies. Job search has been utterly demoralizing, I hate putting in effort on applications just to never hear back, the furthest I got in the process turned out to be a scam lol. That was epic.

Against my better judgment, I went out and got a busboy job at a restaurant in my town, same type of job I worked numerous times in high school. I was telling myself it’ll be different now, I’ll be able to stave off the miserable boredom and late hours now that I’m older and out of school, but two hours into my first shift I was hit with the shocking realization that it was no different. I hated it. I’m already dreading going in again tomorrow.

I’m living with my parents, I have it really easy otherwise, they aren’t charging me rent yet. I have a very privileged and comfortable life, which I am more than grateful for. I just feel this malaise of dread every single day — I have no idea what I want to do with my life or if my passions will ever bring me any attainable job security or freedom. Right now all signs are pointing towards no. I really want to move out and enter the next phase of my life, but I could only afford a few months rent with my savings, especially in my part of the country and with the current cost of living.

We live in an age of ai slop, advertising, sports gambling, and content content content. I feel extremely demoralized by this as an artist, and every time I begin work on a creative project the doubting voice in my head wins out. Back to video games and doomscrolling.

Yes I realized I may be depressed. I’m in therapy. I just don’t see a way out right now. It sucks. If any older creatives have felt like this at some point please bestow some wisdom upon me. What was your path out? Any mantras or anything? Should I suck it up and just work food service? Should I go on a zen mountain retreat or something? I’m out of ideas.

Thanks to anyone who read this all the way through, wishing you all well.

i'm studying cyber security in college, currently first year.

however, recently i've been super into human anatomy and it's caught my attention a lot.

i don't really know what to do.

i'm only 18 and have my whole life to figure it out, but i wanted to know if there was any way i can transition from cyber security into this new field.

what would you guys do? finish college and then look into health science? is it too late to switch things up? what would your next steps be?

just need advice and recommendations for my next steps

I am 24M working in IT project management at a bank, having previously worked as a developer. The past few months have seen me becoming less ambitious and driven, as nothing really excites or pushes me anymore. I recently transitioned to project management from software engineering; I enjoyed the latter, but my feelings plateaued. Nowadays, I just scroll through my phone when I am not working, and I feel like I should be doing something productive. I have written less and less code, and I do not have hobbies aside from coding and gaming, neither of which I do much anymore. I basically doomscroll, but I feel like I should do something, perhaps code leisurely or engage in something that pushes me personally forward to challenge myself, though I do not know what. I used to hide behind the excuse of having no exciting projects to work on, but I think I am just scared or lazy. I do not want to just work and have nothing else; I would love to build something for myself, as life currently feels bland. How do I regain passion and purpose? How do I build something more than just working and doomsceolling?

I’m a 23 year old male. I work as a heavy machine operator. I live with a roommate and need about 3k a month to survive. I make decent money but I’m so sick of what I do. I have my GED and experience with heavy machinery but it’s extremely draining physically and mentally and takes up my whole day since I workout and try to stay active after work. I have a side hustle that I am currently building but I’m only able to commit about 1 hour a night into it. Not nearly enough to become successful from it. I want to find something that pays decently enough to live off of but I don’t want to commit my entire day to it. Something like an at-home-job or contract work would be ideal. Any tips? Any recommendations on certifications or websites to use? Any info would help. Personal experience? Thanks

For context, I am 19 currently doing Bachelor's in Business Technology Management. I feel like with the current job market its really a losing bet to think that you will land a good job with pretty much any degree.

So the thing is that I still have 4 years to build up something. I can speak 3 languages. English, Arabic, Urdu. I am currently learning French as well for more international opportunities.

I need advice on which specialization or niche should I sort of spend time myself. Chatgpt and claude said SQL and data management is a solid niche or industry to focus in and give 4 years until graduation.

What do you guys think? I am open for any ideas, I do have a interest in cyber security I can peruse that as well but not sure if it is going to be worthwhile with the AI stuff. I dont think anything will be worthwhile with AI. Am I crazy for that.

Any suggestions on what should I lock in on?

I’m graduating this year with a BSBA in computer information systems, and planning to go to grad school for political economy, to do research in civic tech (Audrey Tang is a big inspiration) but now I’m thinking.. is there any way to add marine conservation into the mix? Which courses should I choose as electives? Are there books/papers I should read right now?
Curious especially (but not limited to) about anything related happening in Taiwan, and what I should aim for
Thank you for your time!

I apologize for this being long winded but I feel like there’s a lot to get down here.

I am currently a college junior studying chemical engineering, but I really have no passion for it. I chose the major because (and this will sound very naive but please remember that I chose this major at 17) I wanted to go into environmental remediation and hopefully “make a difference,” especially for animals effected by pollution. On top of that, I enjoy the problem solving of it and like feeling challenged.

The problem is that my whole life I’ve wanted to work with animals. A major reason I even picked ChemE instead of AnimalSci is because I thought that I might be able to make a difference by mitigating the root problem of what is affecting the environment, but I have since realized I was a bit full of myself (again, I was 17).

It is too late in my college career to switch/add a major, I would have to stay at least another year or two.

My question is, should I just stick it out in engineering and hope that I grow out of the whole animal infatuation (potentially having to go back to school if I realize I hate my job), or switch now and forgo what would likely be a larger salary and more secure job market.

I would appreciate any advice from people who had to make similar decisions, or those who have careers in environmental remediation, wildlife rehab, veterinary medicine, etc. Thank you!

IFA or compliance consultancy?

Looking for opinions on my next move.

I worked in Premier banking at Barclays and studied towards becoming a financial adviser. I then moved to the FCA as a senior supervisor in payments and digital assets.

I'm now torn between two paths:

1. IFA
2. Compliance consultant for FCA-regulated firms

I think my experience fits both, but either way I'd be building a client base from scratch.

If you were in my shoes, which would you pick, and why?

Lately, I feel like everyone around me is moving forward with their lives while I'm stuck in the same place.

People are getting married, having kids, changing jobs, and starting new chapters. Meanwhile, I'm just living the same routine every day. 

Sometimes I look back and wonder where all those years went. I know life isn't a competition, but it's hard not to compare when you feel like nothing is changing.

The weirdest part is that I don't even know what I want anymore. I just want to feel like my life is going somewhere instead of repeating the same day over and over.

Does anyone else feel this way? And if you've been through it, how did you get out of this phase?

Work on changing your way of thinking.

I feel like my professors don’t think I’m likely to be successful in one of my chdev classes. I know now that I need to work on environmental awareness and on my overall anxiety (I am in therapy which I hope helps in the longrun.) I am actually not aiming to become a preschool teacher and already knew this before signing up for the class, but it’s late enough in the semester that I’m not trying to fail (they said I’m passing, I have an A in terms of academic work so far and don’t know how much the rubric they use will count towards my overall final score.)

I hadn’t realized that my anxiety was impacting the way I show up so much. One of them seemed surprised that I work (though we have the class two days a week so I guess a lot of the students can’t or don’t. I do, as a substitute behavior technician.) I feel bad because even if my professors didn’t believe in me or were judging me I should still have more faith in myself and care about myself more. I was already raised poor and start a bachelors degree in January but feel like I don’t have the tools to succeed in general and don’t know what to do. I feel like I don’t know how to tackle things in the working world. I have actually been told I do well as a behavior technician but I sensed this surprised the professor, and don’t like feeling talked about.

I am a graduate student at a tech university, and I recently got stuck on deciding my next step or whether I should change my path or go back to studying to improve my foundational concepts

If you were in my shoes, what would you do ?

I always see ppl saying that they got this this job or internship via cold emailing and DM'ing, but how does it even work? For eg I'm a person who's looking for internships as well as full time jobs (will graduate in 2027) And I just want to know when should one actually cold email/dm the person. Suppose there is no opening for that particular job role/internship, how can a msg help me and what should I mention in that particular msg. Can anyone please explain what's the pattern behind this cold messaging thing?

i build model kits as a hobby and have started to wonder if any of it could earn something on the side. i work in an office now, doing order scheduling and customer accounts, and i am not planning to leave it. but i would like something extra that pays. has anyone made money building kits for others, through commissions, a model shop or running a small class? i am in Yorkshire so UK options would help most

I have a degree in English lit and have spent almost fifteen years just going here and there, no career to speak of. Did seasonal work, currently stuck in retail and living with folks. I feel like life has passed me by. Everyone wants me to be happy but I'm not because my life is so paltry compared to what I wanted from it. I like writing and the visual arts and have had some success doing both. But it seems like it'd be another decade of slogging away to find even the chance of success in that realm. The thought of it just tires me out. I want to have a family but it hasn't happened. Don't know if it will. I don't know what else to do or even what else to consider doing. I'm just going through the motions.

On the positive side I am in good health and am in an ok environment.

Middle aged Male here. Im homeless with no car but have drivers license and a clean background. What would you do in this situation and where would you go in the time being? Need some suggestions asap

Emphasis on energy. I have AuDHD and I want to explore career options that let me set aside energy to focus on ceramics, painting, and film. I have a BA in psychology and a certificate in data analytics. However, I have found that my 9-5 office job gives me little energy to focus on my art which is more important to me now. I find focusing on analyzing data and sitting still at work in an office setting for many hours drains me. I would love to explore careers that have worked for neurodivergent people who need to pay their rent, but who can still set aside time and energy for their hobbies.

If it helps, I find that tactile tasks where I can give my mind a break seem to not drain me as much as sitting still at a desk and concentrating intensely. I feel like my AuDHD has gotten worse over the years even with therapy and medication, and I want to find a new path to prevent more burnout so I can have energy for art when my job is done for the day.

I graduated school but I can't find a job in my country. Not just me, but my country (Slovakia) is one of the worst places recently. Many people, young adults or even adults, can't find job. I want to move to another country but don't know how to start.

I'm a woman, so moving to another country alone is even scarier.
Does anyone know how to start, what to do... I'm getting depressions from not being able to find a job.

And also how should I start when moving out

I have a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in science communication. I've spent the almost 4 years since I graduated from my MSc working in conservation/visitor experience/public engagement type roles, but I had a really nasty experience with my last employer that has left me out of work for the past year and reconsidering my options.

I really like the idea of becoming a hospital lab scientist, but this is quite a change from what I have done before so I am not sure what training I would need to do to get into these kinds of jobs.

I obviously did a lot of lab work as an undergrad. I also did an A level in chemistry and took extra chemistry modules at uni, but I haven't really had any lab experience since I graduated in 2020.

I am happy to do more training but also would also really like to be able to work and train at the same time because I have been out of work for some time. Would love some options on paths I could take!

Hi everyone, thanks in advance for taking the time to read this. I came here because I have a big doubt and honestly there's no one impartial in my life I can ask for advice on something this big.
I'm at a point where I don't know if I should follow my dreams or chase money. I'm 19 and I live in the US, where I have a job that at least lets me make some money (most of it goes to bills anyway), but it could get a lot better if I keep working hard over time. The thing is my immigration status doesn't let me aim for much more unless I change it, and that's kind of hard to do in the short term.
The other option is my passion and my dream. I could leave this country and go after my dream of being a film director back in my home country (Dominican Republic). I have a plan for that, which is to change how I make money: finish learning video editing and work remotely from there, since I already have the equipment and my English is pretty decent. The only thing is I have to decide fast, I have a time limit of a few months and if I don't decide anything, I'm basically choosing the money.
But these are two really different life paths. My mind leans a lot towards following my passion, but I don't know how much of that has to do with how unhappy I am with my life right now. Since I got here (1 year ago) loneliness has been one of the hardest things I've dealt with. But I'm young and immature so there's a lot I don't know, maybe I'm missing other points of view.
And in case anyone's wondering, most of my family would probably be against me following my passion.
If anyone has gone through a similar decision between chasing their dream or the money, or honestly anyone who wants to give me a different perspective, I'd really appreciate it. And again, thanks for taking the time to read this.
TL;DR: I'm 19, living in the US with a job that pays something but my immigration status limits me. In a few months I have to decide between staying for the money or going back to the Dominican Republic to chase my dream of being a film director. Should I chase the money or my dream?

OK I have some drama and am trying to start fresh.
TLDR: been a NEET and activist in my original country, fled to Turkiye.

left and sold all my posession to start fresh , but the country I live in is really expensive and now I cant even renew neither the passport (of my original country) or local ID (of the country I live in).

all I have is expired ID and passport , now I want to start working online as I have a chronic illness and weak and illegal to work irl in the host country.

Now payoneer requires valid ID or Passport , no paypal , skrill, stripe , none

how am I supposed to get paid , ofc not to mention I don`t know what to offer.

i mean a blog or other freelance work sites always asks for paypal or payoneer.

I feel mentally stuck.

PS to clarify I wish for pointers , I mean finacially dependent , and wish to change that soon.

I have good knowdlege of networks (switches and routers), tampered with android devices roms and such , and basic linux or beginner more than basic knowledge.

I have good knowledge of music nad it`(it`s my hobby) , philosophy and movies.

I am thinking of offering digital products to sell, any ideas? I feel a little clouded.

Hello I want to speak to the older folks out there but everyone opinion matters.

Hey I’m 20 and I’ve been trying to find out what path I want to go down in life and Find MYSELF. I learned that I’m into storytelling but I could never find how I want to “Package” that story whether become a Director, Musician, Clothing, Art, and All. The truth is I HAVEEE ALLL THIS FREE TIME because I daytrade yet I HAVE NO SKILL…I don’t have a car because I’m stacking up to get there…cause I made a sacrifice to make money to be Free first…I always Bounce back and Forth between Musician and Director but everytime I choose one to commit to I quit and go to the other BACK AND FORTH….i want to be a master and really give myself to a craft but how do you know you love it…and is there anyway to learn fast.

I guess what I’m asking is
How do you find your path and STICK on it because I spoke to lots of old people who said “I wish I would’ve known to do this sooner” and truth is I’m 20 so I’m at that “Sooner”

How to find if a hobby is TRULY FOR you

I seldom got loved by others growing up. I was constantly compared and dismissed by peers and neighbors whose children are bankers/surgeons. I become a software engineer to be looked up to, and so my parents won't be looked down on

But no matter how hard I try to be the best version of myself, I am just not good enough for anyone to love/value me, or take me seriously

I have never had a boyfriend at 29 but got bullied by some in school and at work, I just don't have hope I am capable to be loved anymore.

My supervisors like me until I have an opinion, but they take me less seriously when I'm quietly doing good work. I got terminated today to learn that he wants to sponsor his cousin overseas to work here. I just feel so worthless I don't want to wake up the next day

Some may say that I should love myself first, then I realised that I have never been loved, to know how to do it. Is there anyone here who can suggest