Professionals feel stuck after years in unfulfilling careers

“27F, no degree, and only a couple of general education classes done. My job pays for all of these degrees, and I'm at a crossroads. If you were in my shoes, what would you choose and why? Associate degrees (all Valencia College) AS in Paralegal Studies AS in Supervision and Management for Industry AS in Criminal Justice AS in Energy Management and Controls Technology AS in Business Administration AS in Accounting Technology AS in Computer Programming and Analysis (Software Development) AS in”

“Hey everyone. I graduated with a degree in Geology in May of 2025 and immediately got a job as a field geologist. To be completely honest about it, this was a very bad company I worked for. I was working 90+ hour weeks often, no overtime. I was immediately put into the field with no training with no service on my phone in west virginia, and got lost, and abandoned on the job site. I am a small woman, I was asked to push equipment well above what I was physically capable of, I fractured a disc in”

“I have a bachelors in business management and that didn’t seem to interest me so I got another bachelors in mechanical engineering. I like the concepts of engineering but the formulas and everything are drudgery. I graduated with a 2.8. I’m now a systems engineer and have worked for 2 defense companies. I’m not sure if system engineering isn’t for me or if it’s just the two roles I’ve held. So far there’s little to no work. I show up watch YouTube and Netflix all day, so does everyone else. It’s”

“I have a bachelors in business management and that didn’t seem to interest me so I got another bachelors in mechanical engineering. I like the concepts of engineering but the formulas and everything are drudgery. I graduated with a 2.8. I’m now a systems engineer and have worked for 2 defense companies. I’m not sure if system engineering isn’t for me or if it’s just the two roles I’ve held. So far there’s little to no work. I show up watch YouTube and Netflix all day, so does everyone else. It’s”

“In 2025 I graduated with my bachelor’s in supply chain, albeit in my late 20’s. Upon graduating I couldn’t find a job in my field anywhere. So I went back to my old trade in CNC machining. I’ve been a machinist for a year now. While I don’t totally hate my job, I sometimes hate that I spent five years getting a degree and I haven’t even been able to use it yet. The job market has had me so discouraged that I kind of resigned my fate and gave up looking for corporate job. I get a lot of shit from”

“I’m 28 and work as a Project Coordinator for a commercial construction company. My job is mostly administrative, and I don’t enjoy it. I have little interest in the technical side of construction, so becoming a Construction PM isn’t appealing. Before this, I owned a small renovation company. Although it ultimately failed due to cash-flow and business-planning issues, I enjoyed managing people, improving systems, solving problems, and making the business run more efficiently. Long term, I want to”

“Hi everyone, I apologise in advance for the long post. I (29F) currently work as a forensic autopsy technician in Australia and have been in this career for about 8 years now (6 working in New Zealand and then 2 years after transferring here to Australia in the same role). Forensic pathology is something I’ve always been highly interested in, and I’m very lucky to have a job I love being a part of. Unfortunately, there is absolutely zero career progression for me in this role, and I cannot go an”

submitted by /u/Low_Wasabi_8481 [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/urmumcalled_ [link] [comments]

“There's so much talk about being a 40+ career changer, but I'm a 39-year-old career finder . All of my jobs have been something that could have been someone's first jobs. My resume is atrocious. Under two years as a lab tech pipetting plasma from one tube into smaller tubes and delivering pizza are my proud achievements in the past six years. I don't have a degree, but I've accumulated around ~60 credits at a CC from various flirtations with different programs. A nuclear tech”

“Hi there- I (35F) know my situation is not unique, but I could really use some ideas. My background is in management and admin, and I'm looking for a career change/upgrade. The rub is that I don't have a college degree. I am a very fast learner, and love learning new things and researching. Right now I'm studying for my CAPM. I'd prefer to be hybrid remote, and not highly customer facing, though I am very good with people/colleagues. I'm open to a 2-year degree or certificati”

“I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing in 3 years and interned in the field for my entire college career with different places. It had its ups and downs but overall I enjoyed it. I’ve been in the full time world for 3 years now, an entry level job for almost 2 years and a mid/higher level job (I’m the only marketing person managing two interns) for less than 5 months (current job). I got out of my last job because there was no room for career growth and it wasn’t a positive environmen”

“I’m 30 years old male looking to switch for something more stable and with the possibility of remote work. I have a bachelors degree from a top public university when I graduated years ago..and I assume based what I’m seeing online that the value of the MBA has dwindled so perhaps not necessary for my pivot.. My career experience is primarily sales and I’m tired of the instability. I’ve job hopped from startups I work for (every one year to two years). The reasons are the same, unrealistic quota”

“Hi all, I have a bachelors in Psychology but I realized quickly after I don’t want anything to do with the field. It’s a bit too emotional for me. I’m currently working for a corporate company in an entry level position testing equipment. I love baking & food and I love business and I’m looking into something that is related to those fields. I wish I got a bachelors in business instead. I’m looking into going for an MBA or a dual masters degree with a masters in food science & MBA combin”

“I'm in the southwest. I have a civil engineering degree along with various professional certifications. My 17 years of experience include design, construction management, and planning, including 6 years in the agricultural and forestry industries. Currently, I hold a senior-level position in local government managing water and wastewater projects. Previously, I served as a supervising engineer for a federal agency, overseeing a team of 10 engineers. Additionally, I have extensive automotive”

“I'm in the southwest. I have a civil engineering degree along with various professional certifications. My 17 years of experience include design, construction management, and planning, including 6 years in the agricultural and forestry industries. Currently, I hold a senior-level position in local government managing water and wastewater projects. Previously, I served as a supervising engineer for a federal agency, overseeing a team of 10 engineers. Additionally, I have extensive automotive”

“My current work place has turned toxic and is now making me physically ill. I want to be able to have more options. Granted I have administrative experience (6 years), security (11 months), Kennel/doggy day care and animal care experience (10+ years as I did a lot of private animal care as well). I have an associates in Criminal Justice and intended to go back for counseling/substance abuse. Alas, life happened and I didnt go back for it, that was 6 years ago. I have no idea what to go for. I li”

“I’m 26 and looking to go back to college for a 2–3 year program. I’m trying to choose something that will give me a stable career for the long term. The main things I care about are: Good job stability Good work-life balance Possibility of hybrid/remote work eventually A career I can realistically stay in until retirement Good employment opportunities in Ontario/GTA The programs/career paths I’m currently considering are: Health & Safety / Occupational Health & Safety Supply Chain Manage”

submitted by /u/Historical_Can_9346 [link] [comments]

“I’m 26 and looking to go back to college for a 2–3 year program. I’m trying to choose something that will give me a stable career for the long term. The main things I care about are: Good job stability Good work-life balance Possibility of hybrid/remote work eventually A career I can realistically stay in until retirement Good employment opportunities in Ontario/GTA The programs/career paths I’m currently considering are: Health & Safety / Occupational Health & Safety Supply Chain Manage”

“Im 25 and for the last 4 years ive worked on control systems for subsea BOPs. Unfortunately I will not be getting a contract renewal with my company because they discovered I do not have a degree (i never once stated or insinuated i did). I originally got my position as I was doing grunt work for a family friends business who got bought out. And in the transition I took over doing work I previously had been assisting on. I have been out of work for 5 months and it seems related positions in this”

“Construction management. I've been in IT for almost 40 years. You're not going to make that in IT. Not in 8-10 years. Probably not in 20 the way things are going. As others have said, IT is basically a dead field now. If you really want money and job stability these days, become a licensed electrician or plumber.”

“I have a BS in physics with a solid GPA and a geophysics as a minor. I ended up working in environmental consulting for 4 years, because I thought what interested me was labor. Turns out, I really value thinking hard and learning, and environmental consulting is not a very innovative field. It feels like the industry has hardly advanced in the last couple decades, and that is very frustrating. I am struggling to find a direction and would like advice. Would I need to go back to school for a Mast”

“I'm trying to make a fairly significant career pivot and would really appreciate some outside perspectives on what would be the smartest path forward given my background. I'm 27 and have an Honours Bachelor's degree in English Literature and Criminology & Sociolegal Studies from a reputable Canadian university. I don't necessarily regret the degree, but I haven't ended up with a clear career path from it. My recent work experience has been fairly varied: * Hospitality — s”

“I’ve been trying to pivot into marketing for a while now with no luck. Background: BS in Microbiology, MPH with a focus in health communications, and 8 years in healthcare/biopharma where I’ve done a lot of physician-facing content, KOL relationship building, campaign collaboration, and communications work, just never under a formal “Marketing” title. Every marketing-titled role I apply to wants years of marketing-specific experience I don’t have, even when my actual work overlaps a lot. Communi”

“I’ve been trying to pivot into marketing for a while now with no luck. Background: BS in Microbiology, MPH with a focus in health communications, and 8 years in healthcare/biopharma where I’ve done a lot of physician-facing content, KOL relationship building, campaign collaboration, and communications work, just never under a formal “Marketing” title. Every marketing-titled role I apply to wants years of marketing-specific experience I don’t have, even when my actual work overlaps a lot. Communi”

“My 2 degrees are in history and anthro. I knew I wasnt going to finish college if I didnt major in an area I enjoyed studying. My grandmother established a trust fund for me, which I used for school. Graduated with $0 in debt. I went to college, partly to honor my grandmother's efforts. My lack of debt is making the idea of returning to school unappetizing. I was given a real blessing. I need a job where computer usage is 50% or less of the day. I dont want to be tied to a desk, which is why”

“I am 35 year old. Qualification- bachelors in architecture / masters in lighting design and sustainable design Experience- worked as architect for a couple of years, lighting designer for a couple of years and then switched to product sales for a lifting distributor company. Location- Australia Basically, I have been in the design and construction industry all my working life. Having done product sales for most part of it, I also love getting involved in marketing tasks and have been actively in”

“After years of working in field? If so, hows it been and what degree did you get? submitted by /u/GTex1776 [link] [comments]”

“Hi! I’m 24, live in Southern California, and graduated last year with a bachelor’s in Marketing. I currently work in a field sales/marketing role, but I’ve realized I really dislike the sales side of it and don’t see myself staying in this type of work long term. I also don’t feel like I’m getting much traditional hands-on marketing experience, so I’ve been feeling pretty stuck about what direction to take next. I actually started college as a kinesiology major before switching to marketing, and”

“I'm halfway through my degree, and I've realized there's nothing I want less than a career in this field. I'm on track to graduate with a degree in Urban Planning, which is honestly not a bad gig at all. The field isn't oversaturated, and there are always good opportunities popping up. But I'm approaching the end of my first co-op placement in a municipal urban planning position, and I've realized I just don't find it interesting or stimulating at all. The academi”

“Graduated 2017 with a bachelor’s in Public Relations. Took a front desk job at a physician’s office instead of using my degree, told myself it was temporary. Stayed 2018–2023. Five years. Comfortable, underpaid, and honestly just scared of rejection so I never really tried to leave. Finally moved to a second physician’s office for a year, then landed a $10k pay bump into an office manager role at a financial advisor firm. Laid off a little over a year later. Six months unemployed. Now I’m back i”

“Hello! I hope this is the right subreddit to post this on! Trying to keep this short (think I failed that), I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Biotechnology about 3 years back. I worked my butt off for 5 years for my science degree. It wasn't my first choice though, but I liked it enough, and thought it would provide future stability and pay. Now that I graduated, I quickly relized it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Most of the jobs seem to be "Lab Tech" positions”

“Based in the uk here, specifically Scotland. After a 10 year stint (covering the majority of my 20s) working in hospitality and hospitality management, I decided to make the switch up and move into working in the care sector. The last few years I was just really unhappy with my job and wanted to shift into something where I could help people and do something that feels more rewarding. So far I’m enjoying the change, but the unsociable working hours haven’t changed much and I want to be a bit mor”

submitted by /u/amidoingthisrighto-o [link] [comments]

“Hey everyone, I'm looking for some outside perspectives on whether my thinking is sound. I've worked in the fitness industry for about 15 years. During that time I've been a Gym Manager and previously a General Manager, where I helped grow a small business from one gym into three locations with around 5,000 members. I've been involved in pretty much every aspect of the business: managing a team of around 50 staff, gym design and fit-outs, sourcing equipment and materials, budgeti”

“hello all I’m 28 - Bachelors 5-6 years in corporate finance, wealth management, customer service, and consulting. Same company two roles. Currently in insurance, licensed, doing both service and sales. I have never liked sales, I can work and push through anything for income and job security. But I’d ideally like to not be forever in a career that doesn’t match my personality Things I’m good at / Enjoy / Experience: customer service within finance: changes, billing, accounts, power of attorney,”

submitted by /u/z33purse [link] [comments]

“Anybody go back to school to finish their degree? Ive Been working nat gas utilities for the past 7 years. Tired of the wear and tear on the body and the equal pay no matter how much extra you do. Just wondering if anybody else has had the same experience? submitted by /u/Repulsive_Nose3081 [link] [comments]”

“Im feeling stuck. I have very little debt and am considering doing the second half of my degree. If I complete it, I would go further into debt. It is a Masters in Environmental Science. Honestly, I really dislike my life up to this point. I wish I didn't do the degree I did (Environmental Science) and wish I studied something that makes me more money. I'm 30 this year and I've struggled for nearly a decade trying to find work in my field. I valuenmy financial independence greatly. I”

“I graduated in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology (movement science). About halfway through my program, I realized I didn't want to pursue a career in physical therapy, so I decided not to go to grad school. Since graduating, I've only worked serving jobs, which I've been doing for years. The money can be good, but I'm honestly burnt out and ready for a career change. Medical coding caught my attention because I could complete the certification in under six months,”

“I'm thinking about the next twenty years of my career and I'm not sure what options make sense. Almost a decade after graduating, my bachelor's degree has not really gotten me where I hoped it would. I'm currently in working in education, high school to be specific. Yes, I love teaching but I'm not teaching a subject that's in demand. In fact, a lot of schools are removing the subject from their curriculum altogether because they think it's too challenging for our cur”

“For 17 years I’ve been in the HVAC supply business selling to contractors. I’ve been a manager of some form for 11 of them. I’m getting tired of it and at 34 I figured now is a good time to get out and do something else. I just have no idea what I can go into. I’ve run a branch for 10-11 years now, led crews of people, and have to act as a de facto salesperson helping solve problems that customers bring to us. I’m trying to avoid going into something that is customer-facing because that aspect o”

“hi, i have a B.S in microbiology and an MHA. i have been in consulting for 4 years and i feel like it's impossible to get another job that isn't consulting. i've been doing mostly change management work for either the federal government health agencies or quality departments of pharmaceutical companies. consulting isn't a bad gig but it's not where i want to be long term as i don't enjoy the day-to-day and i don't want the roles up the ladder. i would be willing to ge”

“I have a Bachelors degree in Geological Engineering and graduate 5 years ago but never worked a day in my field of study. Thinking of getting another degree altogether in a marketable field I would do Masters but my GPA will limit my choice of universities. submitted by /u/FineGirlEl [link] [comments]”