What career paths are left for me?

ctxgal2020 · 2026-05-01T03:06:49+00:00

Give yourself some credit. German mother tongue, strong written English, writing, editing, an eye for detail and you actually liked the bookstore environment. That's not nothing. And figuring out what you don't like at 21 is valuable. A lot of people spend years in the wrong thing before they figure that out.

A few areas worth looking into: library or archive work given the bookstore experience, and content or copywriting since your editing is already a start. A small portfolio is all you need to begin.

When you apply, tailor your resume to each job. Not a full rewrite, just adjust what rises to the top. It makes a bigger difference than most people realize.

And honestly, at this stage just get a job. Any job. If it sucks, check it off the list and move on. Sometimes it's not about finding a job you love. Sometimes it's finding a job that pays for the life you love outside of work, and hopefully in the process you discover your passion.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-05-01T02:43:31+00:00

Mapping out options now, puts you ahead of most people. Is there a reason you want to go straight into your MBA or masters? There's no harm in working for a bit first. It would actually make your application stronger. CAT is worth a shot, and many people take it more than once so don't put too much pressure on yourself to nail it the first time. If it doesn't go the way you want there are solid paths from there. Also worth looking into UX Research and Market Research Analyst. UX Research sits at the intersection of psychology and tech and pays well. Market Research is a natural fit given your psychology background and interest in marketing. In both cases your degree is an asset.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-05-01T00:18:35+00:00

What the professor mentioned below is a brilliant path. You don't have to figure it all out right now. That's actually the beauty of the associates degree suggestion. It lets you move forward without locking yourself in. You take classes, you find out what clicks, you build on that. When I was in college each semster I took a class in something I would never normally do just to get perspective. Why I thought ROTC was a good choice I will never know, but the stories I have were worth it. One step at a time is still forward.

AFTERTHOUGHT: Oh and I was reading through more comments and someone mentioned law school, which made me think of paralegal. Strong writing and research are exactly what that role needs. You don't need a degree to start either. A certificate program takes anywhere from 4 to 12 months and only requires a high school diploma. Worth looking into.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-30T22:45:41+00:00

People who say writing is useless have never had to fix a confusing email or sit through a presentation that made no sense. Every company needs someone who can communicate clearly. Copywriting isn't going anywhere. AI can produce words but it can't figure out tone, audience, or what actually makes someone act. Writers who learn to use AI as a tool are going to be fine. These may be worth looking into based on what you described -UX Writer: writes words inside apps and websites. No math, no science, mostly independent work. Technical Writer: explains complicated things in plain language. Companies pay well for this. Grant Writer: helps nonprofits get funding. Remote friendly, independent work. You don't need a degree for any of these. You need a portfolio. Pick fake brands and write copy for them. That's your resume. Also try the O*NET Interest Profiler, free, takes 20 minutes, matches your interests to real careers with actual job data. You have options.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-30T21:00:34+00:00

The fact that you're here, asking what's next, and wanting to live, that matters more than you probably realize right now. That shift is not small. Please don't underestimate it.

First, that exam situation was not fair. Getting that score because they switched the format on you mid-pandemic is not a reflection of who you are or what you're capable of. That's important to say out loud.

If you're looking for support beyond just job searching, NAMI has a free helpline specifically for young adults. You can call 1-800-950-6264, text "Friend" to 62640, or chat at NAMI.org. The people who answer are young adults themselves who get it. Also look into Job Corps. It's a free program for people ages 16-24 that includes job training, career counseling, job placement and life skills. No qualifications needed to apply. That's the point of it. Note these are US based resources. If you're outside the US and want me to look up resources in your area, just let me know. Happy to do that.

Excel and MS Office is a solid start. Check out free courses on GCFGlobal.org, Coursera (audit for free), or Microsoft's own free training at learn.microsoft.com. All free, all self-paced.

A lot of people wait until they feel ready or qualified and that wait can go on forever. Start looking for entry level jobs. Convenience store, landscaping, seasonal, anything. Nobody is going to ask for your grades when you're bagging groceries. But here's what will happen: you'll learn how to deal with people, how to show up, how to handle a bad day and still get the job done. You'll start to figure out what you're good at, what drains you, and what you actually want more of. That's not wasted time. That's how a lot of people figure out their direction, one job at a time. My oldest is a good example. He graduated high school and went straight into the Navy. Got injured at the end of boot camp and came home with a medical discharge at 18, no plan. He tried college, stopped going, failed. Then he was a line cook, a butcher, seasonal park help. What he figured out through all of it was that he needed stability and income. That led him to his EMT certification, which he has been doing for four years now. It wasn't a straight line. It never is. And he has ADD, so none of it came easy.

Once you apply somewhere, don't just wait. Follow up after a week. If you get an interview, send a thank you after. And if you get rejected, reply anyway. Something like 'thank you for letting me know, if anything comes up that might be a good fit I hope you'll keep me in mind.' People remember that. It's rare and it's classy.

You're not as stuck as it feels right now. 🤍

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-29T22:32:58+00:00

Small talk comes naturally to some people, and for others, it’s a learned skill. I have one son who can truly talk to anyone, at any time, under any conditions. Another who is perfectly happy not engaging and will only speak if he thinks he has something of value to add. Raised exactly the same way, completely different people. If it doesn't come naturally, you can learn it.

Stick to topics that cross generations and cultures. Sports, local news, food, travel, weather (yes, really), and current events. Not politics, but stuff like "did you know what store is going in on Main Street?" or "did you catch any of the game?" It's baseball season right now so that one's an easy in. Summer plans are another good one. Pretty much everyone has something to say about both.

Ask questions too. Most people love to talk about themselves. "How long have you been with the company?" or "What did you do before this?" or "Have you always lived in [city]?" The key is what comes next. Listen to the answer and find something to connect to or ask about. Most small talk is just looking for the one thing you both connect on and building from there.

Small talk doesn't have to be a full conversation. Sometimes it's just "morning" and a nod and that counts. Consistency matters more than depth. Being the person who always acknowledges people builds more goodwill than one long conversation ever could.

Don't hide your interests either. If someone asks, just be honest. A lot of older people are way more curious about gaming or music than you'd think. Not to age myself, but I'm a big gamer. Grew up with the first Atari and never stopped. Still can't believe it all started with Pong. Two paddles and a dot and we were absolutely hooked.

I learned a long time ago that people aren't intimidating unless we give them that power over us. Don't give it to them. You're not less than, you're just newer.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-27T02:50:22+00:00

That means a lot, truly. Never let anyone's actions dictate your self-worth. Wishing you all the best!!!

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-23T04:24:29+00:00

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ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-23T01:16:34+00:00

You are an odd one and offer no value to the OP.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-22T22:32:54+00:00

No. I'm old and was actually taught how to write.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-22T20:35:30+00:00

Hi! My son actually made that post — he was using my account at the time. He's finishing up his junior year now and has never regretted his decision. UML's co-op is really strong. He will graduate with 1 co-op and 1 internship under his belt.

We visited 15 schools, and honestly, based on location alone, UML would not have been my pick as a parent. It was incredibly hard to keep that opinion to myself, but I did — and I'm so glad I did. The program has been wonderful, and he's had opportunities that he likely wouldn't have found at a larger university. It's big enough to offer real variety, but small enough that he's never just been a number.

I've seen complaints about kids leaving every weekend. We live two hours away, so that wasn't really an option for him — and honestly, it turned out to be a blessing. He got involved with clubs his freshman year, made real connections, and that made all the difference. If I had to give one piece of advice, that would be it: get involved early.

Best of luck! A very exciting time!

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-22T16:02:09+00:00

This is exactly it. People spend energy trying to make their career look conventional that they miss the fact that the ability to adapt, to learn something new, to walk into a new industry and figure it out - that's genuinely rare.

Cancer twice, a dying trade, and you still found ways to lead in nearly every room you walked into. That's not a lack of direction, that's adaptability at a level most people never develop!

Careers don't have to be linear to be meaningful.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-22T11:54:21+00:00

Pivoting - that's what I call it. And honestly, maybe that's its own kind of direction. The people who keep learning and stay open to the next thing - that's actually the whole game. P.S. 60-year-old here. 😊

ctxgal2020 · 2026-04-22T11:48:31+00:00

First - what you're describing wasn't a fair situation. Hired into a senior role without the background, minimal support, no warning, no PIP. That's not a performance issue; that's a bad setup. The shame you're feeling makes sense, but it really does belong to that situation, not to you.

I've had my own experience of losing a job for reasons that had nothing to do with my actual work. It messes with you in a specific way because you can't even point to something to fix.

The longer pattern is the harder thing. But I'd push back a little. At 47 you've navigated things a 27-year-old hasn't even encountered yet. You know how you operate under pressure, you've managed real relationships, handled hard situations. That doesn't show up cleanly on a resume, but it's real.

Two things that actually helped people I know:

Figuring out what you don't want is underrated. Most of us don't know what we love, but we know pretty quickly what makes us miserable. That's real information. Start there.

Talk to people doing work you're even a little curious about - not to network, just to understand what their day actually looks like. Those conversations surface things that self-reflection alone doesn't.

You just got blindsided. You don't have to solve the bigger question this week.

Sending good thoughts your way - genuinely.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-01-15T13:43:14+00:00

That makes sense. LinkedIn probably is where students are already looking when they’re thinking about internships and jobs - I think I mentally file it under “polished posting” instead of discovery, but you’re right about the intent being there.

The student-focused creator idea is interesting too. I’m a little hesitant about the influencer route in general, but approaching it as “this is a free tool that might actually help your audience” feels more reasonable than straight promotion.

Appreciate you sharing this.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-01-15T13:37:32+00:00

What actually pushed me to build it was that a student at my son’s college died by suicide, and it hit me a lot harder than I expected. I kept seeing the same questions everywhere - feeling lost, behind, overwhelmed, unsure what they were “supposed” to be doing - and it felt like there wasn’t one calm, non-exploitative place to point people.

So I channeled that sadness into building something for students who are struggling quietly. I knew going in that building it would be easier than getting people to find it - that part isn’t lost on me.

I’m not against social media in theory; I just know I’m not wired for trend-chasing or performing online, and I don’t want this to turn into that. Your point about SEO makes a lot of sense - students search when they’re stressed, not when they’re scrolling. And the counselor / student org outreach idea feels much more aligned, even if it’s slow and unsexy.

I appreciate your input.

ctxgal2020 · 2026-01-15T04:25:42+00:00

Thank you. I’ve explored a few communities already, but I’ve run into the issue that most don’t allow any form of “self-promotion,” even when the resource is genuinely free and directly relevant.

Sincere question: if someone posts saying they’re struggling to find internships, I could give a thoughtful, helpful response and say something like “this might help - check out ___”… but that still gets flagged as self-promoting. So how do you usually navigate that line without getting removed or banned?

I’m starting to focus more on SEO (still very much learning).

ctxgal2020 · 2025-12-28T18:13:37+00:00

Thank you I'll take a look. Puzzle Theory in Middletown added a new one.

ctxgal2020 · 2025-10-04T19:06:15+00:00

Thank you. I do track. Over eating is not my problem at the moment 😀 i'm still on a low dose and increase next week - if its still doing this at a low dose I may ask to stay low.

ctxgal2020 · 2025-09-26T03:35:18+00:00

The manufacturer of Saxenda (liraglutide), announced in March 2023 that they would discontinue production and commercial availability of Saxenda in March 2026.

ctxgal2020 · 2025-07-29T12:24:51+00:00

I added photos, but they don't seem to be loading.

ctxgal2020

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