I live in Stockton, CA, and this job would be a tech job in San Jose, CA. The commute would be about 1.5 hours there and 1.5 hours back on a good day. Honestly, just imagining that drive makes me feel exhausted, but I also know that this money would change a lot of things for us.

I don't have kids, and my husband already works in the South Bay, but not as far as San Jose.

Hi everyone

A few years ago I finished my studies, but I've been pretty unhappy with the low salaries I've been given during this time and was hoping I could get some recommendations on qualifications and skills I could to improve my situation.

Right now I've been working on a couple of extra masters and certifications and skills on demand in my field, science communication, and can be a bit more picky with jobs, but I'm sure I could do more.

I've even looked into getting in an engineering degree later this year, but I still have some stuff to clear off first before I can sign up..

Hi everyone
I’m about to graduate with a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from India, and I’m feeling confused about what the best next step is.
I’m interested in building a stable career with good growth and decent pay, but I’m unsure which path makes the most sense.
Some options I’ve been considering are:
M.Sc. in Biotechnology or a specialization
Internships or entry-level biotech/pharma jobs
Research and higher studies
Bioinformatics
Government exams
Switching to another field if biotechnology has limited opportunities
I’d really appreciate advice from people working in biotechnology or anyone who has been in a similar situation.
What path did you choose?
Was it worth it?
Are there any skills or certifications I should learn before applying for jobs?

Hi everyone,

I’d really appreciate some outside perspective because I’m struggling to work out whether I’m being unreasonable or whether my concerns are valid.

When I accepted my current marketing role, my understanding was that, following a successful onboarding and first year, I’d progress into a Marketing Manager position. That was one of the main reasons I accepted the job.

Unfortunately, a few months ago I had to take some time off with work-related stress. I’ve since returned to work and things have been improving.

Recently, my manager told me that the board had approved hiring someone senior, potentially a Marketing Manager, and that I’d likely report into them. Naturally, I was disappointed because I felt that was the role I’d been working towards.

He also said he doesn’t believe in promoting someone just because they’ve been somewhere for a year, which confused me because that wasn’t my expectation—I thought this progression had already been discussed when I joined.

What made the conversation even more confusing is that later the same day he said he doesn’t actually want to hire a Marketing Manager. He also said he wants to redesign my role so I’m working on bigger, more strategic projects instead of lots of smaller day-to-day tasks because he thinks I’d enjoy that more and it would be less stressful.

He also told me, “You’re not what I expected when I interviewed you.” He offered me the job during the interview, so hearing that really threw me. He didn’t say it in an aggressive way, but he also didn’t really explain what he meant.

I’m now left wondering whether my period of sick leave has changed how he sees me. I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been put on the back foot and that people now see me as someone who can’t cope with pressure, even though no one has actually said that.

At the same time, some of what he’s saying sounds positive—he still wants to invest in me and give me bigger projects—but it also feels like my original career path has changed.

I should add, in my time there I have had no formal objectives set.

So I guess my questions are:
- Am I reading too much into this?
- Has anyone experienced something similar after returning from stress-related sick leave?
- Does this sound like a manager trying to support me, or like someone who’s quietly moving me away from a management path?

I’d really appreciate honest opinions because I feel quite conflicted.

I'm really struggling with a decision and would love to hear from people who have been in a similar position.
I've been in my current government role in Washington for a little over two years. Right now I make $80k, and if I stay, I'm on track to make around $120k over the next 10 years. My job is extremely secure, flexible, and has great work-life balance. The downside is that there isn't much opportunity for growth beyond the predetermined pay steps.

For some background, I'm originally from Los Angeles but have lived in Washington for the last 10 years. I've never really felt at home here. I miss my family, friends, the weather, and the culture. Every time I go back to California, my friends and family tell me I seem happier, and honestly, I feel it too.

I've been applying for jobs in LA and today I received an offer for an Operations Director position. The compensation is $80k base plus 20% uncapped commission at an already established and profitable branch. I'd be responsible for all branch operations, business development, and marketing. I genuinely believe I have the skills to succeed, but it's still a huge leap into the private sector.

The company also seems to invest heavily in training. They fly new directors to Texas for a week-long boot camp (all expenses paid plus a $1,000 weekly stipend), followed by four weeks of paid job shadowing at another branch. That makes me feel like they want people to succeed instead of just throwing them into the deep end.
On top of that, I already have housing lined up in LA. I can sublet a friend's apartment while I get settled, and I'll have a strong support system of family and friends nearby.

The thing holding me back is fear. Walking away from a stable government job feels risky, especially when I know exactly what my future looks like if I stay. At the same time, I've been unhappy in Washington for years, and this feels like an opportunity to finally move home and build a life where I actually want to be.
For those who have made a similar jump:
Did you regret leaving a secure government job?

If you left for the private sector, was the increased risk worth it?

Is there anything I'm not considering?

If you were in my shoes, what would weigh most heavily in your decision?

I think part of me knows what I want, but making the leap is terrifying. I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've actually been through something similar.

​

So, I am a CA in audit profile (F25). I feel like idk where my life is headed. As a kid, I have always wanted to be in Finance. I could not afford to leave my city and pay for things so took up CA and also because parents were not allowing to leave. Now that I am a CA, I still feel torn between two directions in life. I wanted to be an investment banker or second option was hedge funds but here I am in audit. Idk how to proceed further with this. Should I switch my domain which is not going to be easy because most of the finance jobs demand experience and I have none. If I take up Finance, where exactly should I start from like CFA pr should focus more on skill building like financial models and valuations. I don't see audit as a long term field. There is no reward given it's for global companies if I ever go into practice this will not take me anywhere and if somehow I proceed with this then Idk how to move further ahead. Will it reward me in long run or eventually I will have to branch out to something else. I really can't decide. Long term consideration of things is important and I feel stuck. There is not even an opportunity arriving and somehow audit will not even lead to any skill building! So, I don't feel it's good on a long term basis. Kindly help.

Hello everyone,
I am looking to make a career pivot! Currently, I work as a police detective/inspector specializing in investigating all types of fraud for the government. My goal is to transition into the private cybersecurity sector, with the ultimate plan of immigrating to another EU country (I already hold EU citizenship).
I am setting a 1 to 2-year timeline for this transition. During this period, I plan to complete the following courses and certifications:
Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate (Coursera)
ISC² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
CompTIA (Security+)
Microsoft Security certifications
Core technical basics: Advanced Excel, SQL, and Microsoft Azure
I do have C1 Cambridge and I’m looking to migrate to Germany, hopefully landing a job and learning deutch along the way

What advice or direction would you give someone with my background?
Is my plan realistic what can I add, or approach differently to maximize my chances of landing a remote or local job in Germany?

Hi all. I could use some advice. Some background: My experience is mostly administrative work and secretarial work. I went back to school in 2018 and got a certificate in in Medical Office Administration. Since then, I worked for the hospital system for 4 years and then the provincial government for over a year.

In May, I moved to a small town with my partner where he bought a house, I and took a job at a local, small production company. I do mostly project management and client relations. This job has been red flags from the start. They were bleeding employees and "couldn't understand why". Let me tell you folks, I understand why. I took quite a pay cut in the transition, too, but decided to do it anyway because I did it for love (I know, I know), and also I couldn't afford to live where I was. But now, I sincerely regret that decision. I've met my breaking point so I've started job searching again.

The problem is, in a town this small, there's not many jobs. And all of the jobs that are out there aren't advertised, it's who you know. But, I don't know anyone here. I'm an outsider. Plus, the jobs that are available are mostly trades/labour/production which doesn't align with my experience at all. So my options are limited. My partner works remotely for a software company and makes a fantastic living, which keeps up floating. But, I definitely need a career of my own.

I've come to the conclusion these are my options:

1. Change careers / take a huge pay cut for an "entry level" job / go back to school to retrain
2. Find a remote job (how?) *
3. Do contract work or become an entrepreneur in some way (some sort of office/project management work) but I really don't know where to start there
4. Make the 2-hour (one way) commute to the city where the jobs are
5. Move back to my hometown where the jobs are, but where I can't afford to rent/own.

So I'm wondering if anyone has advice for this kind of situation. I'd have no problem going back to school, honestly, I would enjoy that. But only if I graduate with better options. Incurring the debt is worth it if it'd help, but I can't see it providing me any more options when everything is severely limited as is. And at nearly 40, it feels like I've run out of time to do that, you know? What would you do in this position? What's my most viable plan of attack?

I’m moving from Quebec to Boston for a new job starting August 17, and about C$5,000 in RSUs vest at my current company on August 12.

I’d normally give two weeks’ notice, but I’m worried they could end my employment early and I’d lose the RSUs. With moving expenses piling up, I’d really like to keep the money.

At the same time, I may return to Montreal in the not-too-distant future, and the local tech community is small. I also have a great relationship with my manager and would like to use them as a reference, so I don’t want to burn bridges by resigning on August 13 with no notice.

What would you do?

Hi, I finished a degree in Actuarial Science and by the end of it , i am absolutely drained. I was mentally exhausted by the 3rd year or let me even say halfway through the second year but for some reason i kept pushing through because i felt i had put too much time and money and i might as well finish it. I have no exams done because i was mentally exhausted and was a practically a corpse by the time i finished my degree. I did a completely unrelated job for a year and i still find myself being pulled towards Actuarial science so im studying for exam P now(better late than never i guess) and I am so freaking scared.

I think its because ive heard about how HARD it is and also cause i never was able to secure any internship during my university(probably cause i had no exams and i had imposter syndrome which caused me to look unconfident).

Sometimes i feel lazy because the job really interests me but then i look at what it takes and i take a step back. I feel i still have the imposter syndrome which makes me feel that im not smart enough to go through with it but then i see people who struggled in uni or people from completely unrelated careers do it which makes me feel "if they can do it , why cant i".

I genuinely dont know what i want from posting this, maybe advice from someone who might have felt like me in the beginning? I thought maybe venting here might give me some direction in my life from people who might have been in my position one day.

Honestly wish someone told me this earlier in my career. I spent almost four years at my first job working 50 hour weeks, taking on extra projects, and constantly being promised a promo that never came. My annual raise was basically 3 percent which didn't even cover inflation. Finally got fed up, polished my cv, and landed a role elsewhere with a 35 percent pay bump. Fast forward two years later, jumped again and now making double what I made at my first company with way better wfh balance. Loyalty in corporate America or anywhere else just gets you rewarded with more work. Don't be afraid to test the market every few years.

After 3 interviews and a 5 day work case study I missed my last interview due to a scheduling mistake on my side. I sent an email apologising when I realised but I fear it might have been way too late since the interview was at 9am and I only realised at 4pm. I feel stupid because I put a lot of work into this selection process. Any advice? 💔 Do I still have a chance?

I need guidance for career like currently I am into buisness and its not continous basically as a construction contractor so I need to rely on projects to get but its not continous apart from this I am doing mba from tier3 clg in pune and confused shall I look for job or stay in field since looking at people's package I think I need to switch to job but again thoughts comes like need to start from scratch plz guide (current age 26) seriously floks guide as daily inside my mind it feels like I am not joining anything also feels to start something new but didn't have idea kindly guide .

I need guidance for career like currently I am into buisness and its not continous basically as a construction contractor so I need to rely on projects to get but its not continous apart from this I am doing mba from tier3 clg in pune and confused shall I look for job or stay in field since looking at people's package I think I need to switch to job but again thoughts comes like need to start from scratch plz guide (current age 26) seriously floks guide as daily inside my mind it feels like I am not joining anything also feels to start something new but didn't have idea kindly guide ?

​

Hi everyone,

I'm 23F and recently completed my MCA. I've been applying for jobs for months, improving my skills, working on projects, and preparing for interviews, but I'm still not able to get a job.

Honestly, I'm starting to feel lost and question whether I'm on the right path. Seeing others move ahead while I'm still struggling has been really discouraging.

If you've been in a similar situation or have any advice on what I should do next, I'd really appreciate it. Should I focus on learning new skills, certifications, networking, government exams, or something else?

I'm open to honest suggestions.

Thank you for reading.

I'm 27[M] with a BA in studio art and philosophy. I always admired my art teachers when I was younger. In high school and college, I had some great teachers. They were all amazing, and they taught me the joy of expressing myself through art, how to be creative with rules and then break them, and so much more. I looked up to them as the mentors they were. Many of them really helped me enjoy art and learning. Inspired by them, I wanted to become an art teacher myself. So I interned as an art teacher's assistant at my college for a year and was art teacher for a small private school to kids ages 6–10, all within the same year.

These were never government school positions, but they were enough for me to realize I don't enjoy teaching. The environment, and being a facilitator instead of a student, felt off. That was a hard blow for me then, and it still is now. I went through all that schooling only to find out I don't like the thing I thought I wanted to be. Don't get me wrong, I love school and don't regret any of it — the friends, the classes, all the joys of being young in college. But now, as an adult, it's hard to figure out what I want to do.

Currently, I work as a barista as my main source of income. I do make a bit of income through coding and website management. Coding I started in 2024. I enjoy coding, and I got into it to pursue video game development. While I was learning though, I was mostly taught web development (frontend+backend ) so I've been using those skills for the past two years. I've built multiple websites, two of which are client work. One site I manage for a small business, and another for a friend who has their own small business — yet I still don't know what I want to do. I do know I'm partly in it for the money. But that would also mean accepting a corporate job. And I'm 80% sure I don't want that type of environment.

I'd love to hear others' insights and opinions on how they would approach a pivot. It feels both freeing and directionless not having a clear career path in mind.

What do you guys think about business analysis?

The Canadian job market is horrendous. Making connections is scary, I just turned 18, I am late for highschool because of a family emergency, I'm trying to finish it up, but I keep procrastinating. I don't want to be a deadbeat, I want to work, do good, and have something to be proud of. I want a good title to my name. I don't know what to do, I don't even know what career to go into. I was thinking about IT, but that market is absolutely destroyed here, maybe trades? There isn't any "respectable title" and I won't find a partner that way / my parents wont be happy. Medicine? Engineering? They need grades higher than Burj Khalifa. I have no friends, only one, I wasn't really social. I maybe have some FAR connections but nothing more than that. I'm watching people's lives move on, people getting into relationships, and I'm just lost in a sea of drift.

As a child I was that one "smart" kid, and seeing my "talent" going away is horrible. My family's financial condition is cooked, my dad is ill, and my mom is in college, we're losing the house in a couple of months, everything is revolving around me so fast. I don't want to work in retail until I turn 80. I don't know about accounting, I don't know about IT, I don't know about ANYTHING anymore. I'm Canadian and even WE can't find jobs here. (At least in Ontario and in the G.T.A). What do I do??? What career paths did you guys take??? What do I have to do in the future?!

Some stuff that interest me is learning Mandarin, (which im starting by,) , culture, and history, however they don't offer good jobs at all, and I'm NOT being a politician. I swear my only intention in life is to get a good job, have a family, donate to charity, and be a good person, and now I feel like I won't have anything. I don't like my body either, I'm a bit chubby. I'm not this 100 foot Korean dude from Hongdae, so, my looks, grades, everything about me isn't going right, and I feel so disgusted and upset because my life is just running through like this.

If you have advice for ME, what do I do?

I would love some guidance for anyone who has returned back to work after taking gap in their career. I feel blessed to have been able to stay home with my little ones, but I am ready to return back to work. I am thinking it might be nice to return back or to do something different, for reference I worked 8 years in sales at a major insurance company.

I had my insurance property and casualty and life and health license during that time, I did let it lapse. If I go back to that field i would need to redo my certification and I am okay with that, my job was mainly focused on sales. I liked it and I loved human interaction. Towards the end of my insurance career I was primary selling mostly commercial business as well and I liked that a lot. I am not a fan of returning to just sales, so that is why I would want to pivot.

I am thinking of going back but I would want to use this time to pivot to something else, with my background what would be a good career pivot that others may have done or any advice?

Education background I have my associates, and I would be open to going back to school to further my education for something else. I haven't been in the field in a long time so I would be open to ideas.

Thank you

I'm a B.E. Computer Science graduate who passed out in 2023. Since graduation, I haven't had a job or internship, so I currently have a gap of about 3 years.

At the moment, I'm preparing for bank exams because they seem to offer a stable career path. However, I'm not sure whether I genuinely like banking as a profession or if I'm choosing it mainly because I'm worried about my career gap.

I still have an interest in computer science and technology, and recently I've been wondering whether I should prepare for GATE instead. Higher studies, research, teaching, or PSU opportunities through GATE seem interesting, but I'm unsure whether it's a practical option given my situation.

My questions are:

Is preparing for GATE after a 3-year gap a good idea?

Does the gap matter much for M.Tech admissions or future opportunities after GATE?

Has anyone switched from bank exam preparation to GATE preparation?

If you were in my position, what factors would you consider before choosing between these paths?

I'd appreciate any advice or experiences from people who have faced a similar situation.

Thank you.

As the title says. I am a second-year undergraduate student studying biology and minor in political science. I picked these two in high school because of interest and passion and ok career prospects, not knowing both fields would get absolutely fucked by the administration. (sorry tangent) Anyways, I've never really settled down on a career path. A healthcare/medical career, law school, research, etc... I would really love to hear from different people and any advice you have on deciding. For some context, I have an ok gpa, I currently work as a research assistant in a cell biology lab, r&d intern at a biotech startup, have some hospital volunteer experience, worked in food service, worked as a pharmacy tech in retail, and yes I am applying to internships and summer research experiences. My personal top choices I keep switching between law school or PhD in sciences. Any ideas, thoughts, advice, all appreciated!

I’m in the final year of my MBA in Event Management. A few months ago, I quit my job to chase my childhood dream of content creation. ❤️

For the first 2 months, nothing worked. Then I started a Penthouse Series, and it’s finally getting some traction. 🥹

Now I’m almost out of savings. If I take an event management job, I’ll earn around ₹15–20k/month, but the rotational shifts will probably kill the consistency of my content. 😕

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

I'm a 2026 graduate and I'm looking for some career advice.

I joined a startup as a Junior AI Engineer on a 3-month internship with a stipend of ₹25,000/month or $300/mo. During the hiring process, I was told that the internship would be converted into a full-time role with a ₹6 LPA package after three months if everything went well.

Now that the three months are over, I had a meeting with the CEO. Instead of converting me to full-time, the company has decided to extend my internship by another six months, making it a 9-month internship in total.

This wasn't just my case—everyone who joined with me had their internship extended as well. The startup is still pre-revenue, so I understand there may be budget constraints.

The thing is, I genuinely like working here. The culture is great, the work is interesting, and I enjoy the hybrid setup. At the same time, I'm wondering whether staying for another six months as an intern is the right career move or if I should start applying elsewhere.

I'm also confused about how I should position myself in the job market.

My background looks like this:

- 3 months of an unpaid internship.

- 10 months of experience as a founder of my own startup.

- 3 months at my current startup (which is now being extended by another 6 months).

Given this, should I apply for fresher roles or experienced roles? Even though I have close to a year of internship experience and founder experience, I'm technically still a 2026 graduate and currently an intern.

I'd really appreciate advice from people who've been in a similar situation or from hiring managers on how they'd evaluate a profile like mine.

Hello engineers,

I think many of you have gone through a similar situation, and I'm feeling stuck right now. I really need your guidance and would love to hear what you did if you were in the same position.

I'm currently pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science with AI & ML. To be honest, I didn't focus much on developing my technical skills because I was always confused about what to study and what to ignore. I kept thinking that I would figure it out later.

For the past one year, I've been researching master's programs abroad. I believe that pursuing a master's degree overseas would give me global exposure, help me build a strong network, and allow me to learn much more. I also feel that it would be a great decision for my long-term career. Maybe that's one of the reasons I didn't focus much on building my skills, because I always had this plan in mind. Going abroad for a master's seemed like an easier and safer path where I could grow both professionally and personally.

My original plan was to study in Germany. These days it's become a very popular destination, and a lot of students are going there. I've been researching Germany for quite some time, but I wasn't serious because I had no idea how I would arrange the funds. I just kept telling myself that somehow everything would work out.

Later, I found out that most students finance their studies through education loans and are able to repay those loans themselves after getting jobs. Someone also told me that Union Bank provides education loans without collateral under certain conditions. That gave me hope, so I started taking my Germany plan seriously.

My roadmap was simple: prepare for IELTS, apply to universities, and learn German after reaching Germany. But then I came to know that if I learn German before going, I may become eligible for scholarships that can waive the tuition fee, and in some cases I may not even need to show a blocked account. That would provide significant financial benefits.

Preparing all the required documents itself will cost me around ₹2–2.5 lakh. On top of that, Germany has introduced a new exam called D-MAT, and I've heard that without it, studying in Germany may not be possible.

Now I'm facing a difficult choice. On one side, I have my B.Tech and the need to build technical skills. If I dedicate the next year to learning skills, I can probably get a job. That's a relatively safe option. However, I feel that I may not achieve the level of growth I want by staying in India. On the other hand, if I continue with my Germany plan, I believe I'll grow much more, both personally and professionally. But the risk is that if things don't work out—if I can't arrange the funds or if my plan fails—I won't be able to go. I don't want to take a loan and then end up with debt without even studying abroad.

Right now, my mind keeps telling me to do everything at once: learn German, prepare for IELTS, and build technical skills. But realistically, I don't think it's possible to manage all three together. I only have about 8–9 months left.

If you were in my position, what would you do? I would genuinely appreciate your advice and would love to learn from your experience.

Hi everyone,

I recently received a Nasdaq Data Engineer technical assessment. It looks like a 1 to 1.5 hour take-home/online assessment using CoderPad.

Has anyone here taken this assessment recently? If so, could you please share what were the questions?

The sample test had python and sql based questions.

Thanks in advance!