Young adults feel stuck between stable, familiar work and career growth
68 posts across 8 communities in the last 30 days; 41% from r/careeradvice.
“I’m a 35yo woman who studied and has been working as a UX designer since 8 years. with AI, I feel like the toxic work environement got even worse, and I am tired of designing for screens. But I obviously I need to earn money. I have been thinking of becoming a therapist however…”
“I love graphic design but I've been trying to get a full time design job for 2 years now and its starting to feel impossible. Due to some unfortunate personal stuff, I'm also having to start life over from almost point zero. So I think its time for something different. Does…”
“I’ve spent the last 6 years as a designer. I spent all my focus on a career in UX, got my degree in Entrepreneurship, and currently work a remote UX role… I’m fully burnt out. I have no passion for UX anymore and anything tech related is a creative nightmare of people shoving AI…”
Multiple posters are struggling with decisions about their careers. One is weighing a steady restaurant job versus an office position with potential for advancement, while another expresses anxiety about choosing between options. They grapple with the desire for stability versus opportunities for professional development.
SOURCES (60)
“Anyone in their 40s going through a similar career struggle? Hey everyone, I’m in my early 40s and feeling a bit lost about my career. Just wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation. I worked in the sports sector in the Middle…”
“I have been into design for quite some time, but due to AI that's been taking all over a lot of things, I really want to upskill. I might in a need to upskill myself. I enjoy the creative work, but I also want to learn something new. Want to definitely upgrade the design skills, but also to get into creative writing. And why? Because I have started writing on my LinkedIn account, job hunt has made me do it. So why not. Systen design is something I have been exploring around, as workflows and”
“So I'm 23 and I just graduated college with a BFA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Photography and Expanded media. Back when I was 18, I seriously thought that that was the right choice and now i'm just second guessing because of the economy and the photo industry. I know i haven't even really started my career, but I'm already thinking about trying to go into accounting because I heard it was stable. my mother is an immigrant so i kinda just feel lost abt career stuff and do”
“I've been a graphic designer, videographer and photographer for the past 10 years. I've noticed a shift in how I like to operate. I haven't felt like a good creative for the last few years and really enjoy the technica/analytical side of things. I've done some minor coding in my time, mostly coding emails in MJML. I do not like my current job or my current company, and I've been pretty unhappy as a designer for the past few companies that I've worked for. Lots of imposter”
“I’m 29F, based in the UK, and I’m at a bit of a crossroads with my career. I’d really appreciate some genuine advice from people who’ve been in a similar position or successfully changed careers. For the past few years, I’ve been running my own online fitness coaching business. It’s given me a lot of freedom, which I’m incredibly grateful for, but I’m completely burnt out with the business model. It’s not necessarily the actual workload that’s exhausting me. It’s the constant pressure of social”
“Hey everyone, I'm 25 years old, turning 26 soon, and I'm feeling pretty lost about my career. I'd appreciate some honest advice, especially from people who have experience in graphic design, motion graphics, IT, or cybersecurity. Here's my situation: I live in Iraq and have a diploma in Information Technology. However, I never actually worked in IT after graduating. Instead, I worked in retail and sales for several years, including a supervisor position. About two years ago, I st”
“Hey everyone, I'm 25 years old, turning 26 soon, and I'm feeling pretty lost about my career. I'd appreciate some honest advice, especially from people who have experience in graphic design, motion graphics, IT, or cybersecurity. Here's my situation: I live in Iraq and have a diploma in Information Technology. However, I never actually worked in IT after graduating. Instead, I worked in retail and sales for several years, including a supervisor position. About two years ago, I st”
“currently a communication design major to get into ui/ux and i do love it (and think im pretty good at it) but deathly afraid about future career prospects and pay since ive been hearing so much about layoffs, unemployment, burnout, ai.... should i just switch? i've already been thinking of switching to digital media but i've been hearing similar concerns there too. my favorite subjects were art, math, and technology (not a fan of the sciences so idk about engineering) -- ive been consid”
“currently a communication design major to get into ui/ux and i do love it (and think im pretty good at it) but deathly afraid about future career prospects and pay since ive been hearing so much about layoffs, unemployment, burnout, ai.... should i just switch? i've already been thinking of switching to digital media but i've been hearing similar concerns there too. my favorite subjects were art, math, and technology (not a fan of the sciences so idk about engineering) -- ive been consid”
“I studied in graphic design 2 years ago but unfortunately dropped out of it because it didn’t feel fit for me.. Don’t get me wrong, i like designing but it was more so the communication and mentality i struggled with. I hated my tech comms class because i felt like everyone knew what to do/say. Every time we would have a mock of something i would also freeze, stutter or not know what to say. I have never been good at presentations or talking with people in general, but I now work as a front desk”
“I would love some advice on what to do next. I’ve been working as a graphic designer for over 11 years specializing in the sign industry. At this point, I have hit the top of what I am able to earn. I’ve tried other avenues of graphic design but since what I am doing is so niche, I’ve had no success. I have the experience, and proven I can do much more than the design, however. At the beginning of the year, I joined the owner as his only employee after the others quit at a very small sign shop t”
“Hey everyone! I'm exploring a transition from Product Design to Creative Strategy and would love some honest industry insights. My background is in IT, UI/UX and Product Design, freelance design, and Instagram content creation. I've grown an anime content page organically, with 8+ reels crossing 1M views, and have also worked on brand positioning, campaigns, visual storytelling, and creative concepts. I've realised I enjoy understanding audiences, developing ideas, and figuring out h”
“Let’s be honest: The advice of “just map out your 5-year plan and hustle” belongs in a museum right next to dial-up internet and floppy disks. Trying to meticulously plan a career right now feels like trying to assemble IKEA furniture in the dark while riding a unicycle on an AI-generated highway. Between ghost-jobs, 5 rounds of interviews just to become an Assistant Coffee Fetcher, and AI recruiters asking if you have 10 years of experience in a software framework that was invented last Tuesday”
“Let’s be honest: The advice of “just map out your 5-year plan and hustle” belongs in a museum right next to dial-up internet and floppy disks. Trying to meticulously plan a career right now feels like trying to assemble IKEA furniture in the dark while riding a unicycle on an AI-generated highway. Between ghost-jobs, 5 rounds of interviews just to become an Assistant Coffee Fetcher, and AI recruiters asking if you have 10 years of experience in a software framework that was invented last Tuesday”
“Let’s be honest: The advice of “just map out your 5-year plan and hustle” belongs in a museum right next to dial-up internet and floppy disks. Trying to meticulously plan a career right now feels like trying to assemble IKEA furniture in the dark while riding a unicycle on an AI-generated highway. Between ghost-jobs, 5 rounds of interviews just to become an Assistant Coffee Fetcher, and AI recruiters asking if you have 10 years of experience in a software framework that was invented last Tuesday”
“I graduated with a Degree of Multimedia Design in 2020, interned at Havas, doing graphic design, video editing, and a bit of UI/UX design. Afterwards, I worked briefly at a interior design company for their social media. I was hired as a photographer by the boss, but the team actually ended up wanting digital marketer, learned a little of that for 3 months, but my heart is at Photography. Then I got a cool and fun job (well, it seems like it) at a gift shop, doing everything basically. Photogtap”
“so my gf and I moved to a new city a year ago and she’s been having a really hard time finding a job here. she graduated with a degree in graphic design, and she has a Portfolio as well as some freelance work under her belt belt. Every night, she cries in bed and says she feels behjnd in life and stuck. She’s 24 years old and currently works as a babysitter. I feel terrible watching her cry and feel down on herself about this, because I don’t know How I can help. She Applies on LinkedIn and most”
“I'm debating a career switch myself, but I'm not entirely sure about it. Background: - I have 10 years of education spanning business and graphic/web design - I've worked in a variety of retail management, insurance, finance, health care, IT, accounts payable, fitness, and web/communications roles - I've cofounded a business in the past and am currently self-employed, running a few online ecommerce businesses _____ I've been self-employed for the past three and a half years a”
“Background: - I have 10 years of education spanning business and graphic/web design - I've worked in a variety of retail management, insurance, finance, health care, IT, accounts payable, fitness, and web/communications roles - I've cofounded a business in the past and am currently self-employed, running a few online ecommerce businesses _____ I've been self-employed for the past three and a half years after getting unexpectedly fired from my last job, but the income I'm generati”
“I’m trying to figure out my next career move and would love honest advice from people in creative, media, marketing, ecommerce, production, photography, or related fields. I currently work in ecommerce/digital content, with experience in digital imaging, product content, web publishing, writing, editing, photography, quality control, technical workflows, and customer service. I’m also finishing my degree in English with a Creative Writing concentration and a Legal Studies minor. I’m interested i”
“I (19f) graduated high school last year. I got an internship in fashion styling, and then crashed (and totaled) my car on the job and had to leave obviously. Since then, I’ve been nannying in Europe and the US, as a buffer because I don’t know what to do. I keep juggling between wanting to find another assistant role (but possibly in NYC or Paris) and work my way up in the fashion industry, go to school for fashion design/marketing with hopes to be a creative director, or go to pastry arts schoo”
“Hey all. I’m 26 and was a UX designer for about 4 years until I got laid off for the second time earlier this January. I ended up pivoting to insurance and work as a labeling analyst. I’m only part time, so I want to grow into a full-time role within the company. I had an internal interview for an underwriting trainee role last week and it went okay. But I won’t be too surprised if I don’t end up getting it. I won’t know the final results until a couple of weeks. In the event that I don’t get th”
“so currently in a gap year. i completed my undergraduate in human development, and I don't know what to do next. Recently, I worked as a design and marketing intern. I am interested in many things like social impact, environment, psychology, mental health, and some days I don't know if i am really interested in anything or just peer pressure. And the thing is, I'm the eldest child... it's just sooo frustrating.. I'm already 23 (soon), and this feeling of being a burden is kil”
“I’ve been working as an in-house designer for almost 10 years, and at my current company for 6. The money is decent, but I think I’m completely done with design as a full-time career. I recently got an opportunity to pivot into a more hands-on operations/production role, but it would mean taking a 43% pay cut. Financially, I can afford it, but after spending almost 10 years building my career and salary to where they are now, giving up that much income still feels kind of crazy. I’m still a crea”
“I’m 22, and lately I’ve been struggling with something that I don’t really know how to explain. I work remotely as a content creator and LinkedIn brand/content strategist. I manage LinkedIn for B2B SaaS companies and founders, basically handling their content, positioning, engagement, and strategy end to end. On paper, I’m doing okay. But internally, I feel completely scattered. I want to build my own business or agency and eventually work with international clients, especially startups in the U”
Quarter life crisis I guess submitted by /u/jchavez9723 [link] [comments]
“My wife was a web/software dev for 8 years until a layoff 3 years ago. She's unsure if she wants to keep going or change careers. Bonus for resources that also talk about the current states of hiring in various careers. Thank you! submitted by /u/hunterglyph [link] [comments]”
“I graduated in a different field and decided to switch to UX/UI design . Since then, I’ve been self-studying, building my portfolio, and trying to get my first UX job, but I haven’t been successful yet. Now I’m considering doing a Master’s in UX/HCI , but I’m worried about my gap after graduation. For anyone who has had a long gap or changed careers during their gap: How did you explain it to universities or employers? Is self-study and portfolio building a reasonable way to explain the gap? Wou”
“I’m trying to switch into UX/UI from a different academic background , but I don’t have professional experience in the field and I’m struggling to get my first job. I also have a gap after graduation , which makes me unsure about my options. Should I keep trying to break into UX on my own, build more experience/projects, consider internships, or take a different approach? If you were in my situation, what would you focus on right now? Looking for honest career advice, especially from people who”
“I’m a 35yo woman who studied and has been working as a UX designer since 8 years. with AI, I feel like the toxic work environement got even worse, and I am tired of designing for screens. But I obviously I need to earn money. I have been thinking of becoming a therapist however I live in Germany (as a foreigner!) and they made it incredibly hard to study and practice psychotherapy. It seems out of reach. I don’t want to keep learning the new design tools, I am tired of tech, also I’m feeling I a”
“I’m 32, based in Nova Scotia, and currently work in marketing/business development. I’m considering moving into learning/instructional design or a related field. I’m currently debt-free, but I’m considering going back to university for a degree. Given the cost of tuition and living expenses, I’m struggling with whether taking on that financial commitment is actually worth it. For those who changed careers in their 30s: Did you go back to school? Did you change careers without ‘the’ degree? What”
“I think I am simply not good for this career any longer. It’s been my dream since junior year of college. I originally studied graphic design and writing but after I graduated, I worked either as a front end developer or digital designer or web designer for around 5 years until after the pandemic when I got a job finally as a UX designer. My last UX job and this current job are not going well. I miss too many details. I recently was diagnosed with ADHD and am trialing medications to find one tha”
“I love graphic design but I've been trying to get a full time design job for 2 years now and its starting to feel impossible. Due to some unfortunate personal stuff, I'm also having to start life over from almost point zero. So I think its time for something different. Does anyone have any suggestions on careers that I can pivot to that I can obtain with just a certificate or a short (preferably 1 year or less) training program? Some context: I'm working 2 temp jobs at the moment, a”
“I love graphic design but I've been trying to get a full time design job for 2 years now and its starting to feel impossible. Due to some unfortunate personal stuff, I'm also having to start life over from almost point zero. So I think its time for something different. Does anyone have any suggestions on careers that I can pivot to that I can obtain with just a certificate or a short (preferably 1 year or less) training program? Some context: I'm working 2 temp jobs at the moment, a”
“Hi everyone, I’m from Belgium -> Brussels I’m 29 years old and I feel completely lost professionally. I have a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, a master’s degree in Communication Strategy, and around two years of experience in administration. Honestly, I feel like I’ve completely messed up the beginning of my career. I’ve had quite a few personal difficulties over the past few years, including periods of depression, and I feel like I’ve lost a lot of time because of them. Now I feel like I hav”
“I’ve spent the last 6 years as a designer. I spent all my focus on a career in UX, got my degree in Entrepreneurship, and currently work a remote UX role… I’m fully burnt out. I have no passion for UX anymore and anything tech related is a creative nightmare of people shoving AI usage down each other’s throats. My problem is: I don’t know what to transition to, and I’m looking for advice. I want something creative to do, but I have no idea what I even enjoy at this point. I spend my free time ru”
“I’ve spent the last 6 years as a designer. I spent all my focus on a career in UX, got my degree in Entrepreneurship, and currently work a remote UX role… I’m fully burnt out. I have no passion for UX anymore and anything tech related is a creative nightmare of people shoving AI usage down each other’s throats. My problem is: I don’t know what to transition to, and I’m looking for advice. I want something creative to do, but I have no idea what I even enjoy at this point. I spend my free time ru”
“I want to ask something very different now. Were those UX designers you have worked with, client facing? Or can I be "completely back-office" worker who only work internally, without client presentations, sales/pre-sales meetings, design pitches etc?”
“I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts and have absolutely no clue what to do as a full time job afterwards. I love being creative, making things in all different mediums and media, I also love creative writing. Anything creative and I’m interested. However, I’m completely lost when it comes to finding a job that will be suitable for me and it’s stressing me out. I’ve tossed the idea of becoming an art teacher, but the thought of having to speak in front of people terrifies me (I’m not g”
“I’m starting my second year of college in Digital Media & Advertising, and lately I’ve been having a pretty serious career crisis. I chose this major myself because I genuinely love it. My program covers a very wide range of things: Photoshop, Illustrator, web design and development, video editing, photography, advertising and content writing, short films, 3D, motion graphics, VFX, directing, lighting, sound, and AI. We also study marketing, client communication, PR, and campaign strategy. T”
“I’m 26 and have a bachelor’s degree in Design. I’ve mostly done graphic/marketing design, but I’m starting to look into other career paths and I’m curious what options are actually out there. I’ve been considering things like UI/UX, data analytics, business operations etc. but I’m sure there are a lot of other fields I haven’t thought about. For anyone who has a Design degree or made a career change from a creative background: What roles or career paths would you suggest looking into? I’m especi”
“I’m 25F and have always felt pretty lost when it comes to my career. I want to have a career that I feel passionate about and proud of, but I’ve never been able to figure out exactly what that is. I prioritize work-life balance and job stability, and like most of us now, I’m also worried about AI changing or replacing certain jobs. I don’t need to make a crazy amount of money, but ideally I’d like to eventually make around $50–60k. I’ve never made more than $30k so even that feels like a huge am”
“Basically, the question I asked in the title. Here’s a bit of my story for anyone who wants to know more. If you’d rather not, you can just answer the question itself. I was an art director at a multinational advertising agency. The salary was great, and I enjoyed my work, but most of the clients were very difficult to work with, which ruined the team’s work experience and, consequently, the relationships among team members. The atmosphere became terrible, I suffered a lot mentally, and I ended”
“I am 30, and have two degrees in design. It was never my first choice to be a designer, but well, it happened. I started working as a graphic designer and my latest position was of a brand manager. It was a small family owned business and so there was a lack of proper management. I left that job last year and have been trying to get back to work since then. Also overall, I'm still struggling to find my place in the industry. I have had multiple jobs with phases of unemployment in between. I”
“Hi everyone! For context, I have 8+ years of experience managing paid media, but over the past few years I’ve become increasingly interested in transitioning into creative strategy and eventually creative leadership/creative director roles. I have a strong understanding of how platforms optimize creative, a solid foundation in creative analytics, and experience using performance data to inform creative decisions. Because of that, I feel like there are a lot of transferable skills from my current”