*35 (typo in title)

My career fell apart and I'm struggling trying to find a way to start over at 35.

I studied biology originally and planned to go to grad school or med or dental school. I had straight As and so many opportunities back then. However, I found I didn't love research and I didn't want to go into debt so I didn't go to grad school. I wish more than anything I had.

I worked in some lab jobs until I eventually ended up back in school. I took some classes in computer science at the community college. I liked programming but fell in love with design. I ended up getting a second bachelor's in UX and I got a job before I graduated as a UX designer.

I loved my job and life was going great until I was laid off after 5 years. After many many applications and a year and a half without real work, I've realized I'll probably never find another UX job. Tech is horrible right now!

My husband works in sales and is chasing everything he can too but I was the main breadwinner. We bought a house and were planning on starting a family. After the layoff we lost our house and everything feels like it's falling apart. I'm desperate to find a new career path.

In the last year aside from applying to every job I could find, I got licensed as a health and life insurance agent, started taking CAD classes, reached out to dental/pt/pa programs, started looking into the actuary exams. I'm throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Has anyone changed careers at 35? Any career suggestions for someone starting over? I really want to be able to find a path back to a good income without going into debt or spending years in school. I'm at a loss about what to do. I'm hoping my third career will be something that can last.

I appreciate any suggestions!

About two years ago I got laid off from a corporate operations job and took a temporary warehouse job at an event rental company because I needed money coming in.
I was honestly embarrassed about it at first.

I had a degree, had spent years building up office experience, and suddenly I was loading folding tables, counting chair covers, checking returned equipment, and helping prep orders for weddings and corporate events.
The pay was worse than what I'd been making. The title looked like a step backward. I remember telling people it was "just temporary" almost before they even asked.
But I slept better during those three months than I had in years.

I came in, got a list of what needed to go out, worked with a small team, solved whatever random problem came up, and by the end of the day there was a very obvious result. The truck was loaded. The inventory was checked. The broken stuff was separated. Tomorrow was tomorrow's problem.
I never opened my laptop at 9 PM.
Nobody sent me a "quick thought" on Sunday.
I didn't spend half my day in meetings about work instead of doing work.

And weirdly, I liked the physical part of it. I wasn't doing anything glamorous, but I was moving around, talking to actual people, and could see what I'd accomplished.
Eventually I got another corporate job because that's what I thought I was supposed to do.
I'm making much better money now. Better benefits too. On paper it was obviously the right move.

But I think about that warehouse job all the time.
Not because I want that exact job back. The pay wouldn't work long term and there were definitely parts of it I didn't love.
What keeps bothering me is that it showed me something about myself that I haven't really figured out how to use.
I seem to do better when the work is concrete, when there is a visible end to the day, when I'm moving around at least some of the time, and when problems can actually be solved instead of becoming six-email threads and another meeting.
Most of my career has been built around what looks like progression on a resume. Better title, more money, more responsibility.

That three-month job is the only time I can remember thinking, "I could actually do this every day and not hate my life."
I'm starting to wonder if I've been treating that experience like an embarrassing detour when it was probably the clearest career information I've gotten in years.
I just don't know yet what careers have those same qualities without requiring me to take a huge financial step backward

I’m a 25 year old female who just feels completely lost in life. The trouble is whenever i search online or read self help books all of the information i get points toward pouring into your own cup which i have tried in abundance but still seem to feel like i don’t know who i am or what im doing.

I feel as though i have no purpose in life. I’ve never even as a teenager had any dream career or passion or been extremely involved in any sport. I have a well paying job for my age which is okay and i like (as much as one can possibly like going to work). I had a few hobbies growing up, some which i’ve carried into my adult life. I don’t compare myself to others or feel particularly like i’m being left behind because if anything my salary is quite high for my age group and i have hit milestones before others in my life. I have cut off toxic people from my life now being left with literally a couple of good friends that i can trust and speak to about anything. I have struggled with drugs and drink in my late teens and early 20s which i worked on and now no longer take drugs and very rarely drink. I have a beautiful dog that i absolutely love to take out on nice walks and go for weekends in the countryside as this is what i enjoy.
I find that a lot of people turn to going to the gym or running at this age in life which are things that i have tried and got temporary satisfaction out of but always end up getting bored, I am much more creative than i am sporty so I play the guitar every day.
Why do i feel as though everything is saying i should be happy but im still not happy
Does anybody else feel the same as me

I’ve spent the last 10 years in IT, starting out in technical roles before moving into strategy, leadership and product management.

I’ve recently been made redundant and I’m wondering whether it’s time for a change, possibly even outside IT.

I’ve realised my strengths and interests are more around people, problem-solving and strategy than technology itself. I love mentoring, coaching, bringing people together and helping others succeed. I’m also very systems-driven and genuinely enjoy processes, frameworks, governance and even audits! 🤣

I’m naturally empathetic, analytical and enjoy figuring out how things work and how they could work better.

So I’m curious, what other careers or industries might suit someone like me? I’m open to trying something completely different, but honestly have no idea where to start.

Any suggestions welcome!

Hiya, I’m 29, just recently graduated with a bachelor’s in graphic design and I have an advanced diploma (Canada) in business administration - marketing. Like many people, I feel pretty defeated about AI and my career prospects. Also, I lack a lot of confidence and am scared I’m not good enough to even find a job in graphic design (which would be my preference). I am currently working as a server in Ireland. My only real interest is traveling. I feel like I’ll never have a big girl job, but even the prospect of not having the freedom to travel scares me but I know at my age it’s the norm, and I’m starting to feel insecure about never having really made above minimum wage. My ultimate goal I guess is to work as a freelance designer, and I know I’m really the only thing holding me back, but should I think about transitioning? What other kinds of jobs could I apply to with my education? Going back to school isn’t really an option or interest for me right now. TIA for your thoughts!

I genuinely don't know what to do anymore. I feel so lost in life and I'm scared that I'm wasting it away.

I graduated in 2024 with a B.Tech in CSE (Cybersecurity). Back then I thought I'd take some time off and spend it with my family before getting into the whole job thing. I didn't think it'd turn into this.

Around September/October 2024, I fell down the stairs and hurt my back. 2025 was honestly painful. There were times I couldn't even sit up for too long because of the pain. I still tried looking for jobs, but I didn't really know how to go about it. I'd search on LinkedIn and Indeed for fresher cybersecurity jobs, but most of what I found was SDE stuff. I barely got any responses.

Then in February 2026, I started teaching myself cloud and DevOps. And for a while, I was genuinely excited about it. I was learning things, building stuff and actually felt like I was getting somewhere.

Then I found out how much DSA matters if you want to get into companies like Amazon or Google as an SDE. So from April, I started studying DSA. By July, I realised I was struggling. I'd understand a solution when someone explained it, but when I had to sit down and write the logic myself, I'd mess up. I'd keep making mistakes and my progress felt painfully slow.

Eventually, in September, I started thinking that if I'm going to spend so much time studying anyway, maybe I should just focus on a master's abroad instead.

Now I'm looking at Saarland University in Germany, and I'm terrified I won't even qualify because of the top 10% class-rank requirement. I have an 8.84 CGPA, but I don't even know whether I was in the top 10% of my class. And if I don't qualify, I honestly don't know where else to apply or whether I'll get into a university that's actually good.

I'm 25 now. It's been two years since I graduated, and I have no job, no financial independence, and no clear idea of where I'm going.

I see people moving forward with their lives, and I feel like I'm just stuck. I want to earn well. I want to do something challenging and meaningful. I want to be financially independent, learn new things, have hobbies, travel, enjoy the finer things in life and actually LIVE. I don't want to spend my life worrying about money or feeling dependent on other people.

But right now, everything feels uncertain. I keep changing directions because every path seems to come with some new obstacle. And it's getting harder to trust my own decisions. What if I spend another year preparing for something and it doesn't work out? What if I'm not good enough? What if I keep wasting time until I'm even older and still in the same place?

I know I'm probably overthinking a lot of this, but I genuinely don't know how to get out of this situation. I'm tired of feeling like time is slipping away while I try to figure out what I'm supposed to do.

I want to hear from people who've been in a similar situation. People who graduated and didn't get their careers started immediately, people who felt lost in their twenties, people who had to change direction and eventually figured things out.

What did you do? How did you decide which path to pursue? How did you stop feeling like you'd already fallen behind?

Please be honest with me. I don't need someone to tell me that everything will magically work out. I want to know what actually helped you get your life moving again.

Maybe am just dumb overall, I don't know.

I came across a journalist’s request about “loud working”: employees who fear losing their jobs are volunteering for projects that get senior management’s attention, talking more about their contributions, and posting their professional achievements on social media.

It struck a nerve. During my years in business, I saw how some names came up immediately when promotions were discussed, while other people’s contributions needed explaining. Even when the results might not have been possible without their day-to-day work.

Now imagine that keeping your job could depend on whether senior management remembers what you contribute. “Just do good work and people will notice” doesn’t feel particularly reassuring anymore.

I understand wanting to protect yourself. But how much energy does it take? Taking on another project because it puts you in front of senior management. Posting your results on LinkedIn. Making sure your contribution gets mentioned in meetings. All on top of doing the actual work.

Have you started doing any of this because you’re worried about layoffs? What did you change, and did it help beyond giving you more to do?

Where do you draw the line between making your work visible and feeling you have to constantly demonstrate how much the company needs you?

Okay so I’m a pretty creative person and over time I’ve picked up a LOT of different skills, but now I’m trying to figure out how to actually make money from them instead of just constantly learning new things and doing random projects lol. I can edit videos, do mobile filmmaking and photography, graphic design, social media management, content creation, scriptwriting, copywriting, AI video generation and prompt engineering, and I’m also into marketing, creative direction, branding, web design and content strategy. On the more artistic side, I can sketch, paint, do makeup and henna, and I enjoy DIYs, crafts, jewelry making and design in general. I also love coming up with concepts, storytelling, researching random things and turning ideas into actual projects. I’ve already done some content creation and creative projects, so I’m not starting completely from zero, but I feel like I have so many different directions I could go in that I don’t know which ones are actually worth pursuing seriously. For people who have experience with freelancing, business, creative careers or making money online, what would you do if you were in my position? Which of these skills would you focus on improving, which ones could realistically become income streams, and are there any combinations of skills here that could give me an advantage? I’d genuinely appreciate practical advice, personal experiences, or even ideas I probably haven’t considered because I really want to start building something of my own instead of just having a million interests and not knowing what to do with them.

i’m 30, been working the same jobs for the past 7 years and i’m over it. i no longer want to bartend. i have a little bit of experience in social media and SEO-focused content writing. i do enjoy writing but i don’t think im good enough to make a career from it. i don’t really know what to do. does anyone know what’s not hard to break into?

I work in IT making 130K, 100% remote, and I'm so miserable. I'm not a very technical person, cannot code a line to save my life, and I have always just done middle management. I have no desire to become a project manager or any kind of leadership position in IT because I don't like, care about, or understand IT. I work for a gov contractor and have a top secret clearance but I don't even care about giving up my clearance at this point.

I don't like working at a desk.​

I don't like working from home.

I don't like sitting.

I like moving, being on my feet.

I like being around people.

I realize whatever I get into next in life won't even start out with half my salary but I'm kind of okay with that as long as it means I'm happier, around people, moving my body.

Yes, I've thought about the construction trades but I'm worried my mind isn't technical enough for plumbing, etc.

I have no kids and am single. So probably need to start a career that pays me while trains me. It would be hard for me to go back to school full-time since no one is able to help pay my bills except for me. Luckily, all my student debt is paid off.

Help.

Currently 23, almost 24, I was pursuing the wrong degree and decided to switch out of my degree this year to my original interest, which was dentistry. I now realize that my career path is a very long road down, and i am already 23 the time i will finish dental school (if i am even smart enough to get in) is 31. My parents are very anal about what i am doing, how i am doing in life, and constantly comparing me to other people. I have struggled in academics HEAVILY and still do due to ADHD, so I am not sure why I set myself up for this path not that I am doing bad in school at the moment. I am currently working in a warehouse, and it is extremely draining to the point where i feel completely hopeless about my future and my current position. Most of my friends are finished school and working decent jobs or are in graduate programs, and here i am 4 years later still doing my bachelors in undergrad. I honestly, just want to move on from the pain of being behind and not being financially stable. What are some alternative options to making a better income in a shorter time period, preferably around the 150k mark i am not looking for a job where i just enter and earn that amount, but a job with that ceiling or potential. I live in canada B.C.

31M, Been in the tech industry for a 7 years as developer, then ux designer, then project/account manager. High autonomy (wfh) and decent salary, but I can't sit in front of the computer anymore doing meaningless work. It also sucks for my body.

Has anyone with a high need for automony found an alternative?

I hate being told what to do and am allergic to social hierarchies. Just give me an objective and I'll get it done.

So little backstory ,I’m 23 years old and honestly the last few years were rough. I made some mistake the last few years and took the having fun being a young adult too much . After high school, I went straight to college cause everyone told me too ( ik dumb decision), but left after a year and a half . The last 4 years have been a roller coaster of events . Got into some legal trouble cause of my drunkenness, been getting high way too much ,lost my car not too long ago forcing me to use my bike, got into some debt that finally paid off recently . I’ve been doing a lot warehouse jobs the past few years, but recently last January,I had a back accident at work that made work just more difficult in general. Along with few other life issues. It finally took a toll on me . I’ve started to take work home a lot and had been losing my self esteem in life .

Recently the last month , I’m coming close to getting a budget car, finally paid of debt , my back is finally feeling somewhat normal. I feeling good of myself again . But I need to start doing more for myself and asking actual questions of where I’m heading in life . I hate working warehouse these days I’m not gonna lie . I’ve really thought of either going back to college or trades. Well my brother who’s electrician told me he wouldnt recommend doing a trade if I may keep my back intact and not fuck it up more than it is already lol. But seriously,I have been looking to doing something different. My state offers this program due my state have low school admissions which is 2 years tuition associates degree or first 2 years of bachelor degree school paid off . This also includes trade school being paid off . I’m still processing all this and looking/ researching into careers i might be interested, but I need advice . How do any of yall choose what to do in life ? What are the important questions to ask ? Is looking into school of sorts even the right choice yet ? I’m starting to maybe think so but I’m still in my early stages of learning about it and still somewhat hesitant.

I’m never been much for a passion guy, but I know enough that I don’t wanna work risking my back each day or make us do so much work sometimes without really reflecting the paycheck since I still get paid the same weather I work harder or not . I just wanna do something more fulfilling in life and something feels a little more worthwhile while making some alright money to live and enjoy life more .

I’m in my 2nd year of psychology BSc in the UK. I should have chosen English instead.
Right now I do not want a career in any psychology field.

I have the decision either to drop out and reapply to do English (basically taking a gap year), and start work part time.
- 20K debt and nothing to show for it
- would be happier in the English course but unsure what job I want.
- I think I’ll want to work in communications, PR, policy, advertising, something like that. But unsure.

Or, stick out the degree.
- remain unhappy
- get the graduate role I’m heading towards (in an engineering company)
- try and pivot into my other interests after. Pray I don’t get stuck and can pivot into communications.
- will probably continue to regret not having done an English degree… but again I don’t want to do a masters or phd.

I’m stressed because either decision will come with regret. I think I’m too scared to drop out to actually do it. This issue is playing on my mind because I feel like I’m missing out on a subject I’d really enjoy (English) but if I switch to it I have no real plan.
My current psychology plan is to get into the job and try to start pivoting.

I could do another bachelors in English after my psychology one. I’m just so so unsure. It has come to the point that the only advice others can give me is “only you can decide”. I KNOWWW, but I’m so stuck on it.

It’s the age old issue of choosing passion vs pragmatism. Yes I’d have a job if I stick with what I’m doing. But I’m blatantly repressing the burning in my soul to do English.

when you tried everything, dont want to go back to school to accumulate debt, you're getting old (40) and you look at your future and its bleak. you cant even get an entry level job anywhere and you want to make your career focused on some sort of business/ entrepreneurial or something creative where you can turn your life around in the foreseeable future.

I'm in that position. I've tried all sorts of hobby, have trouble focusing and nothing has been really successful and everyone is ahead

I am 23F. I am looking for someone who can advise me for my career. I am currently in facility management. I had worked in the hotel industry for the last 2 years and now I am facility management but have the same front desk role.

I started working after completing schooling and never got a chance to go to proper college/university to do my graduation. I did my Bachelor's in English from a distance learning program and got the degree, but it is not as useful as I have no real life experience or not much knowledge about the degree.

Now I have been thinking about what I should do.. why I am feeling so stuck.. why I am not happy with my work.

I have no hobbies, no goals, no career plan, no future. I am just surviving and these thoughts are choking me.

Recently, i became curious about the finance field. When I read about investment, banking, acquisition. I feel excited and i want to know more about it. I know with my education background and experience it is not easy to transition to corporate finance, but I have hopes.

I want guidance or maybe a mentor who can help me.. who can guide me.. who can push me..

Recently visited a friend of mine and seeing how well she is doing made me feel like I should be putting in more effort into my own life. She is trying her best, it's inspired me a bit.

A little background on me, I've struggled for a long while with mental health problems and have never really had a full time job, I've done a little education but it's been almost 8 years since then and I'm struggling on how to really proceed.

I guess I was just wondering what my first steps should be right now since it's been so long since I've really tried to find something.

24F in Australia. I studied a Bachelor or Science in Immunology and Microbiology.

I would like to work in Cancer Research and my main passions are working with scientists/clinicians and patients and doing wet lab techniques.

I’m struggling to break into the job market.

Would you recommend doing a 1 year Honiurs program (unpaid full-time study), a PhD or just continue trying to apply for jobs?

Feeling pretty lost. Missing uni and feeling like a failure 4 years post-uni.

Main objectives: make 100k (in next 5-10 years) and have interesting job with as little screen-time as possible.

What are my next steps?

Two months ago I got offered a senior role at a mid size consulting firm. 92k base, bonus structure, hybrid, better healthcare than I've ever had. The guy who interviewed me actually said "we think you're underpriced where you are."
I turned it down.
I work at a small nonprofit doing operations stuff. 48k, no bonus, modest raise every year if the grant cycle is kind to us. The work itself isn't glamorous. I process reimbursements, write SOPs nobody reads, spend half my Fridays on logistics for events that twenty people show up to, and answer emails that start with "quick question." But I know every person in the building by name. I know which of our clients are between apartments right now. When I fix something in our workflow it actually helps someone the next week.
The consulting job would have been me making slide decks about efficiency for companies that lay people off every October.
I sat with the offer for 9 days. Made spreadsheets. Asked three people I respect and all three of them said take it you can always leave in two years. One of them is a close friend who has watched me struggle with rent for the last four years and I know she was being kind, not stupid.
I still said no. Didn't even negotiate. I just emailed the recruiter and said I appreciated the offer but I was staying.
This is where im stuck. Everyone in my life now treats me like I did something irresponsible. My brother asked if I was depressed again. An old coworker from grad school straight up told me I'm throwing my career away. I keep running the math on what 44k extra a year compounds to over a decade and the number is embarrassing.
But when I actually imagine sitting in that other office on a Tuesday afternoon, something in me just goes flat. Not scared, not anxious. Just flat. And I've learned the hard way that for me, flat is worse than hard.
I don't know if I'm protecting something real or if I'm just scared of being somewhere I'd have to perform at a higher level. Both feel true depending on what hour of the day it is.
Did anyone here actually turn down a significant pay bump to stay somewhere smaller and later feel sure it was the right call? Not "well it worked out eventually" sure, but actually sure. I'm not looking for validation, I'm trying to figure out if people who make this choice tend to regret it or not

Hi all! I'm looking for some advice on where to go with my career.

I'm 28F and have been unemployed for about 3 years. I worked in my parents' offices while attending college, earned my Bachelor's Degree in Business, and landed a remote job as a Client Relations Manager after graduating. Unfortunately, I was laid off about a year later, and I've been struggling to find another full-time position ever since.

I've mainly been looking at remote positions in areas like customer support, operations, administration, and client success. I'm deaf and have some health issues, so remote or hybrid work would be ideal for me. I also tend to do much better with written communication than phone-heavy work.

I've been applying to jobs consistently, but lately it feels like I'm getting nowhere. I'm starting to question whether I'm pursuing the right kinds of roles or if I should be considering a different career path altogether.

Are there career paths you think someone with my background should explore? I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions you have. Thanks in advance! :)

F23 ADHD'er here, I did one year of community college during the pandemic but couldnt handle the workload during that time of my life. After floating around a few years, I keep wanting to build myself up into a "career" but I can't really find anything that interests me enough to commit serious time and money towards it. Any advise on resources for finding industries that fit would be highly appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I'm 22 years old and living in Oman. I'm researching the possibility of starting a small truck dispatching business in the US to build something for myself and create better opportunities for my future.

My plan is to start small, work remotely from outside the US, and provide dispatching services to owner-operators and small trucking companies. I'm trying to understand the process of setting up an LLC, obtaining an EIN, determining whether an MC number or USDOT number is needed, opening a business bank account, and finding clients.

I'm considering Wyoming because it has no state individual income tax, but I've also heard about other states with similar tax advantages.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have been through this process, especially non-US residents who have started a dispatching business from abroad.

I'm still young, and I'm trying to build something for myself and become financially independent. I also hope that establishing a legitimate business could potentially support my long-term goal of moving to the US, although I understand that owning an LLC doesn't automatically qualify me for a visa.

I'm not looking for shortcuts or a company that will simply register an LLC for me. I'd prefer to learn from people with real experience, including the challenges they faced, the mistakes they made, and the things they wish they had known before starting.

If you've been in a similar situation or have experience with US truck dispatching businesses, I'd really appreciate any advice or insights you're willing to share.

Thank you!

First off— I know i’m young and i have time. I’m a first year undergrad at a pretty good uni currently majoring in biology. But i feel more and more that the premed path im going on is not for me. Im not bad at it but i have almost zero passion. My dream is to become a fantasy novelist, and I thought I could do pre-med as a safety net while i write, but that might’ve been idealistic or family influence speaking for me. My strengths lie with the humanities (always excelled in my classes for english and history compared to math, and i got a short story published last fall) and i want to switch majors to something that aligns more with my interests but can still get me a decent-high paying job as a safety net. Some options I’ve considered are going into law (not a lawyer specifically but other jobs in law) and switching to a major like english, poli-sci, or philosophy. I’d like some advice, and be realistic with me please don’t sugarcoat. Overall I’m just very worried about forcing myself to be a doctor and I want to actually follow my passions

I started college only because I knew my parents wanted me to, FAFSA+state scholarships pays for it all for me, and I get a refund back. That's literally it. Fast forward one and a half years, I'm in my sophomore year 3.9 GPA, and I'm utterly exhausted. I work on the days I'm not at school, my parents made it clear they're not paying for a dime of my schooling so i have to keep my GPA up, I'm paying for my own medical and therapy bills, I switched my major once and I'm about do it again, my parents are procrastinating on my FAFSA, and I have no idea what I want in life. At first I was majoring in psychology with a minor in ABA but I realized I'd fail a course I needed to take and I need to keep that GPA up so I switched to Child Life, then I realized that the practicum and internship would mean I wouldnt be able to have a job so I can't do that anymore, and now I'm thinking of switching to HDFS.

I want to be a paralegal, I've been thinking about it a lot lately and it really fits what I want to do but I don't know how I'd go about that and I feel like having my bachelor's would help me. But I can't get another job to get legal experience in while working school and my current job because idk how that'd fuck with my hours. I also want to move out but that also relates to my point about the second job. I'm just exhausted and I feel aimless and lost. I don't know if dropping out is the best course of action for me with all of these circumstances but idk what else to do.

I am 24, I finished a bachelors degree in Biology in December 2025 with the goal to go into the environmental field. I have found that I am very limited in choices for my area and it is pretty competitive. I have applied to hundreds of jobs and am getting very discouraged by the lack of interviews or even responses. I feel I need to lock in to finding a career where I can make money, I am currently at a part time position at a park that pays minimum wage. I truly love the job but it is not livable to continue with this wage. I really dont want to give up on the path of finding a job in the environmental field but I need to start finding a full time career with benefits and decent pay. I was looking into different certifications I can get that I can still use my biology degree, I was thinking of phlebotomy because it just seems quick but I am not sure if it's even worth it . Possibly vet assistant programs but I have read that it is not necessarily required to go into that field. Or maybe I am just not building enough credentials for the environmental field but I am unsure of where else I can start. I would love to keep building experience but many of these jobs are volunteer based or just very little pay. I am so lost on what I should do.