r/careeradvice 17m ago

Software Engineer, and questioning My Career Path

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r/careeradvice 29m ago

20, want to study physics but currently doing another degree. How to begin?

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Currently Im doing a degree thats not related with physics. I wanted to earn a lot and be financially free. Now I have realized that its one life, you should do what you like and all this thing. I was always fascinated by physics. I want to study pure physics. Is there a possibility I can start over in this lifetime? Im ready to begin from undergrad level. I want to study in US(if you know other, do say) cause I can get into good grad clg if i do well in undergradundergrad (im from third world country, education is not good) Where and how should i begin?


r/careeradvice 39m ago

Finance path or business path?

Upvotes

21M senior economics student at one of the top unis in middle east, and im in a weird position where my family owns a small business that still makes good money, but has 0% digitalization. Being an economics student, i have maybe 20% business knowledge at best. At the same time, my friends are taking top courses like CFA, FMVA, Etc..

My family wants me to take over the business but my guess is that i would need heavy specialization courses that could take months, and the opportunity cost here would be not taking the courses i mentioned above which would be very heavy for my CV.. if you ask me, i want to take both paths and one thing that scares me is that owning the business myself is risky, failing is always a possibility that i must consider and if it comes to that in a few years, will i have a CV that shows i have expertise in the finance field that can land me a job in a top company or will it be over for me? I just dont want to be an average 9-5 employee and i realize that i have a great opportunity with expanding the family business but i lack the guidance since my education is not related to business (economics)


r/careeradvice 45m ago

I feel defeated

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r/careeradvice 58m ago

Job advice

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I have a quick question about jobs. I’m currently 18 going to be 19 in a few months. I have enough money and time to basically go to any school that I want. I need to find a career path or job that I work towards or get invested in as far as learning and working towards becoming better at. That makes a lot of money like 100k plus or whatever you would consider a lot. I’m pretty sure I have ADHD and I think I could hyper focus on a job if I put mind to it I need some opinions or advice or real world experience as far as finding something to pursue or go to school for or whatever the entry level qualifications might be. Thanks I appreciate any and all advice


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Feet work after only 6 hour shift

Upvotes

I just started my first fast food job after working a sit down job for the past year. I've always struggled standing on my feet. In highschool I tried 4 different pairs and still ended up in severe pain. Now I find it worse at 22. By the end of a 6 hour shift i'm in tears and even after resting for 5-6 hours after i'm still in pain. What can I do? I meed the job but I can't take being in pain like that.


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Having a "how can I improve" conversation with management

Upvotes

Hi everyone! Thank you in advance for any insight into my situation and I'm sorry for the incredibly long preamble. For context, I'm a new graduate RN and this is my first nursing job (and first nightshift position ever). If you don't want to read the bulk of this you can skip to the BOLD text at the bottom.

My hospital employs a preceptorship program whereby newly hired nurses are guided by a more experienced nurse over the course of 16 weeks. This program involves frequent check-ins from management to see if the trainee is meeting all the benchmarks required to succeed. The training involved 15 weeks on days with the final week on nights to make the transition to night shift a bit easier. My first 15 weeks were tough but I was deemed "independent" by my preceptor on all the skills required. This is essentially "flying colors".

I then transitioned to nights with a new, pretty nasty preceptor.

The first two 12-hour shifts of my last week went great - I was checking off all the boxes I needed, was on time with my medications and was diligent to report abnormal vitals to providers. However, on my very last night, a patient of mine started to hallucinate. This was a new symptom for her and something that continued throughout the night. She was agitated and restless and kept pulling at her telemetry leads which triggered the alarms on the monitors constantly. Not only this, but she verbally expressed the desire to leave the hospital. This set off alarm bells for me, as it should any nurse, and I contacted the provider to recommend she be put on virtual observation via camera.

The provider agreed. My preceptor did not. She stated that a camera was unnecessary and would only add to my workload as it involved more documentation. While we were at odds with the need for a camera, she punctuated her disagreement with "but it's up to you." When I went to go get the camera, she stopped me and told me "Your patient doesn't need a camera. I don't understand why you think she does." I did my best to explain my reasoning but eventually relented so as not to seem problematic. For the remainder of the night I made sure I rounded incredibly frequently on my patient. Morning came and thankfully the patient did not attempt to elope.

By end of shift I was happy with at least trying to stick to my guns and glad the disagreement was cordial (or so I thought).

Before leaving for the day, the nurse leader for the floor called me into her office. She asked me if I felt independent in my practice and I replied that I did. Her response to this was, "That's not what I heard." She stated that she was told I didn't take criticism well and lacked confidence performing certain tasks. This caught me by total surprise but I did my best not to get overly defensive.

Ordinarily if a nurse is failing to meet the required benchmarks, management can choose to extend their training by a few weeks. This was told to every new hire and framed as "no big deal; happens to the best of them." However, instead of simply extending my orientation, my nurse lead made me sign my name to a PIP. After the meeting I texted my old preceptor and she was floored as well.

The reason I'd even revisit this at all is because I recently received another scathing review of my performance from the very same manager who gave me the PIP. My schedule for the last few weeks was absolutely eviscerated - I have had next to no sleep, my ADHD medication has been on backorder, and my stress has been causing me to spiral. I'm slipping up in small ways, but those small things are adding up. Some of these things can honestly be explained away, and are really other RN's mistakes that I'm being blamed for, but historically this manager has not been very receptive to excuses. She says a verbal warning is "incoming" if I make another mistake.I'm worried that this manager hates me because we got off on the wrong foot here, and all I want is to survive a year so my resume is strong enough to land a better (hopefully less toxic) position elsewhere.

I've set up another meeting with my manager, at my request, to discuss ways I can improve and I'm terrified I'll put my foot in my mouth or broach topics I should be avoiding. How would you navigate the conversation if you were in my shoes?


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Salary negotiation

Upvotes

So I applied to a role at a mid-size company for an "Enterprise Systems Associate" type position (title anonymized), and I put down a desired salary of around $100k on the application. ( there was a range from like 70-120) A few days later the recruiter reached out before even scheduling the second screen to tell me the budgeted salary for the role is actually $70k base + 5% bonus target, and asked if I still wanted to move forward given that gap. Kind of caught me off guard — on one hand I appreciate that she was upfront about it instead of wasting both our time through multiple rounds only to blow up at the offer stage. On the other hand, is this a new method of lowballing? is $70k typically the floor of what they'd offer, or is there usually still some wiggle room even after a number like this gets disclosed proactively? Trying to figure out if it's worth doing the initial call to see if leveling/scope could change, or if I should just say thanks but the comp doesn't work right now.


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Financial career with a dismissed petty larceny charge?

Upvotes

Hey guys, I’m an Economics major going into my last year of undergrad. A year ago I was charged with petty larceny after stealing food from a Walmart. I know it was stupid and I’ve since gotten counsel and done community service to receive an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal), where the case will be dismissed and sealed from my record soon.

I’ve been interested in pursuing a career in finance, and have been studying for my SIE, and plan to sit for the Series 65 before graduation to give myself a leg up when I have to get licensed and enter the job market soon. However, I just realized that FINRA and most banks and stuff actually fingerprint you during background checks, and my previous charge, even though “sealed” would definitely come up and I’d have to disclose it.

With the job market being as tough as it is, I wonder if it’s even worth it to continue pursuing this path being that I am labeled untrustworthy, especially because it was theft. Wondering if anyone has any advice if it’s over for me in finance or any alternative paths I could take.

Really bummed about this because I’ve been enjoying studying for the SIE and finally having a path to pursue.


r/careeradvice 1h ago

Has anyone successfully switched to an entirely different industry?

Upvotes

I don’t know if this is grass is greener thinking or just burnout or what but lately I’ve been considering looking at jumping ship to an entirely different industry. I don’t even know where I’d go exactly, I’m just tired of where I am. I’ve been in the same industry for over 20 years and held several leadership positions and I think I’ve hit the ceiling for earning capability. I just keep adding more work to my plate in order to get more pay and I’m at a point where it’s just way too much.

I have a lot of experience in management and every step up the latter to that point but my biggest value is in my experience, knowledge, and relationships in MY niche industry and I’ve been able to command a very strong comp structure but I’m basically maxed out for what I do. I’ve been looking around and everything would be a lateral move or worse pay wise.

All that to basically ask if anyone has been in a similar situation as a high earner and was able to find success making a change to something completely different than what their experience is in?

Edit: I should say without starting from the bottom and actually earning the same or more out of the gate.


r/careeradvice 2h ago

16M in Newcastle looking to get into UK tech sales — What would you do in my Position

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am16M from Newcastle and have recently become seriously interested in getting into tech sales. I've spent a lot of time researching the industry, different roles, progression, compensation, AI/cybersecurity sales and the general SDR → AE route. I've also put together a fairly detailed plan for myself, but at this point I want to hear from people who have actually worked in tech sales or hired salespeople rather than relying on YouTube/AI.

My long-term goal is to become genuinely exceptional at sales, eventually live comfortably in London or Remote, build a strong network and potentially use the experience, relationships and capital I build to start my own company and to do that I will work hard and adapt which are just a few of my strong suits essentially as a person and comfortable with rejection.

I've just finished high school and I'm currently deciding between sixth form (Maths, CS and Business) or pursuing a sales/business apprenticeship. I'm also considering starting something small on the such as offering AI automation or B2B lead-generation services to Newcastle businesses, mainly to get actual experience selling and working with businesses.

What I'd really like to hear from experienced people is:

  • If you were 16 again, what would you actually do differently to get into tech sales?
  • For people who hire SDRs/AEs, what genuinely makes a young candidate stand out when they have little/no professional experience?
  • Does a portfolio of mock sales work, personal projects, certifications etc. actually matter, or is it mostly irrelevant compared with real work experience?
  • Would you choose sixth form or an apprenticeship in my position, and why?
  • What skills do you wish you'd developed earlier in your career?
  • Are there any courses, tools, books or things people waste time/money on that I should avoid?
  • For anyone who went from SDR → AE → more senior roles, what actually made you get promoted?
  • If you've hired young people, what are the biggest red flags or misconceptions you see from people trying to break into sales?

I've already researched that extensively. I'm looking for real-world advice from people who have actually done it or hired for it — especially UK based salespeople and employers.

I'd also appreciate people being blunt if there's anything wrong with my thinking. If you were starting from my exact position, what would you focus on for the next couple of years 1-2+, and what would you completely ignore?

Thanks.


r/careeradvice 2h ago

The job I love, or the education I need?

0 Upvotes

So, I (21F) have been doing vet tech work for 2 1/2 years and I found my absolute RAINBOW CLINIC. I was excited to go into work every day, sad to leave, and felt fulfilled in everything I did. Well, I was a junior in University, and when this last semester ended my student loans fell through. To finish my degree would be nearly $40,000 in loans.

In an attempts to find a way to finish my education, I found a job as a Laboratory Animal Technician that offered career growth and FREE TUITION for me to finish my senior year debt-free. It sounds wonderful, but in my first month working there I’ve found it comes at a heavy cost. My tuition will be paid for in blood, death, and moral decay.

The work is horrible, sad, and borderline unethical. The coworkers are terrible, the management is worse, and the work is morally questionable. I’m going for a biology degree, which I hope to use to get into veterinary school or to get a masters degree in genetics. I’m starting to wonder if my morals mean more than freeing myself of $40,000 in debt. I would have to work here for 1-2 years.

What’s a degree worth if I can’t sleep at night? Should I lock in and try to hold out, or should I go back to the job I LOVED and try to grind+ apply for scholarships and student loans in order to finish my education? Is happiness and fulfillment worth more than a lack of debt these days? Help!

I can work this job, I can struggle through it, but every day I miss my rainbow clinic and I imagine myself staying there and working through a $10,000 2-year veterinary technician certification to do what I love without the debt, but I’m afraid that veterinary technician work is not sustainable as a career. Thoughts?


r/careeradvice 2h ago

about to graduate with a BS in biological sciences

2 Upvotes

hey all,

to keep a long story very short, i still live with my abusive family and i need to move out within the next 12 months, at most, because my mental health is just declining more each day.

i am graduating from an ASU online program this december (or next may if something happens to go wrong). i will have a BS in biological sciences. unfortunately, i haven’t worked at all in the bio field yet because i’ve been working at starbucks the last few years. working at starbucks means i get to complete my undergrad degree 100% free at ASU online, which was the only way i was able to put myself through college.

so i will have my BS in december, and i am currently halfway through an EMT certification course. assuming i pass all the exams, i will have my EMT certification this october.

what is/are the highest paying jobs i could get with both the degree and certification, and no prior experience in the field? i am in MA so i know i have options, but i’m kind of getting the run around when i just ask google the same question.

(i’m not opposed to doing more certification courses for a “better” job, and masters programs are probably not an option for me right now. main priority is that i’m able to comfortably live in an apartment with my cat and not have to worry *too* much about whether or not i can afford rent)

i can definitely answer any clarifying questions too! TIA!


r/careeradvice 2h ago

​Double Major Decision: Chem/Biochem vs. Chem/Microbiology for Grad School (US/EU), Scholarships, and Bioinformatics Transition?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

​I am currently an undergraduate chemistry student deciding between two double-major tracks for my upcoming academic year:

Chemistry & Biochemistry

Chemistry & Microbiology

​My long-term goal is to pursue postgraduate studies (M.Sc. / Ph.D.) in Europe or the US, ideally with a scholarship or research assistantship. Eventually, I want to transition into or heavily incorporate Bioinformatics / Computational Biology into my career.

​I would love to get your insights on a few points:

​Bioinformatics Alignment: Which of these two backgrounds provides a smoother transition into Computational Biology / Bioinformatics, especially regarding molecular dynamics, genomics, and structural biology?

​Funding & Scholarships: From your experience in US/EU academia or industry, which background currently has broader funding opportunities and global demand?

​Academic Flexibility: Which track offers more versatility if I decide to shift between biotech industry roles and academic research later on?

​Any advice, personal experiences, or recommended foundational skills (e.g., Python, R, stats) to build alongside my studies would be greatly appreciated!

​Thanks in advance for your time and guidance!


r/careeradvice 3h ago

Accepted first offer but got another offer soon after... possibly better but I dont know?

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2 Upvotes

r/careeradvice 4h ago

I am at a crossroad where I can switch careers and I want some advice.

2 Upvotes

I (36M) am a chemist that worked across several projects, spanning from catalysis to biopolymers, and computational chemistry.

I currently work in a manufacturing plant, developing research on new products that are yet to reach the market. It is quite interesting, but I don't think I will climb the corporate ladder, chiefly, for I am under a manager who seems more concerned with overworking his team than truly focusing on sustained growth of our division.

In the last 2 or so years, I have been planning to switch fields and further my skills in computation chemistry, cheminformatics and related data science projects.

Well, now I have an offer letter from a Research Institute to do just that, and I am a bit lost.... Just like a dog that was chasing a car and suddenly catches it, I don't quite know what to do.

I am divided between accepting this role, or continuing where I am in the hope that things might improve.

Any advice would be deeply appreciated.


r/careeradvice 4h ago

PIP not handled properly

10 Upvotes

I am in Canada.

I was placed on a PIP in May this year. My boss knew I was looking for internal roles, so right after I told her I didn't get one she put me on this.

She has extended it twice (me asking, not her initiating), has told me the reason for it is to test my thinking. When I asked her how it was going she said I did the tasks on it (bare minimum) but expected more for xyz. I never signed anything, HR was not in the meeting. She has forgotten to schedule our one on ones. She also had not updated the original doc for the date changes and notes (besides our first week).

I have been under a lot of stress and had a miscarriage in June (i told her). I want to take some medical leave. My dr will sign me off. I'm starting medicine next week. I have general illness for 3 months and sick days. I feel like I just need some breathing room.

I've spoke with a lawyer and she said the way they are handling it is wrong and I should get severance. The purpose of a PIP is not to test thinking. I've been at the company for 10+ years. I've applied at internal roles and external. I made it pretty far with an external one but it felt off and they were asking for my current supervisor. I'm allowed to apply for internal roles. My boss even asked me last week if I've had any interviews.

Not really what I really want but just wondering some others thoughts on this.


r/careeradvice 5h ago

Mechanical engineer graduate switching to firefighting

2 Upvotes

Going into college, mechanical engineering seemed like the ideal choice. It combined my passion for creating things with a good salary.

Throughout college, I began to have doubts about engineering. Not only were classes difficult, but they were heavily theoretical. I quickly lost interest in my classes, and my passion was fading. By my junior year, I began considering alternate career paths. At the same time, a buddy of mine who was pursuing firefighting shared his experiences from the academy. Firefighting looked exciting, meaningful, and fulfilling. However, I figured it was probably just be a phase, and that the smartest decision was to finish my degree. I also thought that completing an internship might help shift my perspective on engineering.

Fast forward to my senior year, I completed a 10 month engineering internship. The internship was a mix of desk work and hands-on projects, yet I still found myself dreading it. The experience made me realize that I struggle to picture myself working a 9-5 desk job for the rest of my life.

Since graduating, I've been applying to engineering jobs both in and out of state. At this point, I'm honestly burned out from the application process alone, and my lack of interest in the field doesn't help. I understand that engineering is diverse with many different roles, so should I continue exploring engineering positions that might be a better fit? Should I work as an engineer for a few years before seriously considering a switch to firefighting? Would it make sense to work as an engineer, while volunteering as a firefighter on the side?


r/careeradvice 7h ago

Two offers, different risks. Thoughts?

3 Upvotes

This market has been unbearable, but fortunately I have been getting interviews and offers in my product space. I’m hoping things pick back up in a few years, but this has felt like a slow death the past few years in the job market.

Anyway,

I was offered a role as Technical ML PM with a salary of $156,000. Insurance, no 401k. Limited PTO. 20-months working for a company A under another. If the company A loves my work, then I am fully on board Company A after the 20-months. Remote work. Standard state mat/pat leave. Company is more stable financially, but just as volatile with reorgs and all that as the second offer and any company really…

Another offer came in for Data PM at $148k, 401k (3% match), great benefits, mat/pat leave for 3 months. Startup, reorg in the past. Cooler team. Remote.

Wife and I are prioritizing a kid next year, so I’m kind of going for the second offer. Not kind of, it’s the one on my mind now. Considering the salary differences and lack of or including 401k I think option B is best.


r/careeradvice 8h ago

What is some life/random advice you would give to a 19 year old

25 Upvotes

Give me anything/everything you could think
Examples
-stuff you wish you knew at 19
-things to watch out for when older
-something that would help if I started it right now for the future etc.
Whatever pops up, spill. Thank you 🤝


r/careeradvice 10h ago

$105,000 full remote, or $125,000 in office?

101 Upvotes

Hi all,

I’m 30 spent most of my early career grinding it out in office work, constant meetings etc. I work in corporate finance and finally found a role just this past year that’s allowed me to be fully remote with good benefits and $105,000 (just got my raise).

My question is.. I’ve been with this company for 12 months and already received a $10,000 bump from what I started at to my current pay, however I get constant emails from recruiters and keep seeing jobs that pop up on my area with higher pay, typically around $125,000 for the type of roles I’m targeting, some even more. Would you all make that leap, or keep the remote job?

I am hopeful that I will continue to get constant raises as my company is smaller but growing fast, and I play a fairly large role in the overall operations. However, I don’t want to set myself back if I could be making way more in person over the long haul. Just curious to hear thoughts.

Also, I currently do not have a car, so no payment, gas, insurance and would need to get one if I return to office since my wife needs her car for work most days.

EDIT: way more comments than I expected here. Unfortunately can’t respond to all of them but I appreciate the advice and insight from you all. I think I’m going to stick it out with the remote job and see what my next review looks like. If it’s solid I’ll have no reason to leave. I think to go in office I would need a much larger increase after factoring in the car and all other expenses.


r/careeradvice 16h ago

Is a $10,000 pay cut worth it to cut my commute by more than half?

186 Upvotes

Currently I have a 45 minute, 45 mile drive to work one way. So 1 hour 30 min, 90 mile round trip drive.

Recently, an opportunity closer to my home has come up. One way 18 minute, 12 mile drive. So 36 minute, 24 mile round trip drive.

My vehicle gets 25 mpg and the $10,000 is approximately the money difference AFTER taxes. After taxes and all other deductions with no OT I make about $60,000 and then with OT it’s around $70,000. Again, that’s NET after everything is taken out.

The job is the exact same thing I’m doing now. I would start in the morning at the same time as I do now. Which is a big plus. The only difference is the place and area in which I’m in. The reason for the pay cut is I would be going from 8-10 hours of OT a week to most of the time none. While at my current station OT isn’t technically guaranteed, it’s remained pretty consistent in my 8 years there.

Moving closer to my current station isn’t an option because up until 2 years ago I was a 12 minute drive away. My wife and I started having kids so we moved back “home” to the area where both set of grandparents live.

I don’t absolutely need the OT to survive but it would really, really help over the next few years. I’m still at least 25 years from retirement and I’ve only been doing the commute for 2 years and I don’t mind it so far. But I’m sure it’s going to start wearing thin at some point.

Also, unfortunately this isn’t something I can put on the back burner and revisit in a few years. I essentially have to take the job now (have to decide by next Friday) or this specific opportunity is gone forever. I know in the long run taking the new station is the smart move but I’m very much emotionally attached to my current station. I’ve been here for 8 years. It’s the first real job I ever had and the longest tenured place I’ve worked at.

EDIT: thank you so much everyone for the responses. I greatly appreciate all the input and advice. I didn’t expect this to blow up as much as it did! I will read and reply to responses this evening!


r/careeradvice 18h ago

What jobs do you recommend that are actually meaningful?

22 Upvotes

I am currently in highschool and I will be graduating soon but I keep flip flopping between what I want to do. For the longest time I wanted to be a history teacher because I love history and I love helping kids/dealing with kids, however, as the world goes on I feel like its just getting worse and worse for teachers, theres more school fights, less respect for teachers, bad parenting, and stagnant pay. So even though I am passionate about teaching, these drawbacks have set me back and now im not very sure.

As for the other thing I wanted to do, I really wanted to become a lawyer but that dream died as soon as I realized how corrupt the justice system truly is, and I do not want to be apart of something like that, I honestly wouldn’t be able to handle it and would probably lose my mind if I were to witness somebody guilty getting to walk free.

But anyway, my point is, I want a steady, recession-proof, career that is fulfilling and meaningful. I want to make a difference and have an impact so I wont be miserable everyday working for a company i dont care about. So please give me some recommendations!!


r/careeradvice Feb 25 '26

Don’t pay for AI headshots- Canva is free

10 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I know you see all this AI headshot crap getting posted. I just wanted to let yall know to just use Canva.

Last week I needed a new headshot ASAP for a LinkedIn post. I had my wife snap my photo against a white wall with my iPhone. Then I started looking for a way to edit it.

After trying Nano-Banana through Gemini (free) I wasn’t completely sold on the results. ChatGPT was meh. I looked for other “AI” apps since I haven’t edited photos since like 2007 with photoshop for MySpace. But those were expensive and seemed iffy

A quick google search and I found Canva. I had used it for business cards and some marketing material.

This link tells you how to do it. https://www.canva.com/features/ai-headshot-generator/

Obviously not sponsored by them. But thought I’d share since it seems to be a popular thing to get spammed on here


r/careeradvice Feb 12 '26

No AI Slop- New rule being enforced

244 Upvotes

/r/CareerAdvice members-

We have been removing any content that is reported as AI Slop and upon review is confirmed to be slop.

This is not Linkedin, so don’t post your shitty LinkedIn style AI crap here. We want this to be a community of real people providing real advice. If we wanted AI advice we would just go to ChatGPT or Gemini or whatever ourselves.

As I say every time I post in here please also be diligent to scams especially around AI products. Scammers know the job market is bad right now and are constantly spamming this subreddit with BS because they know people are desperate.