r/Career_Advice

Okay so I’m going from healthcare to tech and I feel like my resume is actively working against me. I’ve sent out twenty applications and gotten forty email responses some say thank you like they’re deathrallying my career, while the job boards are filled with candidates who literally have zero downtime reflected in how aggressive they are sounding on resumes while I frame my career change as more stable and systematic.

Yesterday I asked my friend who works as a sysadmin to look at it and he told me it looks like I’m starting from scratch when I actually have transferable skills. I tried getting help but didn’t want to throw money at it.

Has anyone successfully pivoted industries and actually figured out what worked on paper? I’m starting to think maybe the problem is how I’m presenting what’s already valuable.

What is the single thing about recent career changes that gets recruiters to glance twice instead of? I genuinely need one thing that matters in that first ten-second scan

I'm married and can move anywhere in the US with my wife, we're not tied down to anything. I have a bachelors in economics and some insurance work experience (a few months at Liberty mutual selling insurance). It was pretty much just a soul sucking call center job but I do have my P&C licenses in pretty much every state.

What would you do in my situation? I would like to make around $70k/yr with room for growth. I really have no passion in life outside of hanging out with my wife and playing video games. Just want some career that is pretty much guaranteed to hire (don't care about moving, I will move to where the jobs are, but highly prefer somewhere liberal).

Really my highest priorities are:

1. Pretty much guaranteed job without going through thousands of applications

2. Pays $70k+ or close to it with room for growth

3. Doesn't have me talking to southerners all day (I'm a poc with a white-passing name and the shit I heard on the phones talking to customers all day in the south made me want to kick the chair).

What would you do if you were me?

Hello, people... Could use some guidance here.

For the last 15 years, I have worked for only ONE company. It was a low-skill language based editorial job, but...

-Really good pay, 15-20 lpa
-Remote work
-Full flexibility

Last year, I got terminated and I realized... I am pretty much unemployable. I have learned no other life skill. I have been freelancing for similar companies, making some money here and there, but I need to get into a serious career. I am a mechanical engineer by qualification - but can't get into that now. I need to spend a few months to learn a serious skill, something that will get me a somewhat stable career and some good money, a few lakhs a month in say 5-6 years. I am a hard-worker and quick learner, I am ready to put in the hours and learn something, but... what?

What can I invest my time and energy that will give me a fruitful rewarding long-term career? I am thinking AI.

Where do I start? I am really lost.

I have been working in school admin for the past 6 years. Started as admissions now in HSE/ Admin manager similar role.

This wasnt the industry i wanted to work as many of the UAE expats. I have a good reputation in my current school. Do i continue in schools? Or is there any other industry i can switch my career to? All advice will be helpful

Thanks

Hey everyone, I need some peace of mind.

I just graduated with my Master's in Health Informatics with a concentration in health services analytics was just offered a full-time role in the pharmaceutical field.
They called me yesterday and offered $25.10/hr. I verbally accepted on the phone because I was excited and caught off guard. However, when the written official offer letter came today, I realized the baseline rate felt low given my graduate degree and my previous background.
Before signing the portal link, I sent the recruiter a polite email asking if there was any flexibility to move the base rate to $28.00/hr to better align with my Master's credentials.
Is there a chance they will rescind the offer? Should I just sign the offer letter just in case?
Please let me know 😭

Hello everyone! I’m 18 and currently in university studying Psychology with a minor in Marketing. Recently I’ve been considering switching into Finance or Economics because I’m really interested in careers like management consulting, brand marketing, project management, and corporate strategy.

I enjoy business, branding, media, and creative strategy, but I’m worried that staying in Psychology could make it harder to break into those fields compared to having a business degree. Would I still be able to get my foot in the door with a Psychology degree, or would switching majors/minors be the smarter move?

I’m also trying to think long term and build a sustainable career that makes good money and has strong growth opportunities. Obviously with AI, nothing feels completely “safe” besides areas like healthcare or trades, so if anyone has job suggestions I should look into, or if you’ve been in a similar situation before, I’d really appreciate hearing your advice. Thank you :)

Hi, I’m 21M and I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Software Development almost a year ago, with no internship experience. I focused too much on finishing fast and didn’t pay attention to internships, and now I regret it. To add context, I did a competency-based online degree at my own pace and finished it in under a year. I also relied heavily on AI during it, so I don’t feel like I truly grasped the fundamentals and core knowledge.

Most jobs now require either LeetCode skills or strong communication skills. I honestly struggle with LeetCode and algorithms. I’m not really a math person, and I feel like I may have made a big mistake choosing this career. English is not my first language either, so communication and interviews are also difficult for me.

I also tried starting a Shopify dropshipping business. I spent over $1,500 out of $3,000 with no real success, and now I’m scared of making more expensive mistakes.

I considered the CompTIA A+ certification, but the idea of IT help desk work discourages me, sounds so draining.

I’ve also thought about other career paths, but I have almost zero motivation to work for someone else. The idea of building someone else’s dream feels empty. I’d rather become a business owner someday, maybe a local shop or an online store, but I don’t know how to start or network in that direction.

Maybe I’m too focused on money instead of passion, but right now I don’t feel like I have a real passion at all.

I want to buy a home for stability and freedom, and to be able to travel while having somewhere to come back to in the US. I also want to eventually afford a relationship, but dating is REALLY expensive.

Lately I feel unmotivated. I like drawing, anime, and Japanese culture, but I don’t see a clear way to turn that into a high stable income. Lost of tools are now generating pictures, drawings and even animation...

My living situation doesn’t help. I don’t have my own bedroom and share the living room with my dad and brother in a small apartment, so I don’t really have space or a desk to focus.

I still work at Walmart and have been there for over two years. I feel exhausted and sometimes ashamed because I feel like I haven’t made real progress since graduating.

Thanks for reading. I just wanted to vent and put my thoughts into words.

I work in workforce development. I've seen thousands of people waste time and money on certifications that lead nowhere. Here's what I've learned:

Certifications that work:
- Have a regulatory requirement (EPA 608 for HVAC, CDL for trucking)
- Are vendor-backed (CompTIA, AWS, Cisco)
- Are required for licensing (CNA, LPN, real estate)

Certifications that don't:
- Google Career Certificates (hiring managers ignore them)
- Coursera/Udemy certs (no one verifies)
- Most "digital marketing" certs (prove nothing)
- Life coach certifications (saturated, no barrier to entry)

The pattern: if anyone can get the cert without proving competence, employers don't care about it. The certifications that work have teeth. You either pass a proctored exam or complete regulated clinical hours. No shortcuts.

Curious what others think. Are there certifications I'm missing that actually open doors?

I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work in May of last year thinking I wanted to become a therapist. After graduating, it took me about three months to find a job, and during that time I became really anxious about the career path I had chosen and how I would realistically support myself in a high cost of living city like NYC on a social work salary.

I eventually took a job in the field because it paid relatively well for social work (65k with benefits) and, honestly, because I desperately needed a job. But after about three months, I left because the work was seriously affecting my mental and physical health. I was anxious every day and completely burned out.

While trying to figure out my next move, my roommate referred me for an entry-level role at the advertising agency where she works. I had zero experience or background in advertising, but somehow I got the job. I wasn’t excited about taking it since it came with a pay cut (I now make 50k), but I really needed to get out of my previous role.

I’ve now been at the agency for about five months. I don’t hate the job, but I also don’t see myself doing this long term. My current plan is to stay for at least a year, but after that I honestly have no idea what direction to go in.

I know I want to make more money and ideally do something at least somewhat connected to my degree, just without direct practice or clinical work. I think I’d prefer something more corporate or strategy-oriented. One area I’ve been interested in is federal consulting, especially healthcare-related consulting, but I worry my background and somewhat scattered work history will make it hard to break into.

I did make one strong connection in consulting, but he recently left for a healthcare startup. Right now I just feel really lost trying to figure out a path that feels both fulfilling and financially sustainable.

I also deleted my LinkedIn because I became obsessive about comparing myself to other people, and honestly I felt embarrassed for leaving social work so early in my career.

If anyone has advice, career ideas, or has gone through something similar, I’d really appreciate hearing it. I’m 24 and trying not to panic about the future, but I definitely feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to go next.

Thanks in advance to anyone that reads this and offers advice.

My situation: I've been with the same company for almost 11 years, through 2 acquisitions (where my company was acquired) and multiple roles. I'm currently a Project Manager working 100% remote and making $108,000. My colleagues, including my boss, all live in another state so my only interaction with them is through email/video calls. My husband is also 100% remote, and we have two young kids, both in daycare full-time. In early April, I was shocked to learn my boss put me on a PIP. During our discussion, she brought up valid concerns, but this was the first time she had mentioned any of the issues with me. She clearly laid out her expectations (which I wish she would have done before initiating the PIP...) and since then I've received excellent feedback from her. We had a 30-day assessment where she told me I was doing great and to keep it up. We have the final, 60-day assessment the first week of June and she has expressed nothing but positive feedback. While I understand anything could happen, I expect to be removed from the PIP and retain my job.

Because I was understandably worried when informed about the PIP, I began applying to other positions. I've had two rounds of interviews so far with a large, global company that has a local office. It is a fortune 250 company with a great reputation and long-term stability. Tomorrow will be the third and final interview over lunch to "meet the rest of the team." This role will be 100% in-office, about a 20-minute commute from my house. It will also likely be $130,00+ in salary, based on the initial conversation I had with HR.

Perhaps I'm putting the cart before the horse in this scenario, but I'm really torn on which option would be better, assuming I have the option of choosing from both. My husband seems to be 100% "team new job" because of the pay increase, as well as my "soiled" reputation at current job (my words, not his). I totally understand his reasoning and agree, however, with 2 young kids I wonder if it would be foolish to walk away from a remote job that has incredible flexibility.

Thoughts? Things I haven't considered?

Hello somebody who is reading my question!

I am writing to inquire if someone would be able to help me decide between computer science or medicine. This year I am graduating at high school and I need to choose a university and my career overall. I have been coding since I was 15 and I know python at least. However these years I've started wondering about medicine. And the elephant in the room rn is AI. Is cs still safe over medicine?

Thanks for your response!

So, I'm pursuing BCA in technical ( not management ) and my 4th sem exam just finished a few days ago and now I wanna focus on my career 😭 so, anyone give some suggestions where I should go ?? Bcz I'm totally unaware what to do what don't....

But I think I have interest in tech

Hey Guys,

I’m currently in my first sales role as a BDR for a company that sells peripheral devices, and I’ve been here a little over a year. Lately, I’ve been considering looking elsewhere because I feel pretty stuck and I feel like I haven’t improved much for a while now.

When I was first hired, the plan was for me to focus on prospecting, outreach, setting meetings, and eventually move into running smaller accounts before transitioning into an account rep role. However, after only about 4 months, leadership decided to combine sales teams, and I was moved over to channel sales under a new manager. Once that happened, the original path I was brought on for basically disappeared. I then went into channel sales for a few months and was doing most of my work there but have recently came back k to the direct side this year.

My training at this company has been pretty poor overall. I’ve done my best to learn our products on my own, but I still feel behind where I should be. Even though my title is BDR, I don’t do much real prospecting because administrative work and helping with order-related tasks usually take priority. When I do get time to prospect, I’m mostly left to do all the digging myself, and even when my manager gives me company or prospect lists, they’re usually not very good, so it’s hard to get anything going and I haven’’t had much success.

The company also lacks structure, which has made it difficult to really find my footing. A lot of the team has the mindset of, “Nobody taught me how to do that, so why should I have to teach you.” My manager is also pretty uninvolved. When I ask how I can improve, I usually just get surface-level answers like “You’re doing good” or “Do this one basic and specific thing” without much actual guidance. I’ve also asked the account managers I work with for feedback, and responses are usually things like, “What do you think you can do better?” or “What do you want out of it?” which hasn’t been very helpful. Since they aren’t telling my directly as to what I need to do to improve.

Overall, I feel like I’ve stagnated a lot in this role. My responsibilities feel pretty undefined, and there are a lot of days where I genuinely wonder what my role even is or what I should be doing better. Has anyone been in a similar situation like this and gone through what I am going through at this job. I’d really appreciate any advice on whether it makes sense to start looking for a better opportunity and how I can continue improving as a BDR in general.

Hello !! I have done project management post graduation and want to start my career in the management field.. I have prior knowledge into construction design but want to switch into IT management or energy management field.. but due to this transition I need to start all over again learning new software’s and skill so I’m a bit skeptical about it due to the current market situation over due you have any suggestions? Or am I just over thinking? What cert I would have to do more? I just have a post graduation and no experience in management field

Hi, one of my younger family member is really interested to go in research field and have given exams for IISC, IISER etc. She also appeared in JEE Mains, where she could get 91 percentile.

We are looking for fallback options if she doesn't get into the research colleges. One field she is really interested in is Quantum Physics. I see some colleges provide Engineering Physics as a course, but we have no idea about how that is, what is the scope etc.
Also, being a general category girl, what all options does she have with 91 percentile?

Currently make $130K salary in CA with a 4% 401k match. Got a job offer in FL for a $102K salary with a 10% 401k match. Been wanting to move to FL. Looked up the cost of living and it’s cheaper in FL and less taxes too. I’ve been looking to purchasing a house. With the CA salary, it will barely get me a small apt/condo for myself. In FL, I could get a decent sized home with the salary.

Need advice on what to do please.

I'm really hoping a recruiter, someone from HR, or a hiring manager can help me here.

My last corporate job was Sept. 2024. I was in an IT role that became obsolete. My boss tried throwing whatever type of work he could at me just so I had a job, but after 4 months, I finally quit. I qualified for and took unemployment.

Since then, I've been looking for the same role but to no avail. However, bc I need money and I don't like sitting around, I took two seasonal positions that equaled 11 months worth of work. Do I put those silly little, embarrassing jobs on my resume, or just leave the gaps? Here's what it would look like:

Sept 2024 - Apr 2025 - out of work (this is real, couldn't find work)
Apr 2025-June 2025 - Piddly Seasonal job
July 2025 - Apr 2026 - Piddly Seasonal job

My bigger concern is looking like I decided to just goof off for a while, rather than just show a big gap.

Hey there! I’m currently an upcoming sophomore struggling to figure out what to do with my life in undergrad. I was in a pre-occupational therapy program but left because I didn’t enjoy the sciences or anatomy things I found overwhelming. What I do know is that I want to help kids emotionally, mentally, and physically and I have a special passion for working with children who have special needs. With my background, I’d love some advice on career paths or jobs I can pursue after graduation. Just a heads-up: I’m from New York and need a solid salary , at least. Any guidance would mean a lot!

Hi! I have an initial job interview for a job I really want and that aligns with my career goals. I currently have a job offer with another company, but obviously, it would be more ideal to get this position. If they ask me if I have another job offer, should I say yes? Also, should I mention that I am interviewing elsewhere? They are the main job I am looking at currently, but I don't want to seem desperate, and I just want to do anything that increases the likelihood of me attaining this position. I would love any input. Also, I am currently in NYC and the position I want is in NYC; the position I don't want it hybrid in another location, not sure if that is super relevant, but I thought I should add that context.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!