u/Plus-Candle-4410

At my last internship, I met a guy in his 40s. Worked in the IT department for the past 20-something years. Asked him about his career a bit. He studied physics in uni, then worked at a supermarket for a bit, then got into the IT department of that company (this is a large company btw). I asked and he said he barely used a computer before getting hired; computers weren't that common in my country in the early 2000s.

Can you even imagine that? A guy studied physics, with absolutely no coding experience, gets hired in IT. I am not insulting the guy he seems to know his stuff now but no way in hell someone like him gets hired in IT now.

This isnt even the only example I have. One guy I met worked on the design team at a vehicle manufacturing company. He mostly works with CAD programs. He said he was terrible at CAD before starting. He studied EE but didn't really use CAD before getting that job.

Last interview I had was with a company that makes heavy-duty racks for warehouses. Rejected because I am not familiar with rack designs.

Graduated from industrial engineering a bit over a year ago. Worked at a company for 6 months but let go because of cutbacks. Unemployed ever since (nearly 6 months).

Not in the US. The school I am thinking of is free. But I never really thought about doing a master's during undergrad. Just wanted to get a job in my field and get experience. Had a GPA, so I am eligible for it, and it's not like I am doing anything else at the moment.

Heard people say don't do a master's just to do it. But if I started when I got my degree, I would be halfway done by now. I am thinking of doing it in logistics and optimization theory. Because I kinda liked those classes.

I heard about being overqualified, but I can just take it out of my resume if needed.

I just hate the idea that I am gonna do it for two years and still be unemployed after it, like putting in more effort for something that won't pay off.

Feel like part of the "pipeline of gifted kids to failed adults". I was never considered gifted in middle school, maybe just average.

But for some reason became really good at learning in high school. By the end I was helping others with their studies. Studying was the one thing I was good at. Had few friends. Got into a good school for Industrial Engineering. I was good at studying in uni too. Had a good GPA, only struggled with a few subjects.

But due to covid taking first 2 years of school and few other reason I never really had close friends at uni. The only thing I was good at was studying and delivering projects. Now I am struggling to find a job, relevant or irrelevant to my field. Graduated a year ago.

I realised too late that good school name and high GPA is not that important to actual job skills. In few interviews they ask me what I can do for the business. I say stuff like quality control and inventory management. But in reality, I don't really know how to do those things, I never managed to get hand experience at my internships. I just know the theory.

I never got the hang of "networking". I asked people I know for jobs but nothing came up. I felt so much better in uni. It was simple for me. Go to class, take notes, study those notes, solve examples and get good grades. Now I have no goal, no structure, I feel paralyzed.

Graduated 15 months ago from industrial engineering. I have been looking for almost two years now, started before graduating. 3 internships, 1 year of total experience. Here's the "networking" I have done so far

-Asking professors and TAs about training programs at large firms. These are the ones I have relationships with, I went to their office hours regularly and worked on a project with one of them. Nothing came up.

- Asking my friends to let me know if they see an opening; lost touch with some of them tbh. Nothing

-School's career center is near useless. All they did was tell me a bunch of companies I could apply to; these are the ones my school worked with, apparently. But they never helped to get me a real interview. And this was supposed to be a good school with an acceptance rate of like 10 percent.

-Asking the managers and coworkers at my old internships. I couldn't get a return offer, but I got along with everyone in one of my internships. The other two weren't so good.

-Going to multiple career festivals. Most of them were only there to hand me a QR code to apply online, and most still expected few years of experience in a specific industry. One interview for a position at a bank I was unqualified for, for some reason.

-Asking relatives, since that's how I got one of my internships. Got two interviews. One almost happened but they had to cancel last minute due to budget cuts. Other was offering just a bit over minimum wage for a super expensive area. Only way I could live there was if I lived like 3 hours away, so I turned it down. This was early in the process and I thought I could get a better offer, kinda regret it now.

-My mom's friends. This also how I got one of my internships. Through her I got to talk to bunch of different people in various industries. I talked to some of them over video calling some in person. I have talked to 8 people this way, some short convos, some long. They gave some solid advice and said I could apply to their firms if there's an opening for me. I got one interview this way but was rejected due lack of specific industry experience.

-Joined a volunteering group that has connections to companies in the food industry. I mainly cold call other companies and try to set up meetings with them. I was exited at first but more I get into it more it seems like a scam (not scamming me but the companies). I doubt anything's gonna come from here.

- Messaging hiring managers and recruiters on LinkedIn. This got me three interviews. One was not bad was rejected. Other two looked terrible and I kinda got relieved when they rejected.

I also practiced my interviewing skills in multiple ways. Had mock interviews with some of my mom's friends; one of my relatives used work at HR, and there was an elective in uni about this.

I still try to apply to positions at companies people I know work at, tell them about the application but still get ghosted/rejected.

I think I applied to around 1000 positions online. I applied to technician roles at factories both online and calling the companies since some said I could call them on their website. Got a phone interview but was rejected for not having any manual labor experience.

How much network does it take?

Living in a "developing" Middle Eastern country that shall remain unnamed. Looking at career advice in american/ european subreddits recently. It is very similar to the advice given to young people in my country. These are for university/college advice I have seen.

Go to medical school guarantees a good-paying job in your mid-twenties so you can move out of your parents.

If not nursing, not as well but you'll still get a job (most likely).

Humanities/social sciences are a waste; no one will hire you.

Sciences (math, chemistry etc); only if you can stay in academia; even then those positions are super competitive you need connections.

CS; only if youre already good at coding even before enrolling and if its a top school.

Engineering; only if its one of the top schools. Top 5 in my country, maybe top 50 in the US. Otherwise unemployed.

Teacher; you probably wont get an opening but if you do you'll never make a good living (thats for my country not sure about US).

I might be wrong about the US part but these are advice given to young people in my 3rd world country

It's Always Sunny and South Park are some of my favorites. Just watched Arrested Development and looking for similar shows. I want asshole characters, total losers who do terrible stuff and get away with it. I love those kind of comedy series

Feel like part of the "pipeline of gifted kids to failed adults". I was never considered gifted in middle school, maybe just average.

But for some reason became really good at learning in high school. By the end I was helping others with their studies. Studying was the one thing I was good at. Had few friends. Got into a good school for Industrial Engineering. I was good at studying in uni too. Had a good GPA, only struggled with a few subjects.

But due to covid taking first 2 years of school and few other reason I never really had close friends at uni. The only thing I was good at was studying and delivering projects. Now I am struggling to find a job, relevant or irrelevant to my field. Graduated a year ago.

I realised too late that good school name and high GPA is not that important to actual job skills. In few interviews they ask me what I can do for the business. I say stuff like quality control and inventory management. But in reality, I don't really know how to do those things, I never managed to get hand experience at my internships. I just know the theory.

I never got the hang of "networking". I asked people I know for jobs but nothing came up. I felt so much better in uni. It was simple for me. Go to class, take notes, study those notes, solve examples and get good grades. Now I have no goal, no structure, I feel paralyzed.

This is something my aunt is going through. Her daughter(my cousin) finished her 2nd year of college. She commutes from home, but apparently she barely attended class this year. She goes to a good school for chemistry. I once talked to her and she said she doesn't think the commute is worth it and she does better when she studies by herself.

I know she had a fight about this with her parents. But they can't really force her since she already gets good grades.

What would you do in a situation like this?

I have been very lonely ever since finishing high school. I started university during covid and never recovered from that. Never made any friends, no dates or anything like that.

I started using the apps out of desperation last year. And miraculously I met a girl. We have been together for one year now.

I used to read on dating advice and posts on here. A lot of people said "you first need to fix your loneliness before trying for a relationship", or "I wouldn't date someone who has no outlet other than me" etc.

So far having a girlfriend is way better than not having one. And no it didn't fix every problem I have with my self. I still feel lonely from time to time since she's basically my only friend. There are certain things I want to do, but she doesn't so I don't have anyone else to do them with. But still I have someone to talk to, someone who asks me how my day was, someone who says I love you to me. Not even gonna mention physical intimacy and sex.

Sorry if I am coming off as flexing, especially here. Just trying to say I know loneliness well, and now I know the difference.

I still have insecurities. I still feel unattractive even tho she say I am handsome almost from day one. My insecurity makes me think she's the sole exception and exceptions don't break the rule. I am still jealous that she had partners in the past but she's my first.

One thing that those comments are right about is that if this relationship doesn't work I am back to square one. And it might take another couple years of missery until I find someone who can find me attractive enough to date. But going into a serious relationship with the mindset that it might fail doesn't seem healthy. But what do I know right

More specifically, industrial engineering. I did try to "network" in school and interships but nothing paid off. So any advice on finding a real engineering job? Like I said other than "go talk to people in the industry"

Not in US.

I commuted from home for all 4 years for my engineering degree. I don't know how it works in US but in my country, getting a dorm is a bit of luck-dependent.

Free government dorms are limited and you might not get a room if there are too many applications. Unless you know someone who can pull some strings.

My parents didn't want to pay for a private dorm and I couldn't take out a loan to pay for it myself.

I tried to get free dorm every year but couldn't.

So I had to commute from home. It took 1.5 hrs without traffic and over 2 hrs with traffic (which there was for morning classes).

It was terrible, I hated going to school. I was always tired and sleep-deprived. I couldn't do anything I wanted to do during uni. There was always a bus schedule behind my mind. I had to study every free moment I had and every weekend.

I lost so much weight because I basically only ate school lunches during the weekdays, which were not enough.

I coudn't make any friends, no dates, nothing. It doesn't help that uni I went to (while education being good) wasn't good for extracurriculars or clubs. I didn't even go to the graduation because the thought of taking the bus again gave me anxiety.

I tried to get a part-time job to maybe pay for the dorms but no place wanted to hire a part-time student.

I know I could have made things work if I really wanted to but after a while I became content with this cycle.

I graduated like 6 months ago. I can't find any work (related or unrelated to my degree). I realised too late that a degree is useless without a proper professional network. So far none of my connections led to anything (mostly professors at my uni).

This goes for all religions. And please no "religious people are dumb" comments, I was raised an atheist, but also thought morals.

I live in a muslim country. I never talked to any religious person about their beliefs because I don't have the guts to have that kind of conversation. I know most religious people believe in the afterlife and kuran. But how many of them believe that there are jinns running around, or Muhammad's miracles?

Or how many Christians believe in Jesus's miracles, such as healing the sick with a touch.

I know most people use religion as a comfort tool and a guideline for morals. Some also use it to manipulate masses but that's a different topic. And almost no one in this day and age follows the holy books word for word and takes them literally.

Not in US. I know I am gonna get a bunch of comments calling me jealous. Fair I am jealous how can I not be.

And to be clear I still like her she's good person, I will never say any of this to her but I am jealous.

My second cousin finished uni with a job recently. I finished last year, I was looking before graduation too.

We both studied industrial engineering. I went to a higher-ranking school, we have a central exam for uni and I my engineering department is ranked way higher.

I have a 3.6 GPA, she has like 2.3 (out of 4)

I had 2 interships she had none.

She never even tried to network. I once asked her about some of the professors and she doesn't remember any of their names. She told me she had one friend in uni and they weren't that close. She mostly socializes with her close family. I am similar to her (very introverted) but I tried to get close to my professors and other people I met in various industries.

I looked her CV and its pretty plain. Just her education, few hobbies, and technical skills. I have the same stuff and way more.

She got a job because her mom is a pretty respected doctor in their city. One of her long-time patients and a friend helped to get my cousin a job in her company.

It's not that she doesn't deserve it and she should suffer the same as me, but I am still jealous.

Also before anyone asks, I asked almost all my extended family for leads before. Including my second cousin's mom (my mom's cousin). I sent my CV to all of them and they all said they would ask around. I had two interviews thanks to that, but both times rejected due lack of industry experience (at least that's what they told me).

Its just so frustrating market is booming for people with right connections. She was born into a good network. I am trying to create my own network from scratch but it like swimming up a waterfall

I turned 25 last month. I hate where I am. I graduated uni last year. Got a job like 2 months after. Hated the job, commute was terrible (almost 2 hrs with 2 buses and a long walk). Work was confusing, given tasks but told to abandon them before I could finish multiple times, and given very few instructions or tools to do the job. Pay was just a bit over minimum wage (like 40 percent more). But I still did my best until they let me go because of downsizing. Only worked there like 8 months.

It's been like 7 months, nothing. I stopped applying to jobs that require a degree. I go out every 2 weeks and walk around the town looking for help wanted signs. Go in talk, lie about my experience and education, leave contact, follow up a week later, and be rejected.

Everyone I know got their start at large companies/ factories through family connections. I knew that people with family connections would get a head start before starting my degree but didn't realise it would become this severe.

I don't talk to anyone outside of family, and basically became an errand boy for them.

This is not about me but something a close friend is going through. My friend (27M) and his gf (26F) have been together for like 4 years at this point and living together for over 2.

She decided to turn vegan over year ago. She never ate much meat or animal products to begin with but fully became vegan now.

It has been causing problems in their otherwise pretty good relationship. He vented to me last week. Apparently, now she doesn't like the smell of cooked meat and doesn't like seeing raw in the fridge either.

They live in a 1 bedroom apartment with a kitchen and living room connected. So if he cooks meat she doesn't like staying in the living room because of the smell.

He was venting that he always loved eating meat after work (mostly chicken). Now he can't just relax and cook meat in his own home.

I know and like both of them, but obviously I have a bias towards my friend. Also she is a very non-confrontational person. So when she asks him to not cook meat in the house she doesn't demand it. She just says she doesn't like when the living room smells like meat.

Is there a solution here? Only thing I can think of is if he ordered the food but I don't think he can afford to do that couple times a week.

TL;DR: How can a relationship work between a vegan and a non vegan without too much compromise?

I can't open a lot of streaming and rom sites for a while now. I checked the down for everyone or just me and it seems to be just me. I asked my friend who is in the same country for few sites and she says they are working for her.
Can someone help me I couldn't find a solution so far.

For some reason, YouTube recommends me a lot of videos about how in South Korea (especially Seoul) kids study up to 12 hours a day. Either to get into a few mega companies like Samsung and Hyundai or to get a government job through the civil service exam.

I know those videos often exaggerate and only focus on the negatives. But got curious do most parents push their kids to go to university to follow that path?

Just few years ago hyundai opened a nearly 100 percent automated factory with only a few top-tier engineers working.

So it kinda make sense to push your kids to go the skilled trades route. Like plumbers, mechanics, and machine operators. They are almost always in demand

I know how much academics and white-collar work is praised in Asian culture. But is that the only reason? Do skilled trades don't make as much compared to Western countries?

Graduated from industrial engineering a bit over a year ago. Worked at a company for 6 months but let go because of cutbacks. Unemployed ever since (nearly 6 months).

Not in the US. The school I am thinking of is free. But I never really thought about doing a master's during undergrad. Just wanted to get a job in my field and get experience. Had a GPA, so I am eligible for it, and it's not like I am doing anything else at the moment.

Heard people say don't do a master's just to do it. But if I started when I got my degree, I would be halfway done by now. I am thinking of doing it in logistics and optimization theory. Because I kinda liked those classes.

I heard about being overqualified, but I can just take it out of my resume if needed.

I just hate the idea that I am gonna do it for two years and still be unemployed after it, like putting in more effort for something that won't pay off.