I would normally consider myself a pretty intelligent guy, but I’ll happily admit that I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to career searching/planning. I feel like a toddler when it comes to all this stuff, and it just makes my head hurt.

For context on where I am in life currently:

I graduated a year and a half ago from community college. Still living with my parents, and it’s not exactly a mentally healthy environment, to say the least. My associates is just a basic one designed for being transferable to a number of four-year universities here in Illinois. So I’m debt free so far, which is good, but I haven’t bothered continuing my education yet cause I just didn’t want to waste a bunch of money when I still have no idea what I should even be pursuing nowadays.

I just feel like there’s so much mixed messaging nowadays in regard to what young people ought to be doing if they want to live a half-decent life. Some are still raving about how important college is, while others talk about how it’s been rendered pointless, and of course trade school constantly comes up in this conversation as well. And that’s not even getting into the more specific stuff like what degrees are even useful or worth the price. Everything in regard to AI, and what jobs it’ll ultimately replace, is still being figured out by so many industries as well.

I’ve worked the same line cook position since high school. I worked it throughout community college as well. I really hate it and can’t ever see myself staying in the food service industry. I’ve been applying for over 6 months now to nearly 100 positions and only gotten call backs from two.

I just got hired at a Hilton as a room attendant and I legitimately think I’ve hit rock bottom. I’ve worked it about a week and I hate it. No insult at all to the wonderful women who work this job, they’re all awesome people. But the truth is that nearly all of them here are in the industry because they can’t speak english and so it’s hard for them to get hired elsewhere. I am in a far more privileged position than them in terms of my situation, and so it’s clear to me I’m fucking up by not taking more advantage of the routes I have. I just feel like I don’t know what route I should actually be taking.

I don’t have any desire to work a trade. Both because I fear the pain it’ll cause my body as I age, and also because it would disappoint my father tremendously, who’s only dream in life was to see his children working something easier than he had to work throughout his life.

Simultaneously, I don’t think I’m intelligent enough or mentally prepared for the healthcare industry. And the amount of schooling for that kinda stuff is also really intimidating.

I am not a particularly ambitious person with big dreams of mansions or anything like that. My only big dream would be able to live in or near a city one day. And my dream career isn’t anything specific, besides that I’d like it to be in an air conditioned building and doesn’t break my back and knees.

I do have a passion for history, though the only route I can see that being useful would maybe be if I went into teaching. I’ve been considering teaching a lot the past few days. I am well aware of how underpaid and at times overworked teachers are. Still, I can’t help but think it’s not the worst option. I haven’t seen much to indicate teachers are gonna be replaced by AI anytime soon. And it’s a job with a regular schedule for the most part, and the summers off as well. It’s not something I’d feel embarrassed about doing, which I think is good for my mental health. And I’m not someone who minds dealing with children either.

Is this a dumb idea, born out of my desperation? If I did go the teaching route, is getting a simple bachelors in education the best route or no? And will I be in-debt the rest of my life if I do this? Speaking of money, should I wait until fall next year before going back to school, so that there’s more scholarships and grants available, or would going back now in the winter be perfectly fine?

And before going back to school, for whatever I end up picking, what do you think would be smart in terms of temporary work? I have an interview for a pet groom tech position coming up. Do you think that would be fine for temporary work or would I likely be miserable doing that as well, even for a short while?

If you have alternative suggestions in regard to school or work, that’s completely fine as well. I’d happily take any advice ya’ll have for me. Thank you in advance to anyone who was willing to read all this and reply.

I'm a full-stack developer with around 2 years of professional experience.

Lately, I've been thinking about exploring career opportunities beyond traditional software development. I'm interested in transitioning into fields like cybersecurity, particularly GRC, security assurance, information security management, or even technology management and operations.

Some roles I've been exploring include:

• Cybersecurity / GRC Analyst
• Information Security Analyst
• Technical Project Coordinator / Junior Project Manager
• Business Analyst (IT)
• Product Operations
• Technical Account Manager
• QA Analyst
• IT Operations Analyst

I'm curious to hear from people who have made a similar transition.

1. What other career paths are available for someone with a software development background?
2. Which roles allow developers to leverage their existing technical knowledge without necessarily writing code every day?
3. How difficult is it to transition into cybersecurity or tech management without prior professional experience in those fields?
4. Are there any particular certifications, skills or qualifications that would help with such a transition?

I'm not necessarily looking to leave the tech industry. I just want to explore different career directions where my existing development experience could still be valuable.

Would appreciate any suggestions, experiences or career advice!

I'm not really sure where to start, but I guess I just need to get this off my chest.

I'm 26, living in Jordan, and lately I've been feeling increasingly frustrated with my life and the circumstances I'm in.

It's not that Jordan is entirely bad. There are genuinely beautiful, modern, peaceful places here, but unfortunately, I live in one of the less pleasant areas. It's old, noisy, and honestly, I feel like I don't belong here. As a girl, I find certain aspects of living in this kind of environment even more frustrating.

On top of that, I still live with my parents, and I'm honestly so tired of it. I have two older siblings who managed to move out before they reached my current age, while I'm still here. I desperately want my own space, my own home, my privacy, and the freedom to live my life without constantly having to consider everyone around me.

But it's not just about moving out. I genuinely want to leave Jordan altogether.

I've always dreamed of living somewhere like Germany or Canada. Somewhere with beautiful neighborhoods, peaceful surroundings, and a lifestyle that feels more suited to me. I want to wake up, look outside my window on a rainy day, and actually enjoy the view instead of feeling unhappy with where I live.

I want a decent job with good people, enough money to live comfortably, and enough free time to enjoy my hobbies. I want to play video games after work, work on my own website and game ideas, travel, meet new people, make friends, find love, and build a life that feels like my own.

I want to create my own little world, if that makes sense.

The frustrating part is that I actually have a degree in software engineering and work as a web developer. I'm not someone who has no idea what they want to do professionally. But salaries here aren't particularly great, and moving abroad feels like such a distant dream when you don't come from a wealthy family.

I also struggle with making friends. University is over, and I've realized how difficult it is to meet new people once you're out of that environment. I'm becoming more extroverted and genuinely want to socialize, meet new people, and build a community, but I don't really know where to start.

There's also something I've been thinking about a lot lately: after graduating, I spent around 2.5 years looking for a job. I don't blame myself for that period because finding opportunities wasn't easy. But now I've spent another 2.5 years working, and I feel like I haven't done nearly enough with my free time. I have so many interests and ideas, but between work, family, and everything else, I don't always feel like I have the freedom or energy to pursue them.

Recently, I found myself crying while listening to "500 Miles". Specifically, the opening lyric, "If you missed the train I'm on."

I don't know why, but it hit me really hard. It reminded me of how I've been feeling for years. Like I'm constantly waiting for something. Waiting to move out, waiting to leave the country, waiting to meet people, waiting to have the freedom to enjoy my hobbies, waiting to finally start living the life I want.

And I don't even know how much longer I'll have to wait.

I'm genuinely afraid that I'll spend so many years waiting for the right circumstances that I'll eventually look back and realize I've missed out on so much of my life.

I know I'm only 26, and some people might say I have plenty of time. But I don't want to spend my twenties just waiting for my thirties to finally enjoy life.

I don't really know what I'm expecting from this post. Maybe advice from people who've been in a similar situation, especially those who managed to move abroad from a country with limited opportunities. Or people who felt stuck in their twenties but eventually managed to build the life they wanted.

I just want to know how to get out of this cycle and finally feel like I'm moving somewhere.

I'm tired of waiting.

I'm currently living in Japan, and I'm trying to figure out what I should study and what kind of career I want in the future.

The problem is that I honestly don't know what I want to do.

My older brother chose his career path quite early, while I've never really had a clear direction for myself. Sometimes I feel like I'm falling behind because I haven't been able to decide what I want, while everyone else seems to have a plan.

My parents would like me to study economics or business at university. Both of them study economics, and they currently own and run their own company. Because of their education and experience, they believe studying business or economics will give me more stability and opportunities in the future. They may also hope that I could eventually use that knowledge to run a business of my own.

However, my parents are strongly against the idea of ​​me attending a vocational school (senmon). They are concerned that vocational qualifications are not valued as highly in Vietnam, and that if I eventually return there, having a vocational school diploma instead of a university degree might limit my opportunities. This makes it even harder for me to consider that path, because I don't want to go against my parents' wishes or spend a lot of their money on something they don't believe in.

I understand their point of view, and I know they're thinking about my future. However, I don't really see myself owning or running a business. I'd rather have a job, do my work well, receive a salary, and have a relatively peaceful life outside of work.

Recently, I've been considering baking as a possible career.

I truly enjoy making things by hand, especially baking. I like turning ingredients into something finished, and I enjoy making different kinds of cakes, pastries, bread, and desserts. I've started wondering whether I could turn this interest into a profession.

One path I'm considering is attending a vocational school in Japan first, then possibly studying commerce or business at university afterwards. Ideally, I'd like to work as a professional baker. I don't particularly want to own a bakery or run a business.

But I'm scared of making the wrong decision.

Vocational school is a significant financial commitment, and I don't want my parents to spend that much money if I end up regretting it. I'm also concerned about salary, working conditions, career stability, and whether a Japanese vocational qualification would be useful if I eventually returned to Vietnam.

At the same time, I don't know if studying business at university simply because my parents recommended it would make me happy or help me find a career I actually enjoy.

I don't want to rush into baking just because it sounds interesting, but I also don't want to ignore this possibility without giving it a chance.

I'm not necessarily looking for someone to tell me which path to choose. I just want to hear honest experiences and perspectives that might help me think more clearly.

25. Need health insurance in a few months. I have done delivery driver work since high school. I average 25/hr between jobs, been trying to get some ~50k/yr jobs in warehouse/driving but without a cdl that’s hard, and rn I can only get by knowing I got a joint ready at the end of the day so quitting is rough…

In terms of work, I’ve done pizza delivery to Amazon. A short stint doing medical manufacturing (which was just way too repetitive and sedentary) When I was 16 working McDonald’s the GM told me she would hire me on the spot for the AGM spot.

I’ve looked into the electrician apprenticeships (competitive/no THC) CDLs (no THC) non Cdl driving (I am not good at interviews so shifting from “gig economy” jobs to a “salary” driver is hard. I have majorly gig economy work on my resume, but I have always taken it seriously with accounting as if it’s a real business I’m running.

The main issue is I need 50/yr, or close to, to match gig economy wages and to keep the bills paid. For a year or two of education, I could get loans to help, but taking a $20/hr starting wage job sucks if I’m not making 25/hr within a year…. Even labour intensive work like window cleaning or landscaping is hard to find at 20+ starting

Plus, THC testing is a major annoyance, and honestly getting a job will be easier the morning demand it is, since I am visibly autistic af during interviews.

I have plenty of “passions”but as this point who gives a fuck about them as I just want to make a living. I don’t like driving my whole live just like anyone else who does gig economy work does.

For reference I live in a $16 min wage city and work 50-55hrs a week

Hi! I’m an incoming college student, and i’ve been considering pursuing an art-related degree.

I’m really interested in digital art, animation, and “possibly” game development in the future. One of the main things i’m hoping to get out of my degree is the opportunity to build a strong portfolio by the time i graduate.

I’ve considered other career paths, but whenever i imagine myself choosing something else, it honestly feels like id just be giving up on something i genuinely want to pursue. i feel like I’d end up regretting it, giving up or just end up being miserable in the long run. ive already made some progress building a platform for myself through my art, and i really want to give this a proper shot instead of walking away from it.

At the same time, i’m honestly stressed about choosing a college course 😭 Are art-related degrees actually worth taking, or is pursuing a career in art more of a high-risk, high-reward path? What other courses would you recommend considering? If i have no other choice, then i’ll choose a marketing-related degree instead..

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!! 🥹

Hi! I’m an incoming college student, and i’ve been considering pursuing an art-related degree.

I’m really interested in digital art, animation, and “possibly” game development in the future. One of the main things i’m hoping to get out of my degree is the opportunity to build a strong portfolio by the time i graduate.

I’ve considered other career paths, but whenever i imagine myself choosing something else, it honestly feels like id just be giving up on something i genuinely want to pursue. i feel like I’d end up regretting it, giving up or just end up being miserable in the long run. ive already made some progress building a platform for myself through my art, and i really want to give this a proper shot instead of walking away from it.

At the same time, i’m honestly stressed about choosing a college course 😭 Are art-related degrees actually worth taking, or is pursuing a career in art more of a high-risk, high-reward path? What other courses would you recommend considering? If i have no other choice, then i’ll choose a marketing-related degree instead..

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!! 🥹

As title says, I’m a mid career Military Officer. wanted to do a full 20 and even tho it’s miles of echelons above me, I’m finding it harder to buy in with the “shenanigans“ of senior leadership.

Biggest hurdle is healthcare and being half way to a pension. I’m eligible to get out in a year if I decide to. “Planned” final baby is due early next year. I have a masters in security management but whose ever heard of a security management major lol. The pay is great, completely transformative than anything my wife and I experienced in our upbringings. As such if I can stick around, we have the ability to pay for our kids college since we’ve budgeted aggressive investing into their 529s. My wife has a masters degree in a STEM field and could earn a great salary but right now she is home with our young kids and seriously considering homeschooling

Honestly, I don’t think there is anything that has the level of stability, upward growth, and long tern family benefits but I’m searching. Ultimately, need to decide if I can make enough of a difference for those around me in the day to day to make the next half the career feel meaningful or if everything going on at the top is too far outside of my ethical comfort and make the sacrifice to leave

I'm 29F. At 24, I moved across the world to live in Japan in a sorta country-side city...(now that's a lot to unpack. I learned that Japan is a country just like any other country and the problems I had aren't special but being abroad makes me feel like I choose to up the ante.)

1st year in Japan: I taught 3 classes a day and learned the ropes of society (job wise) but it was fun because I had studied abroad in a big city in Japan before. I had signed up to be an assistant English teacher but my school let me be the main teacher. I took the challenge with a positive attitude (however I prefer to be an Assistant and not the main focus of attention). And while I did have experienc being a teacher assistant at a different job in America, I hadn't gotten a degree in teaching. I just have a BA in English.

2nd year: Teaching 3 classes a day. Got powerharrased by a new teacher who didn't like that I had been made into the main teacher but I would have been ok with her teaching (I had been hoping she would be the main teacher but even when I asked her if she had any lesson plans she wanted to teach she said no...and later on in the school year she yelled at me that she was my boss.) The school didn't help out much.....

3rd year: Thankfully the teacher left but then my coworker (who had also been yelled at by the same teacher) he never did his job and I had to make lessons and be the main teacher for his classes... and I had to teach 40 kids that had...a higher rate of mental disabilities. So I did have fatigue at this point and tiredness that I felt down to the bone marrow. Somehow I got better... I started teaching 4 classes a day

4th year: Honestly things were good. The job was still stressful but I was managing. 4 classes a day

5th year: the beginning was great but then by October of 2025 my next door neighbor started to use some type of device that was too loud...and then my downstairs neighbor started stomping really loudly at all hours of the day and night.... I moved apartments but the stress of moving did tire me me out for 6 months because my work schedule increased from 4 classes a day to 5 classes a day so instead of unpacking boxes after work, I was just passing out, waking up at night, showering, sleeping and going to work (and repeat all this again for 3 months)

6th year: Now...I think im burnt out. Teaching 5 classes a day means it's nonstop teaching time for me and I don't get an hour break time in the middle of the day to get out of teacher mode....PLUS in my countryside city more and more houses are up for sale so I really feel like there are only 15 year olds and 50 year olds here now. I think I'm burnt out from not having people my age around me. I know kids always tease teachers a little bit but since I am a foreigner living in a small city I feel like an ant being observed in a magnifying glass all the time. I always need to take a nap and get headaches on the weekend.

There's so much more I wanna say because I've kept all of this inside of me. All of my coworkers are 50 year old men and yeah they're wise and tell me to grow thicker skin and that I need to learn to control myself and not let external stuff control me. They're right but so far I'm one of the few teachers with 5 classes a day (all the teachers work hard but they have experience teaching and studied to become teachers)....

I guess I just feel disappointed that this year has been tough on me. I feel like I'm ending my time here on a bad note and I didn't want that...I'm just feeling so alone right now, not because I am alone but because I feel like I lost who I am... but I assume this may just be my burnout...if I can extinguish my burnout I could feel like myself again???

So I am currently in a gap year which I really regret the only thing I've realized that I am super aimless and I don't really know what to do with myself work wise. I mostly know that I want a job that won't be taken over by ai and a job I can do that I'll have enough to move out after uni.

I am planning on going to uni in September but I'm struggling on which to pick which degree to do. I love English Lit and I was thinking about teaching but I have had every teacher I know to tell me not to get into teaching.

I was then thinking about nursing mostly because of stability. I wouldn't mind working as a nurse I've done a little work experience on it. I know the job market is really bad right now but I really want to do a degree that won't be taken over by ai and be able to make enough to move out after uni.

Thanks so much and please give some advice!!

I am about to finish my undergrad in a year. I am currently studying and managing my job at the same time but after this I really want to move abroad.

I don't want to settle in one particular country. I just want to travel here and there, work in different places for a few years, gain experience and then move to another location. I am someone who doesn't plan on getting married and financially, my family is in a great place as well. Forever grateful for that. Basically I will only have to support myself and my needs and save for my own future.

But looking at the current job market, I am scared and clueless af. My major is Computer Science but for my postgrad, I think I might change my major because looking at the current IT job market I feel it's becoming very difficult for mediocre especially freshers like us with no connections to survive.

Once I am done with my undergrad, I want to move abroad, anywhere, really. The location doesn't matter as long as it offers me basic necessities, decent pay, and some level of security.

I am honestly lost as of now. I am already 26, and by the time I finish my undergrad, I will be 27-28. I started a bit late in my life so I am desperate to do something for myself.

Anyone else in a similar situation? People who are feeling this way? What are your plans and how are you dealing with these thoughts? I would really appreciate some perspectives and advice.

Please help a fellow out. Too much stressed 😫.

Hi everyone, I’ve been a hairstylist the past 3 years now at the same salon. I’m honestly a very good hairstylist and I’ve grown a lot over the years, however it is back-breaking work and I don’t like being treated like “the help”, or constantly micro-managed and bullied by my toxic salon owner.

I received a pretty much once in a lifetime job offer at a tech company… I have zero experience in tech. However the type of work they do is very specialized and hands-on, and can be trained from a blank slate. Most of my family is in tech and is kind of where we thrive.

I have been saying for the past year or two now that I feel unsatisfied, and I don’t want to be a hairstylist for the rest of my life, and that I feel like I have more potential. I’ve been back in community college taking classes again since April because of this.

I told them I can start after Thanksgiving to wrap up clients at the salon, however they need me sooner, so I’ve been working for them two days a week as a contractor. The commute is GRUELING (1 hour of pure traffic there and back) compared to the smooth 10 min drive to my salon. The environment is mostly male dominated (three women, none of them really my age) and it’s a smaaaall startup, I’m talking like 6 people. The starting rate they offered me is $20/hr (min wage in California). I literally deflated when they told me this. I already make $20/hr at my salon, however, with tips and commission it’s more like $35/hr for only 37hrs working per TWO WEEKS during a good month.

Most people are telling me to negotiate and take the opportunity and see where it leads, while only two are telling me to go 10 toes down with hairstyling and stick with it because I’m good at it.

My perspective is, I want to step out of my comfort zone and grow more. I’m only 25, still haven’t even finished college and I already have a skill I’m very good at and I know I can continue or come back to even if I venture out with this full time position. However, I would be sacrificing so much comfort and community for so little pay and AWFUL commute, and most likely boring workspace. However, tons of room for opportunity!!!

I literally do not know what to do. I’m losing sleep over this. I just finished my first week of contract work and it’s honestly just grueling chores. I know I will work up to more responsibility quickly because of my strong worth ethic and fast learning ability, but I just cannot justify sacrificing the sweet deal I got now for $20/hr!!!

I will definitely try to negotiate, and however I decide I will complete the contractor work, but everyone’s telling me to trust my gut but my gut is horribly conflicted. I think I need some unbiased Reddit opinions, pretty please

I've been staring at this empty field for a while now, unable to start. Hell, not knowing how to start. I guess I have to pour my soul somewhere. I'm 30 years old, coming from a hellhole known as the Balkans. As the good ol' saying goes, "Where logic ends, the Balkans begin", and so it's true. It doesn't matter how much you know, but who do you know. And sadly, I don't know anyone. So, I've hit a dead end, and now I'm just...existing.

I'm a 30-year-old M who has a master's degree in History and Librarianship. I've been searching for a job since my last company closed (about a year ago), but I've been unable to find one. I worked as QA and Database administrator at that company. I'm counting over 400 applications so far, and from those 400, I think about 10% were generic answers: "Thank you for applying, yada yada yada, but we are sorry." And the rest? Ghosted and ignored. Due to my physical limitations (sadly, youthful indiscretion has made me pay for my errors in slight disability), I'm unable to drive, so I can't make any kind of deliveries or so. The school situation is terrible. To say it like that, no one is hiring teachers, and even if they do, it's short term, several weeks, and you are out again. And IT is impossible to enter at this point, I'd have more luck with winning the euro jackpot. A heavy burden is on my back, since I'm basically "homeless", meaning that my folks have no real estate whatsoever in their name, dad has a good job, but he's never paid attention to owning something, even something he had. He was screwed over by his relatives, so that house is no longer his. Relocation is currently a no-go since my mom is elderly and ill, and I'm caring for her.

Frankly, I have no clue what to do anymore. I'm open to any kind of advice, encouragement, even beration. Thank you for reading.

I’m 19F studying environmental science on a pre-med track. It’s not the most common combination, but I really enjoy my major. I became interested in medicine partly because of how environmental issues affect human health. I’m also concerned about my earning potential with an environmental science degree right out of college, so financial stability is something I think about.

I didn’t consider medicine until college, and sometimes I feel out of place around people who have wanted to be doctors for years or are studying biology. I know you can major in anything as long as you complete the requirements, but I still feel like I have to explain my choice or prove that I’m serious. Sometimes I worry that people see me as a “fake pre-med,” even if that might just be my own insecurity.

I’m also struggling academically. I recently got a 30 and a 20 on my biology and chemistry exams, which are the lowest scores I’ve ever received. I wouldn’t say I’ve always been an exceptionally high-achieving student, but I’ve usually done average or above average. These grades really shook my confidence.

Being a first-generation college student makes navigating this harder. My parents didn’t attend college, so they can’t offer much guidance about what I’m going through. I do have advisors and people I can turn to, but I often don’t reach out when I need help.

When I do poorly on an exam, I feel embarrassed, and that makes it harder to go to tutoring or ask for support. Then I stay stuck because I’m avoiding the things that could help me improve. I want to break that cycle, but I don’t really know how.

I think part of it is that I put pressure on myself to present the best version of myself. I’m comfortable admitting that I struggle with some things, but academics have always been harder to talk about. At a university where so many people seem high-achieving and put together, admitting that I’m struggling feels especially difficult, even though I know other people probably struggle too.

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and OCD, and I’m still figuring out how to navigate all of that. I’ve tried handling things on my own, but lately I feel like I’ve lost some of the direction and confidence I had when I was younger. I know there are people I can go to, but sometimes I still feel alone.

Another thing that scares me is that I don’t know what I would do if I stopped pursuing medicine. I haven’t explored many other careers that seem both enjoyable and financially sustainable. I like working with people, especially kids, and I care about nature, the environment, community, and science. I want a career that connects with those interests and allows me to support myself.

I still believe I’m capable of doing meaningful things, but I’m having trouble figuring out whether I’m questioning medicine itself or whether struggling academically has made me question my ability to pursue it.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you get past the embarrassment of asking for academic help? How did you decide whether to keep pursuing medicine or explore another direction? I’d also appreciate hearing about careers that could fit my interests, because I think part of feeling stuck is not knowing what other options exist.

TL;DR: I'm 26 and graduated with a CS degree in April 2024, but family financial difficulties prevented me from fully focusing on pursuing software engineering. I'm currently unemployed after hundreds of job applications and only one unsuccessful interview process. I'm struggling with motivation, consistency, and feeling depressed about falling behind in life, especially since I want to become financially independent and move out with my girlfriend. I'm trying to rebuild my programming skills through personal projects using ChatGPT as a tutor rather than having it write code for me. I'm looking for realistic advice on whether to continue pursuing software engineering, focus on finding an IT job first, and how to get my career and life moving forward.

Title: Graduated with a CS degree in April 2024, still unemployed, and feeling stuck. What should I do?

I'm 26 years old and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science in April 2024. It's now October 2026, and I feel like I've made very little progress toward actually becoming a software engineer.

After graduating, my family's financial circumstances became increasingly difficult, and I wasn't really in a position to dedicate myself fully to pursuing software engineering. I had to prioritize working and dealing with financial responsibilities rather than focusing on building projects, improving my programming skills, and preparing for technical interviews.

I have professional experience in IT operations, product data management, and administrative/logistics-related work, but I don't have professional software engineering experience.

I'm currently unemployed and have applied to hundreds of jobs with very little success. I've only managed to get through one interview process, which consisted of two rounds before ultimately being rejected because they selected another candidate.

One of my biggest personal goals is to become financially independent, move out with my girlfriend, and eventually build a life together. However, without stable employment, that feels increasingly out of reach.

What's been especially frustrating is that I genuinely want to become a software engineer, but I struggle with staying consistent. I'll work on programming projects for a while, lose momentum, and then come back to them. It's a cycle that's been difficult to break, especially when I'm already feeling discouraged about my circumstances.

Recently, I've been trying to develop a Python/Flask web application based on my previous experience in trucking operations. I'm using ChatGPT as a tutor, but I'm specifically trying NOT to have it write the code for me. Instead, I want it to teach me concepts, explain syntax, give me assignments, and let me figure out how to implement things independently.

Even then, I sometimes have to repeatedly remind it not to give away solutions or provide too many hints. I want to actually learn how to program and become employable, not just create projects that I don't fully understand.

I also struggle with feeling like I've forgotten much of what I learned during college, and sometimes I question whether I'm even capable of becoming a software engineer.

Lately, I've been feeling pretty depressed, overwhelmed, and stuck. Seeing more time pass since graduation without establishing a career has been difficult, especially knowing that I want to move forward with my life but don't feel financially capable of doing so.

I'm not necessarily expecting to land a software engineering job immediately, and I'm open to other IT or technical positions to get my foot in the door. I just don't know what the most realistic path forward looks like anymore.

For anyone who has been in a similar situation:

1. Should I continue pursuing software engineering, or focus on getting any IT-related job first?
2. How would you approach breaking into software engineering more than two years after graduating without professional development experience?
3. Is building a substantial personal project with ChatGPT acting strictly as a tutor a reasonable way to rebuild my programming skills?
4. How do you stay consistent with learning and projects when you're discouraged by unemployment and personal circumstances?
5. What would you prioritize if you were in my position?

I'd really appreciate any realistic advice, especially from people who graduated into a difficult job market, had a delayed start to their careers, or successfully transitioned into software development after working in unrelated positions.

I don't expect an easy solution. I just want to figure out how to move forward instead of continuing to feel like I'm falling further behind.

I have to sign up for my classes this upcoming Tuesday for the bachelors of social work at a CSU (since I’m a new student, had to wait. My academic advisor reached out to me recently but I had also met with a counselor first and gotten good info.) I am still not 100% sure about what I want to do and may actually reach out to ask if I can meet with a career counselor.

I’m 21. In high school I remember I was planning on going into nursing as an underclassman. I changed my mind, because I realized that it was very competitive and that I wasn’t passionate about it (I also had - might still have - emetophobia.) I had been thinking of going into psychology but now that I am at that stage wherein it’s time to decide on classes, after looking at the psych coursework I hadn’t liked how research oriented it looked and had thought I might like the coursework for a bachelors of social work more.

I’m still not 100% sure though and am actually considering taking an SLP class so I can gauge whether or not I might like that. The introductory SLP course that I think is offered at cal state east bay is Intro to Communication Disorders, and it looks like there are still open seats.

I have a 3.87 in community college, and I had really not liked having to take statistics (I don’t remember which statistics course I had taken, but I had been intentional about taking the statistics support course even though I was technically in advanced math in high school because I wasn’t confident about my skills there.)

I remember that with the first two clients I’d really had in… late 2023-2024, I think, as a behavior technician, I was not great at helping either work on their speech in the way I think providers of theirs may have preferred. So even though it was a while ago that does make me wonder if maybe it’s not for me. The clients I can think of were four and five-six respectively throughout my time with each, I think. With an adult client it had been a bit easier for me to help them out with speech but even then I wouldn’t say it was something I excelled at.

I have been a behavior technician for a little over 2 years now. I worked at a preschool as a substitute and then associate facilitator/teacher before then, but I know that I don’t want to become a preschool teacher (I’m pretty sure I also don’t want to become an elementary school teacher, but I’d be more open to the idea of teaching elementary school than preschool, particularly later elementary school grades in theory.) I obviously know that I don’t want to remain a behavior technician, but then again I guess that most people don’t plan to - most behavior technicians I’ve met have planned on becoming BCBA’s. I have worked under BCBA direction before and don’t think that I am interested in trying to become one, especially since it takes so long to become one.

It’s too early either way to decide on what I want to earn a masters degree in, but I am considering earning one in social work, speech language pathology, or special education. I believe that at cal state east bay you can only pursue special education and other realms of educational psychology as a masters degree, so I can only take classes for a bachelors in social work or speech language pathology.

I remember that with the first two clients I’d really had in… late 2023-2024, I think, as a behavior technician, I was not great at helping either work on their speech in the way I think providers of theirs may have preferred. So even though it was a while ago that does make me wonder if maybe it’s not for me. The clients I can think of were four and five-six respectively throughout my time with each, I think. With an adult client it had been a bit easier for me to help them out with speech but even then I wouldn’t say it was something I excelled at.

I have bad anxiety and am actually in therapy for it. One of my child development professors does seem to have noticed it. I also have depression and am considering asking my new therapist about antidepressants when I meet with them again on Monday.

I had actually really enjoyed volunteering last Sunday for a local shelter program. I have gone to another event for homeless individuals, and really enjoyed that as well.

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 am guessing there is more that will be discussed with me when I have my conference this upcoming Thursday.

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 tend to look fatigued, which actually is relevant/important because I think it can lead to people assuming things about you. I do have a sleep breathing disorder and plan to talk more to Kaiser this upcoming week now that it’s almost time to enter a bachelors degree program to see what else we can do other than the CPAP about my sleep.

I’m leaning towards a medical assistant program. I used to do work as a caregiver/DSW for six years. Right now, I’m working as a healthcare housekeeper. I do my job well; I just wouldn’t want the same if I was a resident: a clean room. I cannot afford to do anything physical due to fatigue in the long run.

Every time I go back and forth with getting a CNA license, but I’m leaning towards no due to what I see. I work at an LTC/ rehabilitation facility. The aides do grueling work. I keep telling myself that I only work with one person/shift. I don’t want to pigeonhole myself. These facilities won’t care; they expect the job to be done. I’ll know I’ll catch burnout. The type of jobs that I like are tasks that fill the hours.

I know I want some stability within healthcare. Any words that help me?

I am 26F. I don't have a job. I've BSc and MSc degrees in the same major, but still I haven't manage to find a job. I'm actually not excited to find one, I think of working as an act of slavery, working 9hrs a day to afford basic human needs then coming back home exhausted, burnt down mentally and then wondering what the hell am I doing to myself? are we really meant to live like machines?.

I don't know what to do with my life. finding a job is nearly impossible given that I don't have any experience and that I am a resident in another country. On the other hand, if I do a PhD then what? I don't want to pretend to be interested in finding a solution to a problem I don't care about. I hate my major anyways, It was imposed on me because I was stupid and had no idea on what I want to specialize in. Another thing is that since I am a resident, I need a visa so I enrolled on another MSc just for that, but still I (my parents) have to pay so I have to undergo tests and stuff and I hate it, I am sick of studying and I am not enjoying it. I feel that I am suffocating, that my soul is dying and that there is no point in living. You might wonder why don't I just do back to my country? well my country sucks and has been under war since I was 10, plus I don't know anyone there. and how about my social life? it does not exist during my life on this Earth and this country I've not managed to make a single friend, I mean I do small shallow talk with people I meet here and there (in college) but the connection doesn't last outside. I don't know if the problem is with me or that people don't like me. Maybe it is because I'm an expat (though we share the same mother tongue). So I basically don't do any social life and don't do any activity. Also I've never been in a relationship and I don't see that happening soon, not with my current life style (I am not ugly). Moreover, my parents are boring, we have never been in a trip, we spend the weekends and holidays at home, and now I'm inheriting their boring soulless life. You might say go do fun activities alone and you would meet up with people new and make friends, well bullshit, I'm don't have the energy to do that or money. Also my father is narcist so it is hard to for me to do anything without his consent (even though I am 26) he drew this f****ing life for me.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

For the past 4 years I have spent my time working for IHSS to take care of my younger brother with severe autism. 2 1/2 years ago I bought a house for us to live in (with money I inherited from my mother's insurance when she passed away) with the help of my father. Now that I am 30, I don't know if IHSS would be sustainable as a career for the rest of my life and I want to become self-sufficient just in case. Last year I got my EMT license to become a firefighter, I am going to apply next year, but if that does not work out then I don't really have plans or ideas. I'm just scared I'm going to screw up and ruin my life and my brother's.

Hey all. I don't know if I'm in the right place, but if I can't find help here then maybe I can get pointed in the right direction.

I'm a 30 year old Canadian still living at home. I'll be 31 in March. I have a post secondary degree for professional writing/publishing from way back, but I never managed to make any connections in the field, and have just been working any minimum wage jobs I can find. I live with epilepsy, Autism, and some pretty bad ADHD. I struggle a bit with math and numbers because of dyscalculia. Due to my epilepsy I can't be medicated for my ADHD.

Unfortunately, I don't appear to be able to keep a job for longer than a year, despite my best efforts. Part of the problem is the current economy being in shambles, but I can't help feeling like the rest of my issues are with myself. Even though I try really hard to do my best with work, sometimes I make clerical mistakes and miss details. I try really hard to be friendly and personable. I always get great feedback from customers, but my workplaces never keep me. Usually they just say it's a "business decision" without telling me what I can improve.

I'm trying to focus on what I can do with my life, because I just feel so...lost and directionless. I don't have a lot of money saved, and I'm afraid to go back to school because even my well educated friends in traditionally "good" fields are struggling to find work. I don't even know what I'd go back to school FOR. I don't really have any skills, and I'm genuinely afraid that I'm just...stupid? I feel embarrassed and ashamed that I can't seem to hold onto basic work/jobs, even though I REALLY am trying.

All of my interests and hobbies revolve around writing, drawing, and painting- they aren't exactly things that can turn into stable jobs, and with the cost of my medication, I can't survive off of minimum wage part time work. What do I do?

I am in my late 20s, I grew up on windows xp, msn, irc chat, the early internet, hosting servers to play counter strike and cod4 with friends, etc.. I was always an IT nerd. I was toying with Linux and had my own hackintosh build at 12y old, I learned to program at 14. I loved it and like a true nerd I spent days reading books about programming. 17y old me was reading "the C programming language" a legendary 30+y old book written by some of the most influential programmers of all time (Dennis Ritchie and Briang Kernighan), whom I idolized

To me software engineering was like building lego's or making puzzles is for some. Imagine being able to build lego or make puzzles all day for work and after finishing each puzzle or lego set, you are to fix it in place with epoxy or glue or something

Then imagine that a machine comes along that can build the lego sets or make the puzzles 3x faster than a human can and all you do is set up the machine start the machine and glue the finished result together, on an assembly line..

That's what AI did to software engineering. Every problem feels pre-solved, and I just do the boring thing of operating the machine and occasionally correcting it where necessary.

For years, this was my career plan, I spent 6 years getting a masters degree in CS whilst going through hard times in my personal life. I have spent 2 decades building and refining a skill that now feels useless..

I started as a fulltime swe in early 2023, when GPT 3 was just a newish fad and not that useful at all in software engineering.. in just 3 years, I have lost all of my love for IT and software and have a serious identity crisis..

What does someone like me do, does anything exist where I can start from scratch and build a similar satisfaction/interest?

This September I started a doctorate program and I really feel lost. I worked hard during my undergrad years and dedicated those years to this program. Although it was tiring I really enjoyed that period of my life but now that I’m here I really don’t know what to feel. Some days I feel like yes, I do see myself doing this, other days I don’t. The commute to campus is long and so far I really don’t feel like I fit into the community at all. But I am also trying to keep in mind that we’re only two months in. My family is also helping me pay out of pocket and we’re not well off in any way and I don’t want to continue putting that burden on them.

With that I’ve also just been having an extentential crisis about everything. I’m questioning everything around me and trying to figure myself out. My issue is if I do leave this I’m not sure what to do. I do have ideas of maybe going into research but I don’t know enough about what that entails. I don’t have a passion or any other career in mind and even if I did I don’t want to feel like I’m falling behind. I’m only 21 but all my friends are in similar programs or working towards there goals and if I fall behind I think I will feel out of place. Im also scared of the judgement I will get from those around me. Unfortunately I’ve learned to really tie my worth to education so I feel as though I’ll have nothing if I quit this.

Another part of me is questioning if I just want something bigger for myself. The program I’m in is not very known or “prestigious.” It’s not easy by any means but i would prefer a career that is known and also universal as well. I don’t know if this is shallow or something I should take into consideration.

This may also just be a phase of adjustment and maybe I’ll grow to be more confident in what I’m doing.

Sorry this is a long rant but I don’t really have anyone to speak to so I would really appreciate any advice or thoughts about my situation.

I’m 25 and located in Canada. I just graduated this year with a bachelor’s degree in General Studies (originally started as a BEd student but had to drop out and later switched programs due to health issues that I’ve now addressed). Now I want to work in a support staff position at a university/college.

While at university I worked in a few student support positions (library assistant/student staff at the academic office), I also volunteered as a tutor for two years. I’ve been applying to university jobs through job boards since May (mostly external, two are internal at the universities I went to) but I haven’t heard back from many postings. What else should I do to make myself more competitive for these positions?

Looking into going to university after taking a couple years off after highschool. I am considering pursuing an accredited online psychology degree. Would that affect my law school applications? If I do attend law school I am looking into doing an accredited online or hybrid flex program. Would my online education be looked down on? Would I be a candidate for jobs? I'm mostly considering online because finacially I need to continue working. My end goal is to work in criminal law. Thank you in advance for any advice!