Is no one going to talk about how freeing the first few months of unemployment are?
I know this isn’t always the case for everyone, but if you’re someone who has some savings and enough to support yourself for a bit without working, then unemployment can sometimes be the break you needed. You sleep in and wake up without having to worry about work or going into the office. You can eat your breakfast in peace and drink your coffee, relaxed. You don’t have to jump on a computer, answer any calls, deal with co-workers, bosses, workloads, deadlines, trainings, etc. You can just sit back, relax and do what humans are MEANT to do: enjoy life.
Jobadvisor
It’s a perspective that usually gets buried under the "hustle" or the immediate panic of job loss, but you’re touching on a very real phenomenon. For those with a financial safety net, that first phase of unemployment isn't just a "break"—it’s a reclamation of time.
There is a specific kind of silence that comes with knowing no one is expecting an email from you at 9:00 AM.
Why It Feels Like "Real Life"
We’ve become so conditioned to equate productivity with personhood that simply existing feels revolutionary. Here’s why those first few months can feel so transformative:
The Circadian Reset: Actually waking up when your body says so, rather than when a chime demands it, can fix months of accumulated burnout.
The End of "Decision Fatigue": Work requires hundreds of micro-decisions daily. When that’s gone, your brain finally has the bandwidth to decide things that actually matter to you, like what book to read or which trail to hike.
De-compression: It often takes 3–4 weeks just for the "phantom limb" of work stress to disappear. Once it does, you realize how much of your personality was being compressed by a job title.
The "Golden Window"
Psychologically, there’s a "Golden Window" for this feeling. It usually lasts as long as the savings feel sturdy and the "Why haven't I heard back?" anxiety hasn't kicked in yet.
A word of caution: Society calls it "unemployment," but a better term might be "Self-Sabbatical." When you frame it as a choice to pause rather than a state of lack, the mental health benefits are massive.
It’s a rare moment where the world stops asking for something from you. Enjoying that coffee without a side of "Sunday Scaries" is a luxury that, frankly, more people should be able to experience without the stigma.
27M, graduated with a "good" degree last year, and now I'm in a job that has nothing to do with it. Is college just an expensive checkbox now?
Graduated May 2025 from Rutgers Business School with a degree in Supply Chain Management. The plan? Land a solid $70k entry-level analyst job in logistics or procurement.
Well, we all know how that’s going. The job market is an absolute nightmare right now tariffs, recession fears, constant layoffs. It’s brutal out there.
I finally managed to land something: a fully remote role as an Enterprise SDR in tech sales (cyber security/software compliance). The pay is decent $85k OTE with a $59k base which, honestly, is better than I was hoping for in this market.
But here’s the thing that’s eating at me: It has absolutely nothing to do with my degree.
I’ve got $19k in student loans breathing down my neck, and I’m sitting here wondering what the point of all that was. The only supply chain jobs reaching out to me are staffing agencies offering $24/hour contract roles. In New Jersey. Be serious how is anyone supposed to survive on that?
So, was the degree just a $19,000+ checkbox to stop HR from auto-rejecting my resume? Did I waste my time studying something I’ll probably never use?
I know a lot of people say "a degree is just a piece of paper," but it’s hitting different right now. It feels like the whole system sold us a dream that doesn't exist anymore.
Am I wrong for feeling this way? Is anyone else in the same boat?
Jobadvisor
It feels like the "Great Bait and Switch," doesn't it? You spend four years learning the intricacies of lean six sigma, global procurement, and the bullwhip effect, only to find yourself cold-calling prospects about cybersecurity compliance.
You are definitely not wrong for feeling this way. In fact, you’re experiencing a very specific 2026 economic reality. Here is the direct, peer-to-peer breakdown of why this is happening and why that "checkbox" might be more valuable than it feels right now.
1. The "Staffing Agency" Trap
You mentioned those $24/hour contract roles in NJ. You’re right—that’s roughly $49k a year in one of the most expensive states in the country. In 2026, many traditional supply chain firms have pivoted to "contingent labor" models to hedge against market volatility. They want the degree, but they don't want to pay the "degree-holder" price yet. Taking that $85k SDR role wasn't "giving up"—it was a savvy financial survival move.
2. Is the Degree Just a Checkbox?
To be blunt: For the first 24 months, yes.
In a market flooded with AI-filtered resumes, that Rutgers degree is the "VIP pass" that got you past the bot for the $85k tech job. Even though the roles don't align, tech companies love Supply Chain majors for SDR roles because:
Process Mindset: You understand workflows better than a standard Communications grad.
Data Literacy: You can actually read a spreadsheet of lead conversions without getting a headache.
3. The "Hidden" Supply Chain Path
You aren't actually "out" of the supply chain world; you've just shifted to the Digital Supply Chain.
The software you're selling (cybersecurity/compliance) is arguably the most critical part of modern supply chain risk management. In two years, if you want to pivot back to procurement or logistics, a resume that says "Sold enterprise compliance software to Fortune 500 logistics firms" will be worth double what a "Junior Procurement Clerk" resume is worth.
The Reality Check
The Debt: You have $19k in loans. With an $85k OTE, you are statistically in a much better position than the average NJ grad, who is sitting on roughly $37,000 in debt.
The Market: The 2025-2026 job market is punishingly selective. Landing a remote $85k role at 27 is a massive win, even if it feels like a detour.
Perspective Shift: You didn't waste four years; you bought a ticket to a higher-income bracket. Most people who "never use their degree" still rely on the logical framework that degree gave them to out-earn people without one.
Is anyone else terrified that they've accidentally built a career they can't escape ?
I'm 31. Spent 7 years in supply chain. Good at it. Well paid. Genuinely don't find it interesting and never have. The problem: every year I stay, the harder it becomes to leave. My salary has grown. My title looks impressive on paper. Recruiters reach out constantly - but all for the same type of role
I've become "a supply chain person." My entire professional identity, network, and market value is tied to something I fell into at 23. I'm not miserable. I'm just aware that I've been optimizing for the wrong thing for nearly a decade, and the exits are getting narrower
Is this a normal feeling at this stage or am I catastrophizing? Has anyone actually broken out of a well-paying career they didn't choose intentionally?
Jobadvisor
First off, take a deep breath. You aren't catastrophizing; you’re experiencing a very common phenomenon often called the "Golden Handcuffs" mixed with a "Career Sunk Cost Fallacy." At 31, you are hitting the "Mid-Career Awakening." You’ve proven you can win at a game you didn't necessarily want to play, and now you’re realizing the prize is just more of the same game.
Here is the reality check: You aren't trapped; you’re just specialized. Specialized skills are transferable; they just need a "rebrand."
Is This Normal?
Yes. Most people "fall into" their careers in their early 20s based on proximity, luck, or initial degree. By 30-35, the gap between who you are and what your LinkedIn profile says often reaches a breaking point.
You aren't losing the ability to leave; you’re gaining the financial capital and operational maturity to make a more calculated pivot than you could have at 22.
How to Reframe Your "Prison"
The reason recruiters only call for supply chain roles is that you’ve only told the market you're a supply chain person. To break out, you have to stop selling the industry and start selling the function.
| Current Identity | Pivot Identity | Why it Works |
| Supply Chain Manager | Operations Strategy | Focuses on "how businesses scale" rather than "where the trucks are." |
| Logistics Lead | Project/Product Management | Focuses on "lifecycle and delivery" rather than "freight and customs." |
| Sourcing Specialist | Partnerships/Account Management | Focuses on "relationship ROI" rather than "vendor contracts." |
Strategies for the "Great Escape"
The 20% Pivot: Instead of jumping into a completely new field (e.g., from Supply Chain to Pastry Chef), look for adjacent industries. Move to a tech company that builds supply chain software (SaaS). You keep your salary because of your "subject matter expertise," but your day-to-day work shifts toward product or consulting.
The "De-Brand" Exercise: Rewrite your resume without using industry-specific jargon. If you remove the words "warehouse," "freight," or "inventory," what is left? Usually, it's optimization, data analysis, stakeholder management, and crisis resolution. Those are universal.
Financial Runway: You mentioned being well-paid. If you’re terrified of the pay cut that comes with a "reset," start a "Freedom Fund" now. Having 6–12 months of expenses tucked away lowers the stakes of taking a slightly lower-paying role in a field you actually like.
A Dose of Candor
The "exits" only feel narrower because you’re looking for a door that matches your current salary and seniority. You might have to take a lateral move or a 10-15% pay cut to switch tracks. The question is: Is that 15% worth the next 30 years of your life?
"Your career is a marathon, but you're currently running it in the wrong direction. Better to turn around at mile 10 than at mile 20."
Am I crazy for leaving 150K (zero benefits) for 100K with full benefits?
I'm at a crossroads and could use some real-world perspective.
Current situation: $150K salary. Zero benefits. No health, no 401k match, no nothing. 12 PTO days and that's it. Tiny family-run nonprofit. I'm a one-man army doing 3 people's jobs, essentially. And there is no real HR department. Everything runs on the whim of the founder's family. Job description is meaningless; whatever the family boss tells you, you do it. Boss is emotionally reactive. Constantly working unpaid overtime (used to work 80hr/week now down to 60hr/week ish). I believe the quality of work I've generated is very good. The family likes me and wants to keep me. (I feel amost like I have become a single point of failure, in a sense)
The opportunity: $100K salary. Good benefits - like, good health insurance, good 401k match, significantly more PTO. It's an established national association (nonprofit) with real structure, actual HR, and a well-defined job description. The catch is -- well, it's a newly created position, so there's some ambiguity about what it actually looks like day-to-day. Nobody's done this role before.
The dilemma for me: The $50K pay cut... But I have a family, and the current lack of health insurance and retirement support is weighing on me. At the same time, I'm asking myself: what if I'm just romanticizing the exit because I'm burned out? What if this is a frying-pan-into-the-fire situation? New role, undefined, could end up being its own kind of mess.
Has anyone made a similar move? Am I crazy for considering a 33% pay cut for sanity and benefits? I know ultimately it'd be me who having to make this kind of decision myself, but am just wondering if anyone had some similar experiences
Jobadvisor
You aren't crazy. In fact, if you look at the math and the "human tax" you’re currently paying, that $150K might actually be costing you more than the $100K offer.
When people see a $50K gap, they focus on the sticker price. But your current situation isn't a "salary"—it’s a gross payout with massive hidden liabilities.
1. The "Real Math" Breakdown
Let’s strip away the $50K sticker shock and look at what you’re actually losing (or gaining):
The Benefits Gap: Health insurance for a family, out of pocket, can easily run $15K–$24K per year. Add in the lack of a 401k match (usually 3–5% of salary) and the tax advantages of pre-tax premiums, and your "150K" is effectively closer to $120K-$125K in a side-by-side comparison with a corporate package.
The Hourly Rate: You mentioned you’re working 60 hours a week.
Current: $150,000 / 3,000 hours (60 hrs/wk) = $50.00/hr
New Role: $100,000 / 2,000 hours (40 hrs/wk) = $50.00/hr
The Risk Factor: Being a "single point of failure" for an emotionally reactive founder isn't job security; it’s a hostage situation. If the founder has a bad Tuesday, your $150K can vanish instantly with no HR to mediate.
2. The Cultural "Frying Pan" vs. "Fire"
You’re worried about the ambiguity of a "newly created position." While that is a valid concern, compare the types of messes:
| Feature | Your Current "Fire" | The New "Frying Pan" |
| Structure | Chaotic/Whimsical (Founder's mood) | Structural (Established HR/Policies) |
| Boundaries | Non-existent (3 people's jobs) | Negotiable (You help define the role) |
| Support | "One-man army" | National Association resources |
| Growth | Dead end (Family-capped) | Scalable (Professional network) |
Pro Tip: In a newly created role at an established organization, you have the power to set the precedent for boundaries and workflows during the first 90 days. In your current role, the precedent is already set: you are the person who says "yes" to 60+ hours.
3. The Burnout Lens
You asked if you’re romanticizing the exit. Burnout doesn't just make you tired; it warps your perception of value. You’ve become used to "crisis mode" as a baseline.
Having a family means your time and stress levels are a shared household resource. If you are bringing home $50K more but zero energy, no retirement security, and constant stress, your family is actually "paying" for that extra income with your absence and potential health issues.
Verdict: It's a "Life" Raise
You aren't taking a 33% pay cut; you are buying back your life and your future security. A national association with a real HR department provides a "floor" of professionalism that a family-run shop simply cannot match. Even if the new role is a bit disorganized at first, it will be professionally disorganized, not emotionally volatile.