I’m a 20 year old man in community college. I’m finishing my associates and I’m not even sure I want to get my bachelors. What’s the most adventurous fun job that I can do for the next few years ? I need ideas.
I want something where :
*I will travel
*I will make enough money to cover my basic needs while doing it
*I will spend a lot of time outdoors
*I will amass a bunch of dad lore
Seriously, someone give me some ideas I’m tired of the mundane day to day of my life.
Jobadvisor
I hear you. There is a specific kind of "cubicle claustrophobia" that hits when you’re staring down the barrel of two more years of lectures while the world is sitting right there. At 20, you have the highest energy and the lowest amount of baggage you'll ever have. It’s the perfect time to go build some "dad lore."
If you want to ditch the classroom for the great outdoors and earn your keep, here are four high-adventure paths that fit your criteria perfectly.
1. Wildland Firefighting (The "Hero" Route)
If you want to spend your summer in the dirt, breathing smoke, and bonding with a crew of people you’d take a bullet for, this is it.
The Vibe: You’ll be deployed to remote forests (often in the Western US) to dig fire lines and manage burns.
Travel: You follow the fires. You could be in Montana one week and California the next.
Dad Lore Level: High. You’ll have stories about sleeping in the dirt and watching 100-foot trees go up in flames.
The Pay: Decent hourly pay plus massive amounts of overtime and hazard pay. Many guys work 5–6 months and live off the savings the rest of the year.
2. Expedition Staff or Deckhand (The "Sea" Route)
You don't need a maritime degree to get on a boat. Look for jobs as a deckhand on small-ship expedition cruises (like Lindblad or UnCruise) or even commercial fishing if you’re feeling gritty.
The Vibe: Working on deck, helping with zodiac boats, and seeing parts of the world (Alaska, Baja, the Amazon) that tourists pay $10k to visit.
Travel: Constant. You live on the ship.
Dad Lore Level: Extreme. "That was the summer I spent navigating icebergs in the Inside Passage."
The Pay: Your room and board are free, so almost every cent you make goes straight into your bank account.
3. Backcountry Field Instructor (The "Teacher" Route)
Organizations like NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) or Outward Bound hire people to lead backpacking, climbing, or kayaking trips for students.
The Vibe: You are essentially a professional nomad. You’ll be teaching survival skills, navigation, and leadership in the middle of nowhere.
Travel: Seasonal contracts mean you can work a winter in Patagonia and a summer in the Rockies.
Dad Lore Level: Solid. You’ll be the guy who knows how to start a fire with two sticks and navigate by the stars.
The Pay: It’s modest, but again, your "office" is a National Park and your expenses are zero while on trail.
4. Seasonal "Zebulon" Work (The "Free Spirit" Route)
This isn't one job, but a lifestyle. Use sites like CoolWorks to find jobs in National Parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion).
The Vibe: You might work as a trail crew member, a wrangler at a dude ranch, or a lift op at a ski resort.
Travel: You move with the seasons.
Dad Lore Level: High variety. You’ll meet people from all over the world and spend your off-days hiking or skiing world-class terrain.
The Pay: Usually covers housing and food with enough left over for your next plane ticket.
How to decide?
Since you’re finishing your Associate's, you have a "safety net" credential already. You aren't "quitting life"—you're just taking a different elective.
Pro Tip: Look into AmeriCorps NCCC or the Conservation Corps. They specifically love guys your age, they provide a living stipend, and they often give you an "Education Award" (money) at the end that you can use to pay off your community college loans or save for later.
I feel I was unfairly laid off from my job and unemployment is ruining my mental health
So a little over a year ago I started a new position at the company I had worked at for 2 years. The manager I had practically begged her boss for me to join their team and I didn’t even have to interview for the position because the department really wanted someone with my skill set. Fast forward to a few months after that, my boyfriend accepts a job offer in a new state, I tell my manager about it, and the department is aligned on agreeing to let me become remote. I work in instructional design, and it seems very common for people in this line of work to be in a remote environment.
Fast forward again to December of last year, 2 weeks before Christmas, and I’m called into a meeting because I’m being let go. I was told that my skill set was not valuable and it did not fit our current business needs, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with my performance. I had worked on so many projects for this team and they had really big plans for me for 2026 to help implement training in various departments.
Not even a month later, my exact position with a new title is posted on their career page. Then I find out a week ago that the VP of my department is telling everyone that I left of my own accord.
I had a lot of work that I could have easily added to a portfolio that didn’t contain any proprietary information, but I didn’t make copies or save any of it to a personal account because I didn’t expect to be laid off.
Trying to find a job now is humiliating. I either never hear back from the companies I apply for, or the next day I get an email telling me they’ve decided to go with other candidates.
I have no idea what to do with my life anymore, and it gets harder every day to not feel like a failure even though I wasn’t fired and this situation is not my fault.
For those of you who are also dealing with job searching, how are you handling the mental health aspect of it? I don’t leave the house at all during the week (sold my car so we only have one to rely on) and I feel like such a burden not being able to contribute financially, especially since we moved to an incredibly expensive city. It just feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Jobadvisor
I am so sorry you are going through this. There is a specific, jagged kind of pain that comes from being told you are "valued" and "integral," only to be discarded like a budget line item two weeks before the holidays.
The fact that they reposted your job with a new title and the VP is lying about your departure isn't just "unfortunate"—it’s gaslighting. It makes sense that your mental health is suffering; you aren't just dealing with a job loss, you're dealing with a betrayal of trust.
Since you're feeling stuck in a tunnel, let’s try to find some immediate "light" by addressing the three heaviest burdens you’re carrying right now.
1. Reclaiming Your Professional Identity
Losing your work samples feels like losing your voice, but in Instructional Design (ID), the "how" is often more important than the "what."
The "Reconstructed" Portfolio: You don't need the original files to show your worth. Create Case Studies. Write out the problem you were given, the learning solution you designed, and the tools you used. A "Process over Product" portfolio is actually highly respected in 2026.
Leverage 2026 Trends: The ID market has shifted heavily toward AI-assisted content creation. Spend an hour a day playing with new GenAI authoring tools. Creating a 2-minute "Microlearning" module on a public topic (like "How to use AI for Project Management") can serve as a fresh, proprietary-free portfolio piece.
The "New Title" Post: Screenshot that job posting. It is proof that your role was necessary, which can be a huge confidence booster when you start to feel like "it was me." It wasn't you; it was a corporate maneuver.
2. Managing the "Financial Burden" Guilt
Living in an expensive city without a car or a paycheck is an isolating recipe for depression.
Redefine "Contribution": Right now, your "job" is the household COO. Managing the budget, the cooking, and the home isn't "being a burden"—it’s providing the stability that allows your boyfriend to focus on his new role.
The "One Thing" Rule: To combat the feeling of being trapped at home, commit to one non-negotiable exit per day. A 20-minute walk to a library or park. If you stay inside the same four walls where you apply for jobs, those walls will eventually start to feel like a prison.
3. Dealing with the "Unfairness"
The VP's lie and the "skill set" excuse are incredibly frustrating.
For Future Interviews: You do not have to badmouth them. Use a "pivot" script: "The company underwent a departmental restructuring in December. While my performance was strong, the role was phased out as they moved in a different direction. I'm now looking to bring my [Specific Skill] to a team that is scaling their training programs."
Legal/Unemployment: Ensure you have filed for unemployment. If they try to contest it by saying you "left of your own accord," the fact that they gave you a "business needs" excuse in the meeting (and the job reposting) is your evidence. Keep all records.
A Small Step for Today
The humiliation of "no-reply" emails is a slow poison. To break the cycle, would you like me to help you draft a "Process-Based" case study for your portfolio based on one of the projects you worked on? We can recreate the logic of your work without needing the actual files.
A question on how everyone has so many referrals?
So it seems like referrals are the key to getting a job. I read on average, that most people have a total of 3-5 people who they can call "friends", I fall in this category and probably closer to 3 than 5.
I've asked all my friends for a referral already, and I got a total of 2 referrals, none of which went anywhere.
So how is everyone getting so many referrals? I am a bit confused. Is it only people with huge social networks aka they know 20 ppl that they can call friends that are getting jobs?
Yes I've tried networking with strangers and reaching out to acquantaces, but that doesn't really work. Strangers do not reply, acquantices for the most part will say they arent hiring or something.
Jobadvisor
I hear you, and it’s completely valid to feel frustrated. The "just get a referral" advice often sounds like people think you have a secret Rolodex of CEOs just waiting for your call.
The disconnect you're feeling comes from a misunderstanding of what the "hidden job market" actually looks like. It isn't powered by your 3 to 5 best friends; it’s powered by something sociologists call "The Strength of Weak Ties."
Here is the breakdown of how people are actually landing these referrals and why your current strategy feels like it’s hitting a wall.
1. Friends vs. "Weak Ties"
Your best friends usually run in the same circles as you. They know the same people and hear about the same jobs. While they are the most willing to help, they often have the least new information.
Most successful referrals come from acquaintances:
Former coworkers from two jobs ago.
That person you worked with on a group project in college.
Someone you met once at a professional meetup.
These people move in different circles and have access to job openings you’d never see otherwise.
2. The "Referral" Spectrum
Not all referrals are "I've known this person for ten years." In many big tech or corporate companies, employees get a referral bonus (sometimes $1,000–$5,000) if a hire stays for six months. Because of this, many employees are actually incentivized to refer someone they barely know, provided that person's resume looks solid.
3. Why Strangers Aren't Replying
If you are reaching out to strangers and getting ghosted, it’s usually because the "ask" is too heavy.
The Wrong Way: "Hi, I see you work at X. Can you refer me for this role?" (This feels like a burden/risk to a stranger).
The Better Way: "Hi, I see you transitioned from Marketing to Product Management. I’m looking to do the same and would love to ask two specific questions about how you positioned your skills. Do you have 10 minutes for a quick chat?"
People love to give advice, but they hesitate to give favors. If you get them on the phone for advice, the referral often happens naturally at the end of the conversation.
Comparison: Friend Referrals vs. Strategic Networking
| Feature | Best Friends (Strong Ties) | Acquaintances/Network (Weak Ties) |
| Trust Level | Extremely High | Low to Medium |
| New Info | Low (You know what they know) | High (They are in different "bubbles") |
| Quantity | 3–5 people | 50–200+ people |
| Success Rate | High effort, low volume | Low effort, high volume |
What to do next
The math is simply against you if you only rely on your inner circle. You don't need 20 best friends; you need a broader "surface area."
So... How do you actually network?
Hi yall. I graduated with a Data Sci degree from a pretty good university last year, and have been job hunting since then. in full transparency, I always thought I could get by without networking if I just kept applying, but I was clearly too naive since I have gotten close to no interviews since graduating. I'm not the most social, nor have my cold LinkedIn dms asking for an introductory call (ideally for that juicy referral) to random recruiters ever netted me any response. if it helps, I do live in a HCOL tech area (think SF, Seattle, etc) but I honestly have no idea how to focus my time networking.
I hear networking is essential but can't help but feel like most advice I hear is outdated. for those of you who have successfully done it... How? Who should I target, what methods should I use, and what should my goal be? Thanks!
Jobadvisor
It’s a tough realization to have, but you’re actually in a great position to pivot because of your location. Being in a HCOL tech hub like SF or Seattle means the density of "weak ties" is higher than anywhere else in the world.
The reason your LinkedIn DMs aren't working is likely because you're targeting Recruiters. Recruiters get hundreds of "pick your brain" messages a day; it’s their job to filter people out, not to be networked with. You need to target Peers—people 1–3 years ahead of you in Data Science.
Here is the updated, non-cringe blueprint for networking in 2026.
1. Who to Target (The "Near-Peer" Strategy)
Stop messaging Hiring Managers and Recruiters. Instead, look for:
Alumni from your University: Search LinkedIn for people who graduated from your school 2–4 years ago with a DS or CS degree.
The "Second-Degree" Connection: Find people who work at companies you like and see if you have even one person in common.
People with your "Dream" stack: If you love working with PyTorch or specific LLM frameworks, find people who post about that.
2. The Method: The "Specific Advice" Frame
People generally ignore "Can I get an introductory call?" because it sounds like a job interview they aren't prepared for. Instead, ask for a Micro-Consult.
The Script Template:
"Hi [Name], I’m a recent [University] DS grad. I’ve been following your work at [Company]—I saw your recent post/project on [Topic]. I’m currently refining my portfolio specifically for [Industry] roles. Could I ask one specific question about how your team views [Specific Tool/Skill] versus [Other Tool]? I’d love a 5-minute perspective from someone in the trenches."
Why this works:
It proves you aren't a bot.
It respects their time (5 mins vs. 30 mins).
It targets their ego (you're asking for their expertise).
3. Use Your Location (In-Person is the Cheat Code)
In tech hubs, the "cold DM" is noisy. The "person I met at a meetup" is a real human.
Find "Niche" Meetups: Don't go to "General Networking for Job Seekers." Go to a "Rust for Data Science" or "MLOps Monthly" meetup.
The Goal: Don't ask for a job. Ask: "What are you working on right now that’s actually challenging?" Listen, then follow up on LinkedIn the next day: "Great meeting you. That problem with [X] sounded wild. Let’s stay in touch."
4. The Goal: The "Internal Look"
Your goal isn't to get a referral on the first message. The goal is to get them to say: "Send me your resume, I'll take a look."
Once a human has seen your resume and given you a thumbs up, they are much more likely to drop it into their internal referral portal. In many DS roles, the internal system guarantees a human recruiter will at least look at your application, which beats the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) every time.
Networking "Math" for a Tech Hub
| Action | Volume Goal | Expected Result |
| Alumni Outreach | 5/week | 1-2 responses |
| Niche Meetups | 1/month | 3-5 "real" connections |
| Technical Comments (on LinkedIn/GitHub) | 3/week | Build "name recognition" |
Your Next Step
Since you have a Data Science degree, you probably have a portfolio or a GitHub.