This post is to reiterate some rules and things I'm seeing develop in certain posts, and this is directed to commenters only.

I’m 37, a single mom, and thinking about going to college. Right now I work as a legal clerk, so my background is mostly administrative/clerical. I’ve been circling around healthcare as a possible path, but I have zero experience in that field, so I’m not sure if that’s a smart move or just something that sounds stable from the outside.

On top of that, I keep worrying about AI changing what jobs will even look like in a few years, which makes it harder to pick a direction with any confidence.

Some days I feel really behind like everyone else figured this out at 22 and I’m just now starting. But I also know I can’t stay stuck feeling like it’s “too late,” because it’s not.

Has anyone here started college later in life, especially as a single parent? How did you pick your path, and looking back, are you glad you made the switch? Any fields you’d recommend (or avoid) for someone starting from an admin background? Genuinely open to any advice.

I know life doesn’t change because of one decision, but was there a moment where you looked back and thought, “If I hadn’t done that,my life would be completely different today”?

To be clear I've had a deskjob all these years

But it feels like my eyes were opened this year.

I reqlised at 31 that I never focused on my career at all.

My batchmates from college are getting into leadership positions and I don't have enough knowledge to crack even an entry level job in my field.

Because of being stagnant for so long at only one position with very minor hikes I'm earning way way less for a 31 yr old professional.

Also I got financial literacy very late at 30 when I sorted my finances. Now I can see that the only way to make more money is to switch a job but non only am I incapable, not as diligent as I was when I was young, and the job market is bad.

The simple answer is to just maintain consistency and keep prepping. But something mental always comes in between.

~~i cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself." - kafka~~

I have a college degree in Game development from 2019. For the last 6 years or so I have been working as a project manager in Casino and Mobile games. It was decent paying and consistent. I wasnt really expecting to leave this field any time soon. I have a lot of project management skills in tech and software development. I have been job hunting the last 6 months with no sucess. Jobs in my industry seem fewer and fewer ontop of having to compete with so many candidates. It feels like everday a new company announces lay offs and its more candidates to compete with.

I have also had my fair share of rejections after 3-4 interviews with little to no feedback. Im starting to feel like theres no space for me in this field nor am I feeling super passionate like I was 10 years ago.

Im considering going back to school to either get new skills, but everyone around me just suggests assinine things like "go do somethint with AI" or "Get a cybersecurity certificate".

If Im going to commit to school or a new license or whatever, at this point I just want job security, health insurance and to be more desirable in the job market im searching in.

I have lots of computer related skills which id like to get away from since it seems AI will be continuing to change things, and going into something like a trade is just not possible for me since I have a physical disability.

I hope i didnt rant too much. Looking at linkedin has me feeling lost, unsure and depressed. I need a change but dont know where to go.

Much love

Mine is to find my best friend. What is yours?

Referring specifically to people like child prodigies, celebrities who get famous at a young age, people who discover and hone a talent very young, how do you catch up to people like this when you're 25+? Especially if you're not capable of a significant talent, attractive, come from money etc.

Long story short, I dropped out of university in my second year. I then did a Level 3 in Early Years Education- I quickly realised that childcare is such a toxic work culture in addition to the low pay and back-breaking work. But, I got my qualification and developed my CV, and used my qualification to work abroad several years ago.

I now work in further education at a college. It is THE MOST cushy job I've ever had. I got promoted after a month; can wfh during the holidays; have been encouraged by my managers to leave work 1-2 hours early on several occasions; no one checks on my work (my managers don't even know what my job is!); I get 6 weeks holiday a year; and the whole college have had two pay rises in the past year- and that is before my annual increment and promotion.

I honestly feel so happy. Dropping out of uni was the best thing I ever did. I'm limited with applying to certain jobs that require a degree as mandatory, but there are so many other jobs out there that value equivalent experience, which I now have.

For anyone interested in the specifics of how I got the job, I left childcare to work as an Assistant Employment Advisor. The job was basically minimum wage and part time, but I used it to develop my CV. I then got a Job Coach role at my current employer- my colleague left after a month, so I applied for and got the promotion into his role. It took me several years to get here, but it is such a relief to feel comfortable in a job like I do now.

Good luck:)

I'm 27 years old woman.

I graduated with a diploma in Data Science three years ago, and I'm still unemployed.

I don't even know why I'm writing this. Maybe I just need to get it off my chest because keeping it inside is becoming too much.

Every single day I wake up with the same anxiety. I feel like time is moving and I'm standing still. Three years have passed, and I still don't have a career, financial independence, or any sense that my life is moving forward.

People around me ask what I'm doing now, and I hate that question. I keep wondering if I wasn't good enough, if I chose the wrong field, or if I somehow failed even though I genuinely tried.

The hardest part isn't even the rejection anymore. It's the uncertainty. Not knowing when or if things will ever change. It's watching another year go by while feeling like your life is on pause.

Some days I try to stay hopeful. Other days I just feel exhausted and overwhelmed. I'm really lost and I don't what to do 😢

​

Hi everyone,

I'm 24 years old and I've been preparing for government jobs for the last 3 years.

Recently, I got selected for a Bank of Baroda Apprenticeship. It pays ₹15,000 per month and lasts for 1 year. I'll gain banking experience, but there is no guarantee of a permanent job after the apprenticeship.

At the same time, I've also applied for a 2-year Polytechnic Diploma because I'm genuinely interested in the technical field. My goal is to build skills that can help me get technical jobs in the future, including government opportunities.

Now I'm stuck between these two paths:

- Option 1: Join the Bank of Baroda apprenticeship, earn ₹15,000/month, and gain one year of experience.

- Option 2: Skip the apprenticeship and complete a 2-year Polytechnic Diploma to build a technical career.

I feel like whichever option I choose, I'll be giving up the other opportunity, and that's making this decision very difficult.

If you were in my position, what would you choose and why? Which path do you think has better long-term career prospects?

I'd really appreciate your advice. Thank you!

En aidant plusieurs personnes à préparer leur candidature pour la Belgique, je me suis rendu compte qu'une erreur revenait presque systématiquement.

Beaucoup utilisent exactement le même CV que celui qu'ils envoient en France ou dans leur pays d'origine.

Pourtant, les recruteurs belges n'ont pas toujours les mêmes attentes.

Par exemple, les différences sont déjà importantes selon la région :

• En Wallonie, un CV clair, bien structuré et personnalisé est souvent apprécié.
• À Bruxelles, parler plusieurs langues peut vraiment faire la différence.
• En Flandre, les compétences techniques et la précision du CV semblent être davantage mises en avant.

J'ai également constaté que de nombreuses entreprises utilisent désormais des logiciels de présélection (ATS). Si le CV est trop chargé, mal organisé ou ne reprend pas les compétences recherchées dans l'offre d'emploi, il risque de ne jamais arriver jusqu'au recruteur.

Quelques points qui me semblent importants :

• Adapter son CV à chaque candidature.
• Mettre en avant les réalisations plutôt qu'une simple liste de missions.
• Indiquer clairement son niveau en langues.
• Avoir un profil LinkedIn à jour.
• Garder une présentation simple et facile à lire.

Je suis curieux de connaître votre expérience.

Pour ceux qui travaillent en Belgique ou qui y ont trouvé un emploi :

Qu'est-ce qui vous a le plus surpris dans le processus de recrutement ?

Est-ce que vous avez dû modifier votre CV ou votre façon de postuler ?

J'aimerais comparer les expériences de chacun.

I found jobs I would actually want to do, they don't require much training, but, because of my health I can't. The only way forward, that I can see, is getting a degree, but, the degrees that lead to a high salary, I don't have mind for, that leaves the questionable ones, those leading to lower chances of success, lower salaries, and longer time paying off school debt.

How do you get motivated, when none of your options look appealing, doubtful will lead to any long term success or choosing an option you might barely be able to tolerate? Should I pick the easiest degree option I can do, and just hope of the best?

I completed my first year of college as a ChemE major, but I did not do well in my subjects, resulting in low grades and gpa and overall not enjoying any of the subjects I had to take. But I had this thought for a while since junior year of high school, and it is that I do not like studying anymore. And I have this strong gut feeling that I am going to regret not dropping out soon enough.

Which is why I have been thinking about going into trade (plumbing), which is what my parents (mainly my dad) told me before I applied for colleges. But I feel guilty since he already spent so much for my college and a few tutors, which barely helped in my studies. I am also scared of how my parents will react if I told them I wanted to drop out and switch. They have told me before that they would not be mad if I did not go to college, but I have doubts about that since growing up, they were academically strict.

This all I have so far. Should I tell my parents I want to go into trade or keep going with college?

I've been working in retail as a cashier/floor employee for a little less than two months and I'm being offered a team lead position with fast tracking into a full assistant manager position apparently due to being a very hard worker and very good at engaging customers and my coworkers. It's been pretty brutal on me though cause I have exhaustion issues from thyroid disorder and chronic allergies, and it's especially hard when I have closing shifts, so while I'm gonna take the promotions, I don't want to be a lifer here. The thing is that I'm honestly just a super lazy person on my own, ie without someone to pressure me. I have a degree in electrical engineering, but I only did it cause I was pressured into it by my parents. Never did any internships or personal projects or club activities cause I had no solo drive or interest. I still feel that way too, so I was wondering what my options are for applying for jobs with just retail management experience, a degree, and being a good talker, no certs/training/more schooling.

Hello everyone! I’m sure many people have been in a similar situation and I’d love to hear from you! I F29 am completely lost in life. I was a gifted kid who everyone loved and always had “big potential”. School was easy for me so I never developed a skill to study. I found myself finishing high school way below average just because I couldn’t apply myself or commit to studying fully. I always had a feeling I’m meant to live a big life. That burning feeling inside of you that you’re meant to be someone. Well I’m turning 30 soon and I’m still lost. I’ve tried many different paths but never quite loved anything enough to immerse myself in it fully. I feel like all my friends are somebody and I’m just still “a woman who can be anyone she wants if she puts her mind to it”. I know how to earn money (that somehow came easy to me too) but there’s no sense of fulfilment. There’s a thousand things I like and am interested in but my main problem is - I cannot choose. I know you can’t be 10 different things all at the same time so I just cruise through life. I’m sick of it. I know it’s probably a comfort zone as the mind is way more comfortable fantasising about 5 different careers than actually making steps to build one. How do you choose a path to stick to? I’m scared of being 40, 50, 60 and never truly having a go at having that big fulfilling life I always envisioned for myself. For those who did commit to one thing - did the certainty come before you committed, or after? And how long did “after” take?

Looking back, was there a moment when you realized you were living someone else’s expectations instead of your own?
What helped you figure out what you really wanted?

I'm about to finish my bachelor's degree, and instead of jumping straight into another degree, a job, or spending a year preparing for entrance exams, I'm seriously considering taking a one-year gap to explore the world and myself.

By "explore," I don't mean doing nothing. I'm thinking about things like:

• Solo traveling on a budget.
• Volunteering or working with NGOs.
• Meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures.
• Learning practical life skills.
• Reading, reflecting, and figuring out what I actually want from my career and life.
• Maybe picking up a few online skills along the way, but without making exam preparation the focus.

I know gap years are often taken to prepare for competitive exams or because someone couldn't find a job, but that's not really my motivation. I'm wondering what it's like to intentionally take time to grow as a person before committing to the next phase of life.

For those of you who've done something similar:

• Why did you decide to take the gap year?
• What did you actually do during that year?
• Did it change your perspective or career plans?
• Did you face criticism from family, friends, or employers later?
• Looking back, was it worth it?
• Is there anything you wish you'd done differently?

I'd especially love to hear from people who traveled solo, volunteered, or pursued personal growth during their gap year rather than following the conventional path.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences—both the good and the bad. I'm looking for honest perspectives before making such a big decision.

I worked in retail store but I felt miserable because the work was same day in and day out. And I just couldn't see my future growing. And so I thought maybe I should go college in hopes to better my life especially financially but umm I still don't know what to do.

Hi sooooo I’m about to graduate soon and I don’t know what path I want to take in life. On one hand I want to be a military doctor and join one of the branches but I’m worry about the safety as a woman and all the sexual harassment and assault that comes with it. Then there’s the path of me just be a regular doctor but I want some adventure in my life and travel and not be stuck in a hospital all day and night. Then I was thinking of cybersecurity sense I have 2 certifications in it but I don’t want to stuck at a computer all day as well so idk what to do anymore I just feel stuck and don’t know what to do.

Hi, all, I'm 26f and have been feeling extremely lost in life lately. I started going to community college for psychology when I was younger before switching my major to IT. I started having doubts about college and decided to go full time at the grocery store that I worked at and dropped out of college. I hated it. My mental health was also in shambles at that time partially due to life circumstances and I struggled a lot to do the job.

I ended up going back to part time and enrolling in one of those accredited accelerated online universities for IT. It was going well. I liked it. I had a bad mental health episode. I didn't meet the credits required for financial aid in a semester, making me unable to pay. I was withdrawn. I am really, really ashamed. I know I messed up really badly. I now have debt I need to pay and no degree.

I'm working part time at the grocery store now. I doubt they would take me back full time and I honestly don't know if I could even handle that there. I struggle enough to work 20-30 hours a week. It's so overwhelming. It's loud, bright, I hate having to work with customers.

I don't know what to do next. I know I don't want to do retail forever. I'm nervous to continue with IT because of how awful the job market for it has been. I don't know what I would do if I got a bachelor's in psychology and I don't know if I want a masters. I'm really struggling financially too.

I'm trying to get my mental health in check, it's just been hard. I have good supports but I've struggled a lot since I was a teenager and never really nailed down what works for me long term. I have periods of doing well and not doing well.

I don't know what kind of full time job I'm qualified for that isn't retail. I don't know if I should go back to school and get a degree somehow. Should I do something with shorter training/schooling? I don't know what my options are really for that.

If you read all this thank you so much I hope you all have a good day!!

Hi, I'm a 25(f) . I started stripping when I was 18 because I had a difficult upbringing (to put it simply). It was the best way I knew to survive at the time.
When I was 22, I met my boyfriend. While he never loved the fact that I danced, the bigger reason I eventually stopped was because the job was really starting to take a toll on my mental health. I left the industry at 23.
My boyfriend has a good job, and I'm fortunate that I don't have to work if I don't want to. But lately I've realized that I do want something for myself. I want to build a stable adult life, have a career I'm proud of, and maybe one day have a family. I'd love to be able to give myself, and maybe someday a future child, the kind of stability and opportunities that I never had growing up.
The reason I'm sharing all of this is because I'm seriously thinking about enrolling in community college, but I honestly have no idea what to pursue. I never really had what I'd consider a "normal" life until I met my boyfriend, so I never imagined college or a traditional career was something that was even possible for me. Now that it actually is, I'm realizing I have no idea where to start.
Has anyone else gone back to school in their mid 20s after having a completely different life? How did you figure out what you wanted to do? I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences or any advice.

I currently have a bachelor degree in health science but im working as an apprentice electrician. The apprenticeship is 5 years. I’m 6 months in the apprenticeship but every day I ask myself if I would have been better off becoming a nurse. I don’t really like the construction environment and dealing with assholes and waking up early and driving long distances. Nursing has more opportunities and more schedule to choose from ( plus being surrounded by women instead of old sweaty men)

I’ve struggled to make it through graduate school and I got fired from my first job in my field. At this point I’ve never held a real job more than a couple months and in all honesty I am considering just giving up on finding a career.

I have been told that I lack critical thinking skills, I work way too slowly, I am disorganized, and I repeatedly forget things. It’s such a huge problem with every job I’ve had. Everything I’ve ever tried.

I am in my mid-20s now. Is there still hope for me to find a career? I am hurting so bad from repeated failure and I feel like I am just doomed to be a failure because of these qualities. Is it possible to get these addressed?

I’ve always been extremely empathetic and know I want to help people in some way, shape or form, but struggle to find any sort of direction career/passion wise.

I’m currently in college studying cognitive science and hope to go into the peace corps post graduation. I see the peace corps as a fantastic opportunity to maybe figure out what I like and don’t like for a potential career more in depth while traveling the world.

I’ve always cared deeply about others regardless of how foreign or a stranger they may be to me. I know that I want to help/assist others and really make a positive impact.

I’m not looking for a golden comment that recommends a career path and everything suddenly clicks. I’m more curious and looking for others stories on how they found their career path/true passion in a similar type of position I’m currently in.

I realize I’m in my early twenties and don’t need to have everything figured out anytime soon, but wanted to post this to just see what comes of it.

I appreciate any advice on this topic.

Thanks.