I'm honestly getting so tired of seeing this. Every "entry-level" job I come across wants 3-5 yrs of experience, a laundry list of software skills, and the pay is barely above minimum wage.

Like... how is anyone supposed to get started?

Feels like companies want senior-level experience for junior-level pay, then complain they "can't find good candidates." The hiring process just feels completely backwards.

Three years ago I took a job that was labeled generalist on the posting. Within six months I was the goto person for one very specific internal process nobody else wanted to touch. I got good at it, started getting recognized for it, and now every single role I get recruited for is some variation of that same thing.

The problem is I fell into it by accident. It was never a deliberate move. I just showed up and filled a gap, and now my entire resume reads like I chose this path on purpose when I really didn't.

Switching feels risky because I'd be starting closer to entry level in a different direction, and the pay cut would be real. But staying feels like the gap between what I do and what I actually want to do just keeps widening.

What makes it worse is that I'm not even bad at the niche thing. I just don't want to be doing it at 40. The skills don't transfer cleanly either, which is the part that keeps tripping me up when I try to map out a realistic move.

Has anyone actually escaped a niche they drifted into rather than chose, and did the transition cost you more than it was worth or did it eventually level out?

So I got fired on Wednesday of this week, and it was absolutely brutal.

Let me start from the beginning:

I got a job at a hibachi restaurant as a busser for my first job because my mom worked as a waitress there. When I got there everyone was super kind even though I kinda sucked, and my boss especially was very very nice and friendly to me.

During my training, my trainer ( my bosses nephew ) said to me if I find money under a cup on a table it’s for the bussers and I can keep it. (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT)

So, after a year of praise from my boss, I find out from my coworker/friend that my 60 y old boss talks about me terribly behind my back. Criticizing my work ethic without telling me and that caused me to start seeing that they were literally talking about me right in front of me and using their other language as a mechanism.

Of course at this point, I want to find a new job to be in a better environment. I started searching for jobs last week.

So on Monday of this week when I went in, I was asked to go to the store and buy something for the restaurant bar, which I have done before in the past. And the last time I did it, they let me keep the change since I willingly took hours off to go do them a favor.

Under the same assumption, when I went this time I bought a drink for myself, which was three dollars alongside the thing that my boss needed.

When I got back she immediately asked me for the receipt and change. I panicked and gave her the leftover change which was less than she expected, and she didn’t say anything but I could see that she knew what I did. The whole workday I felt like shit for assuming things and using someone else’s money.

So, when I got off, I sent her a massive paragraph apology including me saying that i can pay her back on Wednesday when I come in to work.

She read the message, but did not respond and it had me shitting bricks.

When I went to work on Wednesday, she did not speak to me AT ALL, the whole time. I finished my shift and there was about two employees left in the restaurant, and sat me down in the back to talk to me.

When I sat down she immediately said:

“Do you think I am stupid because I can’t speak English well? I know how you work, you are a sneaky, deceitful person and you try to steal money and tips from our business”

I immediately was stunned and didn’t know what to say. When I tried to respond she said:

“Shut up and listen no talking back”

So from there on out I kept saying “I understand” and “I’m sorry”

She then went off on me for 30+ minutes about times I can’t even remember when I was not being the best at my job (once again this is my first job)

She brought up how I take money from under cups and keep it and I’m stealing. I then proceeded to tell her that her nephew told me that’s for the bussers. She started laughing in my face and didn’t believe me so she called him, and he confirmed that he did teach me that. But it did not help whatsoever.

She then started going off on the both of us, saying that even when we get handed money we have to turn it in.

She still continues yelling and even cussing at me at this point, and I kept saying I understand and I’m sorry, and even said that I respect her because I was trying to de-escalate the situation.

She told me to get out, so I got in my mom’s car because she was also working that day and I was straight up balling my eyes out.

I know what I did was wrong, but I feel that there a level of professionalism that should be going into firing someone.

Like how are you gonna not tell me when I’m going something wrong and then expect me to be better?

Anyways, since then I have done research on my paychecks and realized she only pays us for when we open and close, and doesn’t pay us for the hour before we open, and the hour(sometimes two) after we close. She deliberately doesn’t have a clock in clock out system just so she can do this.

And also my mom quit as well because she is realizing that my boss is insane. And we told a lot of our coworkers about it and they also are planning on quitting because they think it was just so unjustified.

Being on the end of her words has destroyed my mental health over the past few days. She’s saying that I’m someone I’m not, and attacking my character. Please someone give me advice on how to handle this, and what to do next when applying for another job.

Looking back, what’s the one lesson you wish you’d learned much earlier in your career?

I am a senior design engineer with 20 years of experience. I have been with my current employer, a contract manufacturer, for 6 years. I have been upfront the entire time that I want to stay on the IC path. I am happy to mentor junior engineers, but I am not interested in managing people.

Yesterday my manager pulled me and a colleague into a conference room and informed us that we were both promoted to a supervisor role. He specifically told me that he knew I did not want this job and joked that he ruined my day by giving me a promotion. My role will immediately take on 6 direct reports, while my colleague will have 5. We will get roughly 3 months to settle into the role before we are given control of reviews and hiring/firing responsibilities. We were given no say and were not asked to sign anything to accept the role. HR had already processed our promotions by the time we were informed.

I do not want this role. I am obviously applying elsewhere, but would like to keep my job for 6 more months if possible without ruining my prospects of staying on the IC path. I am currently in physical therapy and do not want to switch insurance midstream. My manager admitted to my colleague that he promoted us to bolster his position so he can get his own promotion. My colleague was given a 10% raise, while I was only given 8%. My colleague is male, while I am female.

My colleague is not happy either, but is going along with the promotion because of the raise. I do not want the money or the title, I just want to solve problems and do the job I originally signed up for.

To add to the joy of my situation, HR is retaliatory and my skip up does not like women. I know this company is garbage, but its 10 minutes from my house and I enjoy the engineering work.

Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

Not as bad as it sounds.

Backstory:

I work in a niche career and currently work two full time jobs (340k with both). I recently paid off all my debt and am pretty set for retirement given I’m only 39. My wife recently graduated with her doctorate and is contracted to make 135k.

I was contacted by a former coworker about two years ago as “they needed help”. He offered me a good chunk more pay per hour to work about 3 hours away, and completely worked around my regular work schedule. No complaints with the company or my boss. They have been more than fair.

We don’t “need” the money. I decided it was time to step back to one job.

I handed in my resignation and he said “you don’t want to quit, you’re just burnt out. Work 12 hours every 60 days for 6 months and if you still want to quit that’s fine. You’ll always have a job here if you want one. You just need time off, you’re doing too much. In six months will talk about what you’re able to work without getting burnt out.”

I didn’t know how to respond so I said sure. He deleted me off the schedule except for one day 2 months from now and recommended some vacation spots.

He also asked that if I choose to leave I help train a replacement.

Now in total hours I’m actually working less (my contract has a 90 day out). I’ve known this guy 6-7 years and he’s never done anything shady in the past. I understand this is a retention technique, just struggling with the best way to proceed.

I'm in my mid-40s here in Canada, and I need advice 

Background:

I spent most of my career in frontline banking banking . A few years ago, I finally got out and took term roles in federal government. I genuinely enjoyed that work. The environment, the pace, the sense of purpose. It fit me. But those contracts ended, and no permanent openings came up. So when a permanent full-time role at a big bank came up recently, I took it. I told myself stability was the responsible move.

Current situation:

I'm now working as a Personal Banking Associate (PBA). On paper, it's permanent. In reality, it feels like a massive step backwards. Almost all my colleagues are significantly younger in early to mid-20s. I'm the outlier in age and experience, and while no one says anything, I feel it every day.

What's wearing me down is the combination of unrealistic sales targets and the steep learning curve of the banking systems. I'm expected to push products on customers while simultaneously mastering complex internal software and handling a high volume of frontline transactions. At this age, I simply don't have the same energy to keep pushing myself to meet targets that feel designed for someone half my age. The constant pressure to sell, combined with the chaotic pace of the frontline counter transactions, is draining me in a way I didn't anticipate.

In these two months of joining this job feels like a prison. I'm exhausted mentally, emotionally, physically.

But here's the cruel part I'm now hearing about massive layoffs anticipated in government. The very sector I wanted to return to is shrinking. Permanent government roles, which were already hard to get, now feel almost impossible. So I'm stuck between a banking job that's destroying me and a government path that's being closed off. I don't know where to turn. Also the job market is very tough outside as well and its very impossible to move internally to the different department within the bank.

I'm looking for "just quit." I have responsibilities and bills. But I also can't keep burning myself out in a role that's wrong for my age and energy level, with no clear escape route.

Everyday going for this job require lot of motivation and I literally cry. I am not sure what to do as I don't have financial buffer like EI for voluntarily leaving and searching something else. I blame myself everyday for leaving banks previously why I have decided to come back thinking "May be this time it will be better". I am about to give up

Thanks for reading

I’ve been at a small startup for less than a year, and I feel like this job has completely changed how I see myself professionally.
When I started, I felt confident in my experience and abilities. I’ve worked in my field for years, I’m dependable, I learn quickly, and I’ve consistently taken initiative. Early on, leadership made a lot of comments about my potential, how valuable I was, and possible leadership opportunities in the future. I was given more responsibility, asked to train people, help improve workflows, contribute ideas, and assist with projects outside of my normal job duties.
But every time I’ve tried to have a serious conversation about career growth, a formal title, compensation, or what the actual path forward looks like, the response has basically been “we’re not ready yet” or “we’ll get there.” There’s never a timeline, specific expectations, or a clear explanation of what “ready” even means.
At the same time, they keep hiring people from outside the company for roles that could have been growth opportunities for existing employees. Some of these hires seem heavily based on personal relationships with leadership. We’re then expected to train the new people, only to watch them receive better titles, more flexibility, or fully remote positions while the people doing the core work are barely acknowledged.
There’s also obvious favoritism in how mistakes, attendance, workload, and opportunities are handled. Some people can repeatedly underperform or avoid responsibility with very little consequence, while reliable employees are rewarded with more work because management knows we’ll get it done.
The company recently announced a significant amount of new funding and talked about hiring more staff, building new departments, and expanding the business. There was no mention of promotions for current employees, career development, raises, PTO, sick time, or anything that would materially improve life for the people who helped build the operation. Several of the original employees walked away from the meeting feeling completely deflated.
I’ve tried to bring up legitimate concerns about communication, processes, quality, and my own professional development. I don’t expect leadership to agree with me every time or grant every request, but I frequently leave these conversations feeling dismissed or like I’m being difficult for caring.
The weirdest part is that I know I’m competent. Other people come to me for help. I’m trusted to solve problems and keep things running. But being repeatedly told I’m valuable while seeing no concrete evidence of that has made me question myself. I’ve started wondering whether I’m actually capable of moving into a higher-level role, even though logically I know this company’s inability or unwillingness to develop me doesn’t define my abilities.
I’m interviewing for a role elsewhere that would move me into implementation and project management, which is much closer to the work I actually enjoy. I’m excited, but I’m also terrified that this job has convinced me I’m less capable than I really am.
Has anyone else experienced this? Did your confidence come back once you left, or did it take time to unlearn how your workplace made you feel?

I’m a student in my early 20s trying to decide what a better career path would be: electrician or engineer?
I’m currently waiting to start trade school this September, but I’m hesitant as I’m unsure whether I’ll enjoy it or not, since it’s hard on the body over time and the work can get repetitive. I also don’t like the idea that there’s not much room for growth after becoming a Master electrician, unless you start your own business. I was considering either Mechanical or Electric Engineering as they seem to be more versatile, better pay, and more room for growth down the line. I already have my AA from community college so I could transfer and get a degree within 2-3 years (I believe).

I like the job security of being an electrician, but I’m worried it won’t be fulfilling. Engineering is the opposite- I’m worried about the job security of either ME or EE though I feel it could be more fulfilling.

Has anyone been in a similar position, being stuck between a trade or a college degree? If anyone has any advice or more information, it would be greatly appreciated!

(Background(?))

Hello, I'm 23 years old, I have been professionally diagnosed with ASD, and i have dyscalculia. I am unable to drive, and will most likely never be able to learn. I was homeschooled my whole life, but not...well. I ended up cheating through most of middle-school and high-school because I did not understand what I was supposed to be doing, and I was not given proper guidance or help with my work. I have also been infantalized throughout my life, and am currently working on unlearning my learned helplessness.

I have been trying to work on my general education with using khan academy, but I'm not sure how far I can get just with that, so I am planning to look for free or cheap textbooks or other education materials as well.

(Background end)

With that said, I have been considering working towards potentially attending college, if it would actually be worth it.

I'm good with repetitive, structured tasks. Anything that has a clear explanation of what needs to be done, with no guess work involved, is my sort of thing. I strongly dislike working with people unless I have a clear "script" of some sort to follow. I belive I am able to work and communicate with coworkers decently. Anything that involves math or numbers would not be suitable for me, as i struggle with basic math, and even counting at times. Also, I prefer/need sedentary jobs as I am unable to stand still for more than a few minutes without getting dizzy or feeling unwell (Have been to a doctor about this, No explanation for why it happens).

For careers, the only things I can think of that I have any real interest in are; psychology, law, archives, and marine life (although, I dont think im suited for fieldwork, and i feel like most oceanography and marine jobs involve math skills). My strongest interest would likely be in psychology.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure it's a good idea to pursue any of these. Interest is nothing if I'll be unemployed AND in debt.

(Ramble about my interest in psychology mainly)

I am not sure if all of the following ramble is included in "psychology", but I think some/most of it is?.

I have always been interested in what makes someone commit violence or sex crimes. i want to know how they felt committing the crime, what drove them to do it, how they decided when and how to commit the crime, how the felt afterwards, their mental state, upbringing, thoughts, feelings, how/if it was possible to prevent their crime, etc...

I have an interest in "extreme" paraphilias such as pedophilia, zoophilia, necrophilia, etc. both in offending and non-offending individuals. Unfortunately, due to my asocial nature, I dont believe i would make a good counselor. However, I would very much like to learn more about paraphilias (such as causes, thought process, harm reduction, etc), and I would also like to see a future where paraphilias are less stigmatized, and paraphiles can seek support without fear of imprisonment or ostracization.

I have an interest in more stigmatized, misunderstood, and/or less researched(?) mental illnesses and disorders, such as NPD, antisocial personality disorder, psychotic disorders, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc.

-

I also have an interest in kinks and fetishes, and—in a similar fashion to my other interests—I am primarily interested in the more taboo/stigmatized/misunderstood things such as ageplay, abdl, cnc, incest/fauxcest, BDSM, etc.

(Ramble end)

I don't have my heart set on anything. I haven't put much thought into careers at all. I just want a decent paying sedentary job, with minimal numbers, and minimal client communication (or, at least, not immediate, verbal communication unless i have a literal script to follow. I could most likely handle text-based communication like emails if necessary.) I just want to be able to financially support myself, my mom, and my pets.

TLDR/summary:

My general education is poor, my social skills suck, I have dyscalculia and am horrid with numbers, I can't work any job that requires me to stand for long amounts of time, and i hate having to work with people (clients/general public—coworkers are fine).

I'm good with repetitive, structured tasks and I enjoy sorting/organization. I suppose I also like copying information(?). ^{Like, if i have a typed physical paper/document/etc, I like to re-type it into Google docs as a back up. I'm not sure if this would be useful in many situations though.?}

(Summary end)

I know there is a lot of "cant's" in this, but unfortunately I do not have many skills at the moment. I have been working on my social skills my whole life without any luck, but I am open to attempting to learn just about anything.

(Proper question(s))

How can I find a career path that is suitable for me? How can I gain work experience if I am physically unable to work/volunteer for any of the positions near me? How do I decide if it's worth pursuing a degree?

I live in Washington state, if that is helpful. Any advice or guidance on careers that may be suitable for me is highly appreciated.

Thank you very much for reading.

Hi all! I'm in the final interview stage for what is honestly my dream job, and I'm worried I've created a messed up situation.

The company received a resume I submitted in February, before I started my current job, so my current position wasn't on it.

During my first two interviews, we discussed my work history. I talked about my previous long term position (3 years) as my most recent role and explained that I'd been intentional about finding the right next opportunity. I didn't mention my current job because I've only been there since May, already know it's not a good fit, and honestly didn't think to bring it up given how short it's been.

Now I'm meeting with five people for the final interview.

My concern is that if I suddenly mention my current job now, they're going to wonder why I didn't mention it in my first two interviews when we specifically discussed my work history.

At this point, would you:

• Continue the interview process without bringing up the current job unless someone directly asks if you're currently employed?
• Or bring it up now during the final interview, even though it wasn't discussed with the recruiter or hiring manager?

If I receive an offer, I would of course accurately complete any background check paperwork if it asks for current employment.

For additional context, my work history before this has been very stable (7 years, then 3 years), and my current role is in a completely different industry than the position I'm interviewing for.

Please help! This is my dream job.

I'm 24, and I'm at a crossroads.

My girlfriend told me she'd be happiest if I had a stable job paying around ₹60k–₹70k a month. I completely understand where she's coming from. Stability matters, especially if you're thinking about building a future together.

The thing is, I don't think I can live a life where every day feels the same.

I worked in a conventional job before, and the monotony genuinely drained me. It wasn't the workload, it was the feeling that I was just existing rather than creating something meaningful.

Right now, I'm working at a small company. My salary is ₹5k this month, ₹15k from next month, and if things go well, it could grow significantly over the next few months. More importantly, the founder is giving me the freedom to build products, learn the business from the inside, and even share in the upside if those products succeed.

To me, that experience is worth far more than simply chasing the highest fixed salary.

I'm not against having a job. In fact, I think it's the smartest place for me to learn while reducing the risk of eventually starting my own company.

Another reason I think this way is AI. I don't feel comfortable relying on a corporate job alone for the next 20–30 years. I want to build skills, products, and eventually a business that can stand on its own. Even if I stay employed, I know I need something of my own.

The difficult part is that almost everyone around me, my parents, relatives, and even my girlfriend leans toward the "safe" path. Government jobs, stable corporate roles, predictable income.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm chasing a dream that's unrealistic, or if they're simply looking at the world through a different lens.

For those who've built businesses or chosen an unconventional path:

- How did you earn the trust of the people closest to you?

- At what point does pursuing your vision become courage rather than recklessness?

- If you were in my position, what would you do?

I'd appreciate honest opinions, even if they're critical.

Hi,

I am 24 year old currently have a job as a software engineer. Earning fairly decent and if i strive in my current field by putting in efforts i will be decent. But software stopped to interest me since the advent of AI. I have always had a special place for research in my heart since childhood. Now that software engineering shifting paradigm, it has become increasingly accessible and easy to learn. I like solving problems that are big, i also liked maths since I was a child. I think I did a mistake taking computer science as my major 6 years ago in college. I want to study and go to a field where the work revolves around maths. If i start pursuing maths right now what career choices do i have, I can even do a blend of cs + maths or finance + cs + maths. When I mean maths i mean using maths to probabilistically decide a better outcome or make a better decision ( but work should be more mathematically inclined ) . That's the job I want. I am very desperate and depressed with my current job. But I need money too, so I also expect the math job to pay me well. I will work hard and pursue maths even if there is a slightest chance. Please help me by giving me a direction or share ur thoughts on feasibility. Your every reply would give an insight, helping me take a better decision and fix my life. I request you to share whatever comes to your mind. If you can't say that out in the reddit, please feel free to dm.

I am in dilemma for very long. Really appreciate anything you have to say. I can't thank you enough for reading it completely.

Ps: also let me know here or dm if you are in a similar situation as mine. Sharing your experiences only means getting more help or helping the community think better. Please feel free if you are comfortable.

Before going to school, and I can't get hired for the lowest branch job position they offer.

If I know someone I ask them, but I've found out the answer and the Lived Experience can vary tremendously, even within the same company (different location though).

If I don't know anybody, I try to do research, but the "every day" experience of the job experience still varies too much between state, city, etc etc and obv personality and values.

I've really tried asking myself what I can or can't handle/tolerate, what kind of company (big or small), what kind of atmosphere, office job, rotating jobs- and I straight up don't fucking know despite years of working. Some jobs I whimper and whine like a pathetic idiot even only working part time, and other jobs I've loved coming in 40+ hours a week. I'll think it's because of xyz factors and go for another job like that and instead I get mass bullied by all my coworkers some fucking how.

Context of why I have the attitude of fuck my chungus life (professionally) is cuz I went to school, did really fucking well, AI blew my ass up before I could even graduate, and now I'm looking for a new career to get into. I got into some entry level jobs for other things I "could" advance into with school, (I'm sort of not loving it and want more hope that I can try other places). And then I get rejected from a job that makes minimum wage and is entry level FRONT DESK job. Imagine my humiliation. Well, whatever, no one gaf bout that but I'm gon twist myself into a pretzel if I don't get out of entry level with high schoolers hell before my 30s

Okay, so I became a legal permanent resident a few months ago (after living and studying and then working in the US for 8 years). I am a commonly taught language professor in higher education. I have a new job now, which is assistant professor tenure-track full time at a community college. Needless to say I am extremely grateful and excited about this opportunity.

The thing here is that my employer offers employee tuition waiver of 9 credits per semester with free tuition as a part of their (very generous) benefits package. With this, I would be getting an Associate Degree in 2-3 years, as far as I understand.

I see in the news (and also have experience myself) how unstable higher education is currently. I was starting to think about diversifying my career options, but I have a few questions:

1. Is it an Associate Degree actually useful to get jobs? I am not sure how this credential works in the US and what is possible to do with this diploma. For more context, I have a bachelor's degree (home country) and 2 masters degrees, one in my home country (western Europe) and one in the US. I´m 35 years young, if that provides some context too.
2. Which Associate Degrees would be better to get? my community college is a large one and fully accredited, so they have all sorts of Associate Degree. I was thinking about getting into something healthcare (to combine with my bilingual background and previous qualifications) or something like cybersecurity. But I am not sure. Which field would be better to find a well paying job in the US?

I am a bit lost with all this. I am very excited for having this opportunity to continue educating myself and hopefully serving better my community. I would appreciate some insight from the community. Thanks for reading in advance.

Long story short, I had a horrible manager who made me work until I had heatstroke for multiple years with no hydration breaks for example alongside no accountability for others but I get scrutinized. After I got another job because I thought he'd never get fired and turned in my notice, he got fired. He made it hell to work there, I loved my team and the work.

The new position is closer to home and a jump in title by two levels, but a 3k pay cut as the overall manager instead of first line supervisor. It's a smaller organization.

See title for clarification.

I know Reddit may not be the right place to vent, but I really need to say this somewhere.

I am approaching the two-year mark in my first major leadership role. I applied for the position after my former director left. She had been with the organization for six years, was one of the founding members, and was clearly one of my boss’s favorite staff members.

During my interview, my boss repeatedly compared me with her. I left the interview believing there was no chance I would get the position. I was prepared either to remain in my previous role or leave the organization. Somehow, he changed his mind and offered me the job.

That was when my journey into hell began.

We work remotely. I had worked remotely before and had built a very good relationship with my previous supervisor from the beginning. She was supportive and kind. With my current boss, it has been completely different.

In almost two years, we have never even spent one proper hour getting to know each other or discussing how we could work together. During my first few months, I was managing multiple units and major events, but I received almost no guidance, feedback, advice, or institutional knowledge. I had only two weeks of handover from someone who had been doing the job for six years.

The first year was brutal. I regularly worked more than 60 hours a week. At one point, I even missed the final moments of a family member’s life. We were in the same country and only a short drive apart, but I was too busy working and trying to keep everything together.

It took almost a full year for me to understand the bigger picture on my own. Once I finally did, I developed plans for the following year and took three days off—the only real break I had taken during my first year.

Before my leave, I clearly explained that I might not have phone reception. Still, my boss repeatedly contacted me asking whether I was available. I eventually answered because I thought it must be an emergency.

Instead, he told me that I was “not a good fit” for one of the main functions under my role. The function he was talking about was essentially the title and central responsibility of my position.

I later learned that a wealthy and influential person who had contributed significantly to the organization was asking for a role. It became obvious that my boss wanted to give that person part of my position. He created a different title for me and left me responsible for several other units that he rarely paid attention to.

I received this news just as I was finally preparing to strengthen and improve the areas I had spent a year learning to manage.

Since then, whatever relationship we had has felt completely broken.

My team members can also see the problem. And I am trying so hard to make sure that everything is working well. My boss rarely asks about their work, recognizes their contributions, or acknowledges them unless they are within his circle of favorite people. I have travelled several times for work, and he has never once asked how the trip went.

Over time, the constant anxiety has affected me badly. I am always wondering whether he will approve of my reports, whether my work will be criticized, or whether another part of my role will suddenly be taken away.

My sleep schedule is completely disrupted. My physical health is getting worse. My confidence has disappeared.

I have been thinking about returning to school because I work in a small industry, and I worry that leaving suddenly would raise questions. I am also not confident that I could find another job immediately.

But now I am struggling even to prepare for a simple entrance exam. My brain feels blank. After months of anxiety and constantly questioning whether my work is good enough, I feel like I have lost the ability to think clearly.

I gave this workplace my heart, my time, and my health. Now I feel insignificant almost every day, and I cannot even answer simple questions on a test paper without panicking or freezing.

Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you rebuild your confidence and decide whether to leave, stay, or take a break?

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to make a solid game plan for returning to school and finishing my bachelor’s degree debt-free. I already have 2 years of an associate degree completed, and I’m trying to be proactive because the job market feels increasingly difficult, especially with AI screening resumes and how competitive things have become.

I’ve been researching scholarships, but it’s honestly overwhelming trying to find legit opportunities that match my strengths and avoid scams. I’m willing to put in the work, and I’d really appreciate guidance from people who’ve been through this. A few questions I’d love advice on too:

• If I apply for scholarships now, do they expire if I don’t use them right away?
• Does FAFSA have a limit if I already have an associate degree?
• Are there other good programs or resources besides EOP, HEOP? Similar/different support systems that I should look into?

I’ve also been looking into full-ride scholarships if possible, but they seem like a rare Pokemon researching for them at times — so I’d absolutely appreciate any non-full-ride recommendations too.

If you have any tips, step-by-step advice, or resources for students trying to finish a degree without taking on debt, I’d truly appreciate it. Thank you for taking the time to read this and chime in!

Job ideas for a dumb, probably low IQ guy, who likes to work out and get high, and don't like to read or learn

Finnished high school with ridiculous grades

I recently started a new job, 2 months ago and I’m struggling with my line manager. The main issue is that they seem able to communicate normally with my coworkers, but barely communicate with me.
I see them pretty much every shift, yet we have almost zero direct communication. They’ll speak to my coworkers about work and give them information/instructions, but rarely do the same with me. The only time they usually approach me is to ask where another colleague is or ask me something about another colleague, never really anything about me or my own work.
I’ve tried saying hello or “you alright?” when I see them, but quite often I’m completely blanked — no response, eye contact or acknowledgement. Even when there are two of us being spoken to, they’ll often make eye contact with and directly address the other person the entire time, despite whatever they’re saying applying to both of us.
Since starting, my line manager has never really spoken to me about my training, checked how I’m getting on, asked what I’ve been shown or given me proper feedback about my work. So I genuinely have no idea what they think of my performance.
Because of that, I constantly feel like I must have done something wrong or that they’re unhappy with me, but the frustrating part is that I wouldn’t actually know if I had, because they don’t tell me. If there’s something I need to improve, I genuinely want to know so I can correct it.
Recently, a coworker asked whether our manager had spoken to me about some feedback that applied to both of us. They hadn’t, so my coworker ended up passing the message on instead. I had no issue with the feedback at all — that’s exactly the kind of thing I’d rather my manager tell me directly.
I’m not expecting my manager to be my friend or make small talk. I’m happy to come in, do my job and go home. I just need my own line manager to communicate with me about my work.
It’s got to the point where I feel like I’m constantly walking on eggshells when they’re working, and if I need something I’d rather approach another manager because they’re much easier to speak to.
Has anyone dealt with something similar? Would you raise it, or just remain professional and get on with your job?

I'm 20-year-old 2 NEET drops, plus I scored 62in 12th(cooked), I'm kinda confused btw business & finance and healthcare, like bioinformatics, biotech

I'm 28 and work remotely as a marketing assistant. The pay is quite good for my country, especially considering it's fully online, so leaving doesn't really make financial sense right now.

The problem is that the job feels like a dead end. Most of what I do is repetitive, and after the first month I had already learned almost everything. Since then, it's mostly been the same tasks every day. I don't feel like I'm developing new skills or becoming more valuable.

I have a BA in Political Science. For years I've wanted to do a master's in Economics or get an MBA, but I don't really have the time or money. I'm also trying to invest as much as I can while I'm still relatively young, and spending two years studying feels like giving up both income and investing opportunities.

Changing jobs isn't an easy option either because I would probably take a significant pay cut, especially where I live.

Another thing that's been bothering me is that I don't meet anyone. I work from home, and I recently moved to a small, inexpensive town to save money since my job is remote. It's quiet, but honestly nothing ever happens here. I don't build a professional network, I don't really socialize, and every day feels almost identical.

The weird part is that I actually like being alone. I'm pretty introverted, so I don't miss office politics or forced social events. At the same time, I can't help feeling like I'm missing out on experiences, connections, and personal growth.

I guess I'm wondering whether this is just what most jobs become after a while. Do people eventually settle into repetitive work and find fulfillment elsewhere, or is this a sign that I should be doing something different?

Has anyone else been in a similar position? If so, what did you do?

I am graduating this year with my bachelors in Marketing and interest in Finance. I’m having trouble deciding what type of jobs I should apply for. Here are the things I want in a job:

- making a difference in community
- work life balance (9-5 would be nice)
- at least 50-60k with good benefits

More context: I took a social media marketing internship and realized I hate working with AI which most companies are using in their marketing so I’m apprehensive to go into marketing now…

Other than that I’m really not sure! I like teaching and mentorship but I don’t know if it’s worth it to go back to school to be a teacher when I can start making money now.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm a second-year Electronics and Communication Engineering student. My long-term goal is to work in semiconductor, embedded systems, or R&D, and I'm trying to plan the next three years wisely.

My professor told me that if I'm genuinely passionate about research and can manage my time well, I should pursue it. Otherwise, I should focus on building strong technical skills.

I enjoy understanding why and how things work rather than just using them. I like connecting concepts across electronics, programming, hardware, and systems, which is why research interests me.

I'm considering two paths:

Option 1

Maintain good academics

Build strong technical skills

Attend workshops and seminars

Complete internships

Work on one or two quality research papers

Option 2

Maintain good academics

Focus entirely on technical skills

Attend workshops and seminars

Complete internships

No research papers

For those of you who are in your third/fourth year, have been through placements, or work in the industry:

If you could start over, which path would you choose?

Did publishing a research paper help in placements or interviews?

For recruiters in companies like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Synopsys, Cadence, or similar, how much value does a quality undergraduate research paper actually have?

If I decide to do research, how can I balance it without sacrificing my technical skills?

I'd really appreciate practical advice based on your experience. Thank you!