Young Adults Lost in Career Direction
Many young adults are feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about their career paths. They're exploring different fields like digital marketing, UX/UI design, engineering, and business analytics, seeking guidance on skills, education, and job prospects while grappling with concerns about AI’s impact.
SOURCES (60)
“Any suggestions what you guys are doing after BBA. Some kind of internships, jobs, or going for an MBA straight after getting the degree. Seriously need some generic answers and advice from Seniors who are BBA graduates. Is there any specific area one can focus…”
“Hi everyone , I just need your advice feel free to comment your opinions it would really help me. I have completed my BTech in 2024 and started working as a software engineer after it .now its been 2 years since I have been working in the same company , I have assigned a role of Java developer and it's a banking project, I dont really like the current role as the technologies used in this project are too old . So i was thinking of a switch but I'm afraid of the current market In my BTech”
“I have a choice between interior design and textile design in Pakistan lahore submitted by /u/PurpleComplaint888 [link] [comments]”
“Definitely recommend finding a hobby that has a lot of engineers. I live in the Bay Area so I got pretty lucky but it was years of work and making friends. Here in the bay it’s pickle ball, badminton, and hockey.”
“I am currently in my 3rd sem of B.Tech. I am confused whether should I follow cyber or not because everyone around me is either doing development or competitive programming. I have searched in my country freshers who are doing cyber security and mainly in offensive security don't get that higher package. I also want that my starting package is enough to cover the entire fees in a year and from what I have seen those who are in cyber don't get that kind of package. please give me advice I”
“Hi! I'm in college and beginning to look into career options. I still have some time, but was hoping reddit could help. I feel like there are so many careers that I do not know of or don't even consider as a possibility. What I want: In person! I do not want to be doing online/hybrid A distinct separation between work life and personal life. I want to have a good amount of free time Stability- I don't want to get fired for no reason! Meaningful work-i want to feel good a bout what i”
“Hi Everyone! I graduated with a BSc IT in 2025 and joined as a Technical Trainee (Pre-Sales). I'm not really interested in IT, so I've been thinking of preparing for SSC CGL but the competition is really high and I'm not sure I'll clear it. So should I do an online MCA? Does it actually hold value, I know it also depends on skills to get an IT job. But I don't want to continue in Pre-Sales. If I don't clear the govt exam, I'd want to switch to a Developer or Data Anal”
“Hi everyone, I’m currently a BBA student in Malaysia ( I will finish my degree when I am 20 at 2027 May), and I’m trying to figure out which career path would be the best in terms of salary, career growth, and long-term opportunities. I have done my certification in google project management , Intern in Sales operation , Do a lot volunteering projects and Love speaking to people I’m open to different industries and would really appreciate advice from people with experience. I’d love to know: * W”
“Plz suggest some options other than engineer or doctor, I actually like trying something new and I like engaging work. submitted by /u/Aadhvan_Yadav [link] [comments]”
“Hey everyone, I hope you're doing well. So, I am really confused about choosing my major for college. My first choice was CS, but I couldn't meet the criteria for that degree. Now, I have to choose between Electrical Engineering and Financial Technology (FT). I’ve researched both degrees and asked my people, but the opinions are split 50/50. If anyone has any experience or advice, please share it. Consider the job market and future demands for both degrees. Thanks in advance. submi”
“I'm really confused about what to choose. I took a gap year after school, and honestly I feel like I wasted that year. Now I don't want to make another wrong decision. My main goal is simple: I want to earn a lot of money and eventually have financial freedom. I don't have a strong passion for either CSE or Pharmacy, so I'm trying to make the most practical choice. I'm considering: - BTech in Computer Science - B.Pharmacy I'm also open to moving abroad in the future (Aust”
“Options 1) Abroad (study finance related) → work in banks then private equity (earn good) → start own business (side) Earn well & enjoy crazy cars, food, drinks, travel 2) Abroad (study physics) I mean if i had a lot of money like gen wealth i would spend my life studying physics, research & then discover or invent smthg crazy, contribute to mankind. History would remember me. But the problem is i dont have money, neither my parents are rich. I need to earn. If i dont earn, how do i live”
“I’m a CS junior and genuinely don’t know what career opportunity I should go for. I am from a developing country, and there aren’t many opportunities of internships. I keep doing research on different career options and just keep getting confused. My question may come out extremely stupid, but how do I decide where to specify? What are the most beginner friendly options? Are there any skills that are necessary no matter what I chose? submitted by /u/Regular_Company_7622 [link]”
“I'm 18 from India, and I'm feeling completely lost. I scored 65% in Class 10 and 64% in Class 12 (PCM with Computer Science). After school, I joined a private B.Tech CSE college, but after completing my first year I realized I genuinely hate both engineering and the college. I don't see myself working as a software engineer. During this year, I feel like I lost my creativity. The one thing that keeps coming back is filmmaking, especially directing, storytelling, writing, and cinemato”
“Hello, I am 19 years old/o and i prepared for NEET, I've given neet twice.. thrice actually.. in 2025 I gave neet and could score 180 around only. Because of physics and chem. Then in 2026 I gave neet. Then re-neet was announced and now I scored 231. That too cuz I got negative marking in physics and chemistry. Tbh I never wanted to pursue MBBS even in 11th grade I took math cuz I wanted to become an animator or vfx artist. But my parents sent me to Aakash to prepare for JEE/IIT.. I was aske”
“Hii feel stuck in life. I couldn’t complete my B.Com due to backlogs and getting detained, and now I’m confused whether to finish my degree through distance education or move on. I currently work in the food industry and earn around ₹20k/month. I have around 3+ years of work experience, but I don't want to stay stuck at this level forever. I want to build a better career, earn ₹1L+ someday, and eventually become financially independent. I'm confused between completing my degree, learning”
“I am 21(F) confused which career path should I choose govt sec or private sec . I am trying to figure it out but comes with no conclusion plz help me out . I am literally crying about it submitted by /u/no_digital_touch06 [link] [comments]”
“I am a 23-year-old male from Pakistan. For some background, I recently completed my Bachelor's in Software Engineering with a 3.3 CGPA. During university, I was very active in extracurriculars, joining various clubs and tech communities. I served as a lead and president for some of them. While my roles often heavily involved video editing, I also held leadership positions in said clubs. Academically, I explored several coding domains. I started with Unity game development, which I enjoyed, b”
“that's pretty much it. i don't know if this is a silly question. i just graduated highschool and I'm open to pretty much anything. submitted by /u/rottinginthebasement [link] [comments]”
“I’m completing a BBA in Canada and am worried I chose the wrong thing. I want to make decent money (I see some of my friends my age making 50-90/hr at their CS internships in the states), but at the same time I want my career to be at least somewhat creative. I love music (The Doors, Pink Floyd, etc.), love the therapeutic potential of psychedelics (my uncle was hounding me for not studying something like psychology) and play guitar but these don’t seem to line up with a traditional business car”
“Hi guys. I hope everyone is having a great day! I’m 22 years old. I feel like my career is sort of here and there and not sure what next to do! Let me tell you a little about myself. I finished college and decided to become a lifeguard. After I did that for 2 years or so when I was looking for other jobs I came across this cruise job. I joined here as a pool supervisor and I have been doing this job for the last 4 years. I haven’t received any pushes for promotion and the time has just seemed to”
“Hello! I am 21F about one year out from graduating university. I am asking for advice on career paths based on the information I am providing in this post. Please let me know if this is too vague. I am getting my degree in history and political science. My GPA right now is a 3.5. I am an honors student and will be completing an honors thesis this year. I have experience in museum work and non-profit development. I had an amazing opportunity to work at one of the biggest non-profits in the US thi”
“I graduated with a B.S. in Visual Communication in spring 2022. For one semester I was in an apprenticeship for my school’s design agency. I had 2 projects for 2 different school organizations. However I didn’t really have the best program for my college and I realized it only after graduating. I don’t know if it’s my fault but I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was and I didn’t land a job in my field post graduation. After months of searching I really needed a job and I became a salesperson fo”
“Hi everyone, I'm 22 years old and recently completed my B.Com. My original plan was to prepare for an MBA, but over the past few months I've developed a strong interest in law, and now I'm considering pursuing a 3-year LLB instead. I'm confused because it's a significant time investment. Is a 3-year LLB worth it at this stage? What are the career opportunities after LLB, especially for someone without a legal background? If you've made a similar switch or work in the lega”
“Hi everyone, I really need some honest career advice. I’m currently preparing for CAT 2026 with about 4 months left. My academic profile is 80% in 10th, 65.4% in 12th, and around 75.4% in graduation (BBA). I know my 12th score isn’t great, and it sometimes makes me feel like I’m already at a disadvantage compared to others. I’m trying to stay consistent with my prep, but I keep overthinking whether my profile is good enough for top B-schools or if I should keep backup options ready. I genuinely”
“Hello, I’m gonna graduate from Highschool next year, and I have no plan or idea on what I want to become. I’m an introvert, I don’t like working with people but if I most I will try, it’s just like I’m not comfortable working with people. I don’t want to have a stable income, like my income not growing. I want to be rich, like my income increasing with time. I don’t really have anything that I’m good at. I don’t even know how to use a computer, never had money to buy that. This is basically why”
“Hi everyone, I'm 19(Turning 20 in September)and from a commerce background.And in B.com 2nd year CA was never really my dream—it was mainly my parents' plan for me. I gave it a fair shot but realized I don't enjoy studying huge theory books just to clear exams.I gave it 2 years The more I learn about myself, the more I realize I enjoy practical work. I love analyzing businesses, stocks, IPOs, and understanding why companies succeed or fail. I can spend hours researching companies, bu”
“Path suggestions like jobs or opportunities like internships would also be appreciated.”
“Hi everyone, I recently completed my 12th in Science India and I'm currently trying to decide on the right career path for myself. I originally studied Science, but I'm now seriously considering moving into the Finance/Management field for my undergraduate degree. I'm looking at options like BMS/BBA, and I'm also considering professional qualifications such as CMA (US), CFA. I'm interested in areas like: - Corporate Finance - Investment Banking - Financial Analysis -”
“Hi everyone, I'm a 22-year-old B.Com graduate from Delhi University. I have internship experience in Founder's Office, strategy, market research, and content. Currently, I'm doing Tally and MS Office courses while actively looking for jobs. I'm confused between pursuing finance (possibly CMA India) and marketing/business strategy. I enjoy the business side of things more, but finance seems to offer better stability. My plan is to: Finish my current courses by October. Start a ful”
“Hi everyone, I'm looking for honest, unbiased advice from people who have been in a similar situation. I completed my BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) in 2025 with a CGPA of 9.66 . Right after graduation, I started working as a Computational Scientist , and I'm enjoying the experience while continuously learning new technologies. However, I'm at a crossroads and I'm genuinely confused about my next step. Here are the questions I'm struggling with: Should I pursue a Mas”
“I'm 22F from Delhi and I've recently completed my graduation in English. To be honest, I'm completely confused about what I should do next and I feel like I don't have a clear direction. I've considered a lot of options over the past few months: 3-year LLB Government jobs (SSC, steno, etc.) MBA Learning a skill like digital marketing, UI/UX, data analytics, etc. B.ed The problem is that every option seems to require 2–3+ years of commitment, and I'm scared of making the w”
“I graduated with a B.S. in Visual Communication in spring 2022. For one semester I was in an apprenticeship for my school’s design agency. I had 2 projects for 2 different school organizations. However I didn’t really have the best program for my college and I realized it only after graduating. I don’t know if it’s my fault but I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was and I didn’t land a job in my field post graduation. After months of searching I really needed a job and I became a salesperson fo”
“Im a bit lost on what career I should look at going into. Im in my 30s. Im currently a website project coordinator (but due to politics, I dont have much work). I dont work for a "nice" industry. Im looking for a career that is: - good balance of work and life (9 to 5 preferred, may be willing to consider OCCASIONAL evenings / weekends - remote or hybrid, with 2 to 3 days from office / location max - ideally some level of physical activity. Working in an office job 9 to 5 isnt the best”
“What advice would you give to 18-year-olds that would help their careers in the future? submitted by /u/reaaizu [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I'm a Class 12 PCB student, and I'm honestly feeling completely lost about my career. I genuinely enjoy Biology. I find the human body fascinating, and I like the idea of helping people. But at the same time, I don't think I'll enjoy the lifestyle that comes with being a doctor. I know many people say, "If you're passionate about something, you'll enjoy it no matter how difficult it is." Maybe that's true. But I don't think I want to spend t”
“I am 23 M, bba graduate (no work experience), India, i have some experience in digital marketing but i don't like it, so with my situation how should I approach the learning or is it a bad idea to begin with? submitted by /u/Warm-Poem-5546 [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I’m a 3rd-year B.Com (Hons.) student at a Tier 1 commerce college in India, and I’m honestly confused about what path to choose. Right now, I’m thinking of spending my entire final year preparing for placements and building the skills needed for a Business Analyst role in a good consulting firm. If I get placed, I’ll continue with that career. If I don’t, I’m considering taking a one-year drop to prepare seriously for RBI Grade B. The thing that’s bothering me is that I don’t have a”
“hi seniors. I'm currently in 12th with pcm. I've never really had a dream/plan of what I wanna do in the future except making decent money to live alone comfortably and travel the world. I'm above average in studies, hoping to secure scholarships (middle class core) abroad but the question os in what major? 😭😭😭 I still don't know. Everytime I think about it, I end up panicking and anxious. All I know is that I just don't want to be stuck in a chair in front of a screen all”
“Graduated in 2024 (B.Com), and honestly it's been 2+ years of feeling lost since then. Here's the thing — I never actually chose my own path. I followed a friend's steps blindly: he did NISM Series 8, financial modeling on Udemy, then went for KPO jobs (eClerx), so I copied the exact same thing without knowing if it was even right for me. Got NISM 8 + financial modeling done, then went for the same KPO route — got rejected 6-7 times, failing at different stages: the aptitude/assessme”
“Graduated in 2024 (B.Com), and honestly it's been 2+ years of feeling lost since then. Here's the thing — I never actually chose my own path. I followed a friend's steps blindly: he did NISM Series 8, financial modeling on Udemy, then went for KPO jobs (eClerx), so I copied the exact same thing without knowing if it was even right for me. Got NISM 8 + financial modeling done, then went for the same KPO route — got rejected 6-7 times, failing at different stages: the aptitude/assessme”
“I'm currently studying at grade 11 and have chosen bio mathematics. I have no idea what course i should study. As I'm studying in a school following Cambridge syllabus, I'm confused whether to study abroad or in my home country India, but I wish to study at abroad. My favorite subjects are chemistry, math, and biology. I'm good at physics as well but I chemistry and math are comparatively easier. I'm good at computer science as well as I've got really good grades in my IG”
“Looking for career direction. I’m 22 and currently only have a high school diploma. I’m ready to start college but I want to choose the right path before stepping in. The fields I’m consistently drawn toward are financial crime investigations, forensic accounting, auditing, fraud detection/ analysis, compliance, intelligence, and investigative work. I’m also interested in behavior and risk psychology in individuals as well. I’m naturally very observant and tend to notice anomalies in numbers, tr”
“Hi I'm 22M from India. Recently, after applying a lot and failing the only couple of interviews I got in the past year (after graduation)(thus doing close to nothing in the last year), I got an internship at a company that works in finance media of sorts and my role, tho is of a equity research analyst, I'm doing nothing that requires my own inputs as such. Its mostly a paraphrasing sort of a job. Is this normal or am I wasting my time? (Tho I understand this is the only and best thing m”
“Hi everyone, I’m a 21-year-old from Azerbaijan (non-EU), and I recently had to choose between two Master’s options. I chose a bit riskier, more adventurous path, but I’m looking for some objective career perspective and some general life advice on the trade-offs I've made. I feel like I might be acting recklessly, or doing something irrational (at least career-wise) or setting myself back, and wanna know if these feelings are justified. Here were my two choices: Option 1: Dual MSc in CS/Data”
“Hi everyone, maybe this isn't the right subreddit to post but if it is, your help is needed. I'm 17 and I've been feeling really confused about what I want to do in life. The biggest problem is that I don't know what I'm actually good at. I don't want to choose a degree just because everyone else is doing it, but I also don't want to waste years figuring it out. A bit about me: I studied Commerce without Maths in highscool and now I've graduated. I've always s”
“Hi everyone, maybe this isn't the right subreddit to post but if it is, your help is needed. I'm 17 and I've been feeling really confused about what I want to do in life. The biggest problem is that I don't know what I'm actually good at. I don't want to choose a degree just because everyone else is doing it, but I also don't want to waste years figuring it out. A bit about me: I studied Commerce without Maths in highscool and now I've graduated. I've always s”
“I'm a 19-year-old BIPC student, turning 20 next month. I took 3 drop years to prepare for NEET but couldn't get into MBBS. Now I'm confused about my career and trying to choose between PharmD and BSc Agriculture. I'm looking for honest, unbiased guidance on which option would be better for my long-term career, job opportunities, higher studies, salary, work-life balance, and scope in India as well as abroad, considering my situation. If you think there's another course or car”
“Hi everyone, I'm a final-year B.Tech student (2027 batch) from a local college where placements are very limited, so I'm preparing to build my career through off-campus opportunities. I'm currently focused on AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Generative AI. I've been learning consistently and building projects to improve my skills, but navigating the off-campus job market without guidance has been challenging. If you've been in a similar situation and successfully lande”
“Hello everyone! I am currently considering furthering my education. I am a 28 year old male, who graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. I struggled a few times, but managed to pick up a degree. The first time I was in for Computer Science. The second time I was in for Business, and then Business Administration where I finished. Just laying out the general path and free to answer any detailed questions to try and explain any more about my schooling hi”
“Im a 17 year old living in Australia at the moment and I'm pretty clueless about future careers. My grades are far from extraordinary so university is not really an option for me unless I decided to wait until I'm 21. I'm hoping to hear some other peoples experiances and how they decided to find a fulfilling career in their life. I consider myself a blank slate and nothing really sticks out as a horrible career. Im hoping to hear people similar experiances to mine as to how they foun”
“Im a 17 year old living in Australia at the moment and I'm pretty clueless about future careers. My grades are far from extraordinary so university is not really an option for me unless I decided to wait until I'm 21. I'm hoping to hear some other peoples experiances and how they decided to find a fulfilling career in their life. I consider myself a blank slate and nothing really sticks out as a horrible career. Im hoping to hear people similar experiances to mine as to how they foun”
“Im a 17 year old living in Australia at the moment and I'm pretty clueless about future careers. My grades are far from extraordinary so university is not really an option for me unless I decided to wait until I'm 21. I'm hoping to hear some other peoples experiances and how they decided to find a fulfilling career in their life. I consider myself a blank slate and nothing really sticks out as a horrible career. Im hoping to hear people similar experiances to mine as to how they foun”
“Im a 17 year old living in Australia at the moment and I'm pretty clueless about future careers. My grades are far from extraordinary so university is not really an option for me unless I decided to wait until I'm 21. I'm hoping to hear some other peoples experiances and how they decided to find a fulfilling career in their life. I consider myself a blank slate and nothing really sticks out as a horrible career. Im hoping to hear people similar experiances to mine as to how they foun”