Im 35 and have a medical condition that doesn't allow me to drive. I keep hitting dead ends in every job because eventually they need me to drive so I stop getting promoted. Whats a career I can do that doesn't require me to drive. Work from home or otherwise?
I'm just so lost and desperate.
I'm hoping someone can shed some light on a path for me here.
I cant drive, never have, never will. Otherwise I am perfectly physically capable. But the lack of driving has been the single biggest hindrance to my life. Career wise, I have been up for higher level management positions multiple times. But every time they require me to have a car in order to go to an office or meetings or other stores and so I get passed over.
I live in Northern Virginia.
Out of high school I was a CNC machinist for 5 years. But it was loud, dirty and dangerous work for the pay so I left.
After that I became a cook/chef with over 10 years experience now. Ive been a sous chef several times at everything from a brewery to a semi-major college. I now have a small catering company where I host little parties on the side, but its hard to grow it when I dont drive.
I also have experience as a retail store assistant manager. I worked for my buddies moving company for several years, and I do some contract work assembling store shelving and displays.
All in all most of my experience is in physical labor, but those always require me to BE somewhere and thats the issue is I cant really advance in any type of physical job because eventually they will need me to be somewhere I cant get to easily.
What Id like is a path towards something I can do online or at least from home.
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As for what I know:
Im a very capable learner. Ive taught myself CNC programming, basic html, a little blender. I'm pretty good with technology in general, but my ability to pick up things quickly extends to most things I study.
I'm fairly charismatic and good looking. (Im sorry I know that sounds so arrogant I hated typing it trust me.) But for the sake of career advice, I have always had a knack for being noticed and having good relationships with my coworkers/bosses. I can navigate the social aspects of the workplace and make contacts easily. I'm pretty good at sales too. Though personally I'm an introvert that prefers quiet solitary work, I can fake it super well.
I am both a creative type and a practical type. I do a lot of craftfairs, I make props, jewelry, and I do 3D printing, etc. But I also feel comfortable doing spreadsheets and working with data.
I am open to unique and odd jobs. I value a little novelty and having unique experiences. Im a very open minded person who likes to make the most of things.
I appreciate anyone who reads this and responds. Hoping to get a new start here.
Jobadvisor
It is incredibly frustrating to feel like a "driving requirement" is a glass ceiling, especially when you are clearly high-performing in every other metric. Being "trapped" by a physical constraint in a world that often assumes everyone has a car is a unique kind of burnout.
The good news? Your background is a rare "trifecta" for high-paying remote work: Technical (CNC/HTML/3D Printing), Operational (Sous Chef/Management), and Interpersonal (Sales/Charisma). In Northern Virginia (NOVA), you are sitting in one of the most remote-friendly hubs in the country.
Here are three distinct "No-Car" career paths tailored to your specific skills.
1. Manufacturing Operations & Tech (The "CNC Digital" Path)
You already understand the shop floor. Companies are currently desperate for people who can bridge the gap between "physical parts" and "digital data" without needing to be in the grease.
The Roles: * Remote CNC Programmer / CAM Engineer: Many aerospace and medical device firms allow programmers to write and simulate toolpaths from home, then send files to the shop.
Technical Sales for Industrial Software: Selling the software (Mastercam, Autodesk, ERP systems) used by machinists. Your "charismatic introvert" profile is perfect here; you speak the language of the shop but can close a deal over Zoom.
Manufacturing Estimator: Using CAD files to estimate the cost and time of production. This uses your math/spreadsheet skills and technical intuition.
Why it fits: It leverages your most specialized "dirty work" knowledge without the actual dirt.
2. Food Tech & Supply Chain (The "Digital Chef" Path)
The food industry is moving toward "Centralized Kitchens" and "Food-as-a-Service," which require massive back-end coordination.
The Roles:
Culinary Operations Manager: Managing "ghost kitchen" logistics, recipe governance, or menu engineering for large chains. These roles focus on the systems of food, not the cooking.
Supply Chain / Procurement Specialist: Buying at scale for hospital systems or restaurant groups. You know what a Sous Chef needs; now you’re the guy at the computer making sure 5,000 lbs of chicken arrive at the right price.
Implementation Specialist (SaaS): Helping restaurants set up POS (Point of Sale) or inventory software.
Why it fits: You’ve already done the management; this just moves the "office" from the back of a kitchen to your home.
3. Creative Design & Technical Support (The "3D Printing" Path)
Since you taught yourself Blender and 3D printing, you have the "spatial intelligence" that many companies struggle to find.
The Roles:
Customer Success Manager (Hardware/3D Printing): Companies like Formlabs or Prusa need people who can help customers troubleshoot prints via video call.
Product Designer / CAD Drafter: Turning 2D sketches into 3D models for manufacturing.
Solution Engineer: A "Sales-Lite" role where you demonstrate how a technical product works. Your looks and charisma give you an edge in video presentations.
Why it fits: It satisfies your creative side and lets you work in a quiet, solitary environment.
Comparison of Paths
| Career Path | Avg. Remote Salary | Key Skills Needed | Barrier to Entry |
| CAM Programmer | $75k – $110k | Mastercam, SolidWorks | Low (You have the background) |
| Supply Chain Analyst | $65k – $95k | Excel, ERP systems | Moderate (May need a cert) |
| Solution Engineer | $90k – $140k+ | Tech + Sales + Charisma | High (Competitive) |
Immediate Strategy for NOVA
Since you are in Northern Virginia, look specifically at Federal Contractors (SAIC, Leidos, CACI).
Pro-Tip: When applying, don't mention the medical condition or the lack of a car upfront. Apply only to "Fully Remote" or "Virtual" roles. If a job is listed as remote, the car requirement is usually a "legacy" bullet point on a job description that they forgot to delete.
What part of LinkedIn do recruiters scan for keywords?
I'm going to freshen up my linkedin but was wondering, do recruiters only check for keywords in the skills section or must I fully detail the about section and each work experience with as many keywords as possible?
My about section has a paragraph about me and each of my work experiences only has the company name, job title, dates and location so not sure if I should be heavily padding them out with keywords too.
Jobadvisor
It is incredibly frustrating to feel like a "driving requirement" is a glass ceiling, especially when you are clearly high-performing in every other metric. Being "trapped" by a physical constraint in a world that often assumes everyone has a car is a unique kind of burnout.
The good news? Your background is a rare "trifecta" for high-paying remote work: Technical (CNC/HTML/3D Printing), Operational (Sous Chef/Management), and Interpersonal (Sales/Charisma). In Northern Virginia (NOVA), you are sitting in one of the most remote-friendly hubs in the country.
Here are three distinct "No-Car" career paths tailored to your specific skills.
1. Manufacturing Operations & Tech (The "CNC Digital" Path)
You already understand the shop floor. Companies are currently desperate for people who can bridge the gap between "physical parts" and "digital data" without needing to be in the grease.
The Roles: * Remote CNC Programmer / CAM Engineer: Many aerospace and medical device firms allow programmers to write and simulate toolpaths from home, then send files to the shop.
Technical Sales for Industrial Software: Selling the software (Mastercam, Autodesk, ERP systems) used by machinists. Your "charismatic introvert" profile is perfect here; you speak the language of the shop but can close a deal over Zoom.
Manufacturing Estimator: Using CAD files to estimate the cost and time of production. This uses your math/spreadsheet skills and technical intuition.
Why it fits: It leverages your most specialized "dirty work" knowledge without the actual dirt.
2. Food Tech & Supply Chain (The "Digital Chef" Path)
The food industry is moving toward "Centralized Kitchens" and "Food-as-a-Service," which require massive back-end coordination.
The Roles:
Culinary Operations Manager: Managing "ghost kitchen" logistics, recipe governance, or menu engineering for large chains. These roles focus on the systems of food, not the cooking.
Supply Chain / Procurement Specialist: Buying at scale for hospital systems or restaurant groups. You know what a Sous Chef needs; now you’re the guy at the computer making sure 5,000 lbs of chicken arrive at the right price.
Implementation Specialist (SaaS): Helping restaurants set up POS (Point of Sale) or inventory software.
Why it fits: You’ve already done the management; this just moves the "office" from the back of a kitchen to your home.
3. Creative Design & Technical Support (The "3D Printing" Path)
Since you taught yourself Blender and 3D printing, you have the "spatial intelligence" that many companies struggle to find.
The Roles:
Customer Success Manager (Hardware/3D Printing): Companies like Formlabs or Prusa need people who can help customers troubleshoot prints via video call.
Product Designer / CAD Drafter: Turning 2D sketches into 3D models for manufacturing.
Solution Engineer: A "Sales-Lite" role where you demonstrate how a technical product works. Your looks and charisma give you an edge in video presentations.
Why it fits: It satisfies your creative side and lets you work in a quiet, solitary environment.
Comparison of Paths
| Career Path | Avg. Remote Salary | Key Skills Needed | Barrier to Entry |
| CAM Programmer | $75k – $110k | Mastercam, SolidWorks | Low (You have the background) |
| Supply Chain Analyst | $65k – $95k | Excel, ERP systems | Moderate (May need a cert) |
| Solution Engineer | $90k – $140k+ | Tech + Sales + Charisma | High (Competitive) |
Immediate Strategy for NOVA
Since you are in Northern Virginia, look specifically at Federal Contractors (SAIC, Leidos, CACI).
Pro-Tip: When applying, don't mention the medical condition or the lack of a car upfront. Apply only to "Fully Remote" or "Virtual" roles. If a job is listed as remote, the car requirement is usually a "legacy" bullet point on a job description that they forgot to delete.
I've applied for 30 jobs and haven't gotten a single response. Is it just me or is LinkedIn completely broken?
I’ve applied to around 30 jobs over the past few weeks and haven’t heard back from a single one.
I tweak my CV, write cover letters, hit “Easy Apply”… and then nothing. Not even a rejection.
Is this just how it is now, or am I doing something wrong? Curious if others are going through the same thing.
Jobadvisor
It is definitely not just you. The job market in 2026 is currently in a state of "uncomfortably slow growth," and LinkedIn—specifically the "Easy Apply" feature—has become a victim of its own efficiency.
While 30 applications used to be a solid effort, current data suggests that for many, 30 is just the warm-up. Here is the reality of what you’re up against and how to fix your strategy.
1. The "Easy Apply" Trap
The reason you aren't hearing back is largely a numbers game. Because "Easy Apply" is so low-friction, a single posting can attract 300+ applicants within the first 24 hours.
The Ghosting Reality: Recent data shows that 3-13% is the average response rate for LinkedIn Easy Apply, compared to 20-25% on platforms like Indeed or direct company sites.
The "Effort Test": Recruiters often prioritize applications submitted through their own company portal.
They view candidates who take the extra 10 minutes to fill out a formal application as more "serious" than those clicking a button.
2. The Rise of "Ghost Jobs"
You might be applying to roles that don't actually exist. In early 2026, research indicates that nearly 1 in 3 employers admit to keeping job listings active with no immediate intention of hiring.
Why they do it: To build a "pipeline" for the future, to keep current employees motivated by showing "growth," or simply because they forgot to take the ad down.
Red Flag: If a job has been posted for more than 30 days and keeps getting "reposted," it’s likely a ghost job.
3. The 2026 AI Filter
Recruiters are now using AI "Hiring Assistants" more than ever to review applications.
The "Low Match" Penalty: LinkedIn now flags "low match" candidates to recruiters automatically. If your profile doesn't explicitly list 80-90% of the skills mentioned in the job post, you are often filtered out before the first round.
How to Pivot Your Strategy
If 30 applications resulted in 0 responses, your "funnel" is broken. Try this "Quality over Quantity" shift for the next two weeks:
The 10-Application Rule: Instead of 30 "Easy Applie"s, aim for 10 targeted applications per week.
Apply directly on the company’s website. The 48-Hour Window: Only apply to jobs posted within the last 48 hours. After that, the pile is usually too deep to penetrate.
The "Inside Track": Data shows you are 3.6x more likely to get hired if you have a connection at the company.
Before hitting apply, message a peer (not the recruiter) at that company and ask: "I'm interested in the [Role]—any advice on how to make my application stand out?" Audit Your Profile: Ensure you have the "Verified" badge on LinkedIn. Verified members are currently seeing 30% more connection requests and higher response rates.