neet hikikomori high school dropout who’s never had a job. what can i do
im 20f and pretty much have not left my house at all in about 5 years. i dropped out of high school due to severe depression and social anxiety + was already failing since i had 0 motivation to do any assignments. im currently living with my parents for free and i know i have to get a job eventually but i just dont know what i can do, i have no social skills, no regular skills, no high school diploma, no experience, and no motivation to actually work. are there any semi easy jobs i can do from home without a resume?? i know people are probably gonna tell me to get my ged first but ive always given up studying after a week max so i just dont think its gonna happen
Jobadvisor
I hear you, and I want to be real with you: what you’re feeling is incredibly common for people in your position. When you’ve been inside for five years, the "outside world" feels like a different planet, and the idea of a resume or a 9-to-5 feels like a joke when you're struggling to even find a reason to get out of bed.
The good news is that the internet has created "low-stakes" ways to start earning money that don't require a high school diploma, a resume, or even talking to another human being. You don't need "motivation" to start; you just need to do one tiny thing.
Here is a path forward that respects where you’re at right now.
Phase 1: Zero-Pressure "Micro-Tasks"
Since you mentioned having no resume and low motivation, start here. These aren't "careers," but they are ways to prove to yourself that you can complete a task and get paid.
Data Annotation & AI Training: Companies like Remotasks or DataAnnotation.tech pay you to look at images or text and label them (e.g., "Is this a picture of a cat?").
The Vibe: No boss, no meetings, no resume. You just sign up, take a test, and work whenever you feel like it.
Micro-job Sites: Platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) or Clickworker have "Human Intelligence Tasks" (HITs). These might be things like transcribing a 30-second audio clip or verifying a receipt.
User Testing: Sites like UserTesting or Intellizoom pay you to browse a website and speak your thoughts out loud into a microphone.
Note: This does require "talking," but it’s to a computer, not a person.
Phase 2: Resume-Free Entry Roles
If you feel ready for something more "official" but still want to stay home and avoid people, look into these:
Content Moderation: Companies hire people to review reported videos or comments to see if they break rules. It’s solitary and requires zero previous experience.
Data Entry: Search for "entry-level data entry" on sites like Indeed. Filter for "Remote" and "No High School Diploma." Many of these jobs just require you to be able to type accurately.
Transcription: If you're good at typing what you hear, sites like Rev or TranscribeMe allow you to claim audio files and type them out. You don't need a resume; you just have to pass their typing test.
Phase 3: Dealing with the "No Diploma" Wall
You mentioned that studying for a GED feels impossible. That's okay. The reason you likely give up after a week is that the goal feels too big and the reward feels too far away.
Forget the "Study" mindset: Don't try to "study for the GED." Instead, look up "GED Ready" practice tests. They take an hour. If you pass a practice test, you're done with that subject. You might already know enough to pass the Social Studies or Language Arts sections without opening a book.
One and Done: You don't have to take all the tests at once. You can take one test (like Science) and then not think about it again for three months.
Low-Social Skills Career Paths
If you eventually want a "real" career that lets you stay in your bubble, consider these for the long term:
Coding/Programming: You can learn for free on FreeCodeCamp. It’s just you and the logic of the computer.
Video Editing: If you spend a lot of time online, you already have a "feel" for pacing. You can learn basic editing on free software like DaVinci Resolve.
Night-Shift Stocking: If you ever do decide to leave the house, night-shift stocking at a grocery store is the "ultimate introvert" physical job. The store is closed, the lights are dimmed, and you just put boxes on shelves while listening to podcasts.
A Small Suggestion
Since you've been home for 5 years, your brain is likely stuck in "power-save mode." Motivation doesn't come before action; it usually comes after.
How do you deal with feeling “behind” in life in your late 20s?
I’m 28 and honestly feeling stuck in life right now, and I wanted to hear from people who’ve been through something similar.
I graduated in 2017. After that I started a master’s degree but had to leave it due to personal reasons. Recently, I completed my data science studies and applied for jobs, but didn’t get results. Now I’ve shifted towards AI/ML and I’m still learning, but there’s always this doubt in my mind about whether I’ll actually make it or not.
What’s making it harder is seeing my batchmates and friends already settled in their careers. Some are even married. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to figure things out, and it makes me feel like I’m behind in life.
On top of that, my relationship isn’t going well, and I’ve been drinking more than I should. I know it’s not helping, but it’s been hard to stay motivated or consistent.
Part of me believes that getting a job and earning money will fix everything, but another part of me feels like something deeper is off. I’ve even thought about talking to a therapist or psychiatrist, but I’m not sure if I’m overthinking it.
Has anyone been in a similar phase in their late 20s? How did you deal with feeling behind, career uncertainty, and low motivation?
I’m not looking for sympathy, just honest advice or experiences that helped you get back on track.
Jobadvisor
It is incredibly common to hit 28 and feel like you’re starring in a "failure" montage while everyone else is in their "happily ever after" arc. But here is the cold, hard truth: the "timeline" is a collective hallucination. You aren't behind; you’re just in the middle of a pivot. Transitioning from a Master’s to Data Science, and then to AI/ML, shows an ability to adapt—which is actually a higher-level career skill than just staying in the same entry-level job for five years.
Here is how to handle the "behind" feeling without letting it tank your progress.
1. Address the "Comparison Trap"
Your friends' "settled" lives are curated. You’re seeing their highlight reels while you're living in your own "behind-the-scenes" footage.
Marriage and "Settling": Many people who marry at 25 are in therapy or divorced by 35. Many who have "stable" careers at 26 are burnt out or laid off by 30.
The Reality: At 28, you are actually in the "Golden Age" of career shifting. You have enough maturity to learn quickly, but you're still young enough for companies to view you as a long-term investment.
2. The "Job Will Fix Everything" Myth
You mentioned a "deeper feeling" that something is off. You’re right to trust that instinct.
The Job: A paycheck will solve your financial stress, but it won’t solve the drinking, the relationship issues, or the low self-worth. If you wait for the job to arrive before you work on yourself, you’ll just be a person with a job who still feels miserable.
The Vicious Cycle: Alcohol is a depressant.
It provides a temporary escape from the "behind" feeling, but it chemically nukes your motivation and consistency for the next day. It’s making your AI/ML studies 2x harder than they need to be.
3. Tactical Steps for Your Career Shift
Since you’re in the AI/ML space, the job market right now is less about "applying" and more about "proving."
Build a Public Portfolio: Stop just "learning" and start "doing." Build a small LLM wrapper or a predictive model and put it on GitHub. Blog about it.
Narrow Your Focus: "AI/ML" is huge. Pick a niche (e.g., Computer Vision, NLP, or MLOps). Being a specialist makes you much more hireable than a generalist who is "still learning."
4. Why Therapy or a Psychiatrist is Actually a "Power Move"
You asked if you’re overthinking it. You aren’t. High-performers—including the ones you see "succeeding" on LinkedIn—often have therapists.
Think of it as Maintenance: If your car's engine was stuttering and leaking oil (the drinking and low motivation), you wouldn't say "I'm overthinking it" by taking it to a mechanic.
What they can help with: A professional can help you decouple your self-worth from your productivity. Once you stop hating yourself for being "behind," your motivation naturally returns.
A Different Perspective on "Late"
In the tech world, things change so fast that a 22-year-old and a 28-year-old are essentially starting on the same line when a new tech (like Generative AI) drops. You aren't 10 years late; you're right on time for the next wave.