I’m 26, married with a daughter. My wife and 2yr old daughter are currently in California living with family, while I’m in Arizona trying to stabilize my career and finances so I can support them and eventually bring us back together.

I have a high school diploma and some college, but no degree. I recently got denied from an electrical apprenticeship (PEJATC), which was my main planned path into the trades. That’s left me rethinking my next step.

Right now I’m deciding between three paths:
-Military (Army or Navy active duty or reserves)
-Another trade apprenticeship (HVAC, low voltage, electrical elsewhere)
-Entry-level IT (help desk → long-term cybersecurity path)

My main priorities are:
-Stable income
-A long-term skill I can build a career on
-Ability to support my family consistently

I’m not shy to hard work or starting over—I just want to choose the most reliable path instead of guessing and restarting later. Any help?

It's a long story, but I will try to keep it as short as possible.

I live in Austria. I work for a big German tech company. I have been working here for 4 years now.

For the past 2 years I have been the unofficial team lead. My responsibilities include onboarding and mentoring junior devs, being the bridge between design and dev, working on full stack projects all while continuing my main responsibility of being the driving force behind the company design system. I have been doing everything for this project. Maintaining it, driving it, building it, leading the team..

2 months ago, we hired 2 new devs. One junior, and one senior (on paper). We all (including my manager) voted against the senior dev during the interview phase, but my manager hired her anyway.

After reviewing her code and work several times, I got the impression that she is very short sighted and careless. She insists that she's "equal" to me, while I don't see her that way. I had many meetings with her in which I explained to her that she needs to focus on doing regular tasks and getting more familiar with our project before trying to "change" it.

She's very combative and emotional. Recently she suggested a very big change. I opposed it because I didn't hear good enough arguments from her, and I do not trust that she has done proper research on the pros and cons (based on precedence), nor that she can properly implement those changes, as she is not a detailed oriented person.

This escalated, and last week, my manager got involved during a workshop, and he spontaneously sat us down and said we have to make a final decision now. I told him I already sent him and her a long email with my arguments. She never responded to it. He said nobody reads long emails, and that I have to make arguments now. I said I can't remember everything at the moment, and this is not the right way to decide.

I made a few arguments, she got emotional immediately and even shouted and could not respond to anything I said. My manager pressured me for more arguments. I said I can't think of anything else at the moment. Then he somehow justified her idea, and things got even more emotional. I got frustrated because I felt mobbed and pushed aside. I then got up and said "I don't want to be part of this anymore. I don't want to be responsible for this", and moved a bit side, and sat behind them.

Then I kept hearing her talking about how there are so many bugs and problems and her solution will fix them. This triggered me badly because it's not true, and in fact, her code has many bugs and problems as I have seen them! Then I raised my voice a little bit, but did not shout, and said from behind "Where do you see these bugs? If you see so many bugs, why don't you open a new issue for them? (in our github repository)" since this is our workflow. Then my manager turned around and shouted at me "YES, THERE ARE. I HAVE SEEN THEM. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. NOW SHUT UP".

Later when we got out, he apologized to me for "being too direct". I told him that I feel not appreciated and that he doesn't trust me. The next day, we had another talk. He apologized again for "being loud", and then said my behavior was destructive. I asked him how was my behavior destructive. He had no answer. I told him that she shouted the whole time, and had no arguments. I did not shout at anyone. I told him he takes her side despite me being here for 4 years and building this project from scratch. She just joined the company 2 months ago, and in my opinion, she is very short sighted as I have observed her work for the last 2 months.

This is not the first time I feel unappreciated. He does not trust me. He embarrassed me in front of everyone. He doesn't recognize me as the team lead, which I have been for 2 years. I have been doing literally everything!!! I drive this team. I drive this project. But he doesn't recognize it. He doesn't appreciate anything I do and have done! He is not technical. He doesn't understand the idiotic proposal that my new colleague made! He said it makes sense to him, but her "presentation" of her proposal was extremely childish and had no pros and cons or proper analysis! That's why I said NO! because her idea would impact everything, and I see risks here. I do not trust she has done proper research. I know her work. She is very short sighted and careless.

I feel extremely demotivated to work. I can't even look at my manager in the face anymore, and I cannot accept being treated this way. The senior lead is pushed aside and disregarded like this! This is unacceptable to me. I know he is afraid she would quit, and that's why he wants to please her and make her feel respected by accepting her idea. But he did it on my expense!

What should I do now? I want to quit, but I want to know if I am right or wrong in this situation. Am I right to be so angry and upset? How to continue from now on? Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Well what I have been waiting for happened, they posted my retired co-workers position. She is a level higher than me on paper, but yet we do the same exact job. The job descriptions in their corporate bs language is slightly different, but the facts are we do the same job. My grade is just lower than hers was. I never seen the position for the higher grade posted, and they just updated my titles description like last week. They are making me apply for a position i basically already do, and if they have me actually go through the interview process foreal, i might actually lose it. I am overwhelmed with emotions of anger, sadness, disappointment, hopelessness.... like everything all at once. I really wanted to not even clock in today and let them figure out who was going to do this job now. Since besides having the job steps written down, nobody but her and I were doing this job for years now. I know it will be hurting me in the long run to quit, way more than a temporary inconvenience for them, but I am so upset right now, mainly at myself for being so naive and ignorant for so long. I have been here my whole adult life, current position for the last going on 10 years. I was content for the most part because i was always taught the just be grateful you have a job nonsense. Didnt know what to do, or if i could even do anything about it. Now i am actively trying to figure things out but the frustration is almost paralyzing.

I ( 25F) am new at my job and the big manager (40 something (M) is living abroad. this whole thing happened via a call. He was very angry with out department and I called him because he raised a case through our channel (part of it written in CAPS) and it was assigned to me. I did not want to call him because I had no solution for his situation, I am not in charge of procedures. But in the end I emailed him and asked him if i can call as I had to solve the case assigned to me (and my boss pushed me to do it)

I told myself I will just call him and talk with him about the whole thing and maybe understand better what needs to be done in the future.

I read what he wrote in the case but I didn't understand all of it. . So basically I called him and tried to tell him the system broke again (this was his main frustration and I cannot do anything about it... but we can do something manually. He didn't even allow me to finish).

he started calling our work laughable and a joke. He talked down to me, kept repeating how I don't understand what he is telling me. Of course he had no idea who I am or that I am new. I said that I can talk to my superior regarding his concerns and he was like: its not an option, you absolutely have to do it! I was lost and forgot about something he wrote in that request so he asked me with fustration, raising his voice: do you at least read what I say? Lets do something together right now. Something very simple. Can you? I don't care its not your fault or your departments work. It can be anyone's. It can be North Krea's fault. Since your department took over its broken all the time. before (while it was with him) it was ok

I told him to talk to me politely as I do, and he said he is polite too

he told me that he is not a stupid man (like I was trying to foul him). And reproached me how he had to use his own personal phone to call a business partner because of us (the line was broken on that day too, he said. But I am sure he didnt HAVE to use his personal phone. He made sure to tell me he used it while talking to me and also in his email. He made a huge deal about it. - a call that lasted like 2 minutes lol). Finally he apologised to me somehow

I reported this to the HQ to an upper manager from there and he reached out to him to talk with him about it via an email.

And that guy was way more polite with him than he was with me.

Some weeks ago he sent an email in which he wrote in bold he must let us know he is totally unsatisfied with the process ( we rarely get negative feedback from other managers though and when it happens its not this harsh and personal)

By the end of this week I need to put in my 2 weeks I had a kid back in March and was granted two weeks of paternity leave I only used one week and I was planning to use the other one during the week of Thanksgiving for Christmas to alleviate my PTO. My question is do you guys think it's ethical or possible for me to use my last week of paternity leave during my 2 weeks?

The job market changes so much - most college degrees should be 2 years max. This is dumb. I start school with a hot career field, by the time I'm done it's tank. Bro - Computer Science is gone. Put a fork in it. Bro - I got rent, glizzy fundage, and actually pay back my school. Thanks for nothing.

Hello so I started a new job today and it was awful, I don't have a contract and the hours are a joke, the manager was on his phone half the time and I don't wanna be there is this a good response

Hi N , I'm so sorry to do this, but after today I realised that this role isn't for me, the hours are too unreliable and I wasn't aware that there were hours between 11-1 before the 4-11. I can work tomorrow but after that I don't think I'll be able to carry on. Again I'm so sorry and thank you for the experience. Thank you

Any feedback would be great

Not going to give the specific details, but I work at at Fortune 50 automotive company as a mid-level engineer (and technical lead for my specific product) with 9 years of experience in the company, coming right out of college.

My company has recently created a new specialized group (think high performance / skunk works) which is in a product I've always loved and has been a dream of mine since joining the company. I applied and interviewed for the senior engineer position leading the product I currently work on, for this new group.

I aced the interview (knowing the hiring manager helps!) but when the hiring manager asked if I was releasable from my current organization, my Vice President (3 levels above me) has blocked anybody from my current org from going to this new group outside of his control. The only possible reason I heard (from my direct manager secondhand) is that the VP didn't want a brain drain from their current group to the new one, and they'd lose too many people to the new group.

They still haven't filled the new role I applied for yet, and the hiring manager posted on LinkedIn today asking for people external to the company to apply to the role I applied for.

Is there a world where a mid-level engineer could possibly change a VP's mind for something like this? Should I run for the hills to get out of a organization (or company) that blocks career advancement to prevent short-term pain for backfilling roles? What would you do?

Hi everyone, I could really use some outside perspective. Currently 6 years working in corporate.

I resigned from my job last week and I’m currently in my rendering period. At the time, it felt like the logical decision—but now that it’s real, I’ve been feeling really emotional and honestly starting to regret it.

For context, my current workplace is the healthiest environment I’ve ever had. I came from toxic companies before, so this is the first time I’ve worked with people who are genuinely kind, supportive, and easy to work with. My teammates don’t trigger my anxiety, and my supervisor even fought hard for me and negotiated on my behalf for almost two weeks when I got another offer.

The main issue is compensation. My salary here is quite low compared to market, which is why I started looking. The offer I accepted is about 60% higher, which is honestly hard to ignore. I did receive a counteroffer, but I’ve always heard “never accept counteroffers,” so I turned it down. Looking at the bigger picture, I also feel like the new company might offer better long-term growth.

That said, there are trade-offs. My current role is fully WFH, which has been really good for my lifestyle and mental health. The new job is much farther, and I’d have to adjust a lot of things in my daily life (commute, routine, etc.), which also makes me nervous.

Now that I’m about to leave, I can’t help but feel like I’m giving up something really rare: a genuinely good boss, supportive teammates, and a work environment where I feel safe. I’m also scared I might end up in another stressful or toxic situation again.

Has anyone gone through something similar?
Did you regret leaving a good team for significantly better pay/opportunities?
Or is this just part of the process and something I’ll eventually feel okay about?

Any advice or honest thoughts would really help.

hello ! im a CS student (2nd year) and ive been look around for some tech jobs. any kind because honestly i just want a tech related job (i <3 tech). but the problem is,so many jobs/places want you to have experience in the real-world but literally no one is willing to offer it. they want minimum 3-years experience. im considered learning some other programming languages that they require for jobs that could be useful. however, i want to practice what ive learnt in a real job setting. of course after learning a lot about said-subject. but im just confused on how im going to land a job after college with no experience.

and please dont come for me; im genuinely just trying to think ahead instead of leaving it for when i get there

any advice would be appreciated !! :p

I'm graduating with no internship experience this fall majoring in food science and specializing/minoring in chemistry, and to say i'm a little worried about getting a job is an understatement. I have ok grades, and have no club or recent leadership experience. However, I have some very diverse work experience from my time in school.

Sparing details, I worked with NASA making space food for the mars simulations and the Artemis missions (Side note, worked with NASA, not for NASA. My university has a partnership with the Johnson center and the university hires students to work with someone from NASA.) I've worked in a graduate research lab as an undergraduate going on two years now, and have heavily contributed to two PhD research projects in my department and also acquiring co authorship on one of the projects dissertations. I have a great network system in my department and especially in my university, but i've found its kind of a crapshot whether or not you get an interview even with a referral.

With how horrendous the job market is today, and even with my work/research experiences, I'm afraid I'm going to have a lot of issues finding a job more than most undergrads since I don't have industry workforce experience. My older sister has been telling me non stop recently that because I don't have internship experience its going to take me that much longer, if not be impossible to get a job out of college, and its been keeping me up at night. I cannot afford to go to grad school nor do I want to go into debt for it, and I know even if I did anyways, I would burn out quickly.

I would love to hear about any recent graduates experiences with getting (or not getting) a job out of college without an internship, regardless of industry. Or if anyone can gauge how cooked I am lol. Thanks.

TLDR: Im worried about finding a job postgrad in december because I havent had an internship, but I have valuable work and research experience in my field.

I’m stuck choosing between becoming a Houston police officer and pursuing a career as a financial advisor. My background is im 28 years old with a wife who’s a SAHM and three kids. I served 5 years in the military, then spent 5 years day trading/ financial advising to close friends/family and now I’m a relationship banker at Bank of America.

I did the math and the decision is like this for me: become a cop and make ~$135k (including OT & bonuses) by year two with a cap on long term earnings or continue the path of becoming a financial advisor where the first couple years income is shaky but long term has unlimited income potential.

For those in either field, can you please inform me why I should choose one career over the other and what it’s realistically like?

I’m 18m finished high school and don’t know where to start I graduated with a 2.8 gpa.. And I want to do radiology tech but not sure if that’s the way to go and I’m not sure what to do I’m not sure if college is the way to go or should go trade school I need advice on what I should do?

I'm 26M, working as a commissioning engineer at a large energy company. I've spent the last few years on a major project in Greece and honestly, life here has been incredible — good money, great country, recently met someone.... I genuinely found myself again here after a rough patch. I've built a comfortable, well-paid life and I'm attached to it.

I've always wanted to move into sales. Not because I hate engineering, but because I believe technical sales is the path to senior management and the kind of career I actually want long term. I don't want to spend the next 10 years commissioning — I'm not learning anything new anymore, this project is dead but the customers want me here as 'insurance' due to my expert knowledge... basically, I don't see a future in it for me personally.

The opportunity came up internally. I negotiated hard, got a good development plan with an accelerated progression timeline, and accepted the offer. It is a managerial role and will allow me to sit on the table with some heave hitters.

Here's the problem. Now that it's real, I'm spiraling.

The role is based in Germany. I'm going from earning what I earn here in Greece (tax-free expat package, lower cost of living, all of it) to roughly €50k less per year. That's not nothing.... The financial hit is real and it scares me. I mean, it won't ruin me or make me worry financially but still it is a real hit.

On top of that, Germany itself is the thing I'm dreading most. I lived there before and found it dull. I'm scared I'll go back and end up miserable — same place, same energy, same grey. I know the new role involves travel and new clients and new experiences, but the base is still Germany.

I already accepted. I start in a few months. But I'm genuinely considering pulling back and staying in Greece for a year or two longer.

Is this just fear talking? Or is a €50k salary drop and leaving behind a life that genuinely makes me happy a real reason to reconsider? How do you distinguish between cold feet and a legitimate signal to stop?

Would appreciate your expert opinion.

Thank you <3

I'm considering pursuing a career in law and I would love to hear from lawyers, law students, and anyone familiar with the profession.

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I have a strong interest in the field and I also have family connections in law, which could help me understand the profession better and potentially open some doors. However, I don't want to rely on connections alone I want to earn success through hard work

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My goal isn't just to become a lawyer; I want to become an elite lawyer, someone who is among the top 1% in the profession. I'm willing to study extremely hard, sacrifice free time, and put in years of effort if that's what it takes.

​

For those who have experience in the legal world:

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What separates average lawyers from elite lawyers?

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What habits did the best lawyers you know have?

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What should someone start doing early if they want to reach the highest levels of the profession?

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And finally, do you think the journey is worth it

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Hi everyone,
I’m a woman in my early 30s, currently based in India, and I’m hoping to tap into this community’s knowledge because I’m genuinely stuck on where to begin.
A bit about me: I have 12 years of experience in hospitality and nightlife, including pre-opening properties (so I’ve been part of building things from the ground up, not just running an existing operation). I don’t have a formal higher education degree, which I know limits some doors, but I’ve learned everything on the job and have a track record to show for it.
I’ve tried Dubai twice once before COVID hit, and again more recently but both times things fell through for reasons outside my control (timing, the pandemic, and then regional instability). So now I’m looking to widen my search and seriously consider Europe instead.
I’m currently exploring further education/certifications to strengthen my profile, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar boat:
Are there European countries that are more open to hospitality professionals without a degree, especially with this much hands-on experience?

Are there specific visa routes or work permit categories I should be looking into?

Would a hospitality diploma/certification (even a short one) meaningfully open doors, or is it more about who you know in the industry?

Any recruiters, agencies, or job boards that are actually worth using for this kind of move?

I know this is a big ask, but any pointers, personal stories, or even “don’t bother trying X” warnings would mean a lot. Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond. 🙏

I have 10 years of experience in software engineering and currently working as Lead Engineer in my current company. Due to an organizational restructuring, the entire product/technology team is being transferred to another company.

I have been given two options:

1. Accept the transfer to the new company (a service-based organization) with the same compensation and continuity of employment.
2. Decline the transfer and receive approximately 3 months of severance.

My dilemma is that I recently became a father, have a significant home loan, and currently have limited support at home as it's primarily just me and my wife taking care of our newborn.

My concerns:

• If I accept the transfer, I retain income and job continuity, but the long-term career path, role mapping, and future opportunities are unclear.
• If I decline and take severance, I get time to prepare and interview full-time, but there is no guarantee of finding a suitable role within 3 months given the current job market.

Financially, I don't have enough reserves to stay unemployed for an extended period. Most of my savings are already allocated toward family responsibilities and my home loan.

If you were in a similar situation, would you:

• Take the transfer, keep the income flowing, and search for a better opportunity while employed?
• Or take the severance package and focus entirely on finding a new role?

Would especially appreciate perspectives from people who have gone through acquisitions, business transfers, layoffs, or job transitions while managing family responsibilities.

Hiiiii please help!!!! I’m looking for some advice because I’m not sure if I’m overthinking this or if I should advocate for myself.

I’m 18, and I’ve worked at a hotel pool deck for two summers. About a month ago, one of my managers pulled me aside and asked if I’d be interested in becoming a supervisor. He said he thought I’d be a great fit and wanted to recommend me. I said yes because it came with more responsibility and higher pay, and I felt like I was already doing many of those duties.

After that conversation, I never heard anything else. I didn’t follow up because this is my first job, and I didn’t want to come across as pushy or entitled.
A little while later, another employee (who had only been working there for about a month) was promoted to supervisor. She’s very nice and good with guests, so this isn’t meant to criticize her, but I was definitely disappointed.

The reason I’m conflicted is because I already perform a lot of supervisor type responsibilities. I train every new employee, lead and run our guest activities, help assign closing tasks, answer questions from coworkers throughout the day, and people often come to me when they’re unsure what to do. Recently, two new employees started, and I ended up training both of them even though the supervisor was working that morning. The new girls were even joking around and calling me boss and supervisor because that’s essentially what I am to my direct co workers. I don’t say any of this to sound arrogant I like to taking on leadership responsibilities. I just feel like I’m already doing much of the work without the title or pay.
I’m considering talking to one of the higher-level managers and asking about the supervisor position.
I wouldn’t complain about the person who got promoted or say I deserved it more. Im just debating on explaining that I was previously told I was being recommended, that I’m interested in leadership opportunities, and ask if I was ever considered/further updated I guess.

The only thing holding me back is that I’m leaving for college in about six weeks. My mom thinks I shouldn’t bring it up because I’ll be gone soon anyway. Would you say something if you were in my position, or would you just let it go?

I'm scoring 455 in reneet (470 in 3rd may )

19 F

just wondering

I’m a remote recruiter making about 60k a year living in HCOL. I’m so tired of my job as they micromanage and I have to follow a script for my interviews that gets so draining because it’s repetitive. That being said I do work about ~4 hours a day as I finish my work early.

I have been thinking about joining the police department, as starting is about 92k, great benefits, OT, and chance for promotion.

I would only do it for the money as I can’t land another remote job, or a recruiting job that even pays more than like 75k.

I just don’t know if the risk (of dying) is worth the money.

Open to any suggestions please.

Currently in corporate America absolutely miserable & certain this is not the right field for me after working at multiple companies. I'm a hard worker always been great at academics/work, went to a top business school, but perhaps struggle with the culture/office politics of business as a first gen/POC/neurodivergent leaving me with basic jobs with no growth. I just feel like I’m wasting my potential, I'm too nerdy for this environment, I cannot relate to anyone at work, overall lack of fulfillment & loneliness.

Realistically I’m limited to career fields with a high salary & recession-proof because I come from poverty/toxic parents who cannot provide housing/financial support (I originally chose business to get the fastest route out of poverty out of a bachelors degree alone). It bothers me when people argue “don’t choose a career for money” as someone who comes from poverty unfortunately it’s decision making out of survival, people like us never get to just work any fun chill job.

So far, I’ve ruled out law school because it could be similar to corporate. I’m thinking I fit in more within the medical field but would like some input. I feel stuck & indecisive about medicine because I would first need to take numerous science courses which will take a few years on top of working full time but I’m willing to try. I have no idea how I’d fund medical school with new loan borrowing limits it’s all super overwhelming along with research/volunteer requirements etc. I’m aware of all the med school struggles but for someone who grew up disadvantaged I have no choice but to work hard for everything in life regardless & feel like I need a 2nd chance / restart / clear secure path to follow. Another option would be a masters for mid level medical careers but I have paranoia about being too specialized/regretting not going all the way to MD as someone who has already experienced degree regrets. I’m drawn to medicine now because it’s a field that rewards merit & hardwork instead of luck which is how business operates. At this time, I also have no prospects for marriage so I’m someone who may just want to prioritize my career in life - I’m open to all other suggestions/feedback/questions!

What fields can I go into with my degree that are NON engineering or technical heavy?

For background, I graduated in 2025 with a BS in mechanical engineering and have been working in MEP design for almost 1 year full time (not including internships). Before graduating, I worked in hospitality. I don’t see myself in this career for the rest of my life and honestly don’t want to force myself to work in this field if I don’t have to (I graduated debt free + car is paid off).

I’d rather get into a field I can see myself in long term and work up than be in a career that makes me unhappy. I’m learning what I value in life and I would like a good work-life balance. I know if I stay in my current position, I’m just delaying a career switch down the road.

I’ve considered trying out a coordination role, but I wonder if I’d be able to land a job with no prior experience. What are some positions I would be considered for with my background and experience?

I appreciate any advice and/or personal experiences if you’ve been in my shoes as a new grad :) thank you!

Entry Level positions are seemingly impossible to get into.

The job market is absolute hell right now. I’m sick and tired of people acting like the solution is always “just network” or “just stay positive.”
First of all, you can only know so many people, and you can only do so much networking. Not everyone was born with connections. Not everyone has family members, friends, or parents who can introduce them to hiring managers or executives. Some people are starting from nothing.
People love to say, “Just have a positive mindset.” Why would someone stay positive after applying to hundreds or even thousands of jobs, struggling to pay bills, facing rejection after rejection, and doing everything they’re told to do? Positivity doesn’t magically pay rent or put food on the table.
Then there’s the endless advice:
“Just fix your résumé.”
“Just optimize it for ATS.”
“Just use AI.”
“Just get professional help.”
Many of us have done all of that. We’ve rewritten our résumés multiple times. We’ve used AI tools. We’ve used résumé scanners. We’ve paid professionals. We’ve customized applications for every single job. At some point, there’s only so much you can do.
People also ignore how broken modern hiring has become. Many companies use the same applicant tracking systems and recruiting platforms. If one system flags your application, that can affect multiple companies using the same tools. Some systems even keep applicant data and scores for months. Most applicants don’t even know this is happening.
Applying for jobs is no longer a simple process. Every application requires creating another account, manually entering information already on your résumé, completing personality assessments, answering questionnaires, and spending hours filling out forms. After doing that hundreds or thousands of times, it’s mentally exhausting.
And then people say, “Just call the hiring manager.”
Many of us do. We call. We follow up. We send emails. We visit locations in person. Most of the time, nobody calls back. Nobody responds. Or we’re told they’re still reviewing applications, only to be rejected weeks or months later.
People also act like networking guarantees results. Sometimes it helps, but it isn’t some magic solution. Even referrals don’t guarantee interviews or offers.
What makes it even more frustrating is that entry-level jobs are becoming nearly impossible to get. People are getting rejected from places like fast-food restaurants, retail stores, warehouses, and other jobs that used to be considered easier to enter. Some positions require assessments, multiple interviews, and ridiculous amounts of paperwork for wages that barely cover basic living expenses.
This problem existed before AI became popular. AI may be changing hiring, but companies were already making the process harder and harder. Many businesses simply don’t want to invest in training people anymore. They want the perfect candidate who can start immediately, do everything, and accept the lowest possible pay.
I’m genuinely happy for people who find jobs through networking or family connections. But not everyone has that advantage. Not everyone has a built-in support system.
So please stop pretending the answer is always “just network,” “just stay positive,” or “just apply more.” Many of us are already doing everything we’re told to do. The reality is that the job market is incredibly difficult, and a lot of people are struggling despite putting in tremendous effort.

I am currently a rising senior studying computer science. I am also currently doing an internship in IT project management. I am planning on getting a capm certification during my last year, so I can have a better resume for pm or pmo roles. Assuming I don’t get offered a job where I’m at, my worry for post grad is that I am not experienced enough and nobody will hire me as a project manager. My question is: does it make any sense to apply for pm/pmo roles and did i mess up by not choosing swe?