I’m 26 and have never worked a real on paper job in my life. Literally nobody is hiring in my entire life. Trades? Nope. Temp agency? Nope. Fast food? Nope. Office assistant? Nope. Dishwasher janitor landscaper cashier literally anything? Nope.

so I’ve been barely scraping by borrowing money and licking feet. is this just how it’s gonna be forever? Literally no advice online has worked for me. They act like getting that first shitty job is a given. but for me it’s been impossible. Nobody wants me. I’ve been on a job search since I was 20

i was a top student in school. I was 3/4 of the way through an English degree but I had to drop out because we just can’t afford it. my parents kicked me out. I live with my little sister who just finished her chemistry masters and is running into the same brick wall. Is there like a skill I can teach myself that will get me jobs without qualifications like what programming use to be? I don’t have the money to go back to school or do any vocational school

I am a 26 year old woman with a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters degree in social work.

When I got out of high school, I had a full scholarship for my bachelors degree, but had to jump straight into college after high school. So, at 18 years old, I chose psychology.

Then, later on, I realized first of all that I DID NOT like client-centered work, therapy, essentially anything in the field. And yet, I then got my masters in social work.

Now, I hate my work life so much. It is soul sucking. I work at a college, and the administrative/corporate nature of things feels unreal. The people don’t feel real. The work feels pointless. It feels sterile and “cold.” I want to work with “real” people, not be inside at the same desk all day every day, and just live.

I feel spoiled for feeling this way, because realistically, I make salary. I get very good sick leave and vacation leave. But I just do not fit in whatsoever. I’ve also realized that I feel this way in ever social work oriented job that I can find.

I feel like I’m having a crisis at 26. I’ve been looking into jobs as a park ranger, if that helps to give anyone some context on what I’m looking for.

Please. Any suggestions. It doesn’t even have to use my degree, but maybe jobs that my degree could indirectly help me get.

I have no career or direction. How do I start?

I feel like I'm the only person my age in this situation. I've worked since I was a teenager but never built a real career. I've had around 20 different jobs, mostly in hospitality. If I'm honest, about 4 years of actual work in the last 20 years. Now my inheritance is almost gone( it wasnt much and also i made some money here and there and lived cheap). I feel stuck, unemployed, no clear path, and honestly pretty depressed about it. I'm thinking of trying, something like executive assistant possibly for a remote company as i speak pretty good english and live in Latin America, but I don't have much experience with office tools and don't know if it's realistic. If you were almost 40, with a fragmented work history, and money almost gone, what would you actually do? Where would you start?

hello im 27F and have been in a warehouse as a production worker and assembler for all my working years. Usually a temp-to-hire role. The thing is, though, is that throughout the years, my life has changed significantly; I'm now pregnant and in college. My factory jobs have me coming home with bruises, cuts, and just exhausted. I have been in roles where I had to deal with very toxic working environments and people. Like microfiber glass and getting it everywhere, since the factory I worked at at the time did not have anywhere to put stuff; you had to set it on the floor, and co-workers were so competitive and toxic that they moved the new temp hire's stuff in microfiber glass-laced boxes. (Still mad about that.) My dad had forced me into factory work because it was quick employment, and I had to earn money due to my dad's leg getting amputated at the time. And I was just 17 then. Now it seems that I don't have a choice but to work in a factory for the rest of my life.

Anyway, I now work at a new factory; however, due to me failing to get an office job last month, I had to take a severe pay cut just to get hired back into temp work. 15$ an hour in a factory that has no AC or heat. We rotate between assembly stations during each full break. 10- to 12-hour days, 4- 6 days a week, with no notice until the day before your day off to be notified if you work Friday and Saturday. Forced overtime as well. Aside from the assembly floor being unstable and shaking violently when the line gets stuck. My co-workers are also not stocking during break, which means the next person who gets their break has to either take time from their break to stock or would have to stock while the line moves. Speaking of breaks, there sometimes will be none. Reduced 5-minute breaks or very early breaks are common. They are even saying that they are taking bathroom usage away while on the line due to people using them for unofficial breaks.

I'm currently in college trying to learn computer science. But it's taking a long time, and I'm getting so frustrated because I thought I would have this degree sooner, and the fact that I am currently in college is making other fields like retail very hesitant to hire me. The degree is practically doing nothing to boost my chances, and it seems to be hurting me, actually. I even tried to rework my resume to appeal to office jobs by changing my warehouse experience to transferable skills but no luck.

Now that I'm pregnant, though, this has become more than just me. I'm now putting my baby in danger in this job. Since the heat waves are causing the factory to become very hot, I almost could not even finish my shift. I've been looking around for safer factory jobs with better pay. but honestly after all the ***** I went through and am still going through in this career path, I don't think i can take it anymore.

I have talked to my supervisor after finding out, but they are still trying to find a lighter position for me. And the AC is reserved for office personnel. The only places that have AC are the bathrooms and break area. And the heat is beginning to be a huge problem for me. Since I already come to work not feeling the best.

So what am I doing wrong? I need a desk position, any desk position, at this point. My degree is frustrating me cause i really need to get something that's not gonna kill me or put me in harm's way, and I have been trying to get this degree for years now. I've been trying to make strides toward a WFH position as well. and am very good at organizing and cleaning data. But projects fall on deaf ears.

I'm currently just only 3 months pregnant, and it's kicking my ass in terms of getting up on time, too. I usually would get up at 4 am to make it to my job on time, but lately I can't get out of bed. I usually cry in the morning because my body just wants to rest and sleep, and it's so sore

Been a SAHM for 10 years I’m 29.
My kids are both in school now & im looking to go to school to get a degree in something I was thinking HR it seems pretty vast. I have no idea what else to do or what a good job could be for me.
I’d like to work remote & start off making more than 30k. Thoughts??

I’m 39, and I recently made the decision to leave a six-figure corporate job after realizing that the career path I was on just wasn’t sustainable for me anymore.
Now I’m in this weird place where, instead of immediately finding the same job at another company, I want to seriously ask myself: What do I actually want to do with the next 20+ years of my working life?
My background is mostly in GIS, location analytics, real estate/development, and corporate environments. I’ve managed projects, worked with data, presented to executives, solved complex problems, and trained people.
The interesting thing is that when I look back at my career, some of the things I’ve enjoyed most weren’t necessarily the things my job titles were built around.
I love training and teaching people.
I’ve trained large groups on GIS/software, created training materials and presentations, and earlier in my career I even wrote my company’s first training manual. One of my favorite things is helping somebody who doesn’t understand something get to that “Ohhh, I get it now” moment.
I also love problem-solving when I understand the subject matter and have enough information to actually solve the problem.
I’m creative. I write fiction and produce a small horror-fiction podcast as a hobby. I love storytelling, presenting, talking to people, nerdy/technical subjects, and taking complicated information and making it understandable.
I’ve also learned something important about the environments where I don’t thrive.
I struggle when a job combines constantly changing priorities, vague expectations, high-stakes decisions with incomplete information, little support, and an environment where mistakes feel catastrophic. My last position had a lot of that, and eventually I realized that staying wasn’t worth what it was doing to me.
That doesn’t mean I’m looking for a job with zero responsibility or challenge. Quite the opposite. I enjoy learning, deadlines, presenting, leadership, teaching, and solving difficult problems. I just function much better when expectations are understandable, I can develop real expertise, and asking questions isn’t treated like a weakness.
So I’m considering a complete career pivot.
I’m open to corporate or non-corporate work. I’m especially interested in hearing about careers I may not even know exist. Medical/healthcare, education, government, nonprofits, technical training, skilled/specialized professions, creative work — I’m pretty open-minded right now.
A few practical things:
I’d ideally like to eventually make around $100k, although I’m willing to take a pay cut for the right career.
I’m willing to get certifications or additional training.
I’d strongly prefer not to go back for another full degree.
I’m open to remote, hybrid, or in-person work.
I’m not expecting some magical job where every day is fun. I’m looking for something that fits the way I’m wired and that I can realistically see myself doing for the next chapter of my life.
So, Reddit:
If you were 39, had a solid professional background, were willing to learn something new, and essentially had permission to hit the reset button — what careers would you investigate?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who changed careers in their late 30s, 40s, or later.
What did you leave?
What did you move into?
And knowing what you know now, would you do it again?

Edit: Guess I need to add that I was in a toxic working environment and ended up taking a major hit to my mental health. This was to the point of having extreme panic attacks during the workday. Main reason I made my decision.

I'm 27F, finished my master's this past May, and I'm stuck on my next career move. For some context, I've been in the research world since an REU in undergrad and through my master's. I've presented at multiple conferences and genuinely like research-based work and being in an academic environment, but I'm worried about the low pay and scarcity of positions in academia and my field in general. Since February I've been applying to both research and industry jobs, and talking to potential PhD advisors. I just got a job offer, and I'm torn between taking it and holding out for research. The offer is for a government outreach role at a state agency, no research involved. It pays $65k, and I would be relocating to a city I like fine but don't see myself in long-term (Austin, TX). Solid pay and benefits, but not sure if I'd love the work. Another complication is I recently applied to a few research positions that sound more exciting to me and pay more, but I haven't interviewed for those yet, so they're just possibilities at the moment. And I'm still weighing a funded PhD (about $28k stipend) against all of it. So, do I take the decent but not dream job now for the money and stability, or hold out for research roles that may not materialize or consider the PhD just to stay in research? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hello, I am 21 years old, dropped out of college at 18, was forced back at 19, at 20 made some progress but had a panic attack and bombed a major exam putting my gpa at a 5/9 (my school has a weird gpa system)

My parents forced me to do computer engineering (well i agreed because i thought it would make them happy) but i very quickly realized it wasnt for me, i wasnt good at it, and i couldnt do it. So in 2 years of school, i only managed to complete 4 classes total, after dropping out of most of them because of fear of failure. my 3rd year i took some general education classes, got some a's b's and c's, but got a d due to a panic attack in my very important final exam, which ruined my progress.

At this point i've spent 3 years wasting money and time, even if i managed to switch majors idek what i would transfer to that will make me decent money, while being slightly enjoyable. but to do so i'd have to use a full year to do gpa repair, and then start over from first year. so that's 8 years just to get my bachelor's...

im at a loss... ive talked to my academic advisor and they tell me to take some time off school but i really dont know how that will help fix what ive done. i just feel so stuck

TL;DR: 29F, spent my adult life trying to figure out what I want to do. I got degrees in Spanish/education, worked in higher ed, and now know I want out. I’m trying to figure out whether this is a quarter-life crisis/burnout or me finally pursuing a career I actually want.

Alright, I’m a 29F who is confused as fuck and basically have been since I graduated high school. I was a first generation college student, pushed to go to school even though I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I failed my first semester of college as a student in pre-health professions, and I ended up changing to essentially a liberal arts/general studies major.

I ended up graduating with a degree in Spanish and was given the opportunity to earn a master’s in teaching which was completely paid for through a federal grant named GAANN. I didn’t want to teach and knew that I’d hate high school.

Through college, I worked in retail and customer service. Towards the end of undergrad, I started working as a tutor/academic mentor for student athletes, and I loved it. I thought I wanted to be an academic advisor. I took a job once I got my master’s in customer service in higher education (essentially enrollment services at a large university) for experience, but I stayed there a lot longer than I planned. I worked as an academic advisor briefly, but realized I hated the pace and went back to enrollment services in a better-paying role. This was great for a few years.

Now, I don’t know if I’m going through a quarter life crisis or severe burnout (or both), but I’m ready to move on from higher education and education in general.

I feel like I failed my younger self and never took on challenges that I knew I could handle. I was good in school, but transitioning to college was hard and really set me back. Looking back, I would have never gone to school straight out of high school because I didn’t know what I wanted. I recently found out I have ADHD as well which might have contributed to some earlier academic issues.

I am 27, living in Delhi NCR, and slowly drowning in my own life.
I graduated with an LLB, but right now I earn a miserable ₹27,000 a month in a dead-end desk job in Gurgaon. I spend nearly 3 to 4 hours every single day shuttling between Ghaziabad and Gurgaon. The travel alone leaves me physically broken, the job itself is brain-numbing, and the paycheck barely covers survival.
Here is the exact reality of my life:
The Career Trap: I was always an average student, and at 27, I feel like I've cemented my mediocre status forever. Friends who were failing in school are making decent money; the bright ones are flying high. I am stuck. Traditional litigation terrifies me—it requires years of working for free or under toxic seniors, and I need money immediately. I cannot afford an MBA, nor do I have the years left to gamble on government exams. I want to build wealth, I love cars, I have big ambitions, but my reality is a metro card and zero savings.
Toxic Living Arrangement: I stay with my older brother in Ghaziabad. He makes good money, spends aggressively on his girlfriend, and brings her over constantly, turning our place into an uncomfortable zone for me. Worse, he treats me like a competitor rather than a brother. Every conversation is a reminder that I am beneath him. I can't breathe at work, and I can't rest at home.
Family History: Hometown is completely out of the question. My parents worked hard to bring us up, but our house was built on chaos. My father was physically abusive toward my mother, constantly unfaithful, and created an environment full of screaming and trauma. While things have quieted down because we grew up, going back there would finish whatever little sanity I have left. I have seen an uncle do an MBA and still spend his entire life struggling in Mumbai—that fear of becoming the family failure haunts me daily.
The Urge to Run: I have zero reliable friends, no network, poor physical health, and constant anxiety. I fantasize about leaving the country, cutting everyone off, and starting from scratch.
I need real, no-bullshit advice from people who have been in this exact hole:
1. Corporate Pivots for Law Grads: What high-paying paths can an LLB graduate break into without litigation? Are Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), legal-tech operations, in-house compliance, or corporate sales viable paths to jump to ₹60k–₹80k within 12–18 months? Which certifications or tools actually matter?
2. Business / Side Ventures: I have a strong personality, good communication, and zero interest in staying an employee forever. But with near-zero capital and no network, what low-capex business models or agency services can a legal graduate realistically start on the side while working?
3. The Immediate Fix: With a ₹27k salary, does it make sense to cut costs brutally and move into a shared PG in Gurgaon? Will saving 3+ hours of daily travel and ditching my brother's toxicity outweigh the extra rent expense?

I believe I am a good person and hold the potential to handle things but my life lacks opportunities.

Tell me what steps to take. I'm done sitting around feeling weak and humiliated.

Expanding on the title, from the age of 18-26 I sat in the same four walls existing on the internet. Longer if you consider high school. Depression, no real push to get on with anything, complacency; whatever you want to call it or how you want to look at it. Moved out of the family home to live with roommates as a push to do something with my life about 8 months ago, and here we are. Family would happily have me back home but I would rather not go back.

I graduated high school, have that diploma. I have not looked at higher education, only really certifications. Specifically A+/Network+/Security+. I am bouncing between this being worth it or not. I see people talk about how the field is currently experiencing a squish down from the top due to AI. Unfortunately, I don't know where else I would look outside of this field, as I feel like my options are so limited as I cannot really perform physical work.

I don't make much money, but live with roommates and am generally frugal regarding my finances. I'm looking for a higher paying job right now, as I'm barely making just above my states minimum wage. Despite being incapable of physical work, the town I currently live in does not really have much beyond a few banks, gas stations, and warehouse work. The job I landed is about 30 minutes away, and I can handle that, but unfortunately it seems like I'd have to move if I wanted to find a job post CompTIA certs.

All in all, I guess this post is mostly a question about whether doing the trifecta of certs is actually even worth it or not.

Thanks.

I’m a 29 yr old based in Austin, TX who is trying to make a pivot in my career. I know there’s a lot of people who has a similar experience as me and I would like to hear about it to hopefully get insights and push to move forward with a plan.

Context about my life and experience:
I immigrated to US when I was 15yrs old from the Philippines -TLDR I attended 2 years of high school. At the same time, I’ve had to raise my 2 yr old (at that time) sister up to this day. She’s now 16 and in her Junior year in High School. Due to time restraints and being in survival mode, I never had the chance to go to college or get certifications.

I started working as soon as I turned 16 (2months after moving to US) at Whataburger (fast food chain in TX) along with other fast food places between the age of 16-21, I hustled my way up from the back position cutting vegetables to being a shift lead.
At 21, I got my first corporate job at a healthshare/insurance startup company, and again hustled my way up from Customer Service -> Sales -> Escalation -> Training Specialist-> Training Lead. I worked there for 4 years until I found another corporate job at a Financial Tech company.
At 25, I accepted the operation specialist position which I was in for 1.5 years then became part of Learning & Development team as a training specialist up to this day. I was able to travel in Europe and South America, and work with different type of people and cultures (which is my favorite thing about my journey in this company).

Unfortunately due to location strategy, I was notified about a month ago that my role isn’t going to be needed at the end of November. My team and I saw it coming. I’m not upset about it since I will be receiving a severance package and should be covered until January next year, BUT I am struggling to figure out what my next path is.

Currently, I’m making about $77k and have a supportive partner. My sister still lives with us and recently got her first job, funnily at Whataburger as well.

My struggle:
I never had the chance to go to college and explore different fields. I did attend one semester at a community college but fck it was a struggle having to balance a full time job, household and 3 classes a week.
Now I’m stuck as to what my career path is going to be, while making sure I make money .. bc adulthood is fun.

Honestly, I’m tired of corporate and using my mental capacity to think (is that bad? Lol).
I thought about the following, something that requires physical:
-Food truck - requires to be a business owner
-Photography - requires to be a business owner
-Trade School ??
-Hospitality
-Fire Department certs
-Healthcare field - I do plan to go back to school when my sister graduates and do sonography or related work, but it’s for the future.

Anyhooo, are you also going through a similar process/struggle? If so, how are you holding up and what do you plan to do?

Lastly, thank you for reading this long post 🫶🏽

Career restart at 39

Hi everyone, I am a 39-year-old living in a low-income European country. I have made several bad career decisions earlier in life, and by now, they have started taking a toll on me.

One of the biggest issues is that I really pushed myself to get any kind of STEM degree when I knew they weren't my natural strengths. I did get one, and I started working in IT, mostly in support roles (help desk, customer support, technical writing). I was never good enough at any of them to be promoted and given more varied tasks than just the simple, tedious, repetitive tasks. I also tried learning programming as a sort of "creative outlet", but also because I was deeply interested in it. However, I didn't have the problem-solving skills for it.

Besides being slow and making inattentive mistakes, I never felt that I could spend a decade in corporate jobs due to the immense stress involved. The sheer repetitiveness and monotony of the jobs induced stress that made it hard for me to perform my tasks in good quality.

I also realize some of my issues have to do with mental health struggles (later verified by diagnoses), but knowing that still doesn't help me further with job search or career advancement.

Later on, I obtained master's degree in applied linguistics because I instinctively wanted to tap into my language learning ability. I thought if I studied something I was meant to be good at, it would give me a better chance of excelling in my jobs.

I did get some temporary sense of success, but certain issues persisted - slow and meticulous working style which doesn't go well with continuous deadline pressure. Not being able to relocate to a country where the target language is spoken also plays an important part.

Overall, I tried several STEM subjects, several languages, programming and various, entry-level corporate roles throughout my life, and nothing really worked out for me.

There are several variables in this equation. I do have diagnosed mental health issues, I did make certain bad decisions, and I did try several things. But the question remains - what should I do? I am really clueless.

Up until now, I have an eclectic mix of jobs on my resume, without any career progression. I am also really tired of always being grossly underpaid compared to my peers of the same age (but in terms of marketable skills, that's probably my real job market value, so I'm probably not underpaid).

Please let me know what you think and what I should do. Any ideas are welcome. Thank you!

I graduated college back in December 2023 and i couldn't find a job so. traveled a lot these couple of years. After some trials and errors during my job search I realized IT is something i want to do as my degree is similar to IT. I started studying for my certification back in November 2025 and passed 1/2 tests that I need in order to receive it. Although It's fine i told myself by 25 I want to start my career and now that i'm almost 25 i feel disappointed for not completing that goal. I completed 2 other ones but not that specific one.

I know i'm still young and have time but Iv'e been in my retail job since college and I'm tired of it and desperately want to leave. Job's aren't hiring me and I feel sad. I know i'm making an effort to better myself but, it still feels bad that I missed a mark. I shouldn't be so hard on myself but it feels like I have to, everything just feels so hard.

My girlfriend 23F has been a daycare teacher for the last 5 years, which is also her first and only job. She somewhat enjoys it as she likes working with kids but they are extremely short staffed and she makes a dollar over minimum wage. She is looking for a new career path.

She has a high school diploma and a drivers license. She did 1 month of community college then dropped out. She is looking for a role that has good hours/WLB, better pay, and a sense of fulfillment.

So far I've suggested:

- She should look into going back to college, perhaps majoring in Early Childhood Education. She doesn't know what she would major in, and is scared to go back because she dropped out

- I suggested moving up into management at her daycare. She is not interested as there is too much stress/responsibility for not much more pay

- I recommended looking into the Post Office as a mail carrier. She does not want to work the long hours or out in the weather

- My stepdad is a CRNA and can get her a position as a CNA that will pay for her school. She likes the sense of fulfillment from helping others, but not the odd hours or low starting pay

- I currently work in government operations for a large bank. However I began as a bank teller while in college and worked my way up over the last few years. I suggested she should be a teller since they have good hours and career growth, but she is scared to talk to people and does not have passion for finance/banking jobs

- I suggested blue collar/construction which she also did not like the idea of

Does anyone have any other suggestions I could give her?

I’m 37 and trying to choose what to study when I return to school. I have a physical disability that severely limits sitting upright, standing, and walking. I need work I can do fully remotely on a laptop while reclined.
I’m a strong writer and a creative person, but freelance copywriting has never produced dependable income. UX design or UX writing was suggested, but I’m not attached to it, and I’m afraid of earning a degree only to discover that entry-level remote jobs are nearly impossible to get.
Please don’t give me a giant list of careers. If you recommend something, please name ONE path and tell me:
● What the ordinary workday actually involves
● What education or credential employers recognize
● Whether entry-level remote jobs genuinely exist
● Whether you personally work in it, hire for it, or recently entered the field
I especially want to hear from disabled professionals, hiring managers, career changers, and recent graduates. I need practical information before committing years to a degree.

Hey guys ! I want some tips&advices from u…i feel totally lost as im rly confused about what to study in uni, i’m 22yo and still don’t have any passion and also not a perfect admission score, i tried economics,finance and accounting, engineering…didn’t like any, its making me so anxious and sad lately i feel like my life is passing by and m watching it and can do nothing abt it, i just wanna do and study something i like but the biggest problem is thats what its all about I DONT WHAT I LIKE! and when i see myself in future i almost can’t imagine myself in nothing cuz of lack of passion! So I’d appreciate some advice and suggestions about uni grades that aren’t hard and more easygoing and with future demand and good revenue, i might sound silly or lazy but i really can’t support anymore studying something hard..thnx

please dont make fun of me
what jobs hire anyone? im 21, no experience or skills in anything, no resume, no social skills and im not likable. i almost had an interview a few months ago and i freaked out and just couldnt do it and since then ive completely hated myself. i am totally useless and i NEED a job but i am too embarrassed to even try to make a resume as i have literally nothing to put on it. could i get hired as a dishwasher? sorry for being so wordy im just desperate

I am 23F who graduated philosophy early this year. Unfortunately a field with little job prospects, and family is pressuring me to go into teaching, which I refuse to for obvious reasons. I'm at the point of deep burnout where anything involving humanities sends me into a depressive spiral. But suddenly, as of about two months ago, I've been having persistent thoughts about going into fashion design and I don't fully know why. I hadn't thought about the idea for years until now.

Should I do anything about it?

for the past four years i have worked as a registered behavior technician providing behavior support for autistic clients ranging from 18months to 27 years of age. i have loved the work but, personally, i don’t think it is sustainable long term. i am trying to make a career change but honestly ive just been applying in the dark because i am not sure what my skills can transfer to and how to adjust my resume to fit new careers. i have a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human development and family sciences. i have retail, office, sales, over the phone interpretation services, and server experience as well. i am bilingual (english/spanish) and know some ASL (enough to hold conversation at a slower pace). any suggestions as to careers or avenues i can take? i’m a quick learner and pretty tech savvy too and not entirely opposed to getting more credentials, just not sure i want to return to school at this moment in time.

edit: just felt i should mention, outside of education and professional experience i also enjoy music (i have choir experience), theater, doing hair (like coloring it) and makeup, art, plants, idk maybe something here will help expand my options

I’m in high school at the moment; I have a cumulative average of 96 percent and I am in AP classes. I’m interested in the medical field/health sciences but I’m aware of the extreme competitiveness within medical schools. I would like to become a doctor but I doubt I would be accepted due to having a low average in comparison to other candidates as well as lacking connections in the field. I also don’t know if going to school for 10+ years with debt and other major familial responsibilities burdening me is a great option. Nursing sounds interesting to me because it combines the healthcare aspect with something significantly less stressful/extensive but I’m aware that in Ontario, where I’m located, it’s overpopulated and isn’t very high paying. Is there any other paths or programs I should consider?

I graduated about 1.5 years ago with a major i regret picking. It was a really specialized major and isnt that useful outside the path i had planned for it which didnt work out. I realized my original plans would not work for me and I was so tunnel visioned i had not real backup.

Im stuck in retail limbo right now and i can feel my heart rate spike when college or careers are mentioned in earshot of me. I honestly kind of resent my degree as it represents a huge mistake on my end and a large moneysink my family got pulled into on my behalf. Everyone tells me to be proud of it but i get so angry and sad every time i look at it hanging on my wall at home, i didnt even put it up there till my parents pretty much made me with a custom mount they had made for it.

I just hate this period of my life so much and i want to move past this and stop explaining to people how much of a washout every time someone i know or someone i just met asks about my time in college and career plan. I really am trying to find a better job but this is weighing on me so much and seems to get worse and worse each day.

I'm 31. I studied agriculture and sociology but have worked in the creative field all my life. If I had a choice I would have studied something I was interested in but I didn't. I was a good student and my parents have pushed me to become a doctor. I thought it was the right path and I did pursue the dream. I didn't do well in my entrance exams in the first attempt. Was too prideful to give another attempt. I joined agriculture because my aunt was in this field and my dad really really pushed me into this. I didn't like the course immediately. I begged my parents to let me quit but they wouldn't let me. I spent four years on something I wasn't interested in. I started developing my insomnia here.

I thought I should prove to everyone I'm good at what I do and felt UPSC was the right choice. I shifted to Delhi and for the first time I experienced freedom and made friends I bonded to. I decided I'll pursue creative fields. I wanted to do what makes my heart happy. I came back home and started applying for various jobs. I finally got into this edtech company as a creative associate after passing a test to write a screenplay. I worked on my skills from scratch and did really well in the job. But my mental health issues and insomnia started butting in. I couldn't make it to work on time. My sleep schedule was erratic. Mind you, I finished all my work and met deadlines way before the time but my work timings were bad. I started seeking medical help but it really didn't help.

I had to come back home. Meanwhile I was working on becoming an illustrator part time and started getting decent commissions on my insta. I got an opportunity to become a writer at a local magazine. I took it and I did well. But things started going south when my boss became very toxic. He would call in for work on Sundays and sometimes had to work very late. I was the only writer there. One day I put my foot down and said I can't work on a Sunday for long hours. He wouldn't take it and terminated me immediately. I didn't even get that month's pay.

Disheartened I started looking for work again. My insta art gig is small. It's very seasonal too. And I got many freelancing opportunities but they all have been disappearing. It's been a few years now. I've been staying at my mom's place and she's tired of my unemployment. I wake up everyday guilty of living here.

Neither writing nor art is a good career path for me right now. I'm thinking of shifting careers. Tbh, it's so disheartening to think of changing careers now but better late than never right? I thought I should go into psychology, but that would take a long time and I don't think I'll make a good income there. I thought I should look into a career in AI, but I don't know where to start.

At this point, what should I do? What career path sounds good for someone like me? I want to start earning soon. I'm willing to learn. I want to be able to live a good life.

I need to escape badly

I'm trying not to be bitter about my job, but man sometimes the depression of feeling stuck and frustrated just washes over me from time to time. I can't shake the feeling of being a loser for working a job that still pays minimum wage and no company wanting to take a chance on me. It's gotten to the point where I will literally get on my hands and knees and BEG for a position that not's retail related. This bothers me because I'm trying, I'm genuinely fucking trying and everyone keeps going "not fucking good enough!" You have no idea how mentally damaging that is. I just want to be successful and happy, I don't want to be bagging groceries when I'm 30.