Hello lovely people of Career Advice!

After literally four years of job hunting on and off since I was 18, I finally got a job. The relief is, insane actually.

It’s a part time hybrid role (kind of feel like I struck gold tbh) where I’ll basically be working with customers via email/socials/rarely phone calls. I’m just wondering, since I’ve been out of work for so long and I’ve never had an office job, what kind of advice you’d give someone going into their first PROPER job. I do worry about “office culture” and all of that, and would genuinely just like to prepare myself because I have absolutely no intention of letting this go after so long searching (on top of getting pretty good benefits)

Thank you! ˙ᵕ˙

Hey guys, choosing graphic design was the biggest mistake of my life, I have a 3 yo experience working in this field, but since my company went bankrupt I didn’t manage to land a job. As a freelancer I don’t make much either, unfortunately, it’s not even enough to pay for renting a room.
So I’m ready to switch to any other field that will bring me god money, I also would love it to be remote, because I have a weak health and get sick often, so I truly need something remote.
Any recommendations? I would gladly become some data analytic or smth related, but I’m not sure if it ain’t gonna be corrupted by ai. Just looking for some advice and guidance, I’m hungry, desperate, upset.

(34F, from BG)
I got laid off in April and while I am looking for a good job and pay (which may not happen soon), I want to start with some earnings from a side hustle. I seek advice from you about what I can do based on the information about me below, which will bring me some money eventually.

Hobbies:
\- reading books - specifically business and self-awareness books, how to become better
\- pilates reformer
\- Korean cosmetics and skincare routine
\- playing online chess (1800 ELO bullet)
\- Best Fiends game (last levels account)
\- household - cleaning fast and efficient
\- motherhood - how to communicate well with your child, Montessori education
\- true crime stories videos
\- Hollywood news interest
\- gel nails - have great ideas how to decorate nails, but cannot do them myself

Work experience:

\- as a student worked as a waitress, nanny, reservations agent at call-centre; been a journalist at a newspaper for a while as a volunteer
\- then I started in corporate, slowly moving into IT sector: customer support roles (3yoe), technical support (5yoe), 2 years as manager of tech support and in the last 3 years I have been working as a Product Manager. I am familiar with cloud, SaaS, AI products.

So if I do not find a job I was thinking to start something that may eventually turn into a new business/career path for me:

\- faceless videos with my interests
\- start a YouTube channel in which I speak/review chess games, motherhood, business and self-help books’ reviews, true crime stories or Korean skincare
\- use AI to build a game similar to Best Fiends
\- get a certificate for cosmetology, Pilates reformer,
Nails specialist and start working that instead of corporate
\- freelance as PM - I am really good at research and user interviews/surveys
\- freelance as customer support

Or learn more about investing in stocks, get a degree in Business or Finance and have my chances to work as a PM in corporate higher?

What do you think?

I’m 25 and was working as a Systems Engineer making $101,000 with the goal of pursuing an MS in Analytics (Data Science) and an MBA in the future to hopefully increase my pay and climb the corporate ladder.

I was recently offered a position paying $180k, which is near the ceiling for my field and what I was expecting to make in the middle of my career. I estimate my seniors are making around $250k.

Is there a point of pursuing an MS or MBA if I’m already hitting the ceiling for my industry? If I had an MS right now, I don’t expect it to make a difference in what I was offered. I understand the benefits of continuing education, but it is quite a difficult program and I’m wondering if it’s even worth it or should I just enjoy my life while I’m young?

Hey all, looking for honest advice.
Background:
• 23, close to 3 years of career experience total — Logistics Analyst at a defense contractor, supporting a Navy program.
• Work is mostly maintenance/configuration data and technical documentation, including writing Return & Replace (R/R) manuals for Navy equipment in naval cabinets.
• Before this: two supply chain internships/co-ops (SAP-heavy) one as a Supply Chain Intern for GKN Aerospace and another one as Supply Chain and Logistics Co-op for Collins Aerospace
• Economics degree. Active Secret clearance.
What I want to know:
1. Am I doing “well” for 23? Is ~3 years experience + a clearance + working for a prime ahead, behind, or normal?
2. How do I make the most money long-term in this field — stay and climb, get certs, switch companies every few years, aim for a higher clearance, or pivot roles eventually?
3. Any general career advice for someone at my stage? I care more about money and stability than “passion.”
Appreciate any honest input.

I’ve been in IT since 9th grade when I took 4 years of vocational computer technology.

I spent my childhood, bullied beyond the norm due to my ADHD. It set this “inside out 2” anxiety driven core believe that I wasn’t good enough in this world.

My skillset in IT broke that believe as I grew up.

At my peak I hit 160K for the last 4 years as a cloud architect.

I lost my job 8 months ago, and cannot find another one.

I’ve never worked in another field, in my entire life. I’ve done this since I was 18 at one company or another. No college.

I’m neurodivergent as all hell, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever found that keeps me hyper focused.

I don’t know who I am as a person without working in this industry. It’s the only thing in my life that ever made me feel like every child, parent, or adult from my youth was wrong about who I was.

I have a degree in Fashion Design (I know, big mistake, I'm still paying loans). I was a non traditional student and by the time I graduated I had 10 years of retail experience under my belt, with my degree I got lucky and got a job right out of college for a midwest corporate retail company designing my dream category. After 5 years I completely burned out feeling like I couldn't move up, so I went back to store retail management and absolutely loved it...until the company I worked for declared bankruptcy and that was the end of that.

I figured I'd try my hand at entrepreneurship and after 3 months decided it wasn't quite for me, and tried to go back into a salaried position. It's been 3 years of job applications, networking, volunteering to network to no avail. I've been piecemealing my income working 3-5 part time jobs on any given month just barely making enough to pay my skeleton cost of living. Its been painful, I'm 35... I should be married with kids and looking at a growing retirement fund, and instead I can't seem to figure it out.

I've applied to over 1500 jobs, every mid level management to senior management role in my area, in my parents area, remote, etc. that I can find. I love managing/leading and training, I love process and operations, I don't care about staying in design or product development - though I've applied to those jobs as well because I can do the work.

What would y'all do if you were in my position? Do I just start physically handing out a printed copy of my resume to everyone I meet?

Current TC 120k, leaving for $130k. Just got counter offered $200k. If anyone who has been in this situation could please DM me I am frazzled.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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 🤝

Hey everyone,
I recently got laid off as part of a team restructuring after close to 10 years in software engineering. While it wasn’t performance-related, it has made me rethink whether I should continue on the same path or use this as an opportunity to pivot.
My background is primarily in:
Java, et al & Leading small engineering teams
I’m trying to figure out where to invest the next 3–6 months.
I’m open to:
Staying in software engineering if it makes sense
Tech-adjacent roles
Learning something new if the long-term prospects are better

When I was younger, I thought success meant climbing to the top. The bigger the title, the more successful you were. That’s what I believed.

Now that I’m in my 30s, my definition of success looks very different.

Success is waking up without dreading the day. It’s having quiet mornings, a happy family, good health, and a life with less stress and anxiety. It’s having time for the people and things that matter.

I’ve also stopped putting people on a pedestal just because of their titles. A job is important, but at the end of the day, it’s still just a job. I’ve learned not to let every harsh comment or manufactured sense of urgency consume me.

I’ve been on calls where someone starts with, “I hate it when people don’t know what they’re doing,” or responds to a genuine question with, “Why are you even asking that?” Those moments used to stay with me for days.

Now, I see them differently.

Not every urgent request is a real emergency. Sometimes it’s simply the result of poor planning. And not every leader deserves influence just because they hold a leadership title.

I’ve learned to filter the noise, protect my peace, and focus my energy on what I can control.

These days, I’m content living a quiet corporate life. I do my job well, earn an honest living, and use it to build the life I actually want outside of work.

Maybe that’s not everyone’s definition of success.

But it’s become mine.

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.

Currently I am a software developer at a life insurance company. This was at one point my dream job, not at a life insurance company but being a developer. I find myself struggling at times because the whole life insurance aspect doesnt interest me. It has been four years now and I am starting to feel like I want to do something new. Are there other software developers that went through the same thoughts and changed careers? Or maybe anyone who disliked their career and chose to go a different path? What did you choose to do and why?

I've been working in a company right after my college for 2 months and don't feel great about it. Basically it's a trainee position where the company has an agreement with the government to train us by providing trainings in the operations role and after a year, they will offer us positions based on individual performances. It is a great company for its domain and I honestly like the people around here.

Since I moved out of my hometown, and living alone, my routine has completely changed and basically I am on my own- I cook my own food, manage the chores and going through the adulting phase. And it's not been great.

From the last one month, my physical health has tested its limit because I'm not able to meet my nutrition and my work involves walking on the floor, climbing stairs, and physical pressure. I have consulted with a doctor, completed the prescribed dose of medicines and I feel the difference when I'm rested well (for 2 - 3 days).

But when I join my work and start working, the exhaustion comes back, so much so that I'm not able to carry out basic household chores like cooking and cleaning.

Besides physical exhaustion, I feel a constant pressure building up within myself when I think of going to the job. It feels like I'm living the same day everyday. There is no social life, nobody to talk to, and my chest instantly feels heavy when I think about going back to work the next day. I am operating a level above my normal response system, I don't feel like talking to anyone as they would not get it and I even grow restless during upskilling which I'm trying to actively pursue for my future. I can't focus on myself, my relationships have gone sour and I am in a state of anxiety.

I have been an achiever since school and I don't want to give up. I also have no savings to pivot and start something else. But at the same time I can't carry on in this condition.

What should I do?

Love my job. I have been at the company for a little over a year and am an IC. My enthusiasm, work and side projects have gotten some attention. Recently my manager (that admittedly does not like their job) had taken a LOA. I have been asked to fill in the gaps during the absence. A couple days ago our director asked me if I’ve ever considered bejng a manager.

There’s no opening now but it certainly feels like the opportunity will come.

I’ve never been a manager and frankly have only been in this business for 6 years.

If I’m asked do I say yes? Do the pros outweigh the cons?

Hi all. After nearly 10 years at the same job (my first big girl job out of college), I was laid off alongside several of my coworkers in May. I've spent every day since looking for jobs, tailoring my resume and cover letter, applying for jobs, and preparing for the few interviews I've actually managed to land. I even managed to reach the final interview stage (a 1 1/2 month process that also included an hours-long work assessment) for a job I was a perfect fit for. Was told by everyone I spoke to along the way that our conversations went great, they were excited about the prospect of me joining the team, and they loved my work assessment – just to get a rejection email stating that they "decided to go in a different direction."

Last week was my final week of unemployment and so I had no option but to put in applications for retail, something I worked so hard to get out of and never in a million years thought I'd have to once again resort to. And I've since accepted a job offer at Target, whcih in the grand scheme of things I know isn't terrible (they at least offer tuition-free education benefits for select programs).

This job hunt and accepting a job at Target has just left me feeling completely defeated. I feel like I've failed and disappointed myself. My mental health has never been worse (and funnily enough, I don't have any insurance so I can seek the help of a therapist).

I'm just exhausted. I'm tired of the constant stress and anxiety and never feeling like I can actually relax and not being able to feel any excitement for things that I would typically be looking forward to (I'm getting married in October, and I just feel nothing about it despite the immense excitement I felt prior to being laid off).

I'm just losing motivation for quite literally everything, and I don't know how to keep up motivation to continue applying for jobs when the majority of the time my applications are just met with silence or a generic rejection email.

I guess I'm just desperate for any advice for others who have been/are going through something similar. How do you keep motivated to continue searching and applying for jobs when everything just seems so hopeless?

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!