Pushed out of tech
(burner account)
Hi everyone!
I (25F, Massachusetts) have been working in tech (software engineer) since I graduated college (about 3 years now) and in that time, it feels like AI just ripped everything apart.
Ok first let me rant:
Everything is AI slop now!!! I feel like the pressure is going up but the quality is going down.
My coworkers generate AI images and videos for no reason and then they applaud each other for it. "I don't know how to code but I just vibe coded a thing!" Slack messages with a ton of replies.
The PRs I review now are straight up slop. These long as hell PRs with low quality code, comments that don't fit the existing format, stupid functions, aaaaaaaaaaa
The quality of the codebase is going down and we are expected to output more and more. Everything feels strained to the limits.
I can't even speak about this stuff at work because it would make me ostracized. Everyone drank the kool aid hardcore.
Its insane how they are training their own replacements and are patting themselves on the back for it.
Nobody cares about the environmental aspect and are like bragging about how much AI they use.
They want me to enshittify myself and i just refuse!!!!!!! sorry!!! I hate tech people and how out of touch they are literally no self awareness
I feel so burned out and resentful towards everything.
RANT OVER
Ok so like what am I supposed to do?? I have no other skills besides my degree in CS. I really wish I had a job where I served humans instead of just wrote code but I don't think I have the right personality for sales since I'm not good at being pushy. I am pretty awful with my hands so pls don't suggest like plumber, art, etc
I also can't do medical stuff sorry I can't handle gore :(
I am good with kids and I also like talking to people if that helps! I just want out of tech.
(I would be ok with tech if it was like not an AI slop house where the meta is using Claude for everything)
I am willing to go back to school for a master's. I just want to do something that isn't going to be replaced by AI.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I really don't care if I take a pay cut as long as I can live comfortably. I already live well below my means.
Thanks!!
TLDR: Being an SWE has become workslop and I want out
Jobadvisor
You’re not crazy. A lot of engineers with 2–5 YOE are reacting to the same shift: productivity optics up, craftsmanship norms down. The cultural whiplash is real.
You’re 25, financially cautious, and not afraid of grad school. That’s a strong position. The goal isn’t “escape tech at any cost,” it’s: move into work that is (a) human-centered, (b) harder to automate, (c) tolerable culturally, and (d) economically viable.
Below are viable paths given what you said (good with kids, like talking to people, no gore, not trades, not pushy sales).
1) School Psychologist (High Stability, Human-Centered)
What it is: Assessing and supporting K–12 students’ learning, behavior, and emotional needs.
Master’s or Ed.S. required (2–3 years).
Direct work with kids, parents, teachers.
Strong labor demand across the U.S., including Massachusetts.
AI replacement risk: extremely low (requires in-person judgment, trust, legal accountability).
Why it fits:
You’re good with kids.
It’s structured and analytical (testing, data interpretation).
Meaningful, relational work.
Trade-offs:
Bureaucracy.
Lower salary than SWE (but stable middle-class income).
2) School Counselor
Similar ecosystem to school psychologist, but more focused on guidance, planning, and student support.
Master’s + licensure.
Heavy on conversation and mentoring.
Less assessment, more relational.
If what you actually want is: “talk to humans, help them figure stuff out,” this is a clean pivot.
3) Clinical Mental Health Counselor / Therapist
Master’s in counseling, social work (MSW), or psychology.
2–3 years + supervised hours.
Private practice possible later.
AI replacement risk: minimal. Therapy depends on trust, embodiment, and ethical liability structures.
If you’re analytical and reflective, this can be deeply fulfilling. You also get autonomy long term.
4) Speech-Language Pathologist (No Gore, High Demand)
Master’s required.
Work with kids or adults (schools, clinics).
Focus on communication disorders, speech delays, etc.
Strong demand nationally.
Highly embodied, relational, difficult to automate.
5) UX Research (Bridge Option — Still Tech, More Human)
You said you’d tolerate tech if it weren’t AI-slop culture.
UX research:
Interview users.
Design studies.
Analyze behavior.
Influence product direction.
This is closer to psychology + qualitative analysis than coding. You could pivot without a full degree (or with an HCI master’s).
Still tech-adjacent, but farther from “vibe-coded PR hell.”
6) Teaching (K–12 CS or Math)
If you like kids:
Teach math or CS in public school.
Massachusetts has alternative licensure routes.
Summers off, pension system.
Yes, teaching has stress—but it’s human stress, not Slack-slop stress.
AI risk: low in physical classrooms.
7) Human Services / Government Tech Oversight
If your anger is about AI ethics and degradation:
Public sector technology policy
AI governance roles
EdTech oversight
Civic tech
You’d use your CS background without being in “move fast and vibe code” culture.
Look at:
State-level digital services offices
Civic tech orgs
University research administration
What You Should Not Do (Given Your Rant)
Jump into another startup thinking it’ll be different.
Assume AI will replace every human profession.
Make a rage-driven exit without testing alternatives.
You sound burned out, not incompetent or incapable.
Important Reframe
You have:
3 years of SWE experience
A CS degree
Financial discipline
No dependents (I assume)
Geographic flexibility (?)
That is an extremely strong launchpad.
You’re not trapped. You’re early.
A More Surgical Option: Change Environment First
Before committing to a new profession, test whether the issue is:
Tech culture broadly
orYour specific company’s culture
There are still:
Regulated industries (healthcare IT, defense, gov contracting)
Non-profits
Research institutions
Universities
These environments are slower, process-heavy, and less “AI hype maximalist.”
Massachusetts in particular has huge ecosystems around:
Universities
Public sector
Biotech infrastructure (not gore-facing roles)
You may hate your context, not the field.
If Your Core Desire Is “Work That AI Won’t Replace”
Focus on:
Roles requiring licensure
In-person embodied interaction
Legal accountability
High trust relationships
Complex emotional judgment
That’s why therapy, school psych, SLP, counseling keep coming up.
Tactical Next Step (No Commitment Yet)
Instead of quitting:
Shadow someone in:
A school
A counseling center
A therapy practice
Volunteer:
After-school programs
Youth mentorship
Talk to 3 professionals in fields you’re curious about.
You don’t need a master plan. You need signal.
One Direct Question
When you imagine your ideal workday:
Are you mostly talking?
Mostly thinking?
Mostly mentoring?
Mostly solving concrete problems for someone in front of you?
Answer that and the path narrows fast.
You’re not wrong to resist cultural drift you don’t respect. But don’t burn down your earning power without a controlled transition.
Accounting or Nursing
I know these two careers are obviously very different but I’m interested in both, I love helping people which is why I’m considering nursing and I got accepted into a nursing school that has a schedule that works for me (I’m a mom)if I choose this I should be done in 2 years but it’s around 50k for my bsn degree. On the other hand with accounting I am a bit more on the introverted side and I also like excel so I think I would like it also and it’s a lot cheaper around 8,000. Im a mom of 2 also so I want to be sure I go into something that has decent work life balance any advice?
Jobadvisor
Hi there — this is such an important decision, and it's great that you're thinking it through so carefully as a mom of two. Both paths have real merit, and the "right" choice really depends on what you value most *right now* in your life. Let me break down the key considerations based on current data:
💰 Cost & ROI
- **Accounting (~$8k)**: Much lower financial risk. You could potentially start working in bookkeeping, accounts payable, or tax prep roles while finishing certs, creating income faster with less debt stress.
- **Nursing (~$50k BSN)**: Significant investment, but nursing has strong job security and earning potential long-term. However, the upfront debt could add pressure while you're parenting young kids.
⏱️ Work-Life Balance Reality
**Nursing**:
- Flexible scheduling *does* exist: self-scheduling, part-time roles, and even hybrid telehealth positions are growing [[9]].
- BUT: 65% of nurses report high burnout, and only 60% say they'd choose nursing again if given the choice [[29]]. Short staffing, emotional demands, and shift work (nights/weekends/holidays) can be tough on family life.
- The "helping people" reward is real and powerful — but it comes with high emotional labor.
**Accounting**:
- Remote and part-time opportunities are abundant: 20% of U.S. employees now telecommute, with a 16% rise in hybrid roles [[26]].
- Many entry-level accounting jobs (bookkeeping, payroll, tax prep) offer predictable hours, remote options, and seasonal flexibility (e.g., tax season intensity followed by quieter periods) [[26]].
- Less emotional drain, more task-focused — which can align well with introversion and Excel enjoyment.
👩👧👦 Mom-Specific Factors
| Factor | Nursing | Accounting |
|--------|---------|------------|
| Schedule predictability | Variable (shifts, on-call) | Generally predictable (9-5 or project-based) |
| Remote work potential | Growing but limited (telehealth, admin roles) | High (many fully remote entry roles) |
| Physical/emotional demands | High (standing, patient care, crisis moments) | Lower (desk-based, task-focused) |
| Career entry speed | ~2 years to BSN + licensure | Can start with certs/associate degree; faster entry |
| Long-term flexibility | High (many specialties, travel nursing, admin paths) | High (CPA path, consulting, niche specialties) |
🎯 A Practical Middle Path to Consider
Since you're drawn to *both* helping people *and* introverted/Excel-friendly work, you might explore:
1. **Start with accounting** (lower cost, faster entry, remote-friendly). Get certified, gain experience, and stabilize income while parenting.
2. **Keep nursing as a future option**: Many nurses transition later in life. Your accounting skills could even be valuable in healthcare administration or nurse informatics down the road.
3. **Hybrid roles to research**: Healthcare billing, medical coding, or patient financial services blend helping people with desk-based, detail-oriented work — and often offer remote options.
❓ Questions to Ask Yourself
- What does "helping people" mean to you? Direct bedside care, or supporting systems that help people (like accurate billing so families aren't overcharged)?
- How much schedule unpredictability can your family absorb right now?
- Would taking on $50k debt feel manageable with your current support system?
- Could you test-drive accounting first (e.g., a free Excel/bookkeeping course) to confirm your interest before committing?
💬 One Last Thought
You don't have to choose forever today. Many people have multiple careers. Starting with the lower-risk, higher-flexibility path (accounting) doesn't close the door on nursing later — but it *does* give you more breathing room as a mom right now.
If you'd like, I can help you research:
- Specific affordable accounting cert programs (like QuickBooks ProAdvisor or enrolled agent paths)
- Nursing programs with exceptional parent-friendly support
- Hybrid healthcare-admin roles that might blend both interests
21, still a first year in college... should I drop out? lol
Hey y'all. I'm a 21F from Canada and am currently still in my first year of college studying animation. I've wanted to work in animation since I was 14 and art has always been my dream. I began taking art classes since I was 6 and grew up as the "art kid". Everyone around me sort of acted as if a career in art would be a given for me and that I would have no issue breaking into the creative industry.
I guess everything began during COVID. I became severely depressed and all my grades dropped by 40%. After that, my academics never really recovered. I didn't get into any of the colleges I applied to, not because I wasn't capable of it, but because I didn't complete any of my portfolios.
I had to take a gap year and spent this time putting together my portfolio to apply to art school for the second time. I don't like thinking about this period of my life because I know and am confident that I had the skillset to get into my top school. I didn't. And once again, it wasn't because I lacked the skills, but more because I struggled with time-management. I got accepted into my current school and began the program last year.
At my school, each semester contains 8 courses. Which means that a reduced course load for an animation student is a full course load for majority of college students. I ended up flunking out of all my classes except for one. I was withdrawn from the program and was told that I would have one last chance. This was also the time I found out I have ADHD.
So now I'm redoing my first year. Knowing that I have ADHD changed a lot of things, but my life is pretty much the same. I've decided to take a reduced course load and it's currently reading week for us. I don't know if it's my time away from school that's doing this, but I'm starting to have serious doubts.
I'm genuinely so burnt out and done with everything. You couldn't even pay me to care anymore. I live at home and commute to school everyday, and I'm fucking sick of it. I hate living with my parents, I hate being so far from school, and I hate feeling like I'm missing out on the college experience. My burnout is affecting all areas of my life and I have to come home to my parents nagging me every single day, expressing their concern for my future, and calling me lazy and unwilling to change.
I think the accumulation of these life experiences have completely changed my relationship with art. I just... can't draw anymore. Genuinely I think the last time I enjoyed drawing was when I was 15... so six years ago. I've come to really hate making art and resenting the art industry. I hate that I have to rely on networking to get a job, I hate that artists also need to be content creators to market ourselves, and I hate how fucking overlooked and misunderstood we are. Everything I do isn't out of enjoyment but out of necessity: Drawing, planning my social media page, thoughts of designing stickers to maybe sell... like I don't even fuck with stickers.
Just... why am I doing all of this? It's so common to hear stories of people pursuing STEM drop everything to become a creative, but what if the opposite happens? I've made the decision to pursue 3D animation if it meant that I didn't have to draw anymore and could focus on the software and technical side of animation. But knowing that I'd still be in the creative industry gives me anxiety. Every other week I crash out and start hyper-fixating on a job in the trades before pulling myself back together again. Due to my academic history, I've convinced myself that I'd never survive in a university setting and that I'd never succeed in attaining a degree.
So what I'm trying to say is, I don't know if this fight is worth it. I've already invested so much time, effort, and money into this dying dream and I just don't know if it's worth it anymore. I don't have any real skills, and considering how much I've invested into this path, I might as well finish this diploma. But with my reduced course load, that day is still 3 years away. I don't know if I can hold on for another three years. I'm just so tired and done with everything. I've tried therapy at the beginning of this year, and well... it was something. Therapy was sort of my last resort, and now I just feel hopeless. My life keeps falling apart no matter how hard I try, and I see no hope in my future. What am I supposed to do now?
Jobadvisor
First of all, I want to mirror back to you how much you’ve been carrying. Being the "art kid" is a heavy identity to hold when the passion starts to rot. It’s not just a hobby you’re losing; it’s the script everyone wrote for your life.
You aren't "lazy," and you aren't "unwilling to change." You are navigating a neurodivergent brain (ADHD) that is currently redlining from years of burnout. Here is some candid, grounded perspective on where you’re at.
1. The "Sunken Cost" Trap
You mentioned you’ve "invested so much time, effort, and money." In psychology, this is the Sunk Cost Fallacy. You feel like you have to keep going because you’ve already paid a high price, even if the destination is a place you no longer want to go.
The Reality Check: You are 21. If you spend 3 more years finishing a degree you hate for an industry you resent, you’ll be 24 with a piece of paper and a massive amount of "career trauma."
The Alternative: Starting over at 21 is actually the standard. Most people don't find their footing until their mid-twenties.
2. Art as a Job vs. Art as an Identity
It sounds like the "professionalization" of your art (social media, stickers, networking) has killed the joy of the craft. This is incredibly common for ADHD creatives. When a passion becomes a high-stakes performance, our brains often view it as a threat rather than a release.
Crucial Note: It is okay to let art go back to being a hobby. You don't have to monetize your soul to be a valid person.
3. The Trades and STEM Pivot
You mentioned "crashing out" and hyper-fixating on trades or fearing you wouldn't survive a university setting.
The Trades: For many people with ADHD, the trades are a godsend. They are tactile, have clear start/stop points, and provide immediate dopamine from seeing a finished product. It’s not a "downgrade" from art; it’s a different way to use your hands and brain without the emotional weight of "creativity."
3D/Technical: If you like the software side but hate the "art" side, you might actually be a technical person who was told they were an artist because they could draw.
4. The "Living Situation" Factor
Commuting from a house where you are nagged and called lazy is a recipe for executive function failure. Your environment is actively draining the battery you need to pass your classes. If school is the reason you're stuck in that environment, then school is currently part of the problem, not the solution.
What you can do right now
The "Gap" Strategy: Consider a formal Leave of Absence instead of a total dropout. This protects your progress but gives you 6–12 months to work a low-stakes job, save money, and get your ADHD meds/management regulated without the pressure of 8-course semesters.
The "Trade" Trial: Before committing to a new 4-year degree, look into short-term certifications (3-6 months) in Canada for things like CAD drafting, HVAC, or even medical tech. See if your brain likes the structure.
The "Honest Conversation": You need to tell your parents—not that you're "lazy," but that you are clinically burnt out. Show them resources on ADHD burnout. If they won't listen, you may need to prioritize finding any job that allows you to move out or gain some distance, even if it’s not a "career" yet.
Bottom line: You are not a failure for realizing the dream you had at 14 doesn't fit the woman you are at 21.