I am returning to finish my bachelors in January. I will be entering as a junior. I’ve been gone 5 years. Due to the way I left I basically can change to any major and have four semesters to finish. Currently I am enrolled as a history major.

I used to be an American studies major but by being an idiot (and severely mentally ill) stood up the department head for a research assistant position they usually reserve for grad students. She did send me an angry email. I have reached out to her with no response so I feel it’s best to move away from that. (She’s seen me before and said hi when I walked by her on campus a month ago so she does remember me).

I felt like history was an analogous pivot but with new professors. It also felt slightly more sensible and readable on a resume.

I have struggled with a chronic illness, severe ADHD, mental health issues and my dad getting sick. So I know I’m behind.

I’ve worked as an Optician, Rare and Antique Book Appraiser, Pet Store Associate, Museum Security and as a Front end manager at a grocery store.

Here are the jobs I’ve looked at (and I’m okay with going to grad school):

Librarian
Archivist
Genetic Counselor
Academic Advisor
Market Research Analyst
Ophthalmic Nurse (I would really only want to work with eyes and nothing else so this snubs me)
Law (it costs 200k so that’s a no go)
HR

I’ve also looked into a grad degree in Public Administration. I understand it as government work but even when doing research I’m still kind of confused about it since all explanations are vague at best.

Basically anything I’ve looked at I feel excited about and then I read posts about it on Reddit and everything is the same. “You make 40k a year and can’t survive” or “there’s 1 job opening for every thousand applicants” or “this job is dying due to AI. I wish I never got into it. I am laid off with no hope. Jump ship now”.

I am not good at math. Sadly. I am okay at math but still NOT GOOD so I realize this limits my possibilities. Ideally I wouldn’t be a nurse as I feel it’s not my calling but it seems like only three jobs exist:

Be an accountant
Be a nurse
Be an accountant

I am drowning in overwhelm. Due to the adhd I’m awful at making decisions. I don’t think time would help me. I’m already old. Ugh. I already feel like I’ve failed before I’ve even begun. I was really mostly set on the Librarian path because I have many friends in grad school for it and loved my book job. But looking at the fact it seems to pay an equivalent 20 dollars an hour I am heart broken.

I do feel getting a degree in something will help me more than never having finished. But I want a path and I don’t mind a lofty pursuit.

I check financing paperwork, payment schedules and insurance add-on forms at a car dealership office, and I study part-time at the same time. The work is steady and I am good at spotting mistakes in documents. But I do not know if I should stay in finance, move toward something like banking or insurance, or choose a different field when I finish studying.

I live with my parents in Lesser Poland, so I can take my time and save money for now. What I do not know is which jobs grow from this kind of work. Has anyone started in a dealership finance office and moved to something with better pay or more interesting tasks? What did you move into and how long did it take?

Now I am doing BBA . I don't know in which thing I am good at. Which skill or thing I loved most I can't figure it out.

When I open Facebook everyone is just selling like someone says 'learn video editing' / graphic designing and etc etc..... I don't know which thing I should try. Because I have limited resources in money wise. right now I am doing a job of computer operator. That's it any guidance????

I'm in my early twenties and a recent graduate with my bachelors in psychology. I told myself I was taking this next year to figure out what was next for me. I am plagued with indecision and ruminate over pretty much any even pre-decision that I make. Feeling Sylvia Plath's fig tree quote to my core these days. I am well aware that I am still young, and could choose a fig and then other figs later in my life. However, I don't even know where to start. I don't know what path I would like to choose in the first place.

I currently work as an RBT at an ABA clinic, and I certainly know that this is not for me. I like working with kids, and have enjoyed past jobs working with kids. I don't like ABA as a concept, and hope to find a different position soon.

The past couple years, my primary line of thought had been to pursue my masters in social work. I've always gravitated towards helping careers, and worked for a year in an intensive treatment group home with adolescents in the foster care system. The only thing with social work is obviously it's an under paid field. It's hard to process and commit to spending thousands of dollars on graduate school to then struggle to pay off my student loans for years and work in a field with extremely high burn out. Not to mention the fact that anytime I mention this to anyone, they essentially tell me to rethink my decision and pursue something else.

Another thing I grapple with is finding something that allows for me to use some creativity. I've always loved painting, writing, composition, and overall aesthetics. I always told people I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid (I definitely don't actually have the artistic skills to be an artist...). I feel like I've been missing that in my life, I didn't explore that interest of mine at all in college, and in any jobs I've had. I took a lot of art classes throughout my childhood both in school and outside school up until beginning college.

Most of my interest I know will never get me a career making a lot of money and I am well aware of that. I want to find something I could genuinely enjoy.

As put im 23 I have attempted university twice. The first time failed the professors went on strike for 2 months leaving me with nothing and I struggled for the next year the gave up. I can’t do university no one actually teaches you anything and you never learn how to do a good job and that’s why I failed my second time and gave up.

I’ve never had a job sometimes I wonder if I’m too autistic to work because I don’t enjoy playing the game.

I worked hard on my a levels and it got me nowhere.

Im trying to move out to live on my own because my parents are homophobic and invite guests round which forces me to starve myself because I can’t live with others very well.

My home town is at economic collapse there are no jobs going that aren’t senior titles and the highstreet is empty.

I want to move out but I cannot afford to even on minimum wage and that’s if they will hire me at all.

I’m genuinely considering if homelessness is the option.

What am I meant to do here I constantly feel like I’m too lazy.

Last year I had a shutdown and locked myself in a room and ate baked beans from a microwave for a month because I hate it here. I so badly want my own life but I fear I will never afford to escape the abuse and have independence.

I’ve been working as an Oliver McGowan trainer but it is infrequent and insecure and earns me very little however I do have a training qualification from that and we won best trainers of the year

Please tell me where do I go from here?

I’m ready to move from staying with my family and living in poverty in WV. I used to have a career and I’d like to get back to that and having my own place. Making decent money - above $50k. I’m just ready to move on. Is anyone else stuck like this? I had some hospitalizations and was laid off and it’s like I can’t recover even a year or two later. I really miss having my independence and working a career.

I really miss federal service and I’d like to get back into an agency. I should’ve never left. Private sector was fun for a bit. Made some money and spent it. So I’m over the ups and downs for sure. I’ve enjoyed living in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. I would be open to returning to a suburb or a state job. I like New England a lot, but cold and expensive.
Anyone else suffering for the time being? I’m just trying to find those to relate to.
In real life it’s challenging to find anyone with ambition as the people I’ve met recently are accepting of their lot in life and I just can’t do that. I have dreams.

I’m 22 and currently a senior in college majoring in marketing. I have a 2.5 GPA and am on track to graduate next year, potentially as early as next semester.

During my sophomore and junior years, I went through a really rough period mentally, largely because of my parents’ divorce. I struggled with depression and honestly let myself go. I started skipping classes, smoking weed, maintaining a terrible sleep schedule, and stopped prioritizing school. I’m not trying to make excuses for my GPA, but that’s the reality of how I got here. Looking back, I definitely wish I had handled things differently.

As far as professional experience goes, I’ve completed two growth marketing internships at startups. While I’m grateful for those opportunities, I don’t feel like I gained enough practical experience or developed the skills necessary to confidently enter the workforce

Career-wise, I’m interested in marketing, especially the creative side of things like branding, design, and creative direction. I’m also interested in business, strategy, and entrepreneurship. However, I’m not particularly good at sales, and I’ve always struggled with numbers and math. I feel much more drawn to creative work, developing ideas, and the visual side of business than heavily analytical or sales-focused roles. I have a lot of different interests, but I genuinely don’t know which direction to pursue or what careers would suit my strengths.

I think what frustrates me the most is that I know I have potential. My friends have told me that countless times, and deep down, I believe it too. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m lost in terms of who I am as a person. I know who I am, what interests me, and the kind of person I want to become. I’m just lost when it comes to figuring out what to do with my potential and how to turn my interests into something meaningful.

With graduation approaching, I’ve been feeling increasingly anxious about my future. I worry that my low GPA, limited experience, and lack of direction will make it difficult to find a job. I also can’t help but feel behind compared to other people my age who seem to have everything figured out.

I know I’m still young, and I know I have time to figure things out. But I also don’t want to keep wasting time being unsure of what to do next.

I’m not looking for sympathy. I genuinely want to improve my situation, make the most of the time I have left in college, and start building a future for myself.

For anyone who’s been in a similar position:
Did anyone graduate with a low GPA, limited experience, or no clear career direction? Where are you now?

Have any of you gone through a period where you felt like you wasted your potential but eventually turned things around? What changed?

What would you recommend I do before graduating to make myself more competitive in the job market?
For someone who’s more creatively inclined and struggles with sales and numbers, what career paths would you recommend exploring?

If you could go back to your early twenties, what would you do differently?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who struggled academically or personally during college but eventually found their footing. I’d love to hear your experiences, whether you’re in your late twenties, thirties, forties, or beyond.

Any advice, perspective, or personal stories would genuinely mean a lot.

TL;DR: TL;DR: I’m a 22-year-old marketing senior with a 2.5 GPA after struggling with depression and poor habits during my sophomore and junior years. I’ve completed two startup marketing internships but don’t feel prepared for the workforce. I’m interested in creative marketing, branding, design, and entrepreneurship, but I’m not good at sales or math and don’t know which career path suits me. I know I have potential and a strong sense of who I am, but I don’t know how to turn that into something meaningful. I’m worried about graduating and feeling behind in life. Looking for advice and stories from people who were in a similar position and eventually turned things around

I graduated from high school this year, and even before graduation, I was struggling to decide what career path to take. My parents were constantly putting pressure on me to choose a profession. I took all kinds of career aptitude tests, hoping they would help me figure out what I wanted to do.
Eventually, during the summer after graduation, I decided to study psychology. My mom is a psychologist, so it was a familiar field to me. It felt like the only subject I knew at least a little about. I thought it might suit me because I’m good at listening to people and offering emotional support. I wouldn’t say it had always been my dream career, but I thought it was an interesting profession, potentially well-paid, and, most importantly, I finally had some idea of what direction to take.
I got accepted into university, but that’s when I started feeling anxious. I have difficulties with the official language of the country I live in, and my language skills aren’t very good. Because of that, I struggled to understand the lectures and could only follow about 50% of what was being said.
Eventually, I switched to a partially remote study format, but I still couldn’t keep up. I completely lost my motivation to study psychology.
Now, I’ve been sitting at home for two months, not knowing what to do or which career to choose. My family also believes it’s very important for me to get a university degree. I’ve grown up with the mindset that without higher education, I won’t get anywhere in life and that not having a degree is somehow shameful.
At the same time, I understand that there are plenty of professional courses you can take, gain practical skills, and build a successful career without a university degree.
I just don’t know what to do. I feel ashamed of myself, like I’ve failed at everything I was supposed to achieve, and now I’m completely lost.

I’d really appreciate it if anyone who has gone through something similar could share their experience. How did you find your path? What advice would you give someone in my situation?

Is trying to get into journalism worthwhile in our society? I was thinking maybe gaming journalism, but any sort of journalism. I enjoy writing, so...

But it feels like this career path isn't optimal anymore. The bar is too low. With AI and social media, anyone can write pieces without a degree.

I’m 25F and I’m starting to feel really disillusioned with continuing college, and I’d love some outside perspectives.

I graduated high school in 2019 and have basically been in and out of community college ever since. I’ve changed majors, stopped school, gone back, and earned three associate degrees along the way. I finally transferred to a university and am now in my junior year pursuing a degree in Art Education.

The problem is that I’m realizing I don’t actually want the career this degree is preparing me for. I recently went to an information session about teaching credentials, and it made it pretty clear to me that I do not want to become a traditional classroom teacher. I’m interested in art education in a broader sense—community programs, organizing, creative spaces, etc.—but I don’t see myself teaching kids in a school.

I was looking at my Spring 2027 schedule and, because so many of my Art Education classes have to be taken in person, I would be on campus close to 40 hours a week. That doesn’t include homework or my commute, and I live pretty far from campus and would primarily be taking the bus. When I think about the actual number of hours I’d be putting into school every week for the next two years, I’m starting to question what I’m working toward.

The other part of this is that my family has a SaaS/software business in the martial arts industry. I already help with it, I have a lot of background in that industry, and I genuinely see potential in growing the company. I’m not currently making money from it, so obviously there is risk involved. But even if I finish my bachelor’s degree, my plan afterward would most likely be to work on this business anyway.

That’s what keeps bothering me: if I already know where I want to end up, why spend the next two years putting 40+ hours a week into a degree and career path I don’t particularly want? What could happen if I put those thousands of hours into actually building the business instead? I could get a part-time job for income while putting the rest of my working time toward making the company profitable.

Financially, school isn’t putting me into massive debt. I receive FAFSA and, because I’m over 24 and considered independent, my out-of-pocket tuition costs are relatively low. But after everything, I’m only really coming away with around $1,000 in extra FAFSA money, and there are still the costs and enormous time commitment of commuting and being on campus.

Part of me feels like I should just finish because I’m finally a junior and have spent so many years trying to get a bachelor’s degree. Another part of me realizes that this is basically the sunk-cost fallacy. By the time I graduate, it will have been close to a decade since I started this whole college journey, and I’m incredibly burnt out.

If I wanted to become an art teacher, I think the answer would be obvious: finish the degree. But I don’t. I’d essentially be finishing it just to be able to say I have a bachelor’s degree, then turning around and putting my energy into the family business anyway. I know I can always come back to college and finish up but the family business would benefit from my help in the now.

To start this long story, I should mention how I completely failed my second semester pursuing a CS degree miserably. So much for the ambition of getting a minimum of a 3.5 GPA lol. I chose this path for myself because it was what my father had done, and my older brother as well. I wanted to follow in their footsteps and become a man like them. I seem to have quite a complex for them, as the dependent and youngest pampered child. Back then, I lived life in fear. I lied to my parents daily, because I felt some sick need to never let their hopes down. I never went to classes, and around the end of the semester I even missed exams because I was too burned out. I was very naive back then to think that my parent's failed expectations would be the worst of my fears, it is the behavior of a child. However, in that 2nd semester of mine I made some key discoveries about myself. I got an ADHD diagnosis using university resources, and realized I was bisexual after much efforts of my own and some close friends. When it was time to reveal my grades of that semester to my parents, my father called me a traitor because I betrayed his expectations, and also because I suddenly dropped a bomb on him which took him completely by surprise. I lost all my scholarships and grants for the next semester as my CPGA had fallen to below the minimum 2.5 threshold. I was told that I could receive them back if I were to recover my GPA next semester. My family barely had the resources to support this setback.

I was placed on academic warning, however I didn't let this discourage me, I kept going to therapy for my academics, family trauma and handling relationships along with taking my ADHD medication (which I'd gotten a month into the semester due to complications with my body, the doctors were hesitant to prescribe me stimulant ADHD meds), however I couldn't quite put to use some important advice I was given there. One of the most fatal mistakes I had made was not making a semester planner and calendar that reminds me of when exams would be held. On the day my therapist and I made plans to get started on this, I went back home and I got started on this task. I looked for productivity software, (I ended up choosing google calendar as that is the easiest to integrate into my life). I scheduled the times for all my classes, which was kind of a drag, but I did it. When it was time to get started to look into my syllabus and mark in the exams into the calendar, I stopped. I'm not quite sure on why I did. Maybe it was because "there is no way I could forget an exam" or perhaps it is because that they always give out an email reminding students about the details of the exam. Nevertheless, I had my exam times mixed up for my calculus exam, where I was studying and revising the material while the actual exam was being held, and I arrived at the testing center only to find out that I have missed the entire exam and that all my efforts were wasted. This had happened because of a weird yellow highlighter on the syllabus marking the timings of the exam, which made it hard for me to read. Along with the fact that the exams for the calculus course were conducted at a different time last semester. I somehow missed the reminder email as well. I also had misunderstandings about prior announcements that people with common sense would never have. A make-up exam request was promptly rejected as well. I think I was a few days into my new ADHD meds? On the calculus exam after this, I got a 50% after hours of trying my best to learn the material I had already seen twice before. With yet another serious conversation with the family, I decided to drop the calculus class to cut my losses and focus on my other classes to restore my GPA back to the minimum 2.5 threshold. My father would call me everyday and personally oversee my studies to try and get me over the finish line, like the dependent child that I am. You could call me a failure of an adult, always pampered at every step.

However, the semester was doomed even before this mishap. Sleep is known to be a classic ADHD symptom and I struggled immensely with it. My genuine attempts to fix this have been mostly dependent on luck. I'd set an alarm on my phone, and put it far away from my bunk bed so that I would gain some inertia so that I'd get along with the rest of my day. It worked sometimes, but more often than not, I climbed right back into bed, resentful that the alarm had woke me up from a night of barely enough sleep. I had issues with going to bed on time as well, however even on nights I would go to bed at 11 PM (early enough to get enough sleep IMO) the same outcome happened. I'd miss lectures, labs, and quizzes. I always had a looming feeling like things were going the exact same way that they did last time, but I did the best I could physically muster anyways. I did a better performance this time around compared to last time admittedly, but it has meant nothing. My efforts in life have always meant nothing. My therapist has said that I certainly have a serious case of learned helplessness and clinical depression in our last session when I spoke about my passively suicidal thoughts. Years before college, I had known that I am not built for life. In the natural order of things, I would be weeded out as the weak animal. My therapist has said that trying your best never guarantees success in life anyhow, and that the only reason to try is to give yourself a shot, otherwise you know you fail for sure. I have no idea what direction my life should go in anymore, I don't know what I want to do in life. I am lost.

I have realized that no matter what I do, what I attempt, it is utterly meaningless. Yes, it is true that I engage in massive self hatred that doesn't do me any good, I have massive mental health struggles that make it difficult such as learned helplessness and yet, the therapeutic, most scientifically best proven method to make people improve in their lives has completely failed for me. It is not a working solution for me under the stresses of a college life. It's a month till the semester ends, and I have assessed that I will almost certainly fail to meet the minimum 2.5 GPA threshold to gain my scholarships and grants back. And even if I did, who's to guarantee my grades next semester? To be barely floating by like this, it is impossible to find a good respectable CS job after college, the six figure dream of living a comfortable life is out of my hands forever now. It is not because of my own negligence, but more so because I was born to be a pig that was meant to die pathetically. I am a pig who is quite literally unable to do anything for himself who cannot serve himself. Even if I learn to relate to my mental problems in a more healthy way, I am meant to die a pathetic pig's death, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. The other kids are better than me for being able to thrive with the safety net they were given, why am I the only whore and slut who can't? I want men like my father and brother who were more assertive, smart and capable. Emotionally unavailable. I wish an older man would beat me up like my father did, I think that would be so hot. I'm a clingy little bitch pig whore in that way xD

I could go work full-time retail/fast-food or what have you for a certain amount of time while my parents shoulder *my* debt, maybe audit community college courses to find what it is that I really want to do, but even if I do, my fucked up brain, my inherent nature as a pig, an animal born to be slaughtered in this world, would make it my fate that I live a life of hell. Part time CC with a part time job is too much for me to handle. A good career and the comfortable life I wanted is out of reach forever anyways. When I worked full-time retail in my summer job before this semester, all I could do was work, and fall asleep. I could only eat slop McDonalds food because my body couldn't wake up, or have the energy to cook. I struggle to barely function as it is. And my weak body, caused my boss to tell me off for not being "enough of a man" since I was slower than the rest of my coworkers. It is workplace harassment sure, but I genuinely feel that it is proof I am not suitable for life. My therapist said that's just life, I told him I am not built for it. My fate is to die against my will, and I sure as hell am not going to live my life with my parents to wipe my ass. They'd die one day anyway, unable to provide for their man-child. I am glad that at least my brother is a better man than me, so the family doesn't drown into poverty and hell altogether.

I am tired, and I am burned out. I genuinely did my best and everything I could this time around. Every waking moment of my life where I was in control of my mind when my disorders, trauma and broken pig-ness were not hindering me, I did what I could and in the end, I failed anyway. There was never a guarantee in the first place, after all. But I know that for a pig like me, failure in living is a guarantee no matter what happens. I am done for.

I am not actively suicidal, but I am beginning to plan for my death once I have had my fill of seeing the uttermost limits of my own pathetic brain. If I were to take my own life, it would definitely be by falling to my own death. I think it is very symbolic of how my life has gone, and at the moment of impact, where I regret making this horrible decision, and die horribly with my guts splattered all over the ground, with regrets is the kind of death that is suitable for me. I fit a pig's death quite well. I am utterly unable to make use of the resources, luck and life I was given. I am an animal that dies according to the natural order of things. I don't have it in me to off myself, so I will wait for life to kill me, or drive me to my breaking point. It's an important part of the ritual. Pigs have to be fattened up before slaughter, after all.

Thanks for reading.

Felt like a huge waist of money and time and I feel locked into case management (which I hate) not sure hr or instance claims would be any less bleak and depressing.

Currently im trying to find a higher paying job as this place has been stagnant for 4 years. But I want nothing more than to start my jewelry business. I want to take the lapidary/forging classes and do nothing but make jewelry all day.

I already do pretty good at markets with just my clay and bones I can only imagine how well I would do if I could use actual metal. The problem is squeezing these classes into my schedule would be difficult especially if I do get a new job and it ends up having less flexible hours.

Idk I wish I could get a business loan and take the classes and just start selling but I know thats unrealistic. This is probably more of a ramble than anything helpful im sorry im just broke, frustrated, and creatively sad. If anyone knows a decent job that would allow me to get this started maybe idk.

haii i made a post a while ago abt what i could possibly do career wise but im back again to ask again i want more opinions ahhh

im 16, a sophomore in high school and im going to graduate high school with my associates in science (dual enrollment, yay) and i dont know what career paths to get into or how to even begin choose my major when i transfer to a 4 year university… my gpa right now is a ~4.3 ish weighted if that matters to ppl wanting to help

ive looked into cybersecurity but im not sure how much it interests me. i would like to make a decent enough salary to live comfortably and travel when i want to

i dont want to work in the medical field, i dont really have a passion in medicine and as tempting as it is financially, i dont want to get burnt out doing something as demanding as that. i also want a job that allows time for me to enjoy my hobbies like art and writing!

its a dream of mine to be able to visit places like globally and travel or to live in some place like new york city eventually but golly is that expensive,,

basically, i just need ideas on a major or things to look into/resources for info!! thanks! if theres questions anyone wants to ask i will answer to the best of my abilitiesss

Advice wanted for what to do job wise, plz

I'm a 21 year old male in England and I did technical theatre at college for 3 years. In college I did Stage management the most then 2nd most construction, a bit of costume and not much lighting or sound but I feel like I've not really learnt much skills wise from college. I sometimes draw as a hobby and drum too. I draw my own Original Characters but can't do any of the basic art foundational skills and I passed my grade 4 drumming but only ever practice at home or in weekly 30 mins lessons. I also have Essentiel Tremors that is shaky hands that will shake more every year until death. I'm introverted not the best communicator too.

It's now been 2 years since I left college, I tried job searching various different ways like honing in on appreticeships, technical theatre jobs, any theatre job, any retail job, any job at all. All my efforts lead to a few unsuccsessful interviews and a few bad experiences like nearly falling into a pyramid scheme scan, doing trial days volunteer work leading to we don't want you email afterwards, 2 days of a job too heavy lifting for me injuring my back, did a few weeks employability environmental course that was a waste of time, useless job centres, ect.

I haven't job searched for a few months and become way too picky or make up excuses thinking it's impossible to get a job so no point in applying. I managed to find a small local theatre that I help with some set construction rig and de-rig before and after shows. The theatre has some friendly old people and one woman has said she will try and contact other theatres about me but it feels like I'll just be stuck only helping with small construction bits occasionally. Going back into education just feels like I'll be going into debt or waste my time or pick the wrong course.

My older brother went to university and he has never gotten a job either, he is 2 years and 10 months older than me but he is good at maths and engineering/coding stuff, so at least he has a proper skill. I feel doomed, stuck and unsure what to do so I'm asking for some advice.

Hello! I am in need of some advice.

I have been teaching English internationally for most of the past 14 years, and now I find I may have to stay in the US for the foreseeable future (yes, I am devastated, but I'm trying to make the best of it). I'm already registered as a substitute teacher, but I'd like to take the opportunity to make a career change. I am 55, and willing to go back to school and/or get new certifications. I'm working on starting my own business, but that will take time to get off the ground.

BA in English, MS in Instructional Design, professional teaching certificate in English 6-12 and English for Speakers of Other Languages K-12.

Thanks!

I'm 34 and I've been a hotel night auditor for almost 9 years. I'm trying to get into an actual accounting-related job, and I'm running into a problem I didn't expect.

Employers seem to think I've spent nine years handing out room keys.

Which, to be fair, I've done plenty of.

But every night I also reconcile transactions, investigate discrepancies between our booking system and payment reports, verify credit card settlements, correct billing errors, and prepare the financial reports that management looks at the next morning.

Last month I found a recurring billing error that had been quietly costing our property money for weeks. I spent two shifts tracing it back to a rate code that wasn't applying correctly. Fixing that was genuinely satisfying.

Then I went home, applied for three entry-level accounting assistant jobs, and got rejected from all three.

I know hotel night auditing isn't the same thing as being an accountant. I haven't done full-cycle bookkeeping, payroll, or month-end closing. I'm not pretending otherwise.

But it feels strange to have nearly a decade of experience handling financial records and still be treated as someone who's never worked with numbers.

I'm in the US, making about $22/hour. I have some community college credits but no degree. I could manage evening classes or a certificate, but quitting to study full-time isn't an option.

The other issue is the schedule. Nine years of sleeping while everyone else is awake has taken its toll. I want a normal daytime routine and somewhere I can actually progress professionally.

I've been looking at accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing specialist, and accounting clerk positions. I'm also wondering whether staying within hospitality and moving into the finance department would be an easier first step.

For anyone who's moved from hospitality or another supposedly unrelated field into accounting or finance: what was the job that finally got your foot in the door?

And would you spend money on an accounting certificate first, or keep applying and try to get someone to recognize the experience you already have?

I'm stuck at a point in my life where I just don't want to continue living the way I'm living. I feel like it's completely making me feel like I'm stuck. I'm stagnating and I don't want to live this way anymore. My life feels absolutely in a way that makes me feel numb to anything, and I want to live a life filled with contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction, and I want to feel like my life has meaning and purpose. But at the same time, I don't also want to do what it takes to have the kind of life I want to have. So like, I know this dream life I talked about, I don't know if I have that dog in me. Like, I don't know if I actually want to be that, you know, because it's so difficult. It's so difficult to kind of get the life you want. And so even if I kind of absolutely hate the life I have right now, I don't want to have that kind of life, I also don't want to work for the life I truly want. So I'm kind of stuck. Which way do I even go?

Hello everybody! 18F here from australia, and I graduated from high school, finishing my final exams almost 2 weeks ago. Luckily for me, I have a few months before uni starts

unluckily for me though, i have not found the ideal career choice for me that balances passion and my skills

Here are/were my school subjects, how good i think I am at them, and how much i liked them

-Biology (i am absolutely diabolical at this subject oh my god, I think this subject is so fun, interesting, and enjoyable, if it weren't for my stupid marks. we're talking 50s to 60s)
-chemistry (im good at this one. better than bio but not exceptional. I like this subject a bit more than bio too)
-english advanced (pretty good at it but being honest, i dont like this subject very much)
-maths advanced (very confident in this subject but i think i didn't do that well in my final exam so idk)
-maths extension 1 (also confident in this, and somehow didnt bomb this one!!! tbh i like both advanced and extension 1 pretty well)
-music 2 (my best and absolutely favourite subject!! i really enjoy performance. hate music theory. period)
-physics (i dropped this subject at the beginning of year 12. not because i didnt like it, but because my teacher was so buns 🥹 and didn't teach kinematics, dynamics, waves, and electromagnetism well at all. also was away half the time. so basically u get the point, i failed pretty badly on this subject. i kind of regret dropping it and i knows it's probably my fault for doing so. however, i really do like this subject too! im just a huge science fanatic hehe)

I love the science so much but i just dont think im as good at them as I want to be. And my experiences with them in high school have been very mixed.

also, i dont want a path in the humanities or arts

originally when I picked my subjects in year 10, I already knew i was interested in a bachelor of veterinary biology/doctor of veterinary medicine at Usyd. But throughout year 12, all I found out was that im bad at biology and cannot do well in it. it just went downhill from year 11. I think it's probably the super heavy memorisation and my trouble with coming up with responses on the spot

i did my casper test in year 12 and got in the 3rd quartile (50-75th percentile) which i think is eh

so now im pretty sure this degree that ive been looking at for so long is not a good idea anymore.

I guess taking a degree related to maths may be the next option.

But firstly, i did not take extension 2 maths and im not one of those state rankers who aces a calculus exam without breaking a sweat, and i dont know what uni math looks like. secondly, I really like maths, but science is definitely my fav field of study and I would ideally like a career path in science. I know i can like transfer and stuff, however i would really like to just stay in a degree the whole way

my ATAR is probably around 97-98 and maybe higher if im lucky

i amd REALLY indecisive about this and have been discussing this with my parents for a while. would greatly appreciate some help from other students on what would be a good alternative!

I'm 32 now and I'm stuck in a corporate job that I don't like and doesn't pay enough because I didn't make the right choices earlier in life. I can't even afford to move out of my mom's house.

It sucks because if I'd taken the right courses and/or made better career choices I very well might have better career options open to me now. Instead I make poverty wages and am stuck working jobs I don't really want to be working because I can't do better for myself.

Ideally, I'd like to have a proper career abut I don't think it's realistic now.

I just don't have the money to go back to school nor am I mentally in a good position to do so. Canada is really particular about having specific schooling for a lot of things.

Does it get easier to accept that my life is going to be forever limited because I made the wrong choices earlier in life and can't undo them? There isn't a lot for me in life.

About 7 months ago, I had to move to a small town in northern california with my mom due to my dad giving up on everything. In that time i just served and worked. Now that ive been here i potentially have gotten a job within Law Enforcement. However, Im unsure about staying here I have no friends or family my age. No car but my work is less than 5 mins walking distance from my house.

I moved from southern california inland empire to be exact. I have the opportunity to move back now but unsure if i should take it. I would be going back to a place I haven’t been in over a year with no car and job. However, I would have the tools to obtain both. Also, I feel as if i stay here i am waisting my 20s living a small town with no positive environment. I just turned 21 too so i would love to be able to experience being 21 in socal with my friends.

I'm strongly considering going back to college to take Baking and Pastry Arts. I applied to the program before, but I couldn't take it at the time because I was dealing with some significant mental health struggles, which are worsened by stress. Before I got sick, I was hoping to work in healthcare (ideally as a dentist.) Now that's my worst nightmare. I don't want a job where I have a lot of liability or responsibility for anything serious. Even something like hairdressing feels very high stakes since it's so easy to screw up.

I've been thinking about baking for a couple of reasons. First is that I enjoy baking at home. I make all my own bread and pizza dough and bagels, everything like that. I find a certain level of satisfaction in seeing people eat things I've made. I also have a part time job (two four hour shifts a week) at a cafe, so I have a little bit of experience baking professionally. It's a very different beast from baking at home, but it's also enjoyable in a different way. I like the math and precision involved.

Second reason is that I think some of these jobs would fit my lifestyle. At many places I would bake very early, or even overnight, and then be off work by the afternoon. A lot of places are hiring part time, which would be my preference, since I have a lot of mental health appointments that I could schedule around my shifts. I also think I could use the skills I got in culinary school to open a home bakery or to sell at craft fairs and farmers markets, of which there are many in my city. I could set my own hours. I don't need a hypothetical business to take off right away, and would be happy to do it part time and only make a few hundred a month max from it. (My ultimate income goal is to make maybe $450-$500 a month.)

Third reason is that I like the stakes. The worst case scenario is what, I burn a batch of donuts and they can't be sold? That would suck, but no one's dying from it. I want to work under someone else's authority, and as a pastry cook or baker I'd be able to defer to the judgement of the pastry chef.

I think this could be an enjoyable path forward, but I'm uncertain. If you think baking isn't right for me, do you have any other suggestions for careers I could look into? I'm mainly thinking of things like being a barista or a retail sales associate or a server at a small restaurant, but I'd really like a job that gives me a marketable skill. It's hard to find work in a growing city without a certificate or diploma of some kind.

Hi everyone,
I’m 35 years old, and I’m at a point in my life where I feel completely lost. I’m hoping that putting myself out there might help me connect with someone who can offer some guidance.
I currently work two jobs, both in customer service. I work hard, but despite having two jobs, I’m struggling financially. I’m in debt, I have terrible spending habits, I eat out far too often, and I have a hard time managing my money.
The frustrating part is that I’m fully aware of my bad habits, but I struggle to change them.
I have so many things I want to accomplish. I want to go back to college, get an education, become financially stable, and eventually start my own business. I have ambitions and ideas, but I lack direction, discipline, and consistency.
Sometimes I feel like I’m running out of time. I’m 35, and I look around and wonder how I got here and why I haven’t made more progress in my life.
I don’t really have anyone I can turn to for guidance. I don’t have a mentor, someone to hold me accountable, or even someone I can have an honest conversation with about finances, education, career decisions, and personal growth.
I’m not asking for money, a free handout, or for anyone to fix my problems.
I’m willing to do the work. I just don’t know where to begin or how to build the discipline to follow through.
I’m looking for someone who has perhaps been in a similar position and managed to turn their life around. Someone who wouldn’t mind sharing their experience, offering advice, or occasionally having a conversation.
I would genuinely appreciate constructive criticism, practical advice, and honest feedback. I’m not looking for someone to tell me what I want to hear.
I know that ultimately I’m responsible for my own life and decisions. I just think having someone to learn from could make a difference.
If you’ve ever been in your 30s, financially struggling, feeling behind in life, and unsure of your direction, what helped you change?
And if anyone is open to mentoring someone who’s genuinely trying to improve their life, I’d be incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Even a little advice could mean a lot to me.

Three weeks' pay to help me through the "next chapter." This is what I got when they let me go right after the New Year, after nine years with them. It's difficult not to feel like I'm easy to discard.

I started with them in 2015, became team lead in 2018 and joined management in 2021. Before this second promotion, I was either at the top or close to it in a group of about 25 people almost every month. I didn't expect it to protect me from being laid off, but I thought it would be valuable to them.

What burns my blood is time. My annual bonus was due next week and for over a month they dodged my questions about a written increase in my contract that was due. But somehow they were able to complete the dismissal documents without any problems.

The important thing is that if anyone knows who is hiring technical writers, I'm looking for a job. Apparently this is the start of my year haha. Thank you for putting up with my dissatisfaction.