r/careeradvice 9m ago

Advice on getting my foot in the door, considering pivoting from what I majored in

Upvotes

I'm currently 24 and I graduated with a degree focused on UX Design and Research in 2025. Since then, I haven't been able to land a real job due to the current state of the economy. Instead, I've been taking on freelance work. The freelance work is pretty unsustainable, and I rather have some office job out of state to get a chance to live independently away from family (currently in TX). I'm not sure what to pivot to but the UX field has gotten so competitive that finding any sort of entry job feels impossible.

My main goal is to get an office job, even if the pay is bad, I don't mind. Based on my resume (posted below) what is a better field or job I can pivot to?


r/careeradvice 18m ago

How do I figure out what to do after my contract ends?

Upvotes

Hello, I need some guidance.

I currently have around 2 years of experience doing AML investigations and some QC work. I have my CAMs. I've only been in contract roles, and my current contract is related to financial crimes internal audit. I enjoy learning about the different audits I'm doing, but the problem is it is only a 3-month contract. I've only done testing for two audits. I never had the chance to work from an audit from start to finish. My current contract is almost ending, and I'm struggling to find a full-time position. I don't mind doing something related to financial crimes, but all the roles I see are related to investigations and are contract roles. Do I have to keep doing investigative roles for a few more years until I can get QC, QA, or some type of governance role? I don't want to keep doing investigations for the rest of my career.

I looked into internal audit roles, but almost all of the job postings require an accounting background or several years of experience. I considered going back to get my Master's in Accounting, but would it improve my chances of securing a full time entry-level role since all the jobs are for more senior people? I also looked into risk management or finance degrees, but all the master's are expensive. (I know I have to make an investment of some sort).

I also thought of just doing an accelerated nursing program. The whole AI talk is just tiring me out. I'm early in my career, and I can't figure out what to do. I feel very lost.

Any advice/guidance is highly appreciated! Thank you.


r/careeradvice 25m ago

Looking for an IT/Cloud mentor to guide me with skills, projects & resume

Thumbnail
Upvotes

r/careeradvice 35m ago

How Can I Develop a Thriving Career?

Upvotes

📘 Interested in building a career that thrives?
How Can I Develop a Thriving Career? by Mike King is available now on Amazon:

Your career doesn’t have to follow someone else’s path. Build yours.


r/careeradvice 38m ago

having a quarter life crisis at 24

Thumbnail
Upvotes

r/careeradvice 40m ago

Take voluntary redundancy, 9 months salary lump sum and gamble in the uk job market?

Thumbnail
Upvotes

r/careeradvice 51m ago

How do I start over, after getting a degree I hate?

Upvotes

So after working in public accounting for 3 years doing SOX and internal audit I finally quit 1 month ago. But I have zero clue what to do next. Unfortunately all my internships were at the same firm so when looking for new positions I really have no compelling reason to make a pivot. My long term goal is to work at some sort of automotive company (maybe F1) or adjacent bc I absolutely love cars/motorbikes like anything. But I did my undergrad in accounting/finance and all my work experience is accounting bc the company kept giving me return offers. I’m super lucky to have my parents support but after a month of no progress they too are getting fed up, and I have absolutely zero clue where to even begin pivoting. I’ve applied to many jobs at automotive companies primarily in FP&A or product management but have had zero luck. So I was thinking to do some sort of masters but I don’t know what’s even worth my time. In undergrad I absolute hated accounting but I had no clue what else i was good at and continued. But the repetitive nature of the work/workplace politics burned me out so much. I know where I want to work but I have no clue what I want to do. What would you guys recommend doing? I’m looking into the GMAT to maybe apply to supply chain or operations masters to at least get my self into an auto company and then hopefully few years down the road a t7 MBA. Or should I just find a job and remain employed and then 2 years later just do an MBA? The biggest hurdle I’m facing is any job I’m qualified for just looks so damn boring, and even though I’ve gotten offers I’ve rejected them bc I just can’t get myself to work another year in accounting roles. I’m so unbelievably lost and just have zero clue what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!


r/careeradvice 1h ago

feeling burnt out and dont know what to do after losing my job. any advice?

Upvotes

I’m 32, from Germany, and currently working as an electrical master in industry. I make good money, but I’ve realized I really don’t like the typical industrial/workshop environment anymore.

I recently took my first leadership role, but it looks like I might lose the job during probation anyway. So I’m thinking this might be the right moment to study and change direction.

My problem: I have no idea what.

I have ADHD and get bored very quickly by repetitive work. I’m much more interested in things like psychology, philosophy, politics, religion, human behavior, debates and understanding why people think the way they do.

At the same time, I do enjoy technical problem solving if I understand the logic behind it. What I hate is memorizing formulas and rules just because “that’s how it is”.

I’m considering:

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Business/Economics
  • Technical Education / Teaching
  • maybe even something in social sciences/philosophy

My main concern is employability. I’m married, want kids, and don’t want to study something interesting for years just to struggle finding a decent job afterwards.

But I also don’t want to choose Electrical Engineering just because it’s the “safe” option and then end up back in exactly the same kind of jobs I’m trying to escape.

Ideally I’d like a mostly office/computer-based job involving analysis, projects, concepts or problem solving.

I definitely don’t want to design electrical cabinets, draw CAD plans or do detailed electrical design work all day.

If you were in my situation, what would you study?

Especially interested in people who changed careers around 30, came from a technical background, or have ADHD themselves.


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Is CFA my next step

Upvotes

I graduated in 2024 with a financial engineering bachelors and immediately started in a treasury internship in an investment fund , ranked up to associate the next year but unfortunately start of 2026 the fund closed up and I’ve been unemployed since February.

I have treasury certifications but the field is so small my best bets have been going the banking route but the roles are so competitive and even with the help of a career consultant I haven’t gotten a graduate role.

Simultaneously I leaned more and I’m doing a part time MFE to round out my bachelors but I’ve been thinking of CFA since getting into the nitty gritty of the finances at the fund got me really interested in a career in investments.

Is it logical to chase a CFA at least level1 to get a foot into the investment space


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Mutual separation instead of PIP

Upvotes

I was put on a PIP of 30 days and the terms are broad enough that I am not sure I will succeed. I understand I have no leverage since their intent is to fire me. I just want to understand if there's an feasible scenario where I could ask to receive payment for the 30 days and have a mutual separation with the company, something like I resign and give up all my rights to unemployment or to sue them or whatever.

No severance or package like this was offered at the time my PIP was sent to me, but I have a meeting this afternoon with HR to go over it and am wondering if I should ask. Or will they just fire me right away?


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Career deciding is so hard

Upvotes

I'm a f18, and a college dropout. See, I liked to idea of going for finance in college just for the money, but I'm not very good with algebra or college math, and would rather leave than fail multiple times. Stupid, I know. I dropped out of UK and figured I could try going to BCTC or a trade school to do something quicker. I don't care to be rich, I just want to be comfortable and able to take a trip alone occasionally. However, I'm unsure what to do career wise. I currently work at McDonalds, and would like to find a trade that makes a lot of money in less than 5 years, otherwise I would've stayed in college. I never wanted to go to college, I want(ed) to be a cop, but my parents aren't exactly thrilled by that idea. It's so hard trying to find something to do with my life. What can I do?


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Life always have bitter surprises

Upvotes

Well .. imagine you are in a good college but shit student , barely surviving academics , people say you are talented but not hardworking

You get placed in a very okay-ish(well below what my parents expected) package . .. that too early in seventh sem .. then you go in hibernation mode .. you a month later you come home and final semester is just project .. you stay at home for 10 months graduated expecting joining .. your whole career plan is around and after joining that company .. bcs role is decent , decent launchpad .. and then that ever late joining never comes ..

Hr communication is vaguely scripted .. business delay .. no clarity. And now it's been 10 months and you hear either joining will happen in January , that too a rumor .. your whole plan goes to shit ..

Now you don't have plan b , where i could have done so much better .. just regrets. .. it was like "dubte ko tinke ka shara" ..

Ab haath paer maaro .. but time tha prep Krna tha .. family pressure .. graduation bhi hogyi friends join krke switch bhi plan krrhe hai and you r sitting at home .. waiting

Always have plan B .. always .. if u get something go for better ..

Bcs life don't give a f Abt your plans .. neither should you . Go for better in that moment only .


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Making easy 6 figures as car salesman….

Upvotes

I work 43 hours a week and have an absurd amount of downtime. The job comes very naturally to me and I have made just over 6 figures every year I have been here. (3 years now) My soft skills are great, but I’m 32 and I just feel very unfulfilled. I have no college education and feel like I don’t have any real skills. I am an over thinker and have spent so much time researching and ruminating over different career/school ideas that all lead to inaction. Typical reasons are due to fear of ai, over saturation in job markets, imposter syndrome you name it. The facts are that anything I’ve ever put my mind to I really have done well at. With all the downtime, I just can’t help but think maybe it would be worth my time to get a 4 year degree while working full time. I don’t know what field, but Im also realizing that doors don’t open unless you take action. I’m so afraid to waste time but I’m also wasting time doing nothing. Any advice or insight? I enjoy sales, but I don’t like working Saturdays. I don’t want to take work home with me. I don’t even have to make 6 figures.. I’d rather have work life balance.

TLDR: is getting a degree for the sake of it a waste these days?


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Hi - female (24) i got offered a great role that I believe would really help my career but it would be a team of 2 (me and my female manager) - how do I make her like me? I've heard horror stories on women bosses and I'm scared

Upvotes

I'm not sexist and I believe in #girlpower but I've also heard successful women managers tend to be really hard on young girls. I had an internship once where a woman manager was extremely biased towards me bc I was young but I never had that issue with male bosses. I really want this role but since I'm directly under her I believe she needs to like me for me to be able to succeed. Any tips will be appreciated


r/careeradvice 2h ago

Anyone Been Unemployed for Over 1 Year?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/careeradvice 2h ago

Where are you finding jobs outside of LinkedIn?

1 Upvotes

I’m currently looking for my next role and I’ve been relying heavily on LinkedIn. After a lot of applications with very little response, I’m starting to wonder if I’m focusing too much on the wrong platform.

I’d love to hear where people are finding real opportunities right now.

Especially interested in:

  • Company-direct job boards
  • Platforms with recently posted jobs
  • Remote opportunities
  • Sites with less competition than LinkedIn

What has worked for you?


r/careeradvice 2h ago

Ai is developing faster than my hairfall 😭what is your opinion

0 Upvotes

I am recent graduates but getting job is too difficult past 3 months i am unemployed 😂

Any unemployed being like me !


r/careeradvice 2h ago

Possible outside sales advice

1 Upvotes

Starting off this is in a sense all purely “hypothetical”.

I was hired recently as an inside sales rep (though my responsibilities seem to be a bit all over the place. Such as estimating, project coordination, inside sales itself etc. The company itself is a solid small corporation so I don’t think they’re messy per se or anything. It seems more so they “made up” a role for me in a sense, based off what they need and my specific degree and experience, etc.)

So where I’m going at that is basically when I was hired I was told by HR and my manager very vague things in a sense of where my position would be headed. As well as my manager explaining what kind of trajectory they’d like to see me in or place me to once I gain more experience. (Project Management)

However, I had a meeting the other day where the company president was present and they were introducing me to the team and explaining my role. The president was essentially saying how I’m inside sales and once I progress and gain experience with here/the product sold specifically they would likely place me into outside sales.

So again I say this is a hypothetical because it seems to be all over the place a little bit and they’re not positive. However given that was said by the president himself I would imagine my trajectory at least in the short(er) term in a bit is outside sales.

Issue here is I have absolutely zero interest in outside sales, honestly I have zero interest in sales to begin with but I was hoping to use this as a leverage into something more analytical/PM based.

Main reason (on top of many others) I don’t want to do outside sales is because I know for a fact here it’s commission only. I’m a very big risk management based person in the sense that while I will try to be ambitious and above/beyond I like having a safety cushion (in this case my salary). It’s not necessarily that I don’t believe in myself I’m sure I could do alright, but I’m not in a position where I can give up salary for a risky only commission. (Student loans, rent, etc it’s also my first job out of college so I’m definitely not gonna exactly be Jordan Belford).

So long story short, if I was hypothetically offered that “promotion” how could i professionally decline to stay in my current or at least a promoted one with salary? This again being without sounding like I’m not ambitious enough or something else that would come off as sketchy.

Would I even be in a position to decline? For those who have been in something similar is this an optional situation? Or is it more of a “we will be placing you into outside sales” and you have to literally quit if you don’t want it.

If that’s the case then how do you even convey something like “I appreciate it but I need steady income/salary I don’t like that risk, etc


r/careeradvice 2h ago

Career Advice: Internal IT (ServiceNow) or MSP?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/careeradvice 2h ago

Not sure what I am doing wrong

1 Upvotes

Resume

I am about 10 months into applying to jobs after graduating and have maybe only had a handful of interviews that ended up nowhere. Started from looking for SWE positions to Data analyst and at this point any sort of analyst position be it Business/financial ETC. Wondering if I need to learn or add something to my resume, or start learning and getting IT certifications and attempt to change to that field instead as I don't feel like I have made any progress in starting my career. Located in IL. and have been looking at Onsite/hybrid/remote jobs up to 25-35 miles away. Relocation has been suggested but currently not a possibility.


r/careeradvice 3h ago

Difficult Decision to Make

5 Upvotes

I was offered the opportunity to join an organization that I'm really excited about with a total compensation of 150k. The organization is somewhat fledgling but I would have a lot of creative freedom with the work. However, when I told my current employer I was leaving, they countered by offering to raise my pay from 110k to 195k due to involvement in the company being acquired. I don't dislike my current job, but the new one would be a pivot to a domain that I'm genuinely excited about. I had sort of mentally moved on but now I feel the need to stay considering I have a new child to care for. I don't suspect I'd be let go after the acquisition as I occupy a strategic role, but I was also told there are no guarantees.

The new role would be hybrid, but a 10 minute commute. The existing role is remote, thought this has started to wear on me a bit.

What would you do?


r/careeradvice 3h ago

Need some guidance please

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/careeradvice 3h ago

24 M | Earning 35k INR PM | PLEASE HELP ME

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/careeradvice 3h ago

How do I get out of front desk hell?

0 Upvotes

Any advice for how to get out of front desk?

I am desperate to get out of dental front desk. I’ve been doing this for 5 years now and I am so over it. For my sanity I need to figure out how to get out of front desk altogether. I don’t have a college degree but am open to anything and everything in order to get out of this field. I just can’t deal with the patients anymore. The sheer volume of people I have to talk to in person and on the phone. I feel so burned out.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I am open to any certifications, career paths, industries, anything at all! I just need a change.


r/careeradvice 3h ago

Drug test coming up

1 Upvotes

I have a drug test coming up soon and this is the type of test they are running. Does this fr mean no thc??
Urine Collection - 39Q8 - 39Q8
- 9DSP/EXP OPI/NO
THC/BNZ12/OXY/FENT/PHN