r/careerguidance

I was thinking about how "lifestyle creep" often hits the hardest when people finally start making decent money. It feels like there’s this invisible pressure to upgrade everything—the car, the zip code, the wardrobe—just to prove you’ve "made it," even if it means living paycheck to paycheck on a six-figure salary.

What are the most common traps you see people fall into where they're essentially trading their future freedom for the appearance of status right now?

I'm 25 working in accounting with a psychopathic manager, today I was auditing his own faulty work upon his request, I used my own way, it doesn't matter the way rather than the result and it always worked very effectively.

My way was smart and I was happy with myself but he wanted me to use another way, he asked me to explain my own way, he didn't understand it, so he shouted "You're stupid" you should do this and not that and he was moving angrily kicking files around me that I used. I lost all the motivation and focus and immediately felt disgusted. it's been two years of disrespect. so I went home and decided not to go back ever, and messaged the owner explaining what happened. I don't have another job, yes, but I don't have any obligations and can do ok for about 3 months.

I’ve been at this job 60 days. It’ll be 90 first week of May. I was informed today that they are extending my probation 30 days and placing me on a pip.

The pip defines that they feel I don’t do a great job with communicating and building rapport with a few of my team members. This is the first time it’s been brought up. It’s sort of worded as a probation review.

There’s 6 of us full time staff + 3 temp workers. Truthfully get along fine with 3 of the full time and 1 temp. The other 2 full time we work professionally and cordially but I don’t talk to them much. 1 I just don’t talk to because of differing views, she loves AI and using AI for everything, I’m not a fan of current use of AI.

Well. Management thinks I don’t collaborate or ask them for support enough even though we have our own assignments. I’ve been told: my work is great, the quality meets expectations, my attendance is great, my work with clients is good.

The pip details that they want me to meet with management 1x a week until end of probation to check in and talk about how I am engaging with my peers and highlight areas I’ve asked for help.

I ask questions when I have questions. But I just work. I don’t chit chat and whatnot or care about what the latest AI trend is.

Does this pip mean they don’t think I’m worth keeping and just getting paper trail to let me go?

Optimism says if they wanted to. They could fire me today since I’m on probation. Pessimism says they are doing it as a legal thing so they can fire me later.

I love the job and what I do. But the work does have issues. Our team fits 16 full time. The longest staff have been here 2 years. 3 of us started together. The others were sporadic between them. So retention is a huge problem.

Long post warning lol

I work for a very large tech company in Data/Business Analytics. I’ve been at this company for about 9 years, the first 4 years in a different organization, doing more engineering work, and during COVID I made the jump to the business side of the house.

In the 5 years I’ve been on my current team, I’ve gotten quite proficient at what I do; I’m the SME on my team for the a specific business strategy program that we run analytics for. Over the past 2 years our team had layoffs and we went from a team of 6 down to 2, and thankfully I came out unscathed. For reference, let’s say I’m a data analyst level 1. The other analyst on my team is a level 2. We started at the same time (he was promoted to a level 2 early last year).

This past September, our team needed to hire new people to increase bandwidth. We hired two new level 2 analysts, with the promise that I’d be promoted to a level 2, as well. During onboarding, it was my job to train both of these new level 2s to get up to speed.

Q4 at this company, as with many others, sees alot of budget tightening and hiring/promotion freezes. At the end of Q4, my director approaches me with an opportunity to do an “analyst swap” with an adjacent team we work closely with. This level 2 analyst lives and works on the west coast (as does the rest of my team), and I work on the east coast (as does the director of the “swap” team). It was posed as an opportunity to learn a new side of the business while getting to level 2. The transition to this “swap” team required that I be promoted to level 2, before the transition could occur.

The “swap” was agreed upon by all parties during the first week of January, and I was told my promotion is “imminent”. I begin doing knowledge transfers about my role with the swap analyst and vice versa, without a true transition timeline defined. Come February, she goes on PTO for 3 weeks. I continue learning the swap teams BAU and my role. While also supporting my current team.

By the end of February, my boss goes on maternity leave, and I’m beginning to create deliverables for my new swap team. The swap analyst I’m training, is drowning in the work on my new team. Her old role was more data engineering focused rather than business analytics, and with the 3 weeks missed, her learning curve is steep.

I’m getting antsy at this point. I’m doing double duty on both teams, completing deliverables at a level 2 position and I have no clarity from my leadership about my promotion or swap transition.

I have multiple meetings with my swap director and AVP about clarity on timelines and I’m met with “I don’t have an update for you” and “well know more by mid April”. At this point I’m frustrated and begin applying for other roles within the company. End up getting an interview, nailing it, and connecting well with this third team. This would be for a level 2 analyst role.

Third team wants to move quickly and send out an offer. Given the transition to swap team and progression I have a conversation with my AVP (who ostensibly is the one able to push the button on both promotion and swap) one last time for a timeline and am told there’s still uncertainty based on higher level shuffling amongst VPs, so timeline is unclear. I later tell her with uncertainty, I’ve been applying to other roles , and she’s a little pressed, mentioning that she’ll de prioritize my promotion if I’m going to leave anyways.

Third team director is still looking to get me on his team, but needs sign off from swap director and AVP; and they’ve been icing him out a bit this week.

Is there anything I can do to expedite this process? Has anyone been in a scenario like this before? I feel like I’m shouting into the void at work looking for answers, and leadership can’t tell me much. Thanks in advance for guidance!

I got ghosted from a AI tech startup called Harper after 4 Interviews in January and they invited me in SF office for a different role this March and I had a horrific unorganized, unprofessional experience and they basically had me do free work 9-5 and called it a "super day". I travelled 3 hours for this and spent $110 on parking and gas.

The founder was apparently so busy he never acknowledged me, despite me being right there in the tiny ass office lol he was the one who emailed me for the role?

I finally greeted him in the end myself, the whole office gave worshipping vibes of the founder. He seemed like a non-leader based off management style (first impression)

There was less than 45 employees there and they were all men and a few were demeaning in my interviews and felt overall sexist ( I am a young woman and recently graduated)

The office smelled like weed??

At one interview the random sales guy tried to tell me I rolled my eyes??? I did not and It was so weird.

They never gave me lunch on time after trying to woo me with "free food" initially.

The role was paying an ok salary and that's the only reason I went but after discovering the hours were 14 hours longs days straight I was not impressed.

I would not recommend applying at this Startup. I have worked at startups and they don't need to be this messy and unorganized and unprofessional!

to top it off they ghosted me after 3 months of this!

Not sure how to properly ask this question since I know there's quite a bit of background information. I'll just provide a bit of info in the hopes someone else has been in a similar situation and can bring up something I haven't thought of yet.

My main questions if you do not want to read my situation below: When did you realize it was time to move on from your comfortable, enjoyable job and take a risk at a new, higher paying company? Do you chase more income, or stability after having your first baby and being the sole provider for your family?

My thoughts are to weigh the pay, benefits, drive time/work-adjacent time, work-life balance, etc., but feel like I'm missing something that will truly give me a Stay or Go answer.

Just starting with the numbers:
(30) years old, living in Texas, currently making ~$160k/yr as a design engineer at a smaller company. Was recently offered an almost too-good-to-be-true position at a larger company, upwards of $250k/yr ($175k base + vehicle allowance + a profit-sharing check ranging from $45k-$80k once a year).

My situation (apologies for the random structure, just jotting things down that I believe are relevant):
Recently had a baby and my wife quit working. I thought we'd be living comfortably on my salary alone, but health insurance offered by my current company is completely insane for family coverage ($1700/month) - ended up going through the Government Health Insurance marketplace which puts our total monthly health insurance family coverage at $950/month. The new job has family coverage for right at $500/month. Money is alright, mama and baby are taken care of, which is why I'm hesitant to leave.

I have never left a job that I like before, and I really enjoy my current job. The drive to work is at 12minutes, freedom to take off whenever I need, mostly relaxed and fulfilling work being done with a great group of guys.

New position will be corporate, a branch off a multi-$billion company, and will come with all the not-so-fun corporate hurdles to clear during the day to day. I will be responsible for making big decisions on production, equipment procurement, etc. Those that have dealt with the bureaucracy around this kind of work in large corporations may understand why this is a big deal. I had a terrible experience with this at my previous company, filled me with constant stress and angst. The drive time to and from work will be about 1-hour each way, but the new company "says" (still getting this in writing on their offer letter) that I should be able to work from home 2-3 days/week.

I've always chased the money and been willing to sacrifice my time to better my wife and I's financial situation, but am really struggling here with risk due to recent family changes. I'm having nightmares about burning the bridge at my current company, hating/failing at the new job, and in general just trying to fix what isn't broken.

Hopefully in the vastness of this sub, someone has been in a similar spot and has some insight. Thank you very much for your time.

For context, I had been with my previous employer for almost 10 years, every single year receiving either an "Exceeds Expectations" or "Exceptional" performance review and have had zero disciplinary action.

I started at an entry level position, quickly received 2 promotions in a year and a half as an individual contributor, then promoted to assistant supervisor right at my 2 year mark (2018). Beginning of 2020 I was selected by my management for a 1 year supervisor detail due to that supervisor being out on some type of long term disability. (I was selected out of a lot of strong leaders in my position/department, a few who are now managers).

I transitioned with this team through Covid/remote work and received nothing but compliments from my peers and leadership, being told by multiple employees I was the best boss they'd ever had. My management fought to make this a permanent position change but office politics from the VPs shut that down.

In 2022 I am promoted to a permanent supervisor role in another department. Throughout my time, I again receive nothing but praise from my leadership. I have several significant accomplishments (I won't bore you with the details) and everything seems to be going great.

That is until Oct of 2025 when I was accused of making a sexually explicit comment by a peer in a leadership meeting. Employee Relations (ER) of course investigates. Every other person in that meeting tells ER they did not hear me make any such comment.

The following week comes when I learn of the accusation from a peer, but still hadn't met with ER. So in that weeks meeting I made a brief statement to my peers expressing my disbelief someone made up such an outrageous lie to get me fired. And it was unfortunate because, since the allegation was made anonymously, that I didn't know who I could trust and that was really difficult (because i thought i had good working relationships with all of them). I then got up, thanked the other supervisors that had told the truth when speaking to ER, and I left the meeting.

Next day I finally meet with ER. I vehemently deny the allegation. I was then asked what were my intentions with the statement I did make in the 2nd meeting. I explained I felt it was a professional way to address the situation with my peers. They ask a few more follow up questions and thats it.

4 weeks go by and the entire time I'm thinking I have nothing to worry about. I 100% did not say what I was being accused of and every witness there, other than the accuser, corroborated my story.

One Friday in the middle of Nov, I have an impromptu meeting with my management pop up where I am notified I am being terminated for "ongoing coaching and counseling" and I was being accused of intimidating my peers.

I legit think this might have been the first time in my life my jaw dropped and hit the floor. I was completely shocked and blindsided.

When I asked "what ongoing coaching and counseling?" I was not given an answer. Just told "a thorough investigation had been conducted".

After the weekend and taking time to think, I email ER to explain the situation thinking this has got to be some massive mistake and once someone in leadership takes a look at this, they'll correct their mistake and give me my job back (naive, I know).

I explain how everyone that was in that meeting defended me, and how none of them were asked about the comments I did make in the 2nd meeting. The accusation of intimidation is only coming from the same person who had just lied about me. How can you not ask anyone else that was in this meeting about their perspective If what I said was threatening or intimidating in anyway? I also questioned the ongoing coaching and counseling and what that was suppose to be referencing as I have had next to zero coaching/counseling conversations in my entire career.

I get a response from ER asking for a date/time that I could speak with them. A week later I get to speak with the supervisor in ER. I was then advised that the accusation itself was not the only determining factor the led to my termination, and that my manager had actually been the one who had advocated for my termination. I was dumbfounded. Especially after my last conversation with her. How she was basically trying to reassure me that everything would be OK since I had witnesses and blah blah blah.

She played me, hard.

I learn that she told ER about all these "coachings' that literally never happened. Without going into detail and making this novel even longer, she did all of this over her own personal biases that I am 110% confident had zero to do with my leadership abilities or me as an employee.

Once I learn about all of these additional accusations coming from my manager, I instantly deny them, but it fell on deaf ears.

After some time to put the pieces together, I again email ER explaining how my manager abused her power to get me fired over her own personal bias. A few weeks later I find out ER did end up investigating my manager and she was terminated. I obviously dont know the exact reasoning for her termination, but im thinking this is awesome. Greay news! Someone actually believed me and proved what I was claiming was the truth. NOW I'm going to be able to get my job back. (Still naive, I know).

Fast-forward to my next conversation with ER. I am told they cannot discuss their findings regarding the investigation into my now former manager, but their decision regarding my termination stands. How. Can. It. Stand???

Despite all the evidence I provided them, the action they took with that information, they still keep throwing the same false accusations at me.

I am 41 years old and never been fired from a job. This was a career I worked very hard to earn and I had no plans of ever leaving.

Florida is an at-will state so workers have next to zero rights, unless you were discriminated against for being part of a protected class (gender, age, sexuality, religion, etc...). I have tried to speak to an attorney about filing a defamation suit against the one who filed the initial false allegation against me, but no one seems to want to take the case. I feel like this person is just going to get away with lying about me and ruining my life, for no reason.

Its now 5 months later and im still unemployed. I did take some time off to myself to process everything, but ive been actively looking for employment for months with ZERO luck.

I just can't get over how my entire life was destroyed over lies. I've doordashed some, done a few odd jobs, but im to the point I'm going to be in danger of losing my house. The one I just had built at the end of 2024​. Even if I find a job soon, I might still lose my house because I can't afford it. I was making over 6 figures and where I live, there aren't many 6 figure jobs that aren't highly specialized fields.

I don't even know what I'm asking for, or if I'm asking for anything at all. I guess this is just a way to vent and hope that someone taking the time to actually read all of this has some impactful nugget of wisdom they can impart on me.

Any feedback, viewpoints, suggestions, criticizims, anything at all, is welcomed.

My background and tl;dr.

Bachelors in Informatik, Masters in Data Science. Couple of internships, working my first ever full-time job in a Big4 in Germany. Audit department for what it's worth.

I HATE IT. The work is bullshit, nothing I was promised, and not at all interesting (mundane Excel shit), which I can live with, cause I need a job, and figured Big4 is at least a good starting point.

I've been here almost two years now, and low-key I hate it even more now. I tried to show initiative, developed an entire goddamn all by myself while working only for that to go nowhere. As with everything else, empty words from Management about AI this, innovation that, German data sovereignty up everybody's ass during the monthly team meetings.

At this point I have zero expectations left considering all my attempts for anything led nowhere.

I'm hanging on because I've seen what happens to people who quit before having another job lined up.

But I honestly don't know what to do or how to plan ahead; if I can leverage my time at the Big4 or if I have to just go back to basically mass spamming job apps.

I currently make 160k as a PM in AI. It’s amazing money and a great company, but I’m afraid I won’t have a job in 3-5 years.

I’ve been thinking about joining FBI or DEA as a special agent. It doesn’t pay as much but it’s always been a dream for me.

I don’t have kids. I live with my boyfriend. I’m in my late 20s. But giving up my current job is… daunting. It’s in tech, I get stock options, and it’s familiar.

I'm 26 years old and have an associate's in Liberal Arts and I'm stuck choosing which path to take when I go back to college this summer. I'm really interested in computers and technology but for months I've been constantly flashed with headlines about how the tech industry is dead for new-graduates because of AI and out-sourcing. I understand there has been a considerable amount of layoffs for the last couple years, but I'm having trouble discerning how much of what people post about is doom-posting versus what's reality.

I initially wanted to get a job as a Software Engineer through a CS degree, where I'd participate in research at my university, create projects, make sure I'm aware of the tools and technology mentioned in job postings I'm interested in, get a couple internships by 2027, then try my absolute best through networking and early applications to have a job lined up for me by the time I'm out of college.

However, with of all the negative news I'm seeing, I don't know if that is a viable path anymore (in terms of job stability and getting a job early out of college). I'm starting to look at Computer Engineering which I'm interested in just as much to maybe, but, while way less saturated, it's a way smaller field and has a smaller set of job opportunities. I'm even starting to consider a Mechatronics degree to work in robotics.

Sorry for the long post - I'm really just seeking for anybody's input and/or advice on a solid path in tech (or tech adjacent, like robotics) they'd recommend even in the current state of the industry.

Hi all,

I’m 29F and feeling pretty stuck in my career, and I’d really appreciate some outside perspective.

A bit about me: I’m a first-generation immigrant, had a full ride to college, and later got a Master’s in Organizational Leadership. I started my career in tech (B2B account management), then transitioned into real estate/property management through a connection.

I ended up doing really well there. I started around $85k and worked my way up to ~$115k base + bonuses. It was fast-paced, high-pressure, and I learned a ton. However, I left mainly because the work environment was extremely stressful and I didn’t feel equipped at the time (mid-20s) to handle that level of pressure long-term.

About a year ago, I took a step back and moved into a role at an Ivy League university. I’m currently making ~$90k in an associate-level position. The job is objectively “good;” low stress, stable, and flexible. If I’m being honest, I probably only work ~20 hours/week most weeks.

One of the main reasons I took this role was for the tuition benefit. After a certain period, I’d be eligible to pursue another degree for free, and I’ve been planning to go for a Master’s in Applied Analytics.

That said, as more time passes, I’m starting to question how much weight I should place on that. I do value the degree and the school’s reputation, but I’ve also noticed that many successful leaders around me didn’t necessarily follow that path. It’s made me wonder whether staying primarily for the degree is the right long-term decision, especially if I’m not feeling challenged or growing in my current role.

Which brings me to the main issue: I’m really bored.

I’m realizing that I actually thrive in faster-paced, more challenging environments. I also miss the financial flexibility I had before. Not in a flashy way, but just being able to save more, not think twice about small purchases, etc.

On top of that, I’m starting to feel frustrated with my current environment:

• The work pace is very slow
• I don’t feel challenged or like I’m growing
• I don’t love commuting into the city (I live in the suburbs and would prefer something closer / easier)

At the same time, I’m hesitant because:

• My current job is very stable and low stress
• The job market feels uncertain
• I worry about going back into another high-stress situation

I feel like I’m at a crossroads between:

• Staying in a comfortable but stagnant role (and waiting for the tuition benefit)
• Or pushing myself back into something more demanding that could lead to higher growth (and pay), but potentially more stress

I also think I could realistically land something in the ~$100k+ range again based on my experience, but I’m not sure what direction I should be aiming for next.

What I’m trying to figure out:

• Has anyone been in a similar “comfort vs growth” situation?
• How did you decide when it was time to leave a low-stress job?
• Would you stay for the tuition benefit, or prioritize experience and momentum?
• Are there careers/roles that strike a better balance between pace, growth, and sustainability?

I’d really appreciate any advice or perspective.

I’ve currently been promoted to grade 12th (PCM)

who’s gonna appear for CET as well next year.

Honestly, I chose PCM just to keep more options available in the future cuz I’m still unsure about what I wanna do in life and my skills n interests also my parents and the ppl around me had convinced me, there’s no other way other than engineering as the success rate is 100% n every person in that field ends up getting employed at some point. I know it solely depends on how much efforts you put but I really don’t think I can do exceptional in my case, I’d rather not fall into the conventional 9–5 mindset society pushes.

So the thing is that I’ve always had a keen interest in art n creative things but I always doubted myself that maybe I’m not capable enough cuz I see some of the ppl I know who’s gotten into NIFT and how dedicated and insanely creative they are. I love art though…I’m simply not as innovative as them which is why I chose not to go into designing. I’m going through a major crisis right now, the thought of becoming an engineer as be stuck in a mess I never wanted to get into terrifies me. My career councillor analysed my interests and filtered out two careers. Designing and engineering. I don’t wanna lose my only chance of flipping my life into something I’ve always wanted to in the back of my mind. Should I join classes and start preparing for NIFT n NID plus other priv cllg exams? Ppl I’ve consulted told me it’s not too late as a lotta ppl ends up doing this. I don’t know how I’m going to prep for both CET n design exams as well, is it possible if I give it my everything? Or am I gonna end up losing all of it? Also the thing is that I don’t really know about fashion designing but rather graphic designing, UI/UX designing, animation, web, textile , accessory, product and interior designing so other exams should I opt for? Oh and I didn’t study shit in 11th grade. Is there a way I can combine both of these fields?

I’m really confused rn and I need to make a decision at the earliest. My schedules gonna be hectic cuz pcm classes start at 8 to like 12.30 n the designing are gonna be for 2-3 hours plus their practice stuff too. help.

Hey everyone, need some clarity on my in-hand salary from this offer

My CTC is ₹14 LPA, and here’s the breakup:

- Basic: ₹4,90,000

- HRA: ₹1,96,000

- Education Allowance: ₹2,400

- Medical Allowance: ₹15,000

- Other Payments: ₹6,14,231 (this is fixed, not variable)

- Employer PF: ₹58,800

- Gratuity: ₹23,569

From what I understand, there’s no variable pay — “Other Payments” is fully fixed.

Can someone help estimate:

1. Monthly in-hand after tax + employee PF

2. Approx yearly in-hand

Assume new tax regime (or mention both if possible).

Would really appreciate a realistic breakdown 🙏

so I will be crystal clear with you guys . I want to make money yeah you will who doesn't ryt ? so the thing is I'm 21 yrs old rn. I have no skills Yeah, what did you do all this year ? I will say studies? only bookish knowledge now I'm burned out of it couple of years ago. so one will ask why didn't you try part time or anything? in our households we are made to study and get a job that's it until that time we are totally financially dependent on our family.

but yesterday I met a guy who is 22 years old and never went to college but can buy a car with the amount of money paid through taxes by him. I was just thinking how pathetic I'm. he's an author who writes novels for American publishers. so the money conversion helps him a lot.

but I want to do something with my life too. I'm at zero you can even say in Minus. I'm willing to put on work on a daily basis. slowly steadily which can't help me to escape harsh world of corporates and make enough so that if I want to eat something or buy a clothes or something for that I don't have to think about Tommorow

can you guys genuinely tell me what are the options for me ?

how I can achieve it ? thakk you for your Time

I really need to talk to someone who’s been through something similar.

I’m 25 and currently working as a Product Designer in Gurugram. Lately, I’ve been feeling extremely confused about my career and future. I keep thinking about quitting my job, but I have no clarity on what I should do next.

Some days I feel like I should do an MBA because I’m interested in marketing. Other times I think I should pursue a Master’s in Design since I enjoy that too. And then there are days when I just want to quit everything and try building something of my own maybe content creation.

The problem is, I’m stuck in this constant loop of overthinking. I haven’t taken any action, and it’s starting to give me a lot of anxiety. I feel like I’m wasting time and not moving forward in any direction.

I know I’m hardworking, and I genuinely want to do something meaningful in life. I just don’t have clarity or direction right now.

I’ve considered career coaches, but they’re expensive, and I’m not even sure if they’ll help.

Has anyone here gone through something similar? How did you figure things out?

Would really appreciate any advice or even just hearing your experience.

Hey everyone,

Looking for some honest advice from people who’ve been through something similar.

My background:

I have an MS in Wireless Communications (2013). After graduating I didn’t pursue traditional engineering work — I spent the last 13 years tutoring (high school through engineering level), homeschooling my kids, and founding a youth entrepreneurship platform. Fulfilling work, but it left a significant gap on my engineering CV.

Where I’m at now:

I’m ready to re-enter the workforce as a sessional instructor at university in engineering or engineering project manager. I wan to involved in things which would help me fill the gap that’s in my CV. I am open to volunteering. I’m also looking into APEGA registration and the PMP certification as concrete steps forward.

My questions:

1.	Has anyone successfully re-entered engineering after a long gap? What worked for you?

2.	Is the PMP worth pursuing for someone with an engineering MS but no industry experience?

3.	What courses or certifications would you take while job searching to signal active re-entry to employers?

4.	Are there Women in engineering networks, communities, or recruiters you’d recommend for someone in my position that are more Canadian based ?

Any advice appreciated — including the brutal honest kind. Thanks.

Hey everyone, I'm 15 from India and at a major crossroads. I have to pick my academic stream in the next few weeks and it essentially locks in my career direction. I want perspectives from people globally because I feel like I'm only hearing the same advice from people around me.

**Quick context for non-Indians:**

In India, after 10th grade you pick a stream — Science with Biology (leads to medicine), Science with Math (leads to engineering/CS), or Commerce (leads to business/finance/CA). This decision heavily influences what career you can pursue. It's a bigger deal here than in most countries.

**What I've actually tried:**

Basic Python. That's it honestly. Everything else is just research and imagination so far.

**What genuinely interests me:**

- Coding — the freedom, building things, working from anywhere

- Finance — the idea of managing company finances, understanding how money actually works at scale

- I consider Medicine too as its valued a lot

**My actual goals (not just career goals — life goals):**

- Help my parents financially in my early 20s

- Have real financial freedom by 25-27

- Travel and actually live my 20s, not spend them entirely studying

- Eventually build something — a business, agency, product, anything

**The three paths I'm weighing:**

1. **CS/Engineering degree** — 4 year computer science degree, build coding skills alongside, freelance during college, get a job or go independent by 22-23. Probably the most aligned with coding interest.

2. **Chartered Accountancy (CA)** — India's equivalent of CPA roughly. 4-5 year process, brutal exams (3-5% pass rate historically), but if you clear it you have a very high floor salary and can build your own firm. The idea of combining CA with coding/automation skills genuinely excites me.

3. **Medicine (MBBS)** — Respect the security it offers but I'm 23 before I earn anything real and 27-28 before serious money. I'm scared of losing my entire youth to studying.

**What I genuinely want to know:**

- For people in CS/software — when did you actually start making real money and what did the early years look like?

- For anyone in finance/accounting — does the day-to-day work actually stay interesting or does it get dry fast?

- Is the "learn to code and freelance" dream as real as it looks from the outside or is it mostly survivorship bias?

- How did you balance building a career with actually living your life in your late teens and early 20s?

- If you were 15 again knowing what you know now, what would you pick?

I'm not looking for "follow your passion" advice. I want real, honest, even brutal perspectives from people who've actually lived these paths.

Hi everyone! I recently submitted my resignation to focus on studying, but my employer asked if I could extend for a short period. They offered a flexible arrangement—output-based.

What should I clarify before accepting?