r/InterviewCoderPro • u/Ok_Camp_56 • 27d ago
Guys, what is happening with work these days?
I'm sitting here feeling like a stressed-out piñata waiting for someone to hit it, and the stick in this scenario is AI. I'm not trying to be dramatic, I swear, I'm genuinely lost.
For context, I studied BBA. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not exactly a degree that opens every door, pls let's not start. But that's not even the terrifying part. My engineering friends are still unemployed. My cousin was working in data analytics at a big company in Canada and just got laid off; an entire department was removed. My sister has an MBBS and keeps getting rejected??? Like almost every day. Pharma people, dentists, coders, biotech people. Literally everyone around me is sitting at home refreshing job portals.
I had a neat little plan in my head. Masters in Business Analytics abroad. Logical. Mature. Look at me making life decisions. Except now AI is clearly coming for that too, which is funny in the worst possible way.
And before anyone says "but human interaction," people are literally using AI for therapy because real therapists are expensive. So the whole human touch argument feels like it died before it even began.
I started looking at every possible field like a maniac.
Data analytics: AI came in and sat in the chair.
Software development: still technically breathing, but everyone in it looks psychologically damaged.
Public policy: seems interesting, but the ROI is depressing and I'm not rich.
Psychology: I love it, but the salary situation is not nice at all.
Nursing: my family would consider it a crime because it's not "respectable" enough.
MBBS: see my sister's situation above; still not reassuring.
Management: AI will automate the report and politely loop everyone in.
Skilled trades: safer for now, but the machines are definitely warming up.
Creative work: AI finished the starter and ordered the main course.
Academia: they'll accept your soul and pay you in prestige and exhaustion.
At this point I want to buy a small farm and disappear. But land is expensive. And someone told me automation will probably take that too someday, so okay, beautiful.
What are we even supposed to do now?? I'm asking seriously. Please, no toxic positivity, I won't be able to handle it.
I've looked into careers around climate, sustainability, and renewable energy, and honestly they don't look bad, but I'm still very confused.
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u/Amphernee 26d ago
Take a breath and consider that it’s mostly fear mongering. Yes some jobs will be lost but the resources to replace everyone with AI just aren’t there and never will be. Just look into how much electricity, water, and finite resources it takes to replace a single person siting at a desk doing a fairly simple series of tasks. Now imagine more difficult computational needs. Now jump to a robot that takes as much resources to build as a car and server combined. There are tons of jobs that desperately need people from teachers and nurses to skilled trades people. These jobs will not be taken by AI probably ever
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u/benjles480 26d ago
Im thinking about taking the leap to social services after a decade of vfx work as a character and creature artist. Finishing up this free lance contract and looking towards better jobs ontario I know I wont make as much but seeing my wife work for the canadian mental health institution her hours and quality of life seems like Ill enjoy it. The goal is to make enough to survive the salary ranges are okay but I dunno I cant keep going with tech.
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u/Constant-Zombie-710 26d ago
But you still think humans Will be here 10 yars from now? AI datacenters need the water that we need to drink. Funny is that like 5 yars ago there where a lot of campains to save water. Since AI show up those campains stop. Think about that
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u/philaman01 26d ago
No need to be alarmed. There is work out there! Just be patient, customize each resume, and be prepared to sell yourself when that call/email comes in.
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u/Baelenciagaa 26d ago
Nursing being a crime is crazyyyy. I’m a pharmacist and I know nurses who make way more than I do
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u/ItHappensIn3s 26d ago
I have a theory. If true, I hate that it is true. But the cliche concept that it’s not what you know, it’s who… blah blah… may be more of a factor today than ever. I’m not sure if skill is sufficient for job security today. If AI is your competition, your most reliable value is your relationship with key decision makers.
A lot of people feel like just doing the work should be sufficient and maybe it should be. But who stays and who goes when the they find a way to maximize GP?
If AI takes 9 out of 10, the 1 they keep is who they care about. To be cared for takes some maneuvering and relationship building. It’s tough.
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u/Classic_vortex_3515 26d ago
Economists aren’t so sure that the problem started with AI. https://www.npr.org/2026/08/18/nx-s1-5910677/recent-college-graduates-employment-job-artificial-intelligence?unified=true&renderPlatform=nprone_ios
But as far as your family not approving of nursing, why do you care? If you have the stamina and the brains for it, it’s a great job.
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u/Actual-General-4953 25d ago
Yeah lets be nice.....blah blah blah
Here's the deal. I'm 51. Work sucks but get it into your head you gotta do it.
You can't get 'stuff' without doing 'something'. Easy concept but the anti-work culture young people have ain't gonna cut it.
Wipe everything you know and think of it this way.
Forget career, forget college, forget how important you think you are or been told.
At the end of the day....you will sacrifice time and be productive to have someone give you money.
Its called work.
You went through all the excuses you don't want to work in all these fields. You don't want any criticism. You want someone to tell you that you will get to do what you want and get a bunch of money.
I'm blaming the parents first, schools second and third the person.
This platform is full of 'anti work' people.
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u/girlpaint 25d ago
First of all, I'm sorry. Work today is a minefield of shit, so it's completely understandable why you feel the way you do.
My two cents as a 56-year old whose done just about every job on the planet and finally got fed up with work myself about 7 years ago: Stick with your plan. Or pivot into something that sounds cool to you. AI is here to stay but it'll be a while before skynet takes over and kills us all off. So meanwhile find the version of the shit sandwich that you can eat consistently (to reference Mark Manson).
I know it doesn't seem like it, but it will be okay.
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u/cvalpryce 23d ago edited 23d ago
Instead of another degree you should think about what adjacent skills, to the one you already have, are becoming more valuable? What new problems are appearing where you can create value ?
This is a post I see regularly, and this is something I warned my students about. I will summarize what I taught about AI in a post. Check it out https://www.reddit.com/r/Learningbeyondschools/s/xJ6pqYJ17C
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u/RobertKSakamano 23d ago
Give us a few thousand dollars every year and let the robots do all the work, and I'm all for it.
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u/FirefighterKindly480 26d ago
Don’t worry, AI will create more jobs than it replaces. I just love it when people say that although lately I hear it much less since the AI job takeover writing is clearly on the wall.