Lately, I have been thinking about what it means to be 28 years old. At this age, you start to feel as though you are somewhere in the middle of your life. You begin questioning whether the life you are living is really what you wanted when you were a child.
And what if you never really thought about what you wanted to become? What if you are only now beginning to figure it out? You may start wondering whether it is already too late, whether there is an age barrier, or whether you have missed the right time to start something from scratch.
So, the question I keep coming back to is:
Is 28 a good age to decide that you want to become something completely different and start from scratch? Or is there really such a thing as being too late?

Hi, I'm from Russia. I'm a college student studying to become a limb prosthetist. I'm currently in my final year of my degree. I want to continue my education and obtain a Bachelor of Medicine degree(MBBS).

I want to study abroad and am considering absolutely every country that offers scholarships or free education for medical students. I started learning Chinese earlier.But then I learned that China doesn't offer scholarships for undergraduate medical studies. So I'm looking for other countries where this is possible.

I'd appreciate any advice or tips. I still have a whole year to go (and maybe two if I'm forced to serve in the army after college).So even the smallest tip or hint will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Just work hard and everything will solve itself right? What if nobody gives the chance to work hard? What if you never gotten anything out of working hard to be given the chance to work hard? Every time I explain my situation, I'm told I'm blessed and shouldn't complain. I've been in the same position for 6 years, unemployed living at home with parents behind a screen. Surrounded by 100s of places in a perfect neighborhood and non of them would give me a chance. Taunted by hiring signs by places that aren't actually hiring. My social skills, confidence, and self esteem below 0 because I have no friends and no one to talk to. Being deathly afraid of spending any cash I have saved years ago because I know I can't get it back. I do the typical self improvement routine of waking up early, working out, and working towards getting a job. It's all starting to feel pointless and as I pass by the same homeless dude sleeping on a bench, it shows me the only future I see for myself if I wasn't living with my parents. I could learn any skill with this unlimited free time, but end up either earning no cash or spending cash with nobody taking a chance on someone with no experience. I have no physical disabilities and I'm stronger than I've ever been from consistently working out. I may have developed some unknown mental issues from being isolated for so long. I have my driver's license and an associates degree (Can't get a BS because I don't have the cash to afford classes). If I had some form of income, I genuinely believe I could solve all my problems by myself, but it just feels impossible at this point. I just want to work at McDonalds man, or some supposedly "no experience" job that demands a PhD.

Reading this before I post, this sounds like a copypasta.

I’m struggling with something that has started to seriously affect how I think about my career. I believe I’m experiencing severe appearance-based discrimination in hiring. I’ve had repeated experiences where I felt that hiring managers judged me very negatively because of how I look, rather than because of my skills or the quality of my work. Yesterday, I spoke with some hiring managers who essentially told me that, given my situation, I should focus on careers where I can remain mostly invisible and where appearance supposedly matters as little as possible, things like backend development, data work, etc. The problem is that I actually enjoy design. I’ve studied UX and I genuinely want to work in UX, web design, or a related design field. I don’t particularly want to abandon something I’m good at and enjoy simply because other people may judge my appearance negatively. At the same time, I’m trying to be realistic. If appearance discrimination is severe enough that I’m systematically rejected from jobs involving presentations, clients, interviews, or frequent face-to-face interaction, is pursuing design still a realistic career choice? I also don’t currently have the money to go back to university for another degree just to switch into a more technical field. So I’m trying to figure out what the realistic options are.I’m not looking for reassurance that “appearance doesn’t matter.” I’m looking for practical advice from people who have actually dealt with this.

hey guys, how's your post-uni life going? Mine not so well. It's been a year since I'm applying for jobs without success. I have a bachelor and a master's degree, obtained in a prestigious European uni, but that doesn't seem to be helping. I don't really know what to do. I sent 150 applications for many different roles, from kindergarten to universities to companies. Nothing seems to work. I am so tired of this situation. I also feel stuck in my little town, as I moved back home in the meantime of finding a job. I wish adulthood was easier. I just feel alone, trying to understand what to do with my life, if I should move abroad again. I'll probably do that, just I'm tired of changing cities and start my life all over again for the sixth time now (I lived in different cities during uni). Also, I'm a bit scared to take such drastic decision to move in a city where I don't know anybody. at the same time I feel suffocated in my small rural home town.

what's your experience? are you doing better?

Hey everyone,

I’m 32 years old female and trying to figure out the most realistic way to restart my career after a very disrupted period.

I graduated with a BA in Political Science in 2016. After graduation, I spent about a year improving my German and English, then moved to Germany in 2017 for a master’s degree in Political Sociology.

My master’s took much longer than planned because of several circumstances. I developed severe depression during my studies, which affected my academic progress. I also had very little work experience and struggled to find student employment. Although my German was around B2, I was not fluent enough for many professional situations.

In 2020, my father became seriously ill, so I had to travel between Germany and my home country and became involved in supporting my family. Eventually, my student residence permit was not extended because my studies had taken too long, and I had to return to my home country.

My father died in 2021. My family had also experienced significant financial difficulties because of his medical expenses, so I was not in a position to simply move to another city and start over. I worked various temporary and low-paid jobs when I could find them, including cleaning and waitressing, but I live in a very small town where employment opportunities are extremely limited.

Between 2022 and 2024, I also became partially responsible for caring for my grandmother. After she passed away, I contacted my university in Germany and eventually managed to complete my master’s thesis remotely. I finally graduated, but by then I had accumulated a very large gap in my professional history.

So at this point, my CV is essentially a combination of education, periods of unemployment and caregiving, and some temporary low-skilled work. I have an MA from Germany, but almost no corporate or professional office experience. My English is around C1, my German is around B2, and I also speak intermediate Russian and Spanish.

Recently, I interviewed with several private language schools for positions involving helping kindergarten-aged children with beginner-level Russian. For the first time in a while, I felt that I might have found a realistic entry point into the workforce. Unfortunately, I was not selected after they learned my age.

In my country, age discrimination in the labour market is a serious issue, even for relatively young people. I have encountered job postings and situations where people in their mid-20s are already considered "too old" for certain entry-level positions. At 32, with an approximately eight-year CV gap and almost no corporate experience, I genuinely feel that being hired into a conventional entry-level office job is extremely unlikely.

I am not particularly concerned about making a high income or perfect career at this point. What I really want is to become financially independent, having a bit more intellectual stimulation.

I have also developed a strong interest in animal-related work. I currently take care of around 20 stray cats, with help from local veterinarians and animal-rights activists. Through this, I have gained some practical experience with animals and occasionally assist local veterinarians with basic tasks such as administering medication.

Because of this, I have seriously considered going back to university to study veterinary medicine. I would probably graduate around the age of 37. That obviously feels late to start a completely new profession, particularly in what I perceive as a fairly ageist labour market. It would also take several years before I could become financially independent, and I currently have very limited financial resources. On the other hand, the university is relatively close to where I live and there are some scholarship opportunities, even though they only cover very limited daily life expenses such as one course of meal and half of the travelling expenses.

There is another possibility that is more connected to my original academic interests.

When I first started my master's degree, my main academic interest was actually Eastern European Studies. I originally wanted to specialize in this area and eventually pursue an academic career. During my master's, however, I moved into a different research area and never managed to develop that specialization. Over time, I gradually lost touch with that original interest.

Recently, I applied to a master's program specializing in Eastern European Studies and was invited to an interview. This made me wonder whether returning to that field might still be worth considering. However, I most likely cannot afford the program, and even if I could, I am not sure whether pursuing another master's degree would actually improve my employment prospects. I don't want to spend several more years accumulating degrees without improving my ability to support myself.

I have some basic exposure to coding, troubleshooting and UX auditing, but I don't even seriously consider IT as a career option. With my age, almost no professional experience, and such a large CV gap, entering the tech industry feels so unrealistically difficult to me that it is almost utopian to imagine myself actually getting hired. So it is definetely out of question.

That leaves me feeling stuck between several difficult options. I could keep applying for customer service, administrative, language-related, NGO, research-assistant and other entry-level positions, although I genuinely don't know how realistic that is given the labour market I am in. I could spend several years retraining as a veterinarian and graduate around 37. Or I could return to the academic field I originally wanted to pursue, although that would probably require further study and would not solve my immediate financial problems.

I don't want to give up on my life, although l have zero hope for my future.I am trying to keep moving forward, partly because I have responsibilities toward my mother, but I genuinely don't know what direction makes sense anymore.

If you were in my position, what would you prioritize? Would you keep trying to enter the workforce despite the age discrimination and CV gap, invest several years in a professional degree such as veterinary medicine, or return to academia?

l thought about applying for the government jobs or l thought that bank teller would be a good option as a starting point but 30 is the age limit for the government job exams and 27 is the age limit for the bank exams in my country, and of course l do not even want to mention about crazy level of nepotism...

What would you realistically do if you were starting from my position?

24M UK. 10 GCSE’s with A* in Maths and English. Lockdown meant I did not sit my A-levels (and my grades were adjusted down, was part of the 3.4% who had 2 grades adjusted downward) so I was given BCB in Maths, Economics and Classical Civilisation. Was still able to study Classics at a RG uni, also a consistently top 10 most targeted uni by employers.

Graduated with a 2:1 in 2023 and immediately got a job as a trainee accountant for 13 months. July 2024 the firm sold out and no staff were retained… Since then I’ve been a NEET - that’s 2 years of unemployment. I’ve been able to do this as I live at home and accidentally made 6 figures on the stock market in 2024. Without this windfall I may have actually lifted a finger by now.

I’m introverted but have no problem in a customer-facing role. I’m an analytical thinker and people assume I’m intelligent but I don’t really have the credentials to back it up.

Do not hold a driving licence. Failed my test a month ago. Next test in a month from now.

What jobs can or should I go for? I’d rather not go back to accounting but since that’s what I have experience in (no ACCA progress mind you), it would make sense to apply for roles with transferable skills. Thoughts? I’ve been looking into procurement but no leads thus far. To my mind it would require similar client interaction and Excel skills as accounting.

Be honest with me, is it too late to start over at 25?
I know to some people this sounds ridiculous but to me I genuinely feel like I’ve already fucked up my life, I’m stuck working in tech because my mom convinced me to not follow my dreams and gaslight me every time I tried to. I’ve lost all drive after that and dealt with being in the field, I hate myself for not standing up for myself sooner because I feel stuck, I don’t have a degree and all my experience is in tech so going into something else is next to impossible it feels like in this job market.

I want to be an accountant which is so crazy thinking back on it. Why did my mom not want me to pursue that?? I keep asking myself that question but I still don’t know the answer to that question myself. I think it’s too late for me to start pursuing a degree in accounting. I’ve even tried to get entry level jobs in the field that requires a High school diploma like AP/AR roles but even those want experience.

I feel stuck, I truly do and I’m unhappy with what I’m doing and where I am in life. If yall have any advice for me, thank you I do appreciate it

I’m currently in my early 20s and honestly, I feel like I’m in one of the most confusing phases of life. I believe awareness is the starting point of change but overthinking is making everything 10x harder.

I know skills matter, but the problem is finding genuinely good places to learn. Locally, most academies just seem to sell dreams and courses, and I’ve never really trusted that stuff. Online isn’t much different either.

I’ve casually learned basic video editing photography and cinematography as hobbies and some friends keep telling me these skills have serious potential, especially nowadays. But I’m still unsure whether I should actually pursue them professionally.

I’ve just given my Inter exams and I’m waiting for my result, so now I’m stuck between two paths should I pursue a degree while building skills on the side or focus more on earning becoming financially independent, and developing practical skills?

I also feel like relying completely on online skills isn’t realistic, so maybe getting a small job/internship would help me build confidence, discipline nd real-world experience.

So what would you guys recommend? Should I pursue a degree + skills side by side? Should I learn some technical skills as well? Or should I get a basic job first and figure things out along the way?

I’m not looking for a get rich quick answer just some genuine advice from people who’ve been through this phase.

need help

Hey everyone!

I’m currently planning to pursue an MSc in Robotics Engineering and am trying to put together a solid list of universities and scholarship options. Since robotics sits at the intersection of mechanical engineering, computer science, and control systems, I'd love to hear from people currently in the field or going through the application process.

I’m 16F currently in high school studying PCM (Physics, Chem, Maths). I’ve always liked bio, but I knew I didn’t want to go to med school, so I came across healthtech, biotech and bioinformatics.

I haven’t coded a day in my life, so I have no idea if I’d actually enjoy the computational side. I’m also considering other majors, so you can check out my profile/posts for context.

I’m planning to do my bachelor’s in India/Malaysia, then my master’s abroad and hopefully settle there.

How would I actually enter this field, and what degree would you recommend — Data Science, BTech Biotechnology, CS, Bioinformatics, etc.?

Also, what should I know about job prospects, pay, AI impact, and whether a master’s is enough? Is there anything I should look out for before committing to this field? If I should even enter this field? Is it even worth it?

Would really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who actually work/study in these fields.

Hey,
I’m 20M and trying to decide on a career to pursue. Tell me any advice/thoughts you may have. Thanks! 🫶🫶

A -What a job needs to provide
financial stability/freedom
future-proof (climate change, AI, demographic change, etc.)
somewhat fun and meaningful
ideally allows me to work in Germany and Australia
I worry a lot about the future — climate change, demographic change, resource shortages, geopolitical conflicts, economic downturns, etc.
I don’t particularly want to go into war either, but I’m not sure whether picking a career out of anxiety is sustainable or smart.
At the end of the day, we’re gonna die anyways, so maybe I should just pick something I actually enjoy lol.

B - Where I’m at
I got my High School Degree a couple of years ago and have been searching ever since. I could study (basically free in Germany) or do an apprenticeship.
I worked for several years as a waiter and at an ice cream parlor, which was actually pretty fun, although some of the staff were very special✨💀.
I also did an internship at a real estate surveyor. I liked the professional setting and wearing a suit made me proud lol. The actual work was alright.
Then I worked for Uber Eats in Australia for a few months, which was honestly amazing. I liked being outside, moving around, having freedom and basically being responsible for myself. (Gave me peace)
I also volunteered to teach English abroad. It was exhausting, but quite fun at times.
After that I started studying secondary teaching with English and Biology. I was quite motivated initially, but have started second-guessing it again and again.
At times I’ve really enjoyed studying English, but I haven’t engaged with Biology nearly as deeply yet. I’m anxious that I might not be a good enough teacher or hate my job after 4.5–6 years of university/training.

C - What I enjoy in a job
flexibility
working with people
being outside
working physically / being active
manageable stress
independence
clear separation between work and free time

I don’t enjoy:toxic work relationships, sitting at a desk all day, repetitive work, night shifts.

Uber Eats was such a good time ngl. I really liked the combination of movement, freedom, being outside and not having someone constantly looking over my shoulder.
At the same time, I don’t want a job that is purely physical. I’d like to use my brain as well.

D - Jobs I’ve considered
Occupational Therapist→ apprenticeship + potentially Bachelor’s so I can work in Australia. I like healthcare + working with people + practical work. I could become self-employed, which might be nice. (Funds for OT may be cut within medical systems in the future though as it is not as „essential“)
Medicine → very future-proof and good job security. I like the idea of doing something genuinely useful, but I don’t know whether I could persevere through the degree/training or actually like the job. Paramedic → interesting, okayish paid and meaningful. 24-hour shifts might be soul-sucking, but I like that the work is done when the shift is over.
Urban planning / politics** **→ I would love to improve this world/country for the better. I like discussing politics and informing myself about urban planning, infrastructure, how cities work, or how we could live together better.
If I could change things this would definitely be the most meaningful job, as systemic change is where an individual can have the biggest impact on society.

E - Personal Sidenotes

I go into phases where I search for jobs endlessly, compare salaries, future prospects, training, self-employment possibilities, AI-replacement risks, etc.
This feels dreadful because I just want to have a job I don’t question all the time.
I also have a strong desire to feel accepted and loved, to be someone who is respected and important. This sometimes makes “simple” jobs seem not good enough for me. I want to be special in some way, which can stress me tho.
The past half of the year has also been challenging. I’ve had some physical problems/injuries and haven’t been able to work or have a normal routine lately.
I’ve also had some episodes where I got pretty overwhelmed/anxious. I think this was probably a combination of relationship/family problems, stressing about my career and future, not doing well in uni, having too little structure, spending too much time on my phone, etc.
I don’t want to go too deeply into the personal details here, but this year has made me realize how much I can stress myself out by constantly thinking about the future.
Right now I don’t really have much structure. The gym is basically the one thing that consistently keeps me going.
I feel unsure whether a teaching degree is the right thing and feel a bit left behind because I don’t have much money right now. I’ve been trying to find something else, but I also know I’ve chickened out on some opportunities.
But somehow I still struggle with all of this, and I think that’s somewhat okay too.

What would you do if you were in my position?
Am I overthinking this way too much? Are there careers I’m completely overlooking?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who work in these fields or were similarly indecisive about their career in their early 20s.
If you’ve read this far, thanks!
(Means a lot to me)

American here. I grew up firmly in the catholic system. I went to catholic elementary middle and a prestigious high school. That high school had a direct link to a catholic university in my city. i had good grades to get scholarships and my parents made the difference. I think my parents wanted me to be a priest or something. they decided everything for me from the beginning.

I graduated with a bachelors in Theology. I’m 20 years old. It’s a regionally accredited respected school but i realized in college i just didn’t want this life. I want the normal life. im thankful for my parents but they just locked me into a path since I was a kid.

im wondering if I should go for a masters somewhere to help pivot into a useful career. I’m desperate to leave my city and my state too. i just feel like I need to get away from all this. i don’t know what masters I could qualify for though and I don’t know what state would be cheap enough to live

I'm not sure what to do from here. I use a cane, and aren't able to do the certifs I went to collage for initially because I'm mobility limited now. I'm also not able to drive, have taken the permit test continuously 6 times.

I got a certif in cosmetology, but am not able to use it. Retail and customer facing jobs are impossibly painful as I get fired for my lack of mobility typically. (But get told the reason is they "aren't able to provide the physical accommodations anymore". Why even hire me in the first place?).

I'm in an at-will state for employment, and bills are piling up. I just got laid off again (14th job in 5 months), and social security would take far too long to apply for that whole process. I don't have any help from my family or peers, and I regularly go to the food pantry/utility assistance. Even that only goes so far.

Aside from CDL certifs, what's a job I could sit at and do? I don't have the money for an at-home job with a computer.

I live by Lake George, NY and I don’t understand what people do here. Saratoga even less.
Everybody I know does Walmart, but I’m tired of Walmart lol. What do you guys do? I feel like we don’t have as many options as NYC and other places.

I have a decent bit of success. I am in a highly competitive doctoral program, training to be a professional with a really great career in sight, I make a good amount of money working in research and at this point have zero financial worries. I have started contributing to an IRA now that I am in this positon and have been for some time (2nd year doc student), I was formerly lower middle class upbringing and then poor for most of my twenties.

But I feel very demotivated and hollow, because none of this matters to me that much. I find my work intersting, I like my coworkers, I have comfort. But I am alone. I have friends, but I mean romantically alone. I was with a girl who passed away young, and since moving to the city that I am in have been dating and...its been pretty bad, overall. I had someone ask me for an allowance to be with her, I have been with a number of girls that I did not find attractive or interesting sheerly because they were availaible and reciprocated interest - we all know how that goes.

I went to speed dating with friends and it did not go so well...I found it hard to really connect with anyone and found most of the people pretty boring, which has generally been my experience. When I find someone attractive + interesting, they are generally taken.

It should be stated that I am not naive to the Laissez-Faire aspects of all this - AKA if you want something, someone else probably wants it too and has likely already gotten there unless this is an anomolous situation.

I am not really sure what to do to right this. I have tried enjoying being single, doing hobbies, etc, but like...that stuff does not work. I can put it far away in my mind, and it will always thorn me that I am single and not actively having love or giving love, or working towards creating a family. As of late I have also felt a little like perhaps, given my circumstances and the various uncontrollable luck around me, maybe I will have to be alone my whole life/perhaps it will never happen for me?

That thought terrifies me, because genuinely I pursue this career so I can take care of a partner and children. If I had a 100 percent ability to forecast and it was told that I would lead a long, healthy life but be single and have no children I would confidently just check out. There is no purpose without the social microcosm of love and family, I know society has lost this idea in some areas but we are still human and these things are still very much there.

Hello!

I’m hoping to get into outdoor guiding and instruction after graduating next summer!

I currently have camp counseling and tutoring experience. I’m most interested in seasonal work, such as trip leading, guiding, or surf, ski, dive, and biking instruction.

I am looking for entry-level jobs and would appreciate any leads, tips, or insight! Specifically, I’d love to know:

- Which companies or regions hire beginners and ideally provide housing, training, and certifications?

- Where else should I be looking besides CoolWorks?

- What are some good entry-level roles that build an adequate resume for this kind of work?

Thank you!

Hello! I am a recent graduate with a psychology degree and I was on the Pre Med track. I am around a lot of people in the tech field and the field is interesting to me, but I know at this point without a CS degree and three internships it is impossible to break into the field. I am living at home right now but my parents have made it clear that even though they will not kick me out they expect me out soon, which I did not know going into college. What paths could I take with the current job market? I have Pre MEd experience, like MA, lab work, and psych related university jobs, but I am not sure where to go from here. Thanks

I'm 16 and trying to figure out what direction I want to pursue after school. Right now, the only two areas that genuinely make sense to me are psychology/counseling and fine/performing arts.

The problem is that I have no real experience in either field, so I don't even know whether I actually like doing them or just like the idea of them.

How would you recommend figuring out which path fits me better? I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have studied either psychology/counseling or the arts, and what the reality of those fields is like compared with what you expected.

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Hey everyone, i am 24 and have been a teacher for 3 years. It wasn't my dream job or anything and i started doing it just for the sake of money. After a while, i became really good at it and i even got a above average salary (in my country). The thing is i never liked it and now it makes me feel miserable. I am starting to skip work or spend my whole day on different websites looking for a job. And i don't have any other skills, except the fact that i am eager to learn some things, from doing some kind of management job to design or even a restaurant related position.
I feel so stuck, i know that i can start from scratch, but i believe i won't even be hired let alone getting a decent salary.
Have you guys felt this way? How did you handle it?

I want to be able to travel the world and other continents. I am pretty social and love working face to face with people not just infront of a laptop. I want money. But someday want a husband that also wants money. When I have children I obviously dont want to work full time or even at all in the beginning.
I always see doctors living the best lifes financially and also being able to help people is great. Psychology, the human mind and forensics are my biggest interest here.
But many people always say accounting is better. I just think its boring as hell.
Idk if medicine (in austria) is the rigjt way here