u/Altruistic-Nature583

my_qualifications : Being a 22-year-old Mech Graduate trying to land an off-campus job in 2026 is absolutely awesome. My mental health is immaculate. By immaculate, I mean I’ve been unemployed for four months since graduating in June, and it feels like a lifetime.

Here is how being a "sincere student" played out for me:

Back in 11th grade (peak Covid online-class-bunking era), I tanked my entrances. My govt-employee parents insisted on a Govt Engg College over a private one. I listened, picked Mech, and worked my ass off to become the batch topper.
Zero campus placement tie-ups. The only job I managed to land was located in the middle of a literal forest at a notoriously toxic company (so skipped it). Then, I cleared the assessments and interviews for both Tata and Adani... only for both to freeze hiring right before sending offer letters. Absolute comedy.

Meanwhile, look at the duality of life: my cousin. Same age, grew up together. He went to a Tier-3 private "Jugadu" college (the throw-money-get-a-degree model) for electronics. He couldnt get Cognizant and Capgemini, then finally cleared Infosys for a 3.x LPA mass-recruiter offer. His reaction to a piece of paper I would currently treat like pure gold : "Who even works for 10k a month training? Shitty company." It took him three tries to get it, by the way.

Instead of joining, he used his inflated GPA to go to a study abroad consultancy.

So in Feb 2026: my bro goes to Mumbai, gets his US Visa rejected in a 30-second interview. Cried, instantly became a US hater. Understandable tbh.
Then August 2026: Pivots to Ireland along with every other Indian rn for an MIS degree at UCD.

So He's in Dublin. His dad says he applied to 30 part-time jobs with zero response; his protective mother swears he has 3 offers but is just "waiting for his IRP." Classic family lore.

Look, I want the absolute privilege of having a job offer in hand just to know what it feels like to reject it. Give me some motivation, reality checks, or actual off-campus pivot strategies. How do I navigate this market before I lose the last shred of my sanity? May God bless me just once in this wonderful life…🥲😭

Hey guys, I am feeling completely lost, exhausted, and honestly pretty depressed right now.

my_qualifications I graduated with a BTech in June 2026. Because the fresher market in India is a total bloodbath, I haven't been able to land a single internship or full-time role. I’ve been trying so hard. I’m applying everywhere—core mech, IT, operations, supply chain, sales. Just absolute silence or rejections.

Meanwhile, I look at my school friends. The ones who didn’t get jobs immediately just packed their bags for masters abroad—doing MIS in Ireland or Business Analytics in Australia.

I chose the "work first, study later" path because I wanted solid work ex before doing an MBA in India or an MS abroad. But now I’m trapped in a vicious loop:

1. The Job Hunt: I can't find a entry-level job to save my life.
2. The CAT Dilemma: CAT 2026 is next month and I haven't prepared at all. If I target a serious attempt for CAT 2027, how do I justify a massive 1.5-year gap on my profile since graduating in June 2026?
3. The FOMO / Regret: I still desperately want to go abroad, but everyone tells me that doing an Indian MBA closes the international door forever. Yet, I know the market outside India is just as brutal right now.

Every single day I just jump between frantically applying for random jobs or trying to force myself to study. I have zero energy left. What should I focus on right now to pull myself out of this rut without losing my mind? Should I take any random apprentice/shop-floor role just to stop the gap year timer? Should I just bite the bullet, drop the job hunt, and go all-in for 2027 prep?

Any honesty or roadmap would be highly appreciated.

Hey everyone, I’m currently caught in a massive spiral of overthinking and depression, and I need a reality check from people working in the Indian IT industry.

The Comparison: A close school friend of mine just graduated from DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering (DJSCE), Mumbai (2026 Batch, CSE). Through her college's on-campus placements, she landed a role at UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland) with a 18 LPA package right out of the gate at 22 years old. Meanwhile, my situation couldn't be more different. My qualifications: B.Tech in Mech Engg from a literal tier-3 govt college. I messed up my entrance exams years ago, ended up in the wrong branch, had zero campus placement support, and I’ve been unemployed for 4 months now. To stop the gap year from getting worse, I just started to learn Software Testing/QA (Manual + basic Automation) from scratch just to get a foot in the door. I’m trying to upskill, but I feel so small and humiliated looking at the gap between us. I have a few blunt questions about how the industry actually works:

1. Where do these high-earning banking freshers eventually move? What does the actual salary growth look like for someone starting at 18 LPA versus someone who starts at a basic 3 LPA testing job? Will she almost always earn significantly more than me throughout our 20s, or do these brackets normalize later on?
2. Does the nature of the work create trouble for job switches later? If a global bank pays an 18 LPA premium on-campus, but the freshers are ultimately working on internal enterprise support, testing, or maintaining legacy software systems, do they face the "golden handcuffs" problem? Is it hard for them to switch to core product tech companies later if external interviewers expect insane architecture skills for that salary bracket?
3. Are they more or less prone to layoffs? In a volatile tech market, are high-earning freshers in captive banks safer or more vulnerable to corporate restructuring than entry-level employees at regular service/mid-sized firms?
4. How do I even compete from my position? If I am learning the foundational concepts of software lifecycles and testing workflows off-campus, how can I ever bridge this gap in the next 5 years without a CS degree or an on-campus launchpad? I know Mumbai is incredibly expensive to live in and a huge chunk of that 18 LPA goes into taxes, rent, and high living costs, but mentally, an 18 LPA starting package feels unimaginable to me right now. Any brutal honesty, career trajectories, or advice on how to mentally navigate this would be highly appreciated.

I'm genuinely trying to understand the American perspective, not make a political argument.

If American companies say there aren't enough skilled domestic workers and therefore sponsor H-1B workers, why hasn't the US produced enough of these workers after decades of universities and higher education? Why aren't companies more willing to invest in training Americans instead?

And if immigration policies force companies to hire locally, do they actually hire American workers, or do they sometimes simply offshore digital/tech work to India and manufacturing to China because it's more profitable?

From the perspective of an international student, I also don't fully understand the hostility toward legal immigration. Someone comes to the US legally, pays huge tuition and living expenses, earns the right to work through programs like OPT, and then has to compete for an H-1B/employer sponsorship. If they eventually get sponsored, they've demonstrated that an American employer actually wants their skills.

So is the real conflict less about international students themselves and more about American workers vs American employers vs US immigration policy?

I'd genuinely like to hear how Americans see this: Are you opposed to legal skilled immigrants themselves, or frustrated that American companies/government haven't invested enough in developing domestic talent?

I'm 22, a Mech Engg graduate, and currently targeting small local startups and companies rather than MNCs. I'm trying to build connections and find any opening where I can get proper full time work experience and something solid on my resume.

I'm honestly extremely stressed about this. I cry at night thinking about other people achieving things while I'm stuck trying to figure out what to do. I know I need to stop comparing myself and just pick something, so please give me practical advice rather than telling me the whole job market is doomed.

I'm currently choosing between two 3 month coaching tracks and I need to pick ONE.

QA/testing: manual testing, automation, Selenium, basic Java for tester roles and related jobs. Data analytics: Excel, SQL, Python and Power BI. I already know the basics of these, but I need structured learning, projects and something to keep me focused.

I'm going to invest at least 3 months seriously into whichever one I choose. I need some structure in my life right now because I'm all over the place. I just need a realistic chance of getting some entry level/full time job at a small company. I'm also considering MIS, data entry or IT support if that's what helps me get started.

I'm trying to reach out to people and build connections to find openings somewhere, but I also need to have an actual skill set and resume that makes sense when someone gives me a chance.

Please tell me honestly which one you would choose in my situation: QA/testing or data analytics?

If I choose one and turn out to be bad at it, is it still realistic to eventually get a job somewhere, even at a small company?

Please don't just tell me everything is saturated or doomed. I know the market is difficult. I need help actually choosing what to do next.

I feel like ending things... The job market has shown me how insignificant I am in things.

I’m 22, a fresher from a wrong degree, a wrong clg, and I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing anymore. That decision is costing me so much now. I’m a BTech Mechanical graduate trying to move into tech/non-tech corporate roles. I’ve been self-learning, trying analytics, applying everywhere, and still nothing. Four months after graduation and I’m still at 0. Everyone from my batch is happy with their 3 LPA core mechanical jobs. I know I didn’t want those jobs, but I still compare myself to them constantly. At least they’re working. They have somewhere to go every morning. I’m just at home.

My college had no real culture of people helping each other, collaborating, building things or making connections. Now I have no one to ask for guidance. School friends are doing their own things. College friends barely talk anymore. I feel incredibly lonely in this job search. And I’m tired of hearing the same things: “Give CAT.” “Do core.” “Don’t enter IT.” “IT is finished.” “AI will replace jobs.” I know people are trying to help, but none of it is actually helping me figure out how to START.

I don’t even care about money right now. I just want to start working. I’m fed up with sitting at home and feeling useless. Even jobs like technical support and helpdesk, which I never thought I’d want, aren’t coming through. I see CSE graduates with their coding stacks, AI projects and internships and feel like such a nobody. I keep thinking, how did I ever think I was worthy of the kind of corporate career I wanted?

I cry almost every day. Especially in the evenings, when I’m home and there’s nothing distracting me. I cry in the shower. I cry before sleeping. And then I wake up and do it all again.

Maybe God really is teaching me patience, but this is requiring so much of it just to get through each day.

CAT ya job ya kuch nahi. 4 mahine beet gaye. I’m still at 0.

I don’t know how to become strong enough for this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.

How do I get a job in a small startup or anywhere that will just give me a chance to START?

The job market has shown me how insignificant I am in things. I feel like ending things...

I’m 22, a fresher from a wrong degree, a wrong clg, and I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing anymore. That decision is costing me so much now. I’m a BTech Mechanical graduate trying to move into tech/non-tech corporate roles. I’ve been self-learning, trying analytics, applying everywhere, and still nothing. Four months after graduation and I’m still at 0. Everyone from my batch is happy with their 3 LPA core mechanical jobs. I know I didn’t want those jobs, but I still compare myself to them constantly. At least they’re working. They have somewhere to go every morning. I’m just at home.

My college had no real culture of people helping each other, collaborating, building things or making connections. Now I have no one to ask for guidance. School friends are doing their own things. College friends barely talk anymore. I feel incredibly lonely in this job search. And I’m tired of hearing the same things: “Give CAT.” “Do core.” “Don’t enter IT.” “IT is finished.” “AI will replace jobs.” I know people are trying to help, but none of it is actually helping me figure out how to START.

I don’t even care about money right now. I just want to start working. I’m fed up with sitting at home and feeling useless. Even jobs like technical support and helpdesk, which I never thought I’d want, aren’t coming through. I see CSE graduates with their coding stacks, AI projects and internships and feel like such a nobody. I keep thinking, how did I ever think I was worthy of the kind of corporate career I wanted?

I cry almost every day. Especially in the evenings, when I’m home and there’s nothing distracting me. I cry in the shower. I cry before sleeping. And then I wake up and do it all again.

Maybe God really is teaching me patience, but this is requiring so much of it just to get through each day.

CAT ya job ya kuch nahi. 4 mahine beet gaye. I’m still at 0.

I don’t know how to become strong enough for this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.

How do I get a job in a small startup or anywhere that will just give me a chance to START?

I feel like ending things... The job market has shown me how insignificant I am in things.

I’m 22, a fresher from a wrong degree, a wrong clg, and I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing anymore. That decision is costing me so much now. I’m a BTech Mechanical graduate trying to move into tech/non-tech corporate roles. I’ve been self-learning, trying analytics, applying everywhere, and still nothing. Four months after graduation and I’m still at 0. Everyone from my batch is happy with their 3 LPA core mechanical jobs. I know I didn’t want those jobs, but I still compare myself to them constantly. At least they’re working. They have somewhere to go every morning. I’m just at home.

My college had no real culture of people helping each other, collaborating, building things or making connections. Now I have no one to ask for guidance. School friends are doing their own things. College friends barely talk anymore. I feel incredibly lonely in this job search. And I’m tired of hearing the same things: “Give CAT.” “Do core.” “Don’t enter IT.” “IT is finished.” “AI will replace jobs.” I know people are trying to help, but none of it is actually helping me figure out how to START.

I don’t even care about money right now. I just want to start working. I’m fed up with sitting at home and feeling useless. Even jobs like technical support and helpdesk, which I never thought I’d want, aren’t coming through. I see CSE graduates with their coding stacks, AI projects and internships and feel like such a nobody. I keep thinking, how did I ever think I was worthy of the kind of corporate career I wanted?

I cry almost every day. Especially in the evenings, when I’m home and there’s nothing distracting me. I cry in the shower. I cry before sleeping. And then I wake up and do it all again.

Maybe God really is teaching me patience, but this is requiring so much of it just to get through each day.

CAT ya job ya kuch nahi. 4 mahine beet gaye. I’m still at 0.

I don’t know how to become strong enough for this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.

How do I get a job in a small startup or anywhere that will just give me a chance to START?

I feel like ending things... The job market has shown me how insignificant I am in things.

my_qualifications I’m 22, a fresher from a wrong degree, a wrong clg, and I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing anymore. That decision is costing me so much now. I’m a BTech Mechanical graduate trying to move into tech/non-tech corporate roles. I’ve been self-learning, trying analytics, applying everywhere, and still nothing. Four months after graduation and I’m still at 0. Everyone from my batch is happy with their 3 LPA core mechanical jobs. I know I didn’t want those jobs, but I still compare myself to them constantly. At least they’re working. They have somewhere to go every morning. I’m just at home.

My college had no real culture of people helping each other, collaborating, building things or making connections. Now I have no one to ask for guidance. School friends are doing their own things. College friends barely talk anymore. I feel incredibly lonely in this job search. And I’m tired of hearing the same things: “Give CAT.” “Do core.” “Don’t enter IT.” “IT is finished.” “AI will replace jobs.” I know people are trying to help, but none of it is actually helping me figure out how to START.

I don’t even care about money right now. I just want to start working. I’m fed up with sitting at home and feeling useless. Even jobs like technical support and helpdesk, which I never thought I’d want, aren’t coming through. I see CSE graduates with their coding stacks, AI projects and internships and feel like such a nobody. I keep thinking, how did I ever think I was worthy of the kind of corporate career I wanted?

I cry almost every day. Especially in the evenings, when I’m home and there’s nothing distracting me. I cry in the shower. I cry before sleeping. And then I wake up and do it all again.

Maybe God really is teaching me patience, but this is requiring so much of it just to get through each day.

CAT ya job ya kuch nahi. 4 mahine beet gaye. I’m still at 0.

I don’t know how to become strong enough for this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.

How do I get a job in a small startup or anywhere that will just give me a chance to START?

I’m 22, from India, and supposed to fly to Dublin this weekend for a 15-month Master’s at UCD. I'm taking a risk here... I gave my Ireland visa interview on July 22 and expected it in 15–20 days, but it took until today, Sept 3. I was literally checking my email every hour. My orientation started Aug 29, but UCD gave me an extension until Sept 28. Now that the visa is finally approved, I’m suddenly getting insane nerves. I graduated in 2026 with a BTech in Electronics from a tier-3 private college (9 CGPA). I got Infosys on campus for ~₹3.6 LPA, after being rejected in cognizant n capgi, but still haven’t received a joining date. I also won a national-level hackathon through Johns Hopkins. I originally wanted the US and got admits from ASU, UMass, Stony Brook, Rochester, Pace Uni etc. I had chosen ASU and was prepared for ₹60–70L in loans/funding, but my US visa was rejected in ~30 seconds. I then applied to Ireland and got UCD. After scholarship, tuition is ~₹17L, but accommodation is €850/month, so I know Dublin will be expensive. Until today I was 100% sure I wanted to go. Now I’m wondering if I rushed everything because I was desperate to leave India. I know Reddit usually says “work 2–3 years before doing a Master’s.” But I genuinely don’t want to spend those years at Infosys for ₹3.6 LPA doing something I already know I don’t want. I’m mainly worried about whether I’ll actually be able to find a part-time job in Dublin and manage my expenses, and whether the graduate tech/IT market is realistic for an international student like me. After the 15-month Master’s, do I actually have a reasonable chance of getting a full-time job in Ireland and staying there for a few years? I’m also wondering how Indian-heavy UCD is for these courses and whether I’ll actually experience much diversity/social life. I already have the visa, accommodation and funding ready, and I’m supposed to fly in a few days. Part of me thinks I’m taking a reasonable risk while I have the opportunity; another part thinks I rushed this because I was desperate to leave India after the US rejection and should have worked for 2–3 years first. People currently living/studying/working in Ireland - if you were in my position, would you go or cancel/postpone? Please be brutally honest. I don’t want “follow your dreams” advice. I want to know what the situation is actually like right now in September 2026.

my_qualifications I’m 22, from India, and supposed to fly to Dublin this weekend for a 15-month Master’s at UCD. I'm taking a risk here... I gave my Ireland visa interview on July 22 and expected it in 15–20 days, but it took until today, Sept 3. I was literally checking my email every hour. My orientation started Aug 29, but UCD gave me an extension until Sept 28. Now that the visa is finally approved, I’m suddenly getting insane nerves. I graduated in 2026 with a BTech in Electronics from a tier-3 private college (9 CGPA). I got Infosys on campus for ~₹3.6 LPA, after being rejected in cognizant n capgi, but still haven’t received a joining date. I also won a national-level hackathon through Johns Hopkins. I originally wanted the US and got admits from ASU, UMass, Stony Brook, Rochester, Pace Uni etc. I had chosen ASU and was prepared for ₹60–70L in loans/funding, but my US visa was rejected in ~30 seconds. I then applied to Ireland and got UCD. After scholarship, tuition is ~₹17L, but accommodation is €850/month, so I know Dublin will be expensive. Until today I was 100% sure I wanted to go. Now I’m wondering if I rushed everything because I was desperate to leave India. I know Reddit usually says “work 2–3 years before doing a Master’s.” But I genuinely don’t want to spend those years at Infosys for ₹3.6 LPA doing something I already know I don’t want. I’m mainly worried about whether I’ll actually be able to find a part-time job in Dublin and manage my expenses, and whether the graduate tech/IT market is realistic for an international student like me. After the 15-month Master’s, do I actually have a reasonable chance of getting a full-time job in Ireland and staying there for a few years? I’m also wondering how Indian-heavy UCD is for these courses and whether I’ll actually experience much diversity/social life. I already have the visa, accommodation and funding ready, and I’m supposed to fly in a few days. Part of me thinks I’m taking a reasonable risk while I have the opportunity; another part thinks I rushed this because I was desperate to leave India after the US rejection and should have worked for 2–3 years first. People currently living/studying/working in Ireland - if you were in my position, would you go or cancel/postpone? Please be brutally honest. I don’t want “follow your dreams” advice. I want to know what the situation is actually like right now in September 2026.

LONG POST I've always been a chubby girl. Now at 22, I’m genuinely fat. I know I can change that. My problem has always been that I start, stop, start again, and can never maintain consistency.

But honestly, my weight has occupied such a huge part of my brain for so many years that I don't even know what my life would feel like without this insecurity. I've spent years buying clothes based on what will fit me, not what I actually want to wear. I've avoided things because I know my body will show. I've worried that when I meet someone new, one of the first things they'll notice is how fat I am. And even completely casual comments hurt me. Someone saying “take the stairs instead”, “maybe eat less”, “you should walk more” etc. might mean absolutely nothing to them, but I remember it.

Today my older brother said something that hurt me again... He was arguing with my parents about a marriage proposal. I wasn't even in the room. Then I heard him say that even though I'm smart n a good person, people will reject me for marriage/relationship in the future because I'm fat.

He said it while angry. Later he felt guilty, apologized and said he wouldn't say it again. But I still completely lost it.

I went to my room, locked the door and cried and cried. I had been eating when it happened and I was so upset that I threw my food away. I couldn't even properly insult him back or explain why it hurt. My mum knows me well enough to realize immediately that I was about to break down. And this is the part I hate most. Why can't I fucking stand up for myself? Why do I always cry? Why does my voice shake? Why do my eyes immediately fill with tears? Why does my brain go completely blank when someone says something that hits an insecurity?

I've always been the “good girl”. Good grades, obedient, polite, trying to make my parents proud. I've always tried to make people like me. I don't point out people's physical flaws because I know how horrible it feels when someone does that to you. But I also feel like I've become a massive people pleaser. And now I'm unemployed too. I graduated a few months ago and I'm sitting at home while everyone my age seems to be moving forward. So I already feel like shit about myself.

Sometimes I genuinely think: what am I even worth? I got no body like those pretty girl, no social life...and no no job. My mum told me today that I need to become stronger because real life is going to be much harsher. She said I can't cry every time someone says something hurtful. I need to learn to stand up for myself.

I KNOW she's right. But how the hell do I actually do that? I just want to be able to say “don't talk to me like that” without immediately crying. I want to be able to handle criticism without feeling like my entire identity has been attacked.

I want to stop being so fucking sensitive. I want to be able to meet people without constantly thinking about whether they're judging my body. I want to stop letting the things I'm most insecure about overpower everything I'm actually good at.

Why am I like this? What is this even called? And if you were this sensitive, emotional, insecure and unable to handle confrontation, how did you actually become stronger?

I've always been a chubby girl. Now at 22, I’m genuinely fat. I know I can change that. My problem has always been that I start, stop, start again, and can never maintain consistency.

I've avoided things because I know my body will show. I've worried that when I meet someone new, one of the first things they'll notice is how fat I am. And even completely casual comments hurt me. Someone saying “take the stairs instead”, “maybe eat less”, “you should walk more” etc. might mean absolutely nothing to them, but I remember it.

Today my older brother said something that hurt me again... He was arguing with my parents about a marriage proposal. I wasn't even in the room. Then I heard him say that even though I'm smart n hv talents, people will reject me for marriage/relationship in the future because I'm fat.
He said it while angry. Later he felt guilty, apologized and said he wouldn't say it again. But I still completely lost it.

I couldn't even properly insult him back or explain why it hurt. My mum knows me well enough to realize immediately that I was about to break down. And this is the part I hate most. Why can't I fucking stand up for myself? Why do I always cry? Why does my voice shake? Why do my eyes immediately fill with tears? Why does my brain go completely blank when someone says something that hits an insecurity?

I've always been the “good girl”. Good grades, polite, trying to make my parents proud. I've always tried to make people like me. I don't point out people's physical flaws because I know how horrible it feels when someone does that to you. But I also feel like I've become a massive people pleaser. And now I'm unemployed too. I graduated a few months ago and I'm sitting at home while everyone my age seems to be moving forward. So I already feel like shit about myself.

Sometimes I genuinely think: what am I even worth? I got no body like those pretty girl, no social life...and no job. My mum told me today that I need to become stronger because real life is going to be much harsher. She said I can't cry every time someone says something hurtful. I need to learn to stand up for myself.

I KNOW she's right. But how the hell do I actually do that? I just want to be able to say “don't talk to me like that” without immediately crying. I want to be able to handle criticism without feeling like my entire identity has been attacked.

I want to stop being so fucking sensitive. I want to be able to meet people without constantly thinking about whether they're judging my body. I want to stop letting the things I'm most insecure about overpower everything I'm actually good at.

Why am I like this? What is this even called? And if you were this sensitive, emotional, insecure and unable to handle confrontation, how did you actually become stronger?

I've always been a chubby girl. Now at 22, I’m genuinely fat. I know I can change that. My problem has always been that I start, stop, start again, and can never maintain consistency.

I've avoided things because I know my body will show. I've worried that when I meet someone new, one of the first things they'll notice is how fat I am. And even completely casual comments hurt me. Someone saying “take the stairs instead”, “maybe eat less”, “you should walk more” etc. might mean absolutely nothing to them, but I remember it.

Today my older brother said something that hurt me again... He was arguing with my parents about a marriage proposal. I wasn't even in the room. Then I heard him say that even though I'm smart n hv talents, people will reject me for marriage/relationship in the future because I'm fat.
He said it while angry. Later he felt guilty, apologized and said he wouldn't say it again. But I still completely lost it.

I couldn't even properly insult him back or explain why it hurt. My mum knows me well enough to realize immediately that I was about to break down. And this is the part I hate most. Why can't I fucking stand up for myself? Why do I always cry? Why does my voice shake? Why do my eyes immediately fill with tears? Why does my brain go completely blank when someone says something that hits an insecurity?

I've always been the “good girl”. Good grades, polite, trying to make my parents proud. I've always tried to make people like me. I don't point out people's physical flaws because I know how horrible it feels when someone does that to you. But I also feel like I've become a massive people pleaser. And now I'm unemployed too. I graduated a few months ago and I'm sitting at home while everyone my age seems to be moving forward. So I already feel like shit about myself.

Sometimes I genuinely think: what am I even worth? I got no body like those pretty girl, no social life...and no job. My mum told me today that I need to become stronger because real life is going to be much harsher. She said I can't cry every time someone says something hurtful. I need to learn to stand up for myself.

I KNOW she's right. But how the hell do I actually do that? I just want to be able to say “don't talk to me like that” without immediately crying. I want to be able to handle criticism without feeling like my entire identity has been attacked.

I want to stop being so fucking sensitive. I want to be able to meet people without constantly thinking about whether they're judging my body. I want to stop letting the things I'm most insecure about overpower everything I'm actually good at.

Why am I like this? What is this even called? And if you were this sensitive, emotional, insecure and unable to handle confrontation, how did you actually become stronger?

LONG POST:

I’m 22F. I’ve dated men n women both. The difference in how I feel around men vs women has made me think about this a lot.

The harsh truth is that men, without doing anything special, are going to be physically stronger than women. I hate that this is a reality, because EVERY SINGLE gender issue is due to this... As long as that physical difference exists, I don’t think women will ever be able to completely stop thinking about their safety. No matter how many laws we make, how much we educate boys, how much we talk about consent or equality, there will always be some men who decide to misuse that physical advantage. Sexual assault, harassment, domestic violence, hitting a wife or girlfriend, intimidating women, etc.

And that is what feels so unfair to me.

I was born a woman. A random guy was born a man. And our experience of simply existing in the world can be completely different because of something neither of us chose. When I see a cute guy, I'm always thinking 'Is he safe, or is he one bad night away from using that strength against me? And if something actually goes wrong, I know that physically I probably cannot overpower him. Kicking, scratching, screaming, trying to run away etc. can buy me time, but ultimately I'm still depending on being able to escape.

That thought is exhausting.

And I really wish more men understood what women mean when they say “I’m scared of men.” I don't mean every man is evil. I know that's not true. I've met good men and I know good men exist. But when women say things like “men scare me” or “I don't trust men easily”, I wish some men would stop immediately responding with “not all men.” We know. We KNOW it's not all men. But women are talking about a pattern of experiences and the survival instinct that comes from all the bad experiences she has had due to men not respecting boundaries, which unfortunately is not rare.

A woman who has experienced harassment, assault, violence or simply years of being made uncomfortable by men isn't going to carefully phrase everything like a political statement just to make sure no man's feelings are hurt. And I hate seeing young men still calling women gold diggers, sluts, overly emotional, submissive, “baby-making machines” etc. It genuinely hurts to see women still being reduced to what their bodies can provide.

Women are not inferior because men are physically stronger. Women aren't here to be submissive wives, mothers or caretakers. Women have just as much right to their own lives.

So to the men reading this, especially young men: please talk to the women around you.

Ask your mother. Your sister. Your female friends. Your girlfriend. Ask them what has made them uncomfortable around men. Ask why they don't trust certain situations. Ask what makes them feel unsafe. And for once, don't argue with the answer.

Just listen.

I genuinely think a lot of men would understand women much better if they actually sat down and listened to the women in their lives instead of immediately trying to prove that they're one of the “good ones.”

BTech Mechanical graduate, non-CS/non-IT, graduated 3 months ago and unemployed since.

I want IT, and I don't want the usual “stay in core”, “don’t enter IT”, “IT is dying because of AI” advice. I’ve heard it enough.

If your ONLY priority was getting an IT job ASAP, with "salary, WLB and long-term growth" irrelevant initially, which path would you choose?

Tech Support, Helpdesk, Application Support, IT Operations, Manual Testing, QA, Service Desk, Junior Analyst, Trainee/Associate Engineer or something else?

What skills would you learn first to maximize the number of fresher openings you could realistically apply for?

Would really appreciate answers from people already working in IT, hiring, or with several years of experience, rather than other unemployed freshers. What would you pick if you were starting today?

BTech Mechanical graduate, non-CS/non-IT, graduated 3 months ago and unemployed since.

I want IT, and I don't want the usual “stay in core”, “don’t enter IT”, “IT is dying because of AI” advice. I’ve heard it enough.

If your ONLY priority was getting an IT job ASAP, with "salary, WLB and long-term growth" irrelevant initially, which path would you choose?

Tech Support, Helpdesk, Application Support, IT Operations, Manual Testing, QA, Service Desk, Junior Analyst, Trainee/Associate Engineer or something else?

What skills would you learn first to maximize the number of fresher openings you could realistically apply for?

Would really appreciate answers from people already working in IT, hiring, or with several years of experience, rather than other unemployed freshers. What would you pick if you were starting today?

BTech Mechanical graduate, non-CS/non-IT, graduated 3 months ago and unemployed since.

I want IT, and I don't want the usual “stay in core”, “don’t enter IT”, “IT is dying because of AI” advice. I’ve heard it enough.

If your ONLY priority was getting an IT job ASAP, with "salary, WLB and long-term growth" irrelevant initially, which path would you choose?

Tech Support, Helpdesk, Application Support, IT Operations, Manual Testing, QA, Service Desk, Junior Analyst, Trainee/Associate Engineer or something else?

What skills would you learn first to maximize the number of fresher openings you could realistically apply for?

Would really appreciate answers from people already working in IT, hiring, or with several years of experience, rather than other unemployed freshers. What would you pick if you were starting today?

I’m a non-CS BTech graduate (Mechanical), graduated ~3 months ago. I have some basic exposure to Excel, SQL, Python and Power BI, but I’m nowhere near job ready in any one specialization.

I want to get into IT as quickly as realistically possible. I’m open to almost anything: IT support, tech support, testing/QA, IT associate/engineer, trainee roles, apprenticeships, internships, etc. Salary/WLB are not my priority rn. I mainly need my first IT experience/YOE so I can build from there.

I know the off campus fresher market is brutal. I also know I should have started earlier, and I don't need more guilt about that.

Please don't suggest MTech, core Mechanical jobs, or “don't enter IT because the market is bad.” I’ve already made that decision. I want practical advice on how to become employable for the widest possible range of entry level IT roles.

I've heard that instead of preparing for one specific field like MERN, DevOps or Data Analytics, a fresher in my situation should build a generalist IT foundation and apply broadly to roles such as those mentioned abv.

What exact skills, tools, projects and certifications should I learn/build to make one strong fresher resume suitable for the maximum number of these roles?

For example, should I prioritize: Windows + Linux + networking + SQL + Python + Git/GitHub + basic cloud + troubleshooting + testing + Excel, etc.?

And what 2–4 projects would actually be useful for this type of resume rather than random tutorial projects?

I’m also preparing aptitude, quantitative/verbal reasoning and basic coding/DSA because I know many fresher assessments still use them.

Basically, if you were starting from zero IT experience as a non-CS graduate in India in 2026, what would you learn first, what would you skip, and what skill stack would give you the widest eligibility across entry-level IT roles?

Please keep the advice specifically focused on skills → projects → certifications → roles I can apply for. I’m looking for a practical roadmap, not a discussion about whether I should enter IT.

I’m a non-CS BTech graduate (Mechanical), graduated ~3 months ago. I have some basic exposure to Excel, SQL, Python and Power BI, but I’m nowhere near job ready in any one specialization.

I want to get into IT as quickly as realistically possible. I’m open to almost anything: IT support, tech support, testing/QA, IT associate/engineer, trainee roles, apprenticeships, internships, etc. Salary/WLB are not my priority rn. I mainly need my first IT experience/YOE so I can build from there.

I know the off campus fresher market is brutal. I also know I should have started earlier, and I don't need more guilt about that.

Please don't suggest MTech, core Mechanical jobs, or “don't enter IT because the market is bad.” I’ve already made that decision. I want practical advice on how to become employable for the widest possible range of entry level IT roles.

I've heard that instead of preparing for one specific field like MERN, DevOps or Data Analytics, a fresher in my situation should build a generalist IT foundation and apply broadly to roles such as those mentioned abv.

What exact skills, tools, projects and certifications should I learn/build to make one strong fresher resume suitable for the maximum number of these roles?

For example, should I prioritize: Windows + Linux + networking + SQL + Python + Git/GitHub + basic cloud + troubleshooting + testing + Excel, etc.?

And what 2–4 projects would actually be useful for this type of resume rather than random tutorial projects?

I’m also preparing aptitude, quantitative/verbal reasoning and basic coding/DSA because I know many fresher assessments still use them.

Basically, if you were starting from zero IT experience as a non-CS graduate in India in 2026, what would you learn first, what would you skip, and what skill stack would give you the widest eligibility across entry-level IT roles?

Please keep the advice specifically focused on skills → projects → certifications → roles I can apply for. I’m looking for a practical roadmap, not a discussion about whether I should enter IT.