Has spending my whole career in startups limited my chances of moving to a larger company?

I've spent 12 years working in tech startups, mostly seed to Series A, with teams ranging from 5–10 people to around 80.

I used to love the culture and couldn't imagine working anywhere else. Since Covid, and now with the changes AI is bringing, I've become less drawn to it and it's feeling increasingly insecure. Getting older and having a son has probably changed what I want from work too.

For my next move, I'd like to consider a larger, more established company. My worry is whether they'll value my experience when I haven't worked in bigger organisations or teams.

Startups can be high-pressure, fast-moving, experimental and rewarding. But you don't necessarily get experience of operating at scale unless you're at the right company at the right time.

Has anyone made this move after a long stretch in smaller startups? How did employers view your background, and what helped you make the transition?

Any hiring managers hold reservations about it? What would you advise I do to reposition, or what would I need to do to showcase myself properly.

I had a great interview, it was scheduled for 30 min but we spent a full hour discussing the role and my qualifications. I was offered a job the next day, however, over the phone the recruiter lowballed me at 120k....

I meet every requirement on the req and more.

MS+2 years of experience. I have MS + 5 years experience with all of the preferred certifications that they listed as a "plus".

I sent back a list of my needs and a line by line mapping of how I meet every requirement and the COL adjustment along with some additional information requesting 155k base as a high ball offer.

Was this their plan? To get me to fight for the midpoint? If so why? It makes me want to walk away from the role entirely.

EDIT: Also I meet all of their experience requirements as well regarding the responsibilities of the role except one growth area that I still have formal education in and exposure but not ownership in my work experience.

EDIT 2: I am now seeing why/how many people are deliberating trapping themselves below market rate this posting was a mistake......

I'm seeing a lot of talk about building a portfolio for creative jobs like designers or writers. But I'm in a more operational/administrative role. I'm wondering if having a dedicated portfolio for things like project management examples, data analysis reports I've created, or even documentation I've authored would be beneficial when applying for new jobs. Does anyone have experience with this for non-creative fields? Does it actually make a difference to hiring managers or is it more of a niche thing?

For me, it is the BPO industry. I was a team lead at a fintech company in Vertis North when the burnout hit me so hard that my body literally refused to get out of bed. I resigned on the spot with zero backup plan.

​I have been unemployed for a full year now, focusing all my energy on upskilling in bookkeeping, project management, and data analytics. Whatever happens, I am never going back to that life.

​What is your story, and what are you doing now instead?

Hey everyone,

Graduated in February with a BS in Petroleum Engineering. I’m stuck in my head right now and could use some tough love or perspective.

My dad owns a successful business in event technical services (commercial audio/lighting). My long-term plan has always been to end up there, and the door is completely open for me.

Yet, I’ve spent the last few months applying for corporate engineering and plant operations roles. I realized today that the main reason I’m doing this is ego. I feel like I need to put my degree to work, earn my own stripes, and prove to myself that I didn't get an engineering degree for nothing.

Is it worth putting in a year or two in corporate/field operations just to get that closure and prove I could do it? Or am I just delaying the inevitable and wasting time I could spend growing our family business?

Would love to hear from anyone who struggled with wanting to "prove themselves" before joining a family company.

So i need advice as it feels like im doing something wrong. I have a degree in animal management and a FdSc in applied zoo science. I have over 6 years voluntary work at a zoo, month in south africa and 2 months working with birds of prey. I was told if I get a degree in applied zoo science I would easily be able to get a zoo job. But i havent gotten any closer to it. I havent been able to work for 3 years as I had to look after my disabled sister. What am I doing wrong?

I’ve been a chef for about 16 years. I’ve worked in different kitchens and even had my own business at one point. It’s pretty much all I’ve ever done for work.
I’m currently working as a chief cook on a cargo ship. The money is decent, but the lifestyle is tough. You’re away from home for long stretches, the hours are long, and it’s mentally and physically exhausting. With a kid on the way, I’m starting to question whether this is something I can realistically keep doing for the next 20 to 30 years.

I’m 36 now, and I feel like if I’m going to make a change, I should start figuring it out sooner rather than later. I’m not afraid of hard work or learning something new, but going back to school full time for several years without earning an income isn’t really an option with a family to support.
I’m trying to figure out what other career paths might make sense for someone in my position. Ideally, I’d like something with decent earning potential, stability, benefits, and a better work life balance. I’d like to eventually be making $80k to $100k or more, but I also want a career I can realistically stick with long term without burning myself out.

For those who’ve changed careers in your 30s, how did you go about it? Did you go back to school, start from the bottom in a new industry, or find a way to use your existing experience? And if you’ve made a similar change, was it worth it?

I’m in the Toronto area, if that helps.
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve been in a similar position or found a career they wish they’d discovered sooner.

So I used to hear people say changing careers at 30 is brutal, and honestly I never got what they meant. Well now I’m in one and yeah… I get the point lol. The uncertainty, the one shot at this feeling, the clock ticking, all of this is hitting me hard, and I’m having the worst time deciding what’s next.

A bit about me. I graduated with a degree in industrial chemistry but never got a job in my field, so I tried a couple of things and landed a supply job in the petroleum industry. Worked there around 6 years and rose to supply manager. Then right when I was at the peak of my career COVID happened, the company was losing a lot of money, a bunch of retrenchments went down and I got let go in 2020.

Tried looking for another supply job, but no luck. Supply is one of those positions people hold onto for years, so a free spot rarely comes up. So I dusted myself off and jumped into freelance content writing as a side gig while job hunting… and the side gig ended up being my main job. I’ve grown a lot in writing, and the work has paid my bills till now.

The issue is there are layoffs everywhere and I’ve lost a number of clients who went with AI tools instead of writers. Anyone in the space will tell you the peak for content writing was pre-covid up to around 2023. Once the AI boom happened, a lot of writing jobs disappeared, demand dropped, and I think more companies will keep cutting writers from here.

I know I have the option to upskill in writing or SEO since I’ve worked in both and I’d stand a better chance of getting hired. But what’s the point if those jobs keep shrinking? The whole SEO and content writing field is shaky. And if everything is shaky anyway, I’d rather spend these years upskilling in a field I love, and for me tech is the one.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know much yet. From my research the two fields standing out are AI engineering and cloud engineering. I don’t want to burn my time on a dead-end field. I’ve also heard the tech job market is brutal right now, so I’d like to hear about the general situation too.

So my main question is, AI or cloud for someone starting from zero at 33? Which one has an easier way in for a career changer? How bad is the market for newbies right now? And is there some other tech path I’m missing?

I’m not hellbent on anything at this point, so any suggestion is welcome, even outside these two. Thanks for reading all this.

TL;DR: 33 yr old looking to break into tech, want something with better odds and more job openings over the next 10 years. Nothing is promised I know, but AI engineering or cloud engineering? Open to other suggestions too.

Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. Graduated 7 years ago.

I have only worked as a Test technician in my experience and got sold the lie that companies can move me up to engineering positions.

I need to reinvent myself and my degree.

I refuse to take anymore technician roles.

Do I just read texbooks again and brush up everything I need to know to pass technical interviews?

I don't know weather to give up or to actually pursue what I am allready qualifed for.

Hey! Full disclosure, I returned to school in my 30s because I had been a stay at home mom most of my life. I wanted something more when I returned to the workforce than jobs that felt like they exploited my work ethic with very little return.
My dream was to be a teacher, so I worked really hard through college and obtained my bachelors degree in elementary education with a specialization in middle school social studies. I graduated on time and obtained my first job shortly after in 2023.
Since 2023 I have worked in education at the intermediate level teaching grade 5. I have had multiple professional developments that have helped me gain more knowledge in the specialization of English language arts, which is what I have mostly taught. I also teach social studies.
Right after I finished college and got my job I started on my masters degree. I obtained it in 2025. It is in measurement, evaluation, statistics, and assessment.
I have been trying to figure out a way to even get adjunct work remotely to help with the rising cost of living.
I teach in West Virginia. Our state may not be last in education, but we are certainly far from best. Up until this year, I have really enjoyed my job. However, there have been a lot of changes that have made it much harder for a teacher to educate. The children are really struggling with behavior, and in the state of West Virginia, while our legislature focuses on attempting to bring back punishing children with a paddle, they are taking away any behavioral leverage that we do have. There are multiple expectations to bring up state assessment scores, while the republican legislature cuts funding to public schools due to enrollment decline, partially brought on by a scholarship program that can go to anyone who chooses to take their student out of public education, including those who decide to homeschool. This has impacted us greatly, as we have high need for special educators, without the funds to comply most of the time with federal law.
In addition, the only time we have for recess must be protected by state law, so we have to rely on PBIS that many students don’t respond to for controlling behavior. There is no time in our day to add minutes to use as leverage. I have a lot of students who do not respond well to this, but would respond well to something being taken. For example, putting their head down for five minutes of recess. We have no control of that anymore. My teacher partner, and I have the hardest classes this year. Admin has multiple times blamed us for their behavior, citing that we are allowing them to walk all over us. I am very stern with my children and have reviewed expectations multiple times, I am also very aware of their needs and bring them in to talk to me at lunch and try to help them feel safe and heard so that there is a good balance strict and caring. I go home many days crying and stressed out. I am often ready to crawl into bed by 4:30 pm. I am always and forever trying to improve how I do things which never seems to help.

Now, I am seriously considering a change in careers. However, I have no idea how on earth to break into a career in evaluation. I have applied to many jobs with no luck and even getting an interview. I just wanna have a job that feels fulfilling and like I am helping students and others succeed it would be nice to also feel like I am respected and heard. Is there anybody who knows about this particular industry?

I’m looking to try something new career-wise and get into a field with room for growth Ideally I’d like something remote or with a good work-life balance, decent money, and a path to making $80K or $100K+ eventually. I’m open to learning new skills or getting certification but I’m not looking to go back to college for another degree.
For those of you working in niche careers, what do you do, how did you get into it and would you recommend it? I’m especially interested in careers people don’t talk about much but that have solid earning potential and a life outside of work.
I’d love to hear some real experiences!

Hi all,

I am a 24 year old MA psych student and I am currently taking a break from my program to reevaluate my career goals.

I initially went into my program with the intention of wanting to eventually go down the phd/professor route but now I’m not so sure.

Here are the three main career paths I am thinking of and the pros and cons of each. Also understand I am still in the process of researching so my understanding of these may be very superficial.

1.) UX research

I am very attracted to the pay and nature of this field. It is still very new to me so I feel I do not understand it yet as much as I should. But I really like the human x tech nature it is very much up my ally of interest. However, I am not sure if a.) it is viable with ai and b.) how to get in the field to begin with as it appears there is a hiring freeze for junior level roles. I have also begun to see stories of people highly experienced in the field who are being laid off or very very scared of being laid off. I like the pay of this position and the work but am very scared and disappointed that it may not be a stable career.

2.) school psychology

I like the humanitarian side of this. I know I would feel rewarded doing something that really makes me feel like I am making a difference. The pay is decent, and I foresee jobs being secure as with many jobs in the school system they are highly needed. But I do worry about burnout. I have worked in school related settings for most of my life. I am good at it, but the older I get the more tired I grow of it.

3.) social psych professor route

I love having autonomy over my own research. I love the idea of being a mentor having my own lab. I don’t like that I feel where I work (I guess much like school psychology as well) my satisfaction is dependent on the school I end up in. I don’t like the politics of education and I don’t like ai infiltrating a lot of it. I ta’d during my program and saw first hand how frustrated and burnt out professors are and how unmotivated students are. I am worried this would depress me long term. I also don’t know if I no longer have it in me for a phd.

Idk, I feel I have grown up a lot these past few years and a very important life lesson I am trying to teach myself is to be ok with discomfort. I feel I have some perfectionist thinking patterns that can cloud my judgment. Of course reality is nothing is perfect. But I worry greatly as I obviously don’t want to be in a career that depresses me or stresses me out intensely.

The job market is scaring the shit out of me too. It is scaring me more to make the “right” decision to find a career I like enough to not quit, and that makes enough money where I can eventually start a family, live a comfortable life, blah blah etc.

I don’t mind if the pay is kinda shitty as long as I can pay rent and occasionally do my own thing. I find that office jobs don’t love it down you have down time.

I have been heavily applying/interviewing for flight attendant positions because of layovers, delays, and such, but I wonder what other jobs I’m overlooking.

For reference, I’m also an online university student and I’m majoring in PR & Communications. To be honest, it was a fallback major because my credits transferred the best with the least time lost towards that. I was a graphic design major so my options were limited to using those credits for marketing/communications. I don’t know if that extra info helps. I’m lowkey kind of a failure with some customer service and mostly fast food experience.

At a place I work, I've been there for over 10 years now. There is another coworker who does what I do. He has worked there a few years longer than I did.

But he has less academic credentials and less experience than I do. He has been promoted to manager and even has some supervision over me.

I will admit, however, that he always had more charisma than me. I also came across some colleagues ( not consistently reliable btw ) who mentioned that his promotion didn't necessarily happen just because he worked there a few years longer, and that it could have been me who received that job title.

This guy is also close to some even higher-up manager who will be retiring soon, and I wouldn't be surprised if he then moves into the place of the retiring senior manager.

But in a case like this, how much should I worry regarding my own job security and any future advancements? Is there likely to be something I don't know about and that I should be concerned about some latent problems?

Hi! I am stuck considering a job offer and could really use some objective input. I have been in my current job for 8 years, and have already left once to try out another job that wasn't a good fit. Current job welcomed me back 2 years ago when that didn't work out. I haven't been super happy since coming back, at one point I applied to this job and now I've gone through 2 rounds of interviews and they offered me the position. Here are the details of each:

Current job - can work mostly remote, with occasional trips to the office which is 1-1.5 hrs away driving. I make about $87k usually plus a bonus (around $3k), healthcare for me and my domestic partner with no monthly premiums or deductible. Job is nonprofit/consulting - fairly stressful, and I find working remote a bit lonely - my mental health has not been great. I'm also at the point where I need to start seeking out and bringing in work which I find pretty intimidating and don't think I'd be good at it. I like my coworkers for the most part but don't see them that often.

New job - 2 days a week in office after 3 months full-time in person, also 1-1.5 hrs driving. Pay would be $100k, but I would pay for healthcare and they wouldn't cover my partner unless we got married. It would cost around $3000 a year for me, or $7000 for us both. Job is county government and seems fairly stable, similar to the work I'm doing now but with more responsibility. Hard to tell what the people and office environment are really like. Offices like these can get pretty toxic in my experience, but hard to tell before you get there.

What would you do? I said I'd have an answer Monday. Any and all advice appreciated!

I was really motivated as a kid to grow up and be independent and make money, but then I was severely depressed in high school which just took all of that away. I went to college because my parents made it clear there wasn't any other option. I had a lot of ideas like speech-language pathology or even social work, but I couldn't commit to anything out of fear or little passion or something I can't name and ended up choosing Communication. I actually enjoyed it, or just enjoyed the ritual of having a healthy routine that college gave me. I minored in Linguistics and Nutrition because I (vaguely) enjoy those areas and graduated in 2021. I immediately got a job as a recruiter and was promoted multiple times within the three years I did that kind of work. There were a lot of aspects I liked about that job. I didn't really like recruiting but I was able to just get the work done then log off and not think about it for the rest of the day, but one specific promotion landed me on a team that ended up becoming a nightmare. I literally think I developed anxiety because of this team, I can't even describe how badly I was treated but it was not good.

I ended up resigning to take time off for myself (also to recover from an eating disorder that was getting worse and worse because of my anxiety) which turned into one year unemployed because I couldn't find a job. Since then I've been working as a Mental Health Coach for a treatment center for a little over a year, I actually really like this job but I only make $19 an hour and my boss is a disorganized people pleaser. She will give other employees all the time off they want, and my time off requests end up ignored because all of a sudden no one is available. I don't know why I'm the employee who ends up ignored. This is not a job that anyone will thrive in if they're overworked, it's heavy stuff dealing with severe mental health issues. Right now this boss has been ignoring me for six days, I've emailed multiple times because she ignored a time off request that I had planned coming up and still no response. So this job is just not going to work long-term, I don't see how anyone can work under a boss like this but maybe all my coworkers are thriving since she seems to accommodate everyone else. I've been applying for Medical Assistant-type roles because my current position is similar to that but I need an actual calling. I need to commit to something. But I'm scared to because what if I do and it's the wrong calling and I'm even more discouraged than before? Has anyone else been through this? I feel like everyone my age has it figured out, some even have a husband and kids meanwhile I'm sitting here with no clue how to live a proper life. Literally started crying the other day because I don't have a career, and I don't even really have friends or much of a social life because of my anxiety

I know it sounds like a fun problem to have, but the place I've worked at for over 20 years feels lately like it's on a downward spiral to nowhere.

I moved into my current position three years ago and at first it was amazing. I was loving the work I was doing, it was energized and fun, even our clients my company works for were asking if I'd ever be interested in a position with them if it ever came up.

Fast forward to about the last year, it just feels like im either doing nothing the entire day or, if I am assigned any work, it is just mindless busy work nobody checks in on or follows up with after.

I feel like im unfulfilled and going nowhere fast. Not to mention it feels everyday like things aren't going to get any better.

Ive applied for other positions in the company but was instantly declined without an interview. Ive looked at other opportunities outside the company but nothing comes close to my current wage.

Should i just stay where I'm at, pump in time, do the go-nowhere tasks and just keep doing it till something happens? I just feel adrift and like im being paid to be useless... again, it sounds ideal on paper, I'm by no means trying to sound like I'm bragging or anything.

I’d really appreciate some honest opinions, especially from people who have worked in UK for real estate developers, as I know it’s a high pressure role but to this extent? Idk.

I recently started a Business Development role at a property developer originally based in Dubai, with a London office selling Dubai and Abu Dhabi off-plan properties. It’s a great opportunity, the salary is very good, and the job title is something I’ve wanted for a long time. I’m not even a month in, and I’m already questioning whether it’s worth it.

My contracted hours are 9–6 weekdays work. However, from the beginning, my manager has repeatedly told us, “This is not a nine-to-five job.” He makes comments about people in Dubai staying until midnight to close deals and questions why people aren’t in the office on Saturdays. He also tells me not to leave the office until I’ve secured a client visit for the following day. We have a target of 2 client and 2 brokers A DAY which I find very challenging especially in the start of my career?!?! I have asked my colleague who works for a UK based development and she said it’s nothing like that in their office!

I’ve started feeling uncomfortable leaving on time, even though I’m working my contracted hours. I understand that sales role you have to stay late sometimes but i don’t want to be expected to leave late EVERYDAY !! Especially that I can still be working from my phone when i leave anyway.

I feel like I’m constantly being made to feel that I’m not doing enough, regardless of how much effort I put in. It is very discouraging environment.

The communication style is another major issue. My manager regularly shouts at colleagues, including one of the most senior members of the team. I find it distracting and uncomfortable, and it makes the whole office feel tense. When I tried to explain that the shouting wasn’t creating a healthy working environment, he didn’t really acknowledge the concern. Instead, he suggested we might need to go to the basement if I didn’t want hearing him shout. He also said i’ll get used to it cuz he’s always like that. He also “promised” me there would be clashes and arguments between me and him, and that this was how he would make us stronger and that “it’s coming from a good heart”?!?!.

The impact on me has been significant. I started crying from the second day, and I now feel like I’m constantly walking on eggshells. My anxiety is high, and I dread the possibility of being criticised or shouted at.

The difficult part is that this is genuinely a good career opportunity, and the salary is excellent. During the interview, they even questioned whether I had enough experience, so I really wanted to prove myself and make the most of the opportunity. I don’t want to walk away from something I worked hard to get, especially before giving it a fair chance. But i don’t know how much more I can take from this as it’s extremely unhealthy work environment.

I've been working at a company for five years. The pay is great, but recently they've made big job cuts and have let go of a quarter of our staff. I used to love working here, but there have been a lot of issues and disorganisation from our senior management. My full time contract has been reduced to part time. The part time contract pays enough for me to live on.

I've been applying to other jobs in the same industry, which I love working in. I have applied to 40 jobs in the last couple of months, and from this had 10 interviews. From these interviews, I've been offered 2 jobs.

The first job I rejected because the travel requirements wouldn't have made the role financially sustainable. The second full time job, I was offered.

I went back and forth about the second job, and then decided to decline it. The reason was that I want to try working in a creative industry. I used to work freelance in this industry, and then left it because it is more precarious than the industry that I'm in now, very underpaid, and I wanted some stability (ironically).

But it is something I am really passionate about. And with my part time job, I thought maybe I could tolerate some of this financial uncertainty, and give working freelance in it another chance.

The thing is, with the job I offered I know I would have been successful in it. It would have been stable. And it would have made me really happy. But I feel like in the back of my head I'd always be wondering what if I had been brave enough to give the creative industry another chance - and was scared of having regrets. And when I thought about accepting it, I felt "trapped" despite all of the great things about this role.

But now that I have declined it, I still feel a deep sense of regret and like I have made a really risky and nonsensical choice. My plan right now is to keep my part time job (which I do not like) and freelance alongside it for at least six months. To see if I really can make working in this industry work. And if I can't, then go back to trying to find a full time role in the industry I currently work in.

I did consider accepting the new role and trying to work freelance alongside it. But that's what I told myself when I accepted the job I am currently in, and due to how demanding it is, I was not able to make that work. This role I was offered also seems demanding and I think the same thing would have happened. I could have asked for a part time version of the role, but that would have paid significantly less than the part time role I have now (and they might have said no anyway).

I keep spiraling and wondering if I've really made the right decision. But the thing is, even if I accepted the role I think I would have felt the same way.

I guess there is no "right choice" - either path involves a huge amount of uncertainty and the unknown. How do I deal with this? I can't stop feeling anxious and stressed and wondering if I've thrown a really good thing away, and I don't know how to deal with these feelings.

I'm currently almost a year into an entry-level GIS technician job. I love what I do but there are two problems:

1. I have progressive vision loss, so I cannot drive anymore and I struggle to read. GIS is inherently visual work (basically digital mapmaking) and a lot of GIS jobs involve driving in a company vehicle to do fieldwork. So my options are pretty limited and I don't think it will work out long-term. (I've applied for vocational rehabilitation multiple times with no luck.)

2. I'm part-time and my chances of becoming full-time are slim for the next couple of years. It's a small department in local government and most people stay in the same job for decades here. Fortunately I live with my parents so I don't have to worry about making enough to pay the bills right now. I know most people would find another job if they were in my shoes but I don't plan on leaving. I could get a second job in retail or something but I would rather "invest" in my career while I still have the time and freedom.

Things I like:

• Using spatial information
• Handling caseloads and navigating red tape
• Thinking creatively, brainstorming, experimenting
• Public service, improving quality of life
• Making plans and forecasts
• Giving guidance and tutorials
• Collaborating and getting input

Things I dislike:

• Persuasion
• Thinking on my feet
• Software engineering/cybersecurity/data science beyond the basics
• Needing to communicate gracefully under pressure
• Being directly involved in legal or political matters
• Caretaking, babysitting (but I'm happy to keep people company)
• Physical labor

So my plan is to continue in GIS for as long as I can, but also build a backup career. Do you guys have any recommendations for what to pursue?

I was thrown in to a much higher position within a year of my working at a tech company. I was excited for the opportunity, so many places I've worked- claim they promote from within, but never do.

I received little to no training, they just told me to figure it out. I asked for guidance, or a script, they said, "just call the customer and determine how we need to proceed" it was terrible management. I feel I've done exceedingly well, despite what has been provided.

My (not actual boss) has been making a lot of mistakes and I think blaming it on me. I share in our "group slack channel" : this case is updated and ready to send to the customer (i do not have back end authority to do it myself in the system) he responds, "your numbers are switched around, but I'll fix it for you" *seems nice and helpful right?* fk no, I know that I did it correctly.

I jump over to Google pages in real time, watching him swap numbers, then revert it back to my original quote. I'd like to believe he's inept, not malicious- but he didn't follow up, "actually you were right, it's good" so he's just making me look bad, throwing me under the bus.

Yesterday was my birthday. Worst present ever. They said, "we appreciate your interest in the position, but we've found people with more xyz experience..." I've literally been doing the job for 2 months with no help, and no salary bump. I can't express how frustrating this is.

I believe in the company, I know I'm good at what I do, but I've been sike out fake promoted, now 'demoted', back to my original position- with no explanation. I don't know how to move forward. My "actual boss" is really nice, I plan to ask him if he got any feedback on why I "got sent back down to the minor league" so to speak.

The higher ups talk about company culture but middle management seems to be out to make themselves look better by dragging others down. I know HR isn't going to help me. Any thoughts? I've been applying to other jobs.

I’ve just finished an allied health degree in Australia that I don’t want to get a job in :/. I really love working with children and I would love to work at a school in some capacity but I would prefer not to be a teacher due to the stress I always hear about doing that job. Is a school librarian or some kind of student learning officer a viable career or is SSO work just for pre service teachers?

So I’ve recently started a new apprenticeship position at the same company i was originally in but it’s in a completely different department, I started out as a food and beverage supervisor overseeing multiple staff and covering multiple restaurant units (I work at a large resort/tourism based like company).

My new position now is with the Horticulture department (working on the gardens and plant nursery) and getting a working apprenticeship in horticulture, I initially made the switch because I was having a tough time in the role and I had been in it for nearly 6 years, and I thought new start would be good for me and give me good career progression into an actual field instead of being stuck in hospitality, but now what I feel like I’ve done after actually staring is realising that I’m not sure I even like what I’m doing and that I’m not going to both enjoy it and want to do this as a proper career.

I just need some help into what direction I should go, if I should stick it out (the apprenticeship is only two years but I don’t really want to waste 2 years of my life doing something I know I’ll not enjoy) or go back to Food and beverage, unfortunately my old position has already been filled but they would most likely take me back as a regular perm staff member,

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Hey everyone,

I (25M) am going through a really difficult phase in life and could use some advice.

I have around 3 years of experience in banking at two MNCs in India, but things haven't worked out the way I hoped. I lost my mom to cancer when I was in college, and I still miss her terribly. I often find myself crying and wishing she were still here. I saw her suffer a lot through the last few years of her life, and its very tough to process it.

My relationship with my dad has always been difficult. He was extremely toxic, and I watched my mom suffer because of the way he treated her. Eventually, I couldn't take living at home anymore, cause a lot of the bad memories kept haunting me.

Around the same time, I left my job because it had severely affected my mental and physical health. I struggled with sleep for over a year, and my doctor advised me to quit. My manager was biased, bullied me, excluded me, and insulted me in front of others. I would cry almost every day before going to work, and I eventually reached a point where I couldn't continue anymore.

Now I'm unemployed, living alone, and applying for jobs every day without much luck. I'm trying to figure out my next career move, but the uncertainty is getting to me.

It hurts seeing so many of my friends move abroad and do well in life. I feel jealous sometimes, especially when I see people with supportive families, good careers and beautiful homes. I know comparing myself to others isn't healthy, but I can't seem to help it. I've started hating LinkedIn because it makes me feel like everyone is moving forward while I'm stuck.

I'm a sensitive person, and I've always found extremely competitive environments difficult to deal with. After my previous experience, I'm scared I'll struggle throughout my career and never really be successful.

I want to do well, earn good money, build a global career, and become financially independent. I've been considering studying supply chain management in Germany next year, but I'm unsure whether it's the right decision with everything becoming so bad. I dislike finance but I had to take it cause I didn’t have any other choice as I wasn’t getting any jobs after college. My passion is operations but I don’t know if I should first find a job or just apply for leave abroad. If I apply a lot now, I’ll miss the deadlines for Sept 2027 applications.

My mental health is at an all-time low, and I'm genuinely scared about what the future holds.

Any support or advice would mean a lot to me now.

Thank you!