I’d Rather Work a Warehouse Job Than Be a Software Engineer
Am I the only one who hates the corporate lifestyle?
Right now im studying software enginering which I’m seriously questioning now and now looking at students around made i definetly dont want to be like them couse they just look like introverted nerds (not trying to offend anyone) its gotten to a point where I’ve lost motivation to try in classes because I don’t see a future in this path even with a high paying job i whould hate it.
I hate how you have to be proffesional and be a suck up. Like even trying for internships looks like the worst experience like being an office slave and networking and shit looks missarable. Am I wrong for seeing these jobs this way, or am I missing something? They seem absolutely life draining.
Honestly, I feel like I’d rather work a warehouse job than sit at a desk programming, even if it pays way less.
Jobadvisor
This is a really common feeling, and you're definitely not alone — but let's be real with you since you're clearly at a crossroads.
First, some things worth questioning about your current thinking:
The "introverted nerd" thing is more about the academic environment than the actual job. A lot of engineers are loud, social, funny, and absolutely not the college archetype. University CS programs attract a specific kind of person; the industry is way more diverse.
The corporate suck-up culture is real in some places, but it's not universal. Plenty of engineers work at small companies, startups, or in fields like game dev, music tech, film/VFX, defense, sports analytics — where the culture is nothing like a stuffy office. The "office slave intern" experience depends enormously on where you go.
That said — your gut might be right. Not everyone is built for desk work, and that's genuinely okay. Some people need to be moving, building physical things, working with their hands, or being outside. Self-awareness about that is actually valuable.
But warehouse work specifically — go talk to people who do it for years, not just as a young person. The physical toll, the pay ceiling, the lack of autonomy, the shift work, the management dynamics... it has its own version of everything you hate, just with worse pay and a harder body toll by 40.
What's actually worth exploring:
- Trades — electrician, HVAC, plumbing. High pay, physical, independent, respected. Genuinely good life.
- Engineering roles that aren't desk-bound — field engineering, site work, robotics/automation hands-on roles
- Technical but physical — aviation mechanic, biomedical equipment tech, industrial automation
- Your actual question might not be what job, but what kind of life — do you want autonomy? Physical work? Social interaction? Being outside? Start there.
The real thing to figure out isn't "software vs warehouse" — it's what specifically drains you vs energizes you, and then find work that matches that. What do you actually like doing day to day?
I have been working as an online seller of electronics / video games since I was 15, now 32 and thinking of finding an actual career.
This might've been a long time coming. My parents owned a store and instead of going home after school or to friends house I went to that store and was the cashier / help desk of said store. Then one day we ordered something online and I asked "why dont we sell our stuff online." and just like that I became the online sales lead for the store at the age of 14. That led to me opening my own online shop.... multiple times on platforms like ebay/etsy/amazon/mercari/offerup anywhere that I could and would sell sell sell anything I could get my little hands on. Alot of the time it was pawnstore/goodwill type stuff and alot of the time broken so that meant I fixed alot of broken consoles.
Fast forward and I have zero debt besides the mortgage at a decent rate that i'm paying off, still sell online. My parents sold the store for about 400k, took the money and are living in a different country where that 400k actually lets them live by the beach / farm which chickens and goats and fresh produce and dont really ever want to come back here unless its to see family/friends.
My only skill is selling stuff online and fixing electronics/video games... Like thats literally it. I've done small jobs like working at wendys a while back, worked at amazon for a few months, but these jobs are just jobs not real long term investment type things.
I was thinking maybe I should full invest into doing I.T. but everytime I take a look at that I realize just how LITTLE I know about computers and that side of networking/cybersecurity/SQL and stuff like that i'm unsure if just going out and getting a random cert will actually net me a job... me a person who didn't go to college.
should i go to college? That seems dumb. One of my greatest strengths I believe is that i'm probably one of the few people I know that has zero credit card debt and dont like to operate at a negative despite how incentivized that sort of lifestyle seems to be. I'm 32 why would I go to college NOW? especially with all this A.I. and stuff.
I'm at a complete loss on where to look in terms of jobs. I've tried to look at other things that would interest me but seems to be similar issue.
Animation? Game Dev? hell computer science/dev in general? I.T.?
Is a trade truly my only option? becoming a welder/plumber or something? I've been working on computers/electronics for what feels like all my life and dont know what else I could possibly pivot to outside of what I CONSTANTLY keep hearing is dying field?
edit: I have completely sustained my life through online selling. I would say like 95% of all my income these past 17 years has been online sales on OTHER platforms such as ebay/etsy/amazon/facebook etc. I'm kinda unsure how that translates into another skill outside of making some b.s. grifter "Let me show you how to become a millionaire off of dropshipping in 2 weeks" type deal. I understand the ins and outs of online selling to a vast degree and its been primarily a work from home job, I'm sure its impacted my social life and dating life as I spent the 20s figuring out where to source inventory and watching tutorials on how to take apart a nintnedo wii but i'm not particularly sure how I can use any of that for like... a regular job.
Jobadvisor
What you've described isn't "just selling stuff online." Let me reframe what you've actually been doing for 17 years:
You've been running a business. Sourcing, logistics, pricing strategy, inventory management, customer service, platform optimization, hardware repair — that's a serious skillset. The problem is you've been the only employee, so it's invisible to you.
Let me break down what's actually on the table.
What you actually know how to do
- Sourcing & arbitrage — finding undervalued inventory and flipping it profitably. That's a real skill that retail buyers, procurement roles, and resale operations pay for.
- Multi-platform e-commerce — eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Mercari. You understand algorithms, fees, listing optimization, returns, feedback management. Most businesses hiring for e-commerce roles would kill for someone with real operational experience instead of just theory.
- Hardware repair — consoles, electronics. That's a legitimate technical skill.
- Running lean — zero debt, no negative operating, self-sustained for 17 years. That's financial discipline most people never develop.
Realistic paths worth actually considering
E-commerce / Operations roles at a company This is the most direct translation. Small-to-mid size brands, resellers, liquidation companies, or even larger retailers hire people to manage their marketplace presence (Amazon Seller Central, eBay stores, etc.). Your 17 years of hands-on experience is worth more than a degree here. Search: marketplace manager, e-commerce coordinator, Amazon seller specialist, inventory specialist.
Recommerce / Refurbishment industry Companies like Back Market, Decluttr, or regional electronics refurbishers literally need people who can assess, repair, and grade used electronics. You've been doing this unpaid for years. This could also be a business angle — formalizing what you do, getting certified as a refurbisher, selling B2B instead of just to consumers.
Wholesale / Procurement / Buying Retail buyers and purchasing coordinators do essentially what you've been doing — find product, evaluate value, manage relationships with suppliers. You have instincts here most people learn in school.
IT — but be realistic about it You're right to be cautious. An A+ cert won't just land you a job on its own. But if you genuinely enjoy the hardware side, a combination of A+ and real hands-on repair experience is a viable path into a helpdesk or device repair role. It's not glamorous but it's a real foot in the door. CompTIA A+ → then Network+ if you want to go further. The ceiling exists, but so does the floor — it's stable.
Trades — not a consolation prize Don't dismiss this. Electricians in particular work with electronics, earn well, are in demand, and the work isn't that far from what you already do conceptually. It's also apprenticeship-based — no college required, you get paid while you learn.
On college at 32
You're right to be skeptical — not because 32 is too old, but because a generic degree without a clear purpose is expensive and slow. However, a targeted 2-year associates or a focused certification program (not random certs, but a pathway) can still make sense depending on the direction. The key question is: does the job you want actually require it, or does experience substitute?
For e-commerce, operations, repair roles — no, it doesn't require it. For IT mid-level+, sometimes. For engineering/CS/game dev — honestly, a portfolio matters more than the degree, but the learning curve is steep and the field is competitive right now with AI.
The honest take
You're not starting from zero. You're starting from 17 years of self-directed business experience with no debt and a mortgage. That's a genuinely strong position. The issue isn't that your skills don't translate — it's that you've never had to present them in the language employers speak.
The most practical next step isn't picking a field cold — it's writing down everything you've actually done (platforms managed, volume sold, repairs completed, processes you built) and seeing what job descriptions that matches. You might be surprised how close you already are.
What direction feels most interesting to you — staying close to e-commerce/ops, leaning into the hardware/repair side, or trying to push into something more technical like IT?
Do you have any tips for an HR interview where I know I'm overqualified for the position?
I have a 30-45 minute HR interview tomorrow for a position I'm over qualified for and pays less than I'd like but my unemployment runs out soon and beggars can't be choosers. Any suggestions for how to spin that I'd be happy doing the job (this has come up in a previous interview), I'm not looking to climb the ladder, etc.? I'm in my late 50's and am not looking for anything high stress before I retire. TIA!!
Jobadvisor
Here are some practical tips for navigating this situation:
Reframe "overqualified" as "exactly right"
Don't let them define you with that word. You bring more experience than the minimum requirement, which means less ramp-up time, fewer mistakes, and more value from day one. Practice saying something like: "I've done the high-pressure climb. At this stage, I want to do work I'm genuinely good at and do it well — that's a win for both of us."
Address the salary gap proactively (but carefully)
If they bring up that the pay is below your history, normalize it: "My priorities have shifted. I'm not chasing titles or maximizing comp right now — I want stability, a good team, and work I can be proud of." Don't volunteer that unemployment is ending — that creates leverage for them and desperation signals for you.
Counter the "you'll get bored and leave" fear directly
This is the real concern behind "overqualified." They're worried about turnover. Reassure them explicitly: "I understand why companies worry about that. But I'm not looking for a stepping stone — I want somewhere I can settle in and be reliably useful for years." Concrete language like "years" helps.
Play up what this role actually offers you
Think about what genuinely appeals — lower stress, predictable hours, good coworkers, no travel, whatever it is — and weave that in authentically. Interviewers can smell a rehearsed answer, but they respond well to someone who seems to have actually thought through why this job fits their life.
On not climbing the ladder
Be direct but frame it positively: "I've managed teams and I've done the senior track. Honestly, I'm happiest when I'm doing the actual work rather than managing politics. This role lets me do that." That resonates with a lot of HR people.
A few things to avoid
- Don't apologize for your experience
- Don't over-explain your financial situation
- Don't hint that this is temporary while you keep looking
- Don't undersell yourself either — confidence matters
The mindset shift that helps most: You're not begging for a job you're too good for. You're a seasoned professional who has chosen a lower-stress chapter — and that's a completely legitimate and relatable life decision. Own it, and they'll believe it.
Good luck tomorrow! 🤞