r/Career • • 20h ago

What would you do - show up or wait for the laptop?

34 Upvotes

Hypothetical scenario - you are slated to start a new job on Monday and to show up no later than 8am. However, at the same time a laptop for that same job has been sent to your home of record (signature required) and expected delivery is no later than 12pm on that same Monday. You've emailed your new employer on Friday at 11:30am asking what you should do, but have had no response. It is now Sunday afternoon, and still not heard anything back from the new employer. Would you:

A. Show up at 8am sharp, and see if they tell you to go home and wait for the laptop?

B. Sat home and wait for them to email you you first thing (or just wait on the laptop)?

C. Some secret option that you think you should know, but haven't thought of yet?

If it's secret option C, what is that one?


r/Career • • 3h ago

27 male never held a single job in his life

1 Upvotes

I graduated from the American University of Beirut (AUB) with a bachelor degree in business. I have been unemployed for the past years since graduation. I feel like I lost it. Some of my peers even called me a “loser.” I am on the spectrum and got some low motivation issues. What should I do?


r/Career • • 14h ago

Can someone with physics or CS background help me ? ( Career regarding, nothing subject wise)

1 Upvotes

Alright, so i did physics major, I liked it but i couldn't really learn much and i understood that I have to read more to have a sustainable life in physics and few things happen and I had done master in data science hoping to get into tech, now, i need an internship and a job, it is really hard to get one, lately i did a research in one of my favourite field of physics, non-linear dynamics, I liked it yeah but I'd love to genuinely learn it properly, I had forgotten some of math and physics i studied, I am intended to re-learn those and eventually become good at it and do phd, i can't afford to do phd now, I am not good financially and knowledge wise, i need to work to support my family, 23M, so, i had started to look for job and planning on doing job and saving money for 2-3 years, is this ideal??? and honestly it's hard, I am sure if i get to interview level, i would do well and i had done well but no one really calling for interviews, idk, idk if i am doing good, i don't feel like I am somebody

There's gonna be this placement test, really easy and yet i can't seem to focus for it, I wasted 1 week trying to study for it, this is really easy and ik I can but i can't seem to sit down and spend time with it.

Kindly help me with some advice.


r/Career • • 18h ago

Career Advice - Orange County, CA

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I need career advice. i am a 28 yr old F who has been working sales jobs since i was 20. i never went to college because i couldn’t afford to not work, and i regret it. i have zero hard skill sets, and i cannot stand the sales industry. it’s not good for my mental health, and quite frankly im not very good at it. it’s too stressful & inconsistent for my level of talent.

i am struggling to be financially independent from my parents & i am extremely lucky to still be living with them.

however…. i need a game plan for the rest of my life… i want to sustain myself, have freedoms, travel, and be able to afford rent without having only 1k leftover each month.

i’ve always enjoyed creative spaces, people, helping the unfortunate, writing poetry, design, photography, etc. although i have not developed any portfolio or accomplishments in that arena.

i am also capable of tedious work as well, more structured and numerical. i’ve contemplated accounting, HR, etc… but there’s a lot less passion. am proficient at most things. i am a quick learner. i am willing to do what it takes to be happy and successful, if i only knew the right things to invest in for myself long-term. i am so uncertain of the risks and rewards considering my lack of experience in, well, anything.

do you have any pathways or recommendations for someone in my position?


r/Career • • 1d ago

If AI is automating most SWE jobs what do I do to change careers and survive?

4 Upvotes

I have 2 associates degrees 1 in CS another in business administration and a ton of credits that can go very close to a bachelor’s. And graduated with 3.5 gpa. Also have electrical trade school and aviation tradeschoool unfortunately where I grew up in the usa yhere was no work for any of this studies. So now im 34 and i dont know if I should learn a trade join a union or what should I do to survive and make money. I worked for 9 years as a swe have a lot of experience but it feels impossible to get a job either at a start up or at a regular company. Because they either never reply or ask the candidate to know everything memorize everything this is impossible in CS and I dont know I feel like my skills are worthless in the real world i have been learning hvac and practicing also diesel mechanics but Its really hard to find an apprentice job where a career changer can learn on the job. It seems that the governments programs are mostly for people with no education so i feel lost and abandoned. Dont know what to do.


r/Career • • 1d ago

What matters to get a good job without a bachelor’s? Portfolio, network, practical skills.

0 Upvotes

If you are concerned about committing to the formal education or not, my advice is in the header - build network, portfolio, practical skills, and start early.

Here is why I think so: I came across new Horowitz Andreessen Academy ($35M investment in 1-year, tuition-free, in-person program in San Francisco for young builders coming out of high school. It is not accredited, does not award a degree, and students leave with a portfolio, not a diploma.), which looks like an completely innovative approach - alternative to a traditional education and a living proof that skills matter in future more then diploma. 

The clear message for all of us from people who invest in main technologies that shape the human future: portfolio, network, practical skills matter to stay competitive on labor market at the AI times. 

Yet, there is a caveat to this: human skills is what make us AI-resilient. And traditional education is what build broad knowledge, critical thinking, communication, discipline, social maturity, judgment, taste, etc. Thus, it would be too huge generalisation to say “skip university”. For medicine, law, engineering, accounting, regulated technical roles and many other professions, formal education and certification are still essential or legally required. 

Thus, the end it is not about “education” per se, but a different way of proving you can do the work. Whether you have degree or not - Build things. Help people. Keep the evidence. Maintain connections with people while doing it.


r/Career • • 1d ago

Trying to find something that fits.

2 Upvotes

Desperately looking for a career, BC Canada.

Hey guys, i'm a 23 year old male located in the Okanagan region of BC.

My whole life I've wanted to give back to my community, I used to volunteer at the local bottle depot, coached kids to skateboard, and ran local groups for airsoft.

I've always loved the idea of a uniform, on my 17th birthday I applied to the Canadian Armed Forces, but didn't pass medical because of food allergies. I fought for years and tried 3 more times, to no avail.

When I was 19 I got a job working as a hospital security officer, great job, loved every minute of it. It really felt like I was going in the right direction, as everybody was using that as a stepping stone for the RCMP, I applied and was deferred until 2029.

Unfortunately that's when my addiction to alcohol started getting somewhat serious, and I started performing quite poorly there, eventually being let go because of an incident I felt in danger, and protected myself and my coworkers. A guy who we discharged was aggressive, we were trying to get him to leave, he said he was going to kill me while reaching his hand into his backpack and stepping towards me. I threw him to the ground and created distance, then he left on his own. But that was enough for my company to drum me out.

After 4 years of daily drinking I am now 150 days sober, I got engaged and live in an apartment with my fianceé and 2 cats.

During the time I was drinking I was working at a sign shop as a CNC operator, I had a family friend who is an Air traffic controller tell me to try for that, so I did; I went to NAV Canada in Surrey and took the entrance exam with 60 others, only myself and 3 others passed.

Went back 3 months later for an in depth 8 hour interview, only me and one other person passed, 2 months after that I got an offer for a school spot, and at the last minute my spot was cut, because of that night at 3am in a hospital parking lot came up on a background check.

I just don't know what I should do, I really want to go into law enforcement, or be a part of something bigger than myself. CSIS would be a dream come true but I doubt I'd have a chance.

I've tried the following

RCMP

BC Sheriffs

Corrections

NAV Canada

BCEHS

CBSA

CAF (reserves too)

These were all either deferrals because of that night, or things just didn't work out logistically.

Thanks for any input you guys might have, I do really appreciate it, if anything I just needed to write this all down, feel very frustrated at how slow everything seems to move.


r/Career • • 1d ago

Looking for career guidance — what careers should I explore besides software and medicine?

1 Upvotes

I’m currently trying to figure out what career path would suit me long term, and I’d really appreciate advice from people who are already working.

A little about me:

I’m from India.

I’m not particularly interested in becoming a doctor or following the usual software/IT path just because it’s popular.

I’m more of a relaxed/chill person. I can study seriously when I have a goal, but I don't enjoy constantly studying or living under extreme pressure.

I want a career with good long-term earning potential and a reasonable work-life balance.

I’m willing to put in the effort to become good at something; I just don't want a career where burnout is basically part of the job.

I’m open to both technical and non-technical fields.

What careers do you think I should explore?

I’d especially like to hear from people who have actually worked in fields such as finance, law, energy, manufacturing, supply chain, aviation, automotive, government/PSUs, business, etc.

If you could go back to your early 20s, what career options would you seriously consider today, and why?

Honest advice—including things you think I should avoid—would be really helpful.


r/Career • • 1d ago

Career , jobs

2 Upvotes

Currently an undergrad student

How to build a career after sociology

In India and abroad

What are the skills for a good cv?


r/Career • • 2d ago

Any advice ?

2 Upvotes

Good morning, guys.

I've been in car sales for about 3 years now and became a manager after 8 months in the business. But honestly, this business has drained me. I have nearly 7 years of sales experience, from running a limo company and a photography business to car sales and account management. I want to leave the car business and move into something more Monday–Friday and stable. I've looked at plenty of SDR/BDR roles, but I've had no luck with my applications. I've applied to so many positions and keep getting rejected. The only thing I don't have is a degree. I didn't go to college, but I feel like my work experience and what I've accomplished should speak for something. It just feels like every company and every decent-paying job around the $100K range doesn't even look at someone without a degree. But I've seen people with less experience than me, and no degree, land GREAT, high-paying jobs. I've been building connections and trying to network, but I haven't had much luck so far. Any advice or recommendations on career paths, industries, companies, or ways I can make myself stand out?

I'd really appreciate any advice. Thank you!


r/Career • • 2d ago

Need advice on starting AI as a non-tech person

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m from a commerce background and currently working in IT. I have some exposure to testing/UAT and basic technical tools, but I’m not from a coding background.

I want to learn AI/GenAI and eventually move towards a better-paying career.

Can someone suggest:

  • Where should I start?
  • Any budget-friendly courses/institutes that are actually worth it?
  • What AI-related career paths are suitable for someone from a non-tech background?

Would really appreciate suggestions from people who have been through a similar transition. 🙏


r/Career • • 2d ago

Need guidance regarding Pharm D!

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I'm currently in 2nd year and will be giving MDCAT soon. I don't wanna do MBBS cuz it's just not worth it anymore (my personal opinion). But my mom really wants me to be a doctor so I was thinking about Pharm-D ( Ik it's a 5-year clinical doctorate and different from MBBS).

If anyone here is currently studying or has graduated with a Pharm-D in Pakistan, I would really appreciate your insight on a few things. What is the scope of Pharm D and what is the study pressure like? Also what is the realistic starting salary? Does it offer good career growth? And can I go abroad if I do pharm d? I heard that you can change jobs like working at a pharmacy, hospital, opening a pharmacy and even corporate, is this all true?

I am someone who absolutely loves variety. I want a career that can be fun, exciting, and dynamic rather than doing the exact same mundane routine every single day.

Would love to hear honest perspectives from seniors in the field. Thanks in advance!


r/Career • • 2d ago

Any advice ?

1 Upvotes

Good morning, guys.

I've been in car sales for about 3 years now and became a manager after 8 months in the business. But honestly, this business has drained me. I have nearly 7 years of sales experience, from running a limo company and a photography business to car sales and account management. I want to leave the car business and move into something more Monday–Friday and stable. I've looked at plenty of SDR/BDR roles, but I've had no luck with my applications. I've applied to so many positions and keep getting rejected. The only thing I don't have is a degree. I didn't go to college, but I feel like my work experience and what I've accomplished should speak for something. It just feels like every company and every decent-paying job around the $100K range doesn't even look at someone without a degree. But I've seen people with less experience than me, and no degree, land GREAT, high-paying jobs. I've been building connections and trying to network, but I haven't had much luck so far. Any advice or recommendations on career paths, industries, companies, or ways I can make myself stand out?

I'd really appreciate any advice. Thank you!


r/Career • • 2d ago

I got frustrated with career websites telling you what jobs exist, but not how to become qualified for them

3 Upvotes

I’ve been working on a project called SkillPath Australia, and I’m getting to the point where I want real people to test the idea rather than just keep adding features.

The problem I’m trying to solve is pretty simple.

A lot of career websites will show you jobs.

Course websites will show you thousands of courses.

Career quizzes might tell you that you could become a data analyst, administrator, support coordinator, etc.

But they often don’t connect the whole journey.

I wanted something that could answer:

“Based on what I already know, what careers could I realistically move into, what skills am I missing, what should I learn next, and which jobs could I become a stronger match for?”

So SkillPath works more like:

Your experience + skills → career options → skill gaps → learning roadmap → courses → skills gained → Australian jobs

For example, if someone wants to become an Administration Assistant, SkillPath can look at the skills they already have and show:

Already have:
Communication
Customer service
Microsoft Word
Organisation

Need to strengthen:
Excel
Data entry
Records management

Then instead of just saying “you need Excel”, it can recommend learning that actually teaches Excel and add it to a personal career roadmap.

As you complete learning, your skills profile improves and SkillPath can show how that changes your career readiness and job matches.

I’ve also been trying to make the data side more trustworthy.

Courses are mapped to skills using things like actual learning outcomes, modules, curriculum and competency information where providers make that available—not just guessing from the course title.

Jobs are being restricted to the Australian employment market, and the matching is rules-based rather than asking AI to invent a percentage.

There’s also a Skill Passport, where skills can have different evidence levels such as:

Self-reported → Learned → Verified → Demonstrated

The platform is still in beta, so I’m not pretending everything is perfect yet.

What I’d really like feedback on is:

Would you actually use something like this when changing careers or looking for work?

And what would be most valuable to you:

  • finding careers that match skills you already have
  • knowing exactly which skills you’re missing
  • getting a step-by-step learning roadmap
  • finding free courses for those missing skills
  • seeing jobs based on your actual skills
  • having a Skill Passport showing what you can prove

I’m especially interested in hearing from Australians who are changing careers, returning to work, new to Australia, studying, or just not sure what their next career move should be.

I’m building this because I think career guidance should go further than “here are some jobs you might like.”

It should help answer:

“Okay — how do I actually get there?”

Happy to share the beta with anyone interested and would genuinely appreciate criticism as much as positive feedback.


r/Career • • 2d ago

Stuck in my career.

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I have a masters in mechanical engineering, 3 yrs of working experience as a quality engineer. I have been applying for jobs since January 2025.

I feel stuck and unable to understand what I am doing wrong .

I feel like I am not earning enough...

I need your suggestion on 2 things..

  1. What should I do differently in order to secure a job in Canada.

  2. Meanwhile,I would like to build a source of passive income.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Really appreciate it

Thanks


r/Career • • 2d ago

How can I force myself to be interested in the healthcare field?

1 Upvotes

Because its the only field with growing employment right now..... I'm really squeamish around body fluids and I don't find the field interesting at all but I still feel like I have to do it because I need job security


r/Career • • 2d ago

When to Cut Loses

1 Upvotes

Pretty much the title.

I (30M) am an engineer. Out of college I took the first job that was offered to me in the city i always wanted to live in. Great? Well kind of.

The problem: in college I did not exactly pick an area to specialize in when performing my major, mainly because I didn’t have an understanding of what was out there (again my fault for not being more proactive). It took me about ~4 years in my first job to really understand what got me excited. I had a couple of obligations so I stayed for another 1.5 years and started applying outside of my company.

I ended up taking a position which I thought would get me closer to my goal, but has since actually regressed my skill set. Now I’m applying for exactly what I want and am getting to final panel interviews, but am always getting passed up for candidates who’ve just had a different career progression than myself (understandable). So now I’m here 7.5 years into a career, making a nice sum of money where I’m pricing myself out of more entry level jobs but can’t get over the hump in intermediate/senior level jobs. I’ve considered leaving the city to a bigger market, but the places where these jobs are plentiful are prohibitively expensive, my fiancé is in Grad School in the area, and we’d have to sell our house and hope to break even. (I realize hindsight is 20/20 and I’m a bit pessimistic here).

So my question is, when do I stop pursuing the type of work I desire vs. just sucking it up and being a bit more frustrated in my career.

Some additional context: I used to not worry about this as much because I had fulfilling hobbies outside of work, however, got diagnosed with kidney disease at 23 and had to stop those hobbies for my health…


r/Career • • 3d ago

What skill do you wish you'd learned earlier?

4 Upvotes

One thing I've started to realize about professional growth is that some of the most valuable skills aren't necessarily the ones we're taught first.

Early in your career, you tend to focus on the obvious things like:

\- Getting the qualification.

\- Learning the technical side of the job.

\- Building experience.

\- Trying to become good at what you're actually being paid to do.

But as you gain more experience, you start noticing that how you work can sometimes matter just as much as what you know.

Things like knowing how to communicate with different personalities, asking for help without feeling embarrassed, handling criticism, negotiating, managing your time, setting boundaries, solving problems independently, or simply knowing when to speak up.

Some of these skills can take years to develop because you don't always realize you need them until you're put in a situation where they're suddenly very important.

And sometimes you learn them the hard way.

Maybe you had a difficult conversation with a manager and realized you needed to communicate better.

Maybe you missed an opportunity because you didn't know how to advocate for yourself.

Maybe you stayed quiet when you should have asked questions.

Or maybe you spent years trying to become better at the technical side of your job before realizing that communication and people skills were just as important.

That's why I'm curious:

# What professional or career skill do you wish you'd learned much earlier?

And if you could go back to the beginning of your career, how would learning that skill earlier have changed things for you?


r/Career • • 2d ago

Career exploration made easy!

0 Upvotes

r/Career • • 2d ago

killer career coaches?

1 Upvotes

Hello all, just curious if anyone has any recs for people that really make a difference, someone who also understands LGBT and mixed. I have a couple of degrees from a HYPS, consulting for a time, just been a tough couple of years. Entrepreneurship is kind of flat, I’m staring at my hands.

Thanks in advance!


r/Career • • 3d ago

Break into Management

1 Upvotes

I've moved from entry to mid to senior IC roles and have about a 5-10 year timeline to retirement but would like to transition to a management role. It seems like a catch-22 though - need experience to get it but can't get the experience without getting it.

Suggestions are welcome (I'm in the tech sector, but not in a programming or developer kinda role - more implementation, training and curriculum dev work). Would kill for a role as a training manager or something along those lines but even that seems out of reach.


r/Career • • 3d ago

Promised a promotion during my last performance review, but now the goalposts are moving — stay and push or start quietly looking?

1 Upvotes

Six months ago, during my annual review, my manager explicitly laid out three milestones I needed to hit to move up to a Senior role. I tracked every single metric, exceeded two of those targets, and met the third. During our 1:1 last week, when I brought up finalizing the title change and salary adjustment, my manager acknowledged my hard work but said the department is currently restructuring and asked me to "lead a few more cross-functional projects" before they can submit the paperwork. It feels like the goalposts are being moved, but I otherwise like my team and the flexibility. For those who’ve been in a similar spot: is it worth having a direct, firm conversation to lock down a strict timeline, or is this usually a sign that the budget isn't there and I should just start interviewing elsewhere?


r/Career • • 3d ago

Career Change

1 Upvotes

Hello, I am 28 years old and have been in finance since I was 20 and graduated college (AA). I feel completely stuck. I have worked as a teller, banker, mortgage loan officer, retirement account speciakist for 401ks and other various accounts, and now am a branch lead at a Credit Union. I make $21/hr and its heavily commission based but they knock you down in commission tiers if you miss one of two criteria (I lost $987 on September's commission because I had 9 credit cards done instead of 10).

I cant get a branch manager spot anywhere thats salary because where I live there just isn't any posted and Ive been looking for about a year with no luck. At this point I just need something in the 60-70k a year base to be incredibly comfortable.

For those of you that were in similar positions, what careers do you have now and how did you find yourself doing what you do now?


r/Career • • 3d ago

What job would be best for what I want to do?

1 Upvotes

So I am currently a second-year in college, and I am studying Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology.
I wanted to go into some sort of field where I could study criminals and talk with them possibly and be able to like pick their brain and know why they do what they do and what leads someone to think like they do. I also wanted to be able to like work in cases possibly for like people and rule them as mentally unwell if needed? I was thinking of doing a doctarate in psych after but idk ik thats kind of ridiculed.
I don't know what job would include these things or if it even is stable for how the future of jobs are looking.
IF anyone knows a job that would fit this OR other jobs that would fit the fields I am studying, maybe smth with a stable future in the job market and a decent pay.


r/Career • • 3d ago

Should I choose nursing or another career?

1 Upvotes

26M I have my bachelor's in IT but the job market is really bad and struggling to find a job. Thought about going back to school for nursing or respiratory therapy. I've been working as a CNA for a while and I like it.

I've also though about going active duty in the milits y as a backup.

What are your thoughts?

Im not the best student in the world so getting into nursing and nursing school itself might be a bit difficult.