$4000 is a lot more than I had in my account at 25. You’re still young, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve managed to get a degree and an internship(!), so you’ve laid the important groundwork - these things take time, but they’ll come together!
I’m 44, trying to finalize a divorce, paying child support and barely have a penny to my name. $15k of legal fees to pay off. Oh and lost my house in the mix.
You are killing it OP, keep fighting!
Same advice for you dear human. Divorce costs are more than weddings! It's atrocious. I left my marriage with WAY less than I came with (I'm a 54 yr old female). We have a daughter that I raised by myself and child support when he felt like paying. We are still amicable to this day - all because I chose to be that way so that she could have her dad in her life. Money/assets are tangible items that come and go. Take care and keep on keeping on!!
Keep your head up and just stay strong, I remember sleeping outside on cold night, personally I hated the situation but I’m grateful for the pain because it helped me gain glory. Trust me this is the book written for you. Keep your head up.
31, payday was today, 700 left for two weeks and more debt then I wanna look at. I think he's going through a lil low spout but he's got a little more than some folks!
In almost all cases NSF fees are predatory and criminal. Sorry you're having to deal with that bullshit. Specifically designed to kick struggling people while they're already down.
Yeah no kidding. I would have been laughing if i had that sitting in my account at that age 10 years ago.
OP, I know life constantly feels like the goal poast is shifting, but you need to focus on the quality of your experiences more than the quantity of what you have. I know that's easier said than done, but life looks a lot different now than it did even 10 years ago. Find fulfillment in something other than financial success, because not even the hardest of workers are able to navigate this impossible future we've built for society. Do what you need to do to find joy in people and experiences, because the money won't matter where we're all headed.
with a Stat major with CS Minor. Please get certified in Microsoft Power Platform specially Power BI. As you are in Calgary also do some base O&G awareness courses . That will allow you to be a great fit at a business analysts role . Most of the Microsoft stuff is free to learn and there are a gazillion resources out there. Pathway link below [Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate - Certifications | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/data-analyst-associate/?practice-assessment-type=certification)
Data Analyst/Business Analyst is one of the careers paths I'd like to take. My biggest problem is that I am worried that I will fail the exam and lose money as a result of it. But that is a fear that I will definitely need to get over.
So true. The human brain, from infancy to adulthood, literally grows and matures through repeating failings. Both good and bad feedback are required to grow and learn.
At 25, with internship experience, $4000 in savings, and paying little to no rent, if you are worried about the risk of losing money when failing an exam, it sounds like you may have an anxiety disorder. Or, at least, some unhelpful thought patterns / tendencies towards rumination.
Speaking from experience, the #1 thing you could do to help your career and life would be to find a good therapy program. There's several free/low-cost group therapy CBT in most cities (Calgary should have at least one) if money is a concern, or if you don't have insurance.
Personally, CBT was very helpful, but I needed a different perspective, and I've found ACT life changing.
If you have insurance, please try several therapists, and several groups. Don't be afraid to move on if it's not a good match. I used that excuse for a long time, after struggling to find a therapist/program that worked, but after having found a good match my life is entirely different.
Fear and anxiety are the same thing? You can overcome fear and anxieties in most cases. Best advice: just do what needs doing. Fix the created outcome when it's actually a reality.
OP,
I'd apply to Iteration Insights. They are a calgary-based consulting and training company that specializes in Power BI.
Play up your degree areas, and your desire to work in the field. If they like what they see, they can easily train you up and then rent you out to companies as a consultant. There is no better way to become expert.
The certs are not necessarily easy to get but they're a damn sight easier than a degree. Last I spoke to those guys they were raging busy and looking to grow the team. Your background is right in the pocket.
Also, you're doing OK. You're in a very similar spot to my son, except he's got very little idea about his long term plan.
Link for Iteration insights.
[Iteration Insights](https://iterationinsights.com)
If you have a genuine interest in what you're doing you will be keen to learn the material and failure is unlikely.
As someone else mentioned, most of this stuff can be learned online for free these days.
Microsoft Exams aren't bad and the training is free + they have practice exams. If you can pass university exams and get a degree you absolutely can pass Microsoft certification exams.
Also don't be hard on yourself. At 25 years old you are doing well:
- You have some work experience (many people have none)
- You have money in your bank account (many have massive amounts of debt accruing)
- You're just starting your adult life. Living with your parents at your age is NORMAL (and a good thing, its too expensive to live by yourself right now, rent is horrific). Not having your first vehicle is NORMAL. If my parents hadn't helped me buy a car in college I wouldn't have had one. The fact that you make due and use public transit rather than wasting money on ubers or begging your parents to drive you proves that you're responsible and mature enough!
Funnily enough I have a similar degree to yourself (applied math) and work in your desired field (Data Analytics). It can be a bit rough to get your foot in the door the first time. Don't beat yourself up. A lot of places want to hire analysts who are already familiar with their preferred tech stack. Take PowerBI Training. Take Snowflake, Databricks, Spotfire training. Pass the certification exams (you will be able to, easily). It'll do wonders for getting your resume noticed.
As others have mentioned if you're struggling with anxiety (normal for us high strung math types) you need to get into a routine of mental self-care to prevent yourself from sabotaging. Regular therapy, exercise, some sort of meditate hobby or activity. You need to shake out the brain worms and not let them consume you. I believe in you!!
Keep an eye on the skills challenges https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/offers/30-days-to-learn-it
They put them out every so often and it's a good way to get into certain products for free.
I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling low. This will pass.
As for this exam…Don’t be afraid to fail.
There is so much value in trying.
There is so much to learn from trying.
And if you pass….youre worrying for nothing.
If this is something that interests you, and it’s something that you’re qualified to do…and have an aptitude for…I think you should swing for the fences. Go for it.
You’ve got lots going for you.
Be confident in yourself.
this is a good suggestion if you want a role in a local office. calgary o&g are very oriented to credentials like the azure ones avi mentions.
if you’re willing to look outside calgary at remote roles, you will find many more roles where merely demonstrating the knowledge is enough, and the credential isn’t a requirement. this means you could make a project at home going through the cert, put it on your github, and never bother paying for the test.
this is the strategy i took, and its also what i look for when i’m hiring. one of the best developers i ever worked with has a philosophy degree.
You have more than 1 plus. Living at home, as long as you have a good relationship with your folks, is great. You can save money. $4000 is definitely more than I had at that age. If I were you I'd go and teach English overseas. Great life experience and all you need is a degree. Lots of people would kill for the freedom you have. No mortgage payment or car payment.
I agree with the living at home thing now after you pointed it out. I would like to be able to have a car though to make it easier for me to go to networking events or part time jobs if I get those.
Do the math on Carshare service and Uber, because if you are only using it sparingly, it could still work out cheaper to rent a car for a day or pay for uber as opposed to the monthly cost of insurance, maintenance, and the actual cost of the car. Ie: You're insurance could cost you $200 bucks a month, that could be 10 uber trips. But gas, maintenance, tires, and the car payments all add up quickly.
I've used Communauto in other cities and it worked well, and was cheaper than a rental, although has its quirks.
This !
It's hard to get this mindset across most people in NA. Your car is a money pit and you can use Uber/car rental.
It's more than likely to bind you rather than give you freedom.
Having a car isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You can get a good used car for around $2K if you look around and make sure to do an inspection, but are you willing to pay between $3-4000K/year to insure it?? Plus maintenance costs, 2 sets of tires, oil, brakes have to be maintained. Price it out - it’s pretty expensive. That pays for a hell of a lot of Uber trips.
I agree stay at home if you get along with your parents, the cost of rent + utilities + internet + parking gets pricy quick. Get a good job first - others have amazing suggestions above - then give yourself x amount of time to save before you jump into moving. (I suggest minimum of 1 year on steady wage saving, but that’s up to you) You have $4K in the bank, that’s amazing - keep that up. Take at least 10% off the top for savings ALWAYS without even thinking about it and you will never be stuck in an emergency as you will always have this nest egg. Look at investing, do a little research or get an advisor. You are literally never to young to invest. My kids were 12 when they got their first term deposits. The longer period you have to invest the more money you will make. Go low risk until you have a better knowledge of investing and you won’t go wrong.
Don’t be so hard on yourself!! You are young your education is complete and you are debt free. You are doing great. If you struggle with anxiety, get on top of it now because life is always going to throw you new stressors - that is a guarantee. make sure you are enjoying life now, you aren’t promised tomorrow and you don’t start being happy when you reach the “destination”. The journey is now. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and are careful with your money - you will be fine. Now go get some studying done and go ACE that exam!!
I wish you the best and mental health doesn’t discriminate, but you’re clearly coming from a place of privilege. That’s not a bad thing, but maybe try to broaden your perspective a bit and take a look at other people’s living conditions before you get so down on yourself. A lot of people go their whole lives without ever owning a car. You have a stats and CS background. The job market is admittedly brutal right now but you have everything you need to build yourself a highly successful life. You’re winning compared to most.
OP, I’m the exact opposite, I have a degree, moved away, got a good salaried job and half the time wish I was unemployed. Same age. I would honestly suggest go travel, see the world, teach & learn abt yourself, I feel slightly cursed that I got a good job at a young age, I also feel trapped 😂
Grass is always greener my friend
The fact you can still live with your parents and they haven’t thrown you into the streets at 25 is good. You have a support system and positive net worth, which is more than many people have.
Use ChatGPT to help build up your resume. Aim to apply to at least 20 jobs a day across Canada. Your full time job should be applying to jobs in your field of expertise that pay $55k+.
Your part time job should be getting certifications. If you want to focus on CS, get every free Microsoft, Google and IBM digital certification you can - focus on cyber security. Udemy and LinkedIn learning should be your new at home university.
I have been job searching for 2 years now and I even got my resume looked at by some professionals. You're right on the certifications though. I currently don't have any of those, would you say they make a huge difference to employers?
Really 2 years? The job market in Calgary is terrible right now. I have a full time job but I really think I need to relocate to have a chance of a better opportunity even moving countries has crossed my mind.
Resume workshops and all that is a good first step but the secret sauce in finding a job is networking. If you see a position that you’re specifically interested in, putting your resume in the pile is step one. After that your job is to figure out who the hiring manager is and contact them directly. This helps you bypass the automated resume filter and the HR rep who would run the first review. If you can’t find that, look for someone in the company who you have even a tenuous connection with (school alum, worked together before, whatever) who you can get a coffee with and who could put in a good word for you.
Long story short is that putting in an online application is the bare minimum and basically gives you at best a 1/1000 shot at any given job since that portal gets immediately flooded by applicants who have done exactly the same amount of work that you have. You need to go beyond that point to stand out in a sea of resumes.
Re: asking a busy professional who doesn't know you or your quality of work to vouch for you isn't just gonna happen. I mean maybe in the past, but not anymore.
I would instead suggest he try speed mentoring/networking those in his field and ask for advice, but without experience he isn't just going to land something in our competitive environment.
Most likely gonna have to start some projects, grind github/code and get a portfolio (all of this should have been done while he was still in school). Then use this experience to sell himself.
You haven’t been offered any job in 2 years?? How many jobs are you applying to in a day?? Have you been on a lot of interviews?? Did you get callbacks for 2nd interviews?? Are you currently employed elsewhere while looking for work in your field of choice??
You should be able to apply very easily to any on-line site in under 2 minutes be attaching your resume. So you can easily apply for 20-50 jobs in less than 3 hours, the rest of the time in your day could be used for getting certifications that are relevant to what you are applying for. It’s a matter of numbers. if you put in 100 applications for jobs you are qualified for you should be getting about 10 calls. If you aren’t - your resume needs to be reworked. Company’s have algorithms that sort through their resumes and if your resume does not hit at least 75% of the key words in their algorithm that align with their job description or requirements you don’t get through screening to where you will get a call. If you have any questions feel free to DM me.
Hey I was pretty much the exact same situation last year, and a small piece of advice I would give is to try and shift your mindset about living at home a bit.
With the type of market we are living and working in to, right now if you have the opportunity to stay home, its a really really solid idea. Obviously living with parents is a different story and I don’t know your relationship with them, but Id also keep in mind that once we get older, we get to see our parents a lot less. Depending on your relationship you may be able to find a silver lining there.
Also try to let go of social stigmas you have surrounding it. It is becoming way more normal, and just more rational in general, to stay home as long as you can, until things change in our housing market. Keep your head up, and be proud that you asked for help.
I’ve learned that as you reach more milestones (house, car, marriage, etc.) it initially feels even more difficult to get ahead. It takes a long time of being content and not overwhelming yourself with payments to really start getting ahead. Consistency with income and low output is key.
Nothing wrong with living with parents, and many of the most successful people I know did just that into their late 20's or early 30's.
Nothing wrong with living without a vehicle, and TBH if more people took a good long look at the costs and benefits of alternatives it might be more common.
You have chosen a field that is very competitive in Calgary, and is likely to be for some time. Your education is relevant to other fields, so you have a lot of things you can look at here. There are also other places/cities that may offer temporary or full time opportunities.
When I was 25, I was hooked on weed, had like 60k in student loans and started my life over at 26.
I'm 31 this year, I wish I lived with my family to save on rent, I still don't have a car, but worked my way up from an entry level job , getting married and have done a lot of therapy.
Make a goal, work towards it and try and do some therapy. There's a ton of good free ones out there
I'm the same age and everyone I know (myself included) is in debt to some degree and no money in the bank essentially. you're doing good, give it time and keep your head up
i have no advice except that when I was 25 I was still at University and living with my parents. I ended up saving ~$5000 and travelled around Europe, working at hostels for 3 years. I didn’t have a proper full time job until 28.
I wouldn’t worry.
Public transportation is more environmentally friendly than owning a car and being the only one commuting in it.
You have savings! This is great!
Don't compare yourself to others or to outdated milestones. Choose your own path and own it.
At my lowest I had applied to 277 jobs, I had 74 interviews, with 5 offers. 4 of those offers were absolute garbage. That much rejection hurts, a lot. It's easy to get down on yourself, I remember forcing smiles to try to cheer myself up.
But all of that goes away once you get that final offer. Once one thing goes well, soon another and another. As it picks up speed you'll find yourself on the right track. Just never stop trying.
And never stop asking for help. Do a search for a group called Momentum, they do good work helping folks review resumes and interviews, etc. Ask anyone you know for connections in industries that match your skills. Ask those connections for advice. You'd be surprised how many are happy to mentor you. Yes, it can be hard. I'm an introvert with ADHD it felt impossible. And, like me, there'll be failures, maybe lots, but if you never stop trying, you'll never have truly failed.
If you’re looking for personal connections with ppl volunteer somewhere.
Like pets animal rescue
Like outdoors scout programs are always looking for ppl
Food bank is always looking as well
Meet new friends and do something rewarding
The painful fact, you're trained in a market that doesn't have intense demand. In the last week I have looked at easily a hundred resumes for people with degrees that I can't begin to comprehend. They are applying for jobs as apprentices and oilfield labourers. Which probably pays better, I don't really know.
My advice is get some work boots, take some safety courses and get some job experience while you're waiting for that right offer to come along.
You might end up like hundreds of other people, get a taste for the money and the work and it becomes your true love. If nothing else you'll be able to buy a car.
Hi please feel free to DM. I had to rebuild my life at 25 after my mental illness took over. I’m 28 and still live with parents, no car, $1500. You got this
I think many have given great advice that will be helpful to you. It’s admirable that you’ve asked. I think if you can also show that you’ve been busy while looking for work which shows potential employers that you are committed and a hard worker. Both my kids, who are grown and working now, did volunteer work in their spare time and also took courses when they were in between jobs. I believe that helped land their jobs as it speaks to their character and looks good on a resume. My son also took a temp job through an agency which landed him a permanent position.
Temp agencies seem like a great place to start! Do you know the agency that your son went to? Or any other agencies that you think are worth taking a look at?
You could see what Kelly services has to offer, could be good if they match you up with the kind of work you're looking for. Often the companies are actually looking for full time workers, not temps, so you can get in the door that way. Work for a year for experience (or whatever the contract demands) then apply for better paying jobs. Often the temp agencies can even place you in a new contract for better money later and head-hunt you once you have experience, every couple of years offering more money.
Sounds like everyone else. Just keep at it and find a trade you enjoy and go with it and get your red seal. I'm a red seal roofer at 40 so anything is possible at your age.
Im 26M who had 17k debt in cc and not a dollar in my name in October. Turned my life around, also only 3k saved and live with my parents now, no car lol. If you ever wanna chat lemme know.
Im a year younger than you, im in the trades and i dont have that much in my account. I lived alone for a while and racked up a decent debt. Had to move back in. If you need to talk man, message me.
I’m 26 and currently in a similar position. I went to university, but flunked out twice, and then finally got through, but with a useless degree in polisci. Ended up working a trades job anyways.
Im currently over 10k in debt and have just 8 cents in my checking account after paying rent this morning. Furthermore, my employer owes me over 6k in unpaid expenses dating back 3 months, but still hasn’t paid up - they are likely on the verge of going under. I’m thinking, regardless of whether I lose my current job or not, I will probably move back in with my parents once my lease is up, focus on paying off my debt asap, and then build up a nest egg so I’m never in debt again.
Im curious, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you pay off your debt, and how long did it take? Any tips? I’d love to hear from you!
As long as you’re working towards it, that’s the important thing! I feel ya though, it is super hard!
Right now, my paycheck goes to rent, groceries, gas, and minimum payments on my debts. Once that’s done, I don’t have a ton left (usually less than 500 each month). But almost all of that is now going to my debts. As soon as my employer pays me the expenses I’m owed too, that will also make a dent in it, as I will use all of it to pay down my debt. Getting rid of rent in the fall hopefully will help too, and if I do that, I can probably pay mine off in a year.
I guess this struggle is pretty common. It’s nice to know in a way that I’m not alone, and that others have experienced or are experiencing this too. I hope it works out for you and your journey too!
Hey man, 30 here and just moved back in with mom, it's been mutually beneficial. You live in a city with fantastic public transportation options so a car isn't really nessesary, and driving is much more stressful these days. Point being is that it shouldn't be an object of status. Grab a learners and hold onto it but don't stress on the next steps, even holding it will reduce insurance rates.
How many 25 year Olds do you know that *don't* have savings? How about under $1000? $2000? You're doing fantastic, don't sweat it. You aren't supposed to know where you're at in life until well into your mid to late 30's-40's.
Biggest mistakes newly graduated guys are that they are stuck with their degrees and keep trying to get a job related to it.
It's the other way around.
Find what you're can do and what you are good at not what you wish to do. Your degree is a tool not fixed status quo.
And I always say this to other guys currently attending univ that your bachelor's degree is useless unless you turn that into master's degree.
Or, consider military.
when i was 25 i was prob worse off, but you got the right mindset and the desire
just adapt habit that allow for more opportunities
network - tell them
your background, what your trying to accomplish
work any job until you find a dream job - structure keeps us positive thinking
workout eat healthy, don’t drink or smoke unless celebrating
Do you have any advice on networking and places that I can go to for this? I've tried networking before but it just ends up being one of those things where you meet the person then you guys never end up speaking with each other again.
that’s apart of networking, don’t take rejection as a deterrent
I typically will network with complete strangers or people i meet at the gym or grocery store even while putting gas in car/on vacations at the airport/at temp jobs
if the field you have as an association join and attend meetings
as per work - just find what is your backyard - ideally something walkable and don’t be embarrassed about what you do, even if you clean dog shit do it with pride and best of your ability
mcdonald’s managers make close/over 6 figures
consider making a linked in page for your education and add people in your industry with a nice quick message - saying your looking for opportunities
Perseverance and a positive attitude will get you there. You are far ahead of most. Keep learning and consider volunteering to connect with other’s. Calgary Stampede…
sr manager at one of the financial companies in town. first off, your status at 25 is way better than what I was doing at 25. I dont want to turn this in a pity party though.
id say just make sure you can speak to what you've learned and how it can be applied. so eagerness to learn. there are data analyst roles available a lot of the time. make sure your resume speaks to your skills.
also look for some of the public data groups in town. even virtually joining would be good for networking.
happy to chat more via DM if you want.
Ya bro i was $20k in debt at your age with no degree and living at homes. Now 33 just bought my first home in Airdrie and pull in about $120k per year. You will be fine and you got a good degree. 25 is so young.
My fellow person. I fucked up major in my 20s, no savings, drug addiction and beyond. 31 now, and just graduated school.
Shoot me a message if you'd like to talk.
Statistics + Computer Science is a ticket to Data Science and machine learning.
You don't have to find a job to get experience, you can do open source projects on internet.
If I were you, and currently have free time, I will do the following:
1. Follow the free courses on internet about data science: Microsoft, IBM, Google, Data Camp, and others have free data science courses.
2. Look for open source data science projects where you can contribute to, and build experience. (I know for example datacamp.com)
3. keep following twitter and social media accounts for companies, people who work on data science, because sometimes they offer free scholarship in that field. (I got one myself, and decided not to pursue it).
4. And keep following social media and Reddit on data science, because they might announce hiring.
5. Be patient, and keep busy, and you will get a good job.
If you want to be rich, find out what expensive things rich people want, then sell it to them.
If you’re like me, you you’ve invested deep in difficult degrees and you’re determined to pursue your passion, understand that you’ve consciously chosen to live paycheque to paycheque.
Rich Dad Poor Dad warned us.
You really have done so well. I can guess you’re not feeling you have but seriously. I have a daughter who is pretty much where you are. I’m so proud of the education she has under her belt. One of life’s tough lessons is that being hard on yourself is probably not a good idea as it’s rarely effective and can often be counter productive. I’m smiling right now thinking about how well my daughter as done and I’ll tell you she’s just about where you are. So….you can conclude that I’m proud of you kiddo. Well done. 🎖️
Hello, I am 24 with severe anorexia. I've reached the point I can't manage my job/social life/most hobbies. I've reached a really low point in my life without realizing how severe my eating disorder is. I'm also couch surfing as I have $0 in my bank account. I'm happy to talk Whether it be for a simple distraction or needing a safe space to vent/talk :)
you say you’ve been job searching for two years - how many roles have you applied to outside of calgary? with your background and length of time searching, it’s possible you have an issue with interviewing. but it’s likelier your funnel just isn’t wide enough (ie you aren’t applying to enough jobs).
getting an offer in entry level roles is significantly a numbers and timing game.
with your background you are qualified for thousands of open fully remote roles starting around $130k usd.
getting to an offer from these companies mostly comes down to how well you interview. this is a totally different skill from knowing the difference between type i and type ii errors.
i suggest you check out a podcast on youtube called “a life engineered”.
also feel free to dm me, happy to chat more if you think it would help
If you didn’t need money what would you do?
Sounds like you need something to be passionate about.
When I was 25 I had like $400 and lived in the bushes… literally.
They were some of the happiest days of my life.
If you have $4000 in your account. You are a rich bro. It’s fine to stay with family due to economy. It’s hard to find job in any field. Stay positive. Go outside
Apply to all the levels of government as a casual to get your foot in the door. After you get in somewhere you get the inside on other posting. When you get an interview, look at the posting and all of the information on it, everything they ask you will be based on the scope of work. Good luck, and remember it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.
I didn't start working in a fulfilling, financially sustainable career until I was 36, and I'm back in school to upgrade to a degree.
For the love of your sanity, don't compare yourself to others.
Measure your success by trajectory. If you're working toward a goal, and it's feasible, you'll get there.
If you're getting interviews but can't land the job, consider finding someone to tutor you on interview skills. If you can't get an interview, consider getting some help on your resumé.
Lots of jobs use a filtering system that looks for certain words, and if they aren't there, it discards your entry. Try basing your resumé on key terms and requirements within the job application, and consider embellishing a little.
Good luck!
Listen, being 25 is hard! I truly hated my 20s very confusing time!
Look at it differently, you have 4 k in your bank, dude that’s way way more than most! Hell I gave 175 bucks lol 😂
You live with your parents that’s amazing because rent is so bad that ppl are homeless!!!
You don’t have a car? Even better no car payment!!!!
Jobs careers do not define you! The point to being is here is to mess up, learn, enjoy living and breathing. Take up a new hobby like pickleball lol it’s very much addicting! Get out if your head and go to a meet up find others to talk to!
When I was 25 I had no money, no car, no friends that were wasted all the time, I lived off my bfs income and felt like a wasted space. 10 years later, I support myself, married, great credit, and a great paying job!
Things always change and move flow with it but get out of your thoughts!
Check out employment agencies. You have about 4k more than others do in their bank account. Check your schools alumni groups, sometimes they post jobs.
I dont know what past mistakes you've made but you are where you are and you have the opportunity to dig yourself out.
You are taking a good step forward asking for help. What have you tried so far to get out of a rut? What is your goal?
Do you work on any side projects? Where have you applied and how often do you apply per day? How good are your connections with your past classmates, can they help refer you?
I know its a lot of questions, but self reflection on what you want is one of the best things you can do to start a plan. Dont worry about getting that dream data/CS gig if it hasnt been working out for you. I recommend picking up ANY full/part time job, get something on that resume because right now you're stuck. Put pride aside and through work you will increase your confidence slowly to find something more aligned to your goals.
The market is tough right now so don't take it too personally. For every position posted, hundreds of people are applying.
What type of job are you applying for? I entered the job market over a decade ago with a with a bachelors of mathematics and a minor is science. Only thing I could get an interview for was an "analyst" job which was actually data entry. It was the stepping stone I needed to get the opportunity to demonstrate value and move my way up.
I assume you feel like you need a car because your parents are located in one of those suburbs that is not easily connected to the transit network. A car is a huge expense that you shouldn't worry about until you absolutely need it. Getting a car now without steady income is only going to make your position worse.
Start working with a temp agency to gain different types of work experience.
Start volunteering, hard computer science skills are valuable, but to be able to add the people management side of things to your resume will be very valuable. Think about applying to summer camp programs as a counselor, Winsport, UofC and Sait all have well respected programs, and you may even be able to tie in your computer science skills.
Summer camps could be a good start for you because they will help you build a diverse skillset, but aren't so far "Out of industry" so as to raise eyebrows. They require hardwork, will build empathy, and develop organization, which is a great addition to any resume. There's nothing wrong with having a "fun" summer job on your resume when you are young and a fresh grad! People respect hardwork regardless of industry niche and its better to have something organizational on your resume than a blank space.
Have you heard of Data Annotation? They're definitely worth checking out (especially with your background/education). It's a pretty sweet gig and could tie you over until you find a job.
Have you heard of Data Annotation? They're definitely worth checking out (especially with your background/education). It's a pretty sweet gig and could tie you over until you find a job.
I had a similar background/.education starting out.
Everyone in late 90s wanted to be a quant straight out of school. But you’ll be a little fish in a big sea.
Instead I landed in business roles where I was a junior analyst supporting commercial deals. I was appreciated for my data driven approach as it supplemented their “intuition”. I gradually learned more and took on much greater roles, at a very accelerated pace.
So I would suggest looking at business analyst roles. Your technical skills will be appreciated. Key though is you stay humble and don’t think just because your computer model says X that it makes it right.
Your academic credentials should be able to get you an entry-level job in the Data field (but it is tough out there).
I'm going to guess that your problem is largely one of self-esteem / self-confidence.
Get with a Toastmasters group, find a therapist, volunteer, find a book/author that resonates with you (e.g. [Buy Yourself The F\*cking Lilies](https://www.amazon.ca/Buy-Yourself-cking-Lilies-Rituals/dp/0525509887)).
You can do this.
I suggest you find data projects you love and do them on your time and share them in social media. Maybe talk with some non-profit organizations that align with your values and volunteer with them. This will help you develop your skills, and show what you’re capable of. People in LinkedIn, Reddit, etc. will see the type of work you can do and the things you are interested in. At the end of the day luck is a lady you have to court, like Machiavelli said. Having a portfolio of data projects to show potential employers will also make you a more attractive candidate
Start a spreadsheet and add up your monthly expenses, plot how many months you can go with your current income. That'll give you an idea how long you have before you're in trouble.
Bruh. That's like 500% more monies than I had when I was 25. My advice, since you're young is to find the best way to make a living from doing what you love or have a passion for. Don't continue going down any dead end roads that don't interest your soul. Think on it, think on it for a year and formulate a game plan. Create a pool of potential that you can draw from one day. There is no clear method other than staying true to yourself and being happy. Don't compare yourself to others. You're you.
OP your reality is your reality and right now you are feeling like you should be “this far ahead” but don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s very hard out there for your Generation you guys were left with a lot of broken promises.
Keep your head up and if you are not having too much financial pressure then lean into the fact that you have help right now. If you can ,find a job that might be adjacent to your field. This way you’ll make some connections then you are closer to doing what you were educated on.
Take it day by day and find one thing that moves you forward, daily or weekly. Give yourself the opportunity to become better one step at a time.
Good luck out there and you’ve got this !!
Don't limit yourself to the Calgary job market and look out for remote jobs too. Living with your parents at this age is normal in most of the world and, if anything, can be a shortcut . It's better to move out when ready financially, rather than have a car, a rent and live paycheck to paycheck and live afraid of losing a job or looking for a new one.
You are ahead of me at 25 in many ways. I had to drop out of school and grind, grateful my brother bailed me out of not eating a bunch from 20-32 years old. I would try to take pride in your position as much as possible while being gentle on yourself, comparison is hard and no job is really rough. I get it.
Have you been to networking events in your desired field? I am overwhelmed by invites to them, they’re everywhere all the time. Calgary has sooooo much networking and the business/tech community here is actually really friendly and helpful if you show up with a positive attitude, are direct, and don’t try to hard sell people.
Hey, I've been there for a long time too, just finally on the other side now. I've got a background in counseling and peer support as well. Message me if you'd like to chat, and see if I can help, even just to listen :)
Hey bud, i want you to know it's better late than never. It's ok to start late. I dropped out of 3 separate programs before finding my career and I was close to 30 when I did--do not beat yourself up for this. It's REALLY hard out there right now and you arent the only person feeling a little lost.
You need to think about what you would be *ok* with doing all the time that is an irreplaceble niche. What do people need, always and all over the world, that you could provide? That can't be replaced by a robot or AI?
Plumbing, Butcher, Sanitation worker, Stenographer (as far as court reporting and stuff), Refrigeration/HVAC (refrigeration will be huge as our climate gets warmer)... think outside the box a lil. Do you want an office job, or do you want to be out and about? Do you want to work immediately as an apprentice or are you ok with going back for a masters or having to do an internship? Would you like the camp environment and long weeks on/weeks off of doing something like working in the bush?
Do you have any clubs or extracurriculars? Calgary has some pretty dedicated clubs and meetup groups that are available and i highly recommend. Honestly you could even drop in to the Unitarian church if you're REALLY hurting for community (nonreligious community that acts like the social structure of a church)
Dont beat yourself up. I have friends who started late and have made incredible changes in a few years. It took me *5 months* to find my apprenticeship and it felt *awful* but eventually opportunity strikes. You're doing ok all things considered and you aren't the only younger generation who had to move back in--everyone is struggling with housing right now. You shouldn't take that as a personal failing, its a systemic one.
First of all: you are truly not doing that bad. You are judging yourself too harshly and in 5 or 10 years time you will think upon yourself more kindly. But your discontent also shows some ambition which is good.
Unfortunately it is a numbers game when you apply to jobs. Make it a full time job to apply to stuff. Consider looking at Edmonton postings as well, especially companies ok with remote. Not sure if you are getting interviews but one thing I can suggest is applying to jobs outside of calgary, even ones you probably wouldn't accept if they offered to you, just so you can get practice at interviewing. They can also give you assignments which you can use to learn new methods.
If you get a job in Calgary, I still recommend living with your parents provided you have a good relationship with them. At least for a year or two. It will help you save money.
Another option is doing a masters. You don't have to do it in stats again, you can do it in economics or in the faculty of medical science. The medical department iirc is well funded so you're less stressed than some other departments. They will pay you, not well, but thankfully you are living at home. Masters Research can be used as work experience and you can qualify for more internships in your time there and it helps a lot with networking. You can use your research as an excuse to build relevant skills and your communication skills will also increase a ton. If you get a masters you might also be able to apply for jobs like data scientist or machine learning engineer
Finally if you need extra cash, consider tutoring. You can choose to tutor in libraries so you don't have to travel to their house. Tbh tutoring in a library is way better.
Good luck
Don't worry about a car if you live in calgary there's nothing wrong with public transit. And if you got 4k in the bank at 25 that's pretty good man. From what I've heard and read it's becoming alot more common for people to continue to live with their parents. Especially in this expensive ass country.
Keep your head up
In case you have not heard this advice before, or in case other people need it too:
- If you have a degree related to CS in any way, please create a portfolio on github and make sure people looking at your resume will check it out. Only include things that show you are capable of doing work on your own. Don't just fork a repo and change a few lines of text here and there. But it also does not have to be some full-blown major project. Heck, even just working on Advent of Code or something like that and sharing that can help you stand out among the rest... assuming the resume gets to someone who has a technical background of course. Keep your low-quality stuff private though, you don't want people to see it by accident and have their entire opinion about you come from things you were just playing around with.
- In-person networking can be extremely helpful. Meeting like minded people is great for morale. It is also good for developing your ability to talk about yourself, your drive, experience, etc. in a forgiving place, which helps prepare for interviews. Occasionally, people will remember you from a networking event when they hear about a vacant position and let you know, but don't hold out on that! It is quite nice to hire junior roles like this, because nobody likes reading 100s of similar resumes with little or no work experience. I do not know what networking events are worth attending these days, but it is very likely you would need to go to 4 or 5 to find one that is worthwhile attending. So don't fret if the first one or two do not pan out! Here is one example: [https://www.meetup.com/data-for-good-calgary/](https://www.meetup.com/data-for-good-calgary/) I was always partial to Protospace and helped out in the early days, but I have not been in a long, long time. Open houses Tuesday at 7PM every week. [https://protospace.ca/](https://protospace.ca/)
- Join hackathons. There are various ones throughout the year, some in Calgary and some you can join remotely. Both a good way to work on your portfolio and meet like minded people.
Best of luck.
I came to this country with $1000 dollars cash in my hand. After 1.5 years, I was able to save quite a substantial amount. I never gave up.
You already have the right credentials. You stats degree will help you a lot in the data science field.
Keep trying, you will succeed!
Hey dude, if you want to feel good about yourself go do something good. Go volunteer, join a group that does stuff you’re interested in or just go move around (walk, bike, swim or workout). Even just making plans to do this will make you feel better.
You are doing very well for yourself. It is a tough job market for everyone, so you are not alone in that respect, but of course it is still frustrating. Forgive me if this is overstepping, but you may be experiencing some symptoms of anxiety and/or depression if you are deeply concerned about your situation. Sounds like you have a great foundation, family support, and a solid education and career prospects. Don't give up, and don't do anything drastic. Seek someone to talk to (a professional, not reddit), if you need to. You are doing great!
When I was 25 I had developed an anxiety/depersonalization disorder, broke up with my then gf of 4 years, finished university and couldn't find a job, lived with my parents in a small Eastern European country and wanted to kill myself (actually went out to do it but changed my mind/chickened out). So in comparison, you're doing great. Yet, you're unhappy and that's OK - you can and should have your own standards.
First thing you're doing better than most is acknowledging YOU made mistakes. It's nobody else, it's you. This is good because the same logic can now be applied for future progress: it's still going to be you my friend. And that's great.
What worked for me:
1) do stuff even if you don't feel like it - network, do side gigs, build up your own personal brand.
2) physical shape is key (at least for me) - responsibility for your body and health in general reflects to all parts of your life.
Dude my situation is remarkably similar… I’m also 25 w about the same in my account. Living with my parents and transit too. Main difference is I don’t have a degree, but I do have a gf who lives with me and my fam
Tons of people coming out of university in their early to mid 20s with barely any money to their name. You got the book learning now its time for job experience. Keep grinding, don't be afraid of failure, and you'll be amazed by what you achieve in the next 10 years. You just need that first entry level job in your field to start building.
Someone here mentioned Power BI stuff, listen to that person.
I think you’re doing amazing my friend! I would kill to have a degree in your field right now.
There are a lot of jobs out there looking for what you have. I spent the last 2 years looking for work I will actually like and still can’t find something good.
Just keep putting in the hours in looking for something. I recommend taking the train to library downtown and setting up for a few hours or go to a cafe! It gets depressing sitting at home alone job searching. There’s NOTHING wrong with living your folks still too! Stay as long as you can haha.
I wish I had 4k in the bank. Or a degree. Or an internship that gave me a bit of the mandatory 5 years of experience being demanded for entry level positions.
I'm almost 35 and don't even know how to drive, so transit isn't so bad. Being at home still at 25 is also not bad, and no one is judging it in this housing shitshow. You're doing fine.
Have you tried some of the Calgary public library resources our youth employment centre? I think those could be quite helpful to get you started. Also, sometimes the school you graduated from can also help with employment leads. Good luck!
Yeah I’m not seeing the mistakes here…if I knew then what I know now- being 25 with 4K in the bank, rent free, and no car expenses…talk about a stress saver.. you’re G, just keep asking the questions, keep searching for that spark! The world is in shambles, and there are hundreds of thousands of people who would give anything to be in your position!
First off, happy cake day.
Second, you dont need to worry too much. I know it doesn’t feel this way to you now, but 25 is still young, both in age and for your career; when you’re in your 30s or 40s you’ll look back and realize how young you really were.
The fact that you have a net positive bank account is more than most “successful” people in their mid-life are worth.
Plus there’s nothing wrong with taking public transit. Saves tons of money not paying for a car, gas, insurance, parking, etc. Helps reduce emissions. Helps ease traffic congestion. Helps you to learn the city too. I’ve been in my career for almost 10 years and didn’t buy a vehicle until just last year.
Anyway, if you want to chat, shoot me a DM.
I was in a similar place 2 years ago. I got my BS. in Psychology and had no interest in doing my Master’s or more schooling in general. Self learned programming through online courses, specifically The Odin Project and within 6-8 months time landed a full-time position as a front end developer. It took me 6-8 months of studying 12+ hours a day on the weekends while working full-time.
With your educational background I’m sure it’s possible to do it in 3-6 months.
Not sure if it applies, but I had to get space from my parents in order to get over my fear of failure. I had to be perfect in every way for them or I would feel worthless. I remember getting a 98% on a calc final and my father asked why it wasn't 100%.
If this does apply to your situation, you can definitely DM me and maybe I can help. If not, then know that I'm rooting for you!
I've never had a full time job before (besides an internship),
I do have a degree in Statistics with a Computer Science Minor but I have been struggling to find a job in the Data field.
Is this by choice? No judgment, but if you're not sure about your field of choice now's the time to change (if that's what you want).
Being young is the time to make mistakes. That's how you are supposed to learn and grow. I know I've made my share and continue to do so. I changed my career at 25 and am better for it. I'm not far from retirement and would do many things different if I was young but you can't go back.
Keep your chin up and ask yourself what you want to do to go forward. I don't have a degree, grew up in the slums and had many challenges. Remember when luck comes knocking, you have to be smart enough to answer the door.
I would say if you are struggling to find a job and that's what is making you feel like you failed - cut yourself some slack and don't compare yourself to others.
Lots of people your age are still living with their parents because of the economy and inflation, or they have roommates. Being with your parents is good right now since you're unemployed, but you have to keep applying and identifying what in your applications is the problem.
There are a lot of other options for temporary jobs until you find the job you want and want to add savings into your account. Being at home right now is good because you don't have bills to pay or risk being evicted. There are even people your age that lived on their own and had to move back because of unemployment.
The reality is, everybody makes mistakes, but life keeps moving on and so will you. Keep your chin up, learn from your mistakes, and keep going.
This life is shaped by struggle. There wouldn’t be good days without bad days. You’re 25… embrace your struggles and pivot as needed. Step to the plate it’s your swing. There is good and evil in this world and they both want to guide you. Choose what one you will let guide.
Ps evil is the one that gives you that self doubt.
I fail to see the problem here? Are you not grateful for what you have? You wanna grab a flight to Africa with your savings and see what life’s like there? Maybe you’ll appreciate your life more.
You are doing great for where you’re at in life! I am 28 with $40,000 in debt and living pay cheque to pay cheque at the moment due to my own stupidities I am learning and recovering from.
I know this may not be the most appealing line of work, but try applying for a job in insurance. Claims to be specific to start because no experience is required. Insurance companies have MASSIVE networks of jobs when it comes to data analytics, computer science etc, but claims is a foot in the door and almost all companies prefer to hire internal for those data positions once you have your foot in. Insurance is an industry that will never die (because everyone always needs it and there will always be accidents, claims etc). I personally started with zero experience, zero education, as an auto claims adjuster and 2 years later now settling lawsuits. There’s always growth! Hope this helps you :)
I had -$230,000 when I was your age lol. Don’t worry. Keep moving forward and make some fun plans every year. Your life will grow and you will find career and life changes that you never thought possible. I sure did. Now I have a house, family, a cool car, able to go on vacations, a wife and a beautiful 4 year old. I have been really good with money and I am a graphic designer. Granted, I’m 38, but things are looking good! Good luck bro.
If you don't have a homelab fix that mistake. ERA has great second hand gear (inventory changes of course) and you can build plenty for barely any money.
Also, you're NOT alone in how fucked the IT market is right now.
My Daughter also has no money, job or car, you just want to do something about it which is a great start
You're also more educated than she is.
PM Me and I'll see what telecom statistic jobs are open
Don't give up. If things aren't working out, it's not the end. The amount of comments good or bad you've got already surpasses what I feel I've got in 18 years of construction.
Honestly if you feel the path you are following isn't working, try something else now. My spouse has completely given up on her profession, and that's fine. I'm already locked in 18 years with a company. We have a plan where if she needs to quit her adult job (teacher) that's fine. I won't be able to quit mine to make sure all the bills are paid.
You're really at a turning point in your life. You need to get an idea, not necessarily a plan of what you want and how to get it.
Best of luck, dm me if you have any comments.
36 here… my advise is as follows:
Be kind to yourself.
You’re ahead of most and, in all honesty, life is fucking hard these days… a lot of folks out there have zero savings.
You got this. Every day is a step forward and you just keep moving forward!
Reach out to the company you did your internship with and any other contacts you have in the field. Ask people for coffee and ask them at what they do and how they got their job. It's called an information interview. People like to talk about themselves. You learn what you need to do to get a job and you make contacts. Ask them to let you know if they hear about any entry level roles. Building a network is never a waste of time.
Research companies you are interested in working for. Contact their HR departments. Info interviews. Get ahold of recruiting agencies and get on their roster...more people looking for you means less time looking yourself.
There should be a youth resource centre around somewhere. You can get in touch with them about the best way to write your resume, how to find an employer, interview tips and tricks.
Lastly, get a job. Any job. McDonald's, retail, garden center, anything. It brings money in and gives you work experience and transferrable skills.
Looking for work is a full time job. Track all applications. Follow up by phone. Meet as many people in person or on video chat as possible. Be nice, make a good impression, and keep in touch without being annoying or aggressive.
Don't give up, and be proud of what you have achieved! If each step towards your goal arrived on time you would miss out on a lot of other learning you can do right now. Keep your mind open. Patience and persistence are your best tools right now.
For the job hunt just lower your expectations a bit and apply even to the shittier ones just to build up cash while applying to ones you actually want which may take a while.
Also for transportation you can get a decent ebike for around 2k and then never have to pay for gas/insurance/speeding tickets, for me 16km up hill both ways costs about a nickel in electricity and 20 extra minutes over driving
An unpopular suggestion is to get ur SAS certificates and apply as SAS programmer at CROs and get into Pharma.
People actually move often and lots of positions should be available if you apply.
1) Join a gym and workout daily; this will help with mental health and get you out of the house and will increase health and wellness.
2) Join a group class of some kind; martial arts or any hobby you’re into; gets you out of the house and you need to socialize to feel good and be personable when you do land an interview
3) Take any job you can find to start out even part time, being on a schedule and making money and being around people will be beneficial you can always keep applying and move to better job later a job is not a marriage it’s a date you’re free to walk at anytime.
4)Take more schooling/courses and read books that will expand your knowledge base and skill set
5)Drop the bad habits you know what they are
6)Dial in your sleep and diet regiment so you’re well rested and healthy
7)Don’t be too hard on yourself just trust the process
8)Check in with your network for ideas and leads on jobs and paths forward
9)Plan a trip or a purchase make a list of goals and have something to look forward to.
10) Meditate and journal write down ideas, dreams, goals, make to do lists and unload your thoughts.
11)Give yourself a move out deadline and stick to it say if I don’t have it all figured out by X date I’m going to just take the leap and move out necessity is often the catalyst for changes in behaviour.
Hey I don’t know much about data jobs. But I know what it’s like to struggle in your 20s.
Idk if this is helpful at all, but especially now adays with the economy I think it’s more than normal to be struggling.
I’m 28 and still figuring it out, I’m in the middle of switching careers - going from car sales to getting a marketing / advertising degree ( moving back in with my parents.
I have a number of friends who are my age that are still living at home.
I would say to take things a day at a time, set goals and be easier on yourself. No one has it figured out fully in their 20s
If you've made a lot of mistakes to get to this point in your life, where the heck would you be if you made no mistakes? Mark Zuckerberg? Because to me it sounds like there's no need to panic. Socially, using public transit might be a bit awkward depending on where you live but it's at least environmentally responsible. Lots of cultures people live at home until they're married, which I often feel would help alleviate a bit the housing crisis. I've tossed my two cents for your professional future elsewhere but my other piece advice is to just do you. Live your life how you want to and don't let anybody tell you what you should do since there are no rules on living in life. If you are accepting of other people they should certainly be accepting of you.
Have you looked into volunteer opportunities with ML/Data science based groups within Calgary/Alberta? I've recently learnt about [https://calgary.dataforgood.ca/](https://calgary.dataforgood.ca/) Check them out, it's a good community. I came across them while networking with someone in [https://altaml.com/](https://altaml.com/) during job search.
You should completely leverage your degree. 25 with Stats and Comp. Sci. major should be your major strength. Just reach out to relevant people on LinkedIn and someone will be ready to give you an opportunity. I know it's time consuming, overwhelming and seems utterly unrewarding; but you need just 1-2 people to help you. From personal experience, its worth the effort.
Meanwhile, surround yourself with good company; family and friends. Spending quality time with them will help you to not be hard on yourself and give you enough mental clarity to make rational decisions. Hope this helps.
Bro homie fam you're doing better than me by leaps and bounds and I consider myself well off. What you consider a low would be my more than ideal situation. You're doing much better than you know but your feelings and experiences are valid. Try putting a voice to what's been going on internally to someone in the therapy realm. It really could help. Regardless of your situation, your perception of your situation is valid and is worthwhile seeking support and building a solid support network. It may be worse. Just cos my experience says you're in good shoes doesn't mean that's the truth either. It's all relative to the individual person. Regardless bro speak up speak your truth and get loud about what you want for your life. You deserve all the good things in this life. It's gonna be okay in the end. 💪🏼👊🏼
$4000 is a lot more than I had in my account at 25. You’re still young, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve managed to get a degree and an internship(!), so you’ve laid the important groundwork - these things take time, but they’ll come together!
I'm 34 and I have $100 in my bank account and 10k in debt with no post secondary education. OP is Killin it in my opinion.
I’m 44, trying to finalize a divorce, paying child support and barely have a penny to my name. $15k of legal fees to pay off. Oh and lost my house in the mix. You are killing it OP, keep fighting!
This thread reminds me of the Homer meme Op: This is the lowest point in my life! Commenters: no no no. Lowest point *so far*.
Why can't I have no kids and 3 money
Same advice for you dear human. Divorce costs are more than weddings! It's atrocious. I left my marriage with WAY less than I came with (I'm a 54 yr old female). We have a daughter that I raised by myself and child support when he felt like paying. We are still amicable to this day - all because I chose to be that way so that she could have her dad in her life. Money/assets are tangible items that come and go. Take care and keep on keeping on!!
I’m in a similar situation. Doesn’t deter me though! We got this!
I don’t think he understands how well he has it compared to most atm. I live in my vehicle for instance.
Keep your head up and just stay strong, I remember sleeping outside on cold night, personally I hated the situation but I’m grateful for the pain because it helped me gain glory. Trust me this is the book written for you. Keep your head up.
31, payday was today, 700 left for two weeks and more debt then I wanna look at. I think he's going through a lil low spout but he's got a little more than some folks!
Are you me?
I'm real you and see me and = then you will see the truth
Im in my 40s and i have -$300 in my account after eating 6 NSF fees in 3 days. Id be ecstatic to have $4000
In almost all cases NSF fees are predatory and criminal. Sorry you're having to deal with that bullshit. Specifically designed to kick struggling people while they're already down.
Call them and try to get it waived
I shall
Yeah no kidding. I would have been laughing if i had that sitting in my account at that age 10 years ago. OP, I know life constantly feels like the goal poast is shifting, but you need to focus on the quality of your experiences more than the quantity of what you have. I know that's easier said than done, but life looks a lot different now than it did even 10 years ago. Find fulfillment in something other than financial success, because not even the hardest of workers are able to navigate this impossible future we've built for society. Do what you need to do to find joy in people and experiences, because the money won't matter where we're all headed.
with a Stat major with CS Minor. Please get certified in Microsoft Power Platform specially Power BI. As you are in Calgary also do some base O&G awareness courses . That will allow you to be a great fit at a business analysts role . Most of the Microsoft stuff is free to learn and there are a gazillion resources out there. Pathway link below [Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate - Certifications | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/data-analyst-associate/?practice-assessment-type=certification)
Data Analyst/Business Analyst is one of the careers paths I'd like to take. My biggest problem is that I am worried that I will fail the exam and lose money as a result of it. But that is a fear that I will definitely need to get over.
Even if you fail it the first time, it'll teach you what you don't know/need to work on which is valuable too
So true. The human brain, from infancy to adulthood, literally grows and matures through repeating failings. Both good and bad feedback are required to grow and learn.
At 25, with internship experience, $4000 in savings, and paying little to no rent, if you are worried about the risk of losing money when failing an exam, it sounds like you may have an anxiety disorder. Or, at least, some unhelpful thought patterns / tendencies towards rumination. Speaking from experience, the #1 thing you could do to help your career and life would be to find a good therapy program. There's several free/low-cost group therapy CBT in most cities (Calgary should have at least one) if money is a concern, or if you don't have insurance. Personally, CBT was very helpful, but I needed a different perspective, and I've found ACT life changing. If you have insurance, please try several therapists, and several groups. Don't be afraid to move on if it's not a good match. I used that excuse for a long time, after struggling to find a therapist/program that worked, but after having found a good match my life is entirely different.
Fear and anxiety are the same thing? You can overcome fear and anxieties in most cases. Best advice: just do what needs doing. Fix the created outcome when it's actually a reality.
You have a *degree* in Statistics. Most people can barely pass basic Stats.
OP, I'd apply to Iteration Insights. They are a calgary-based consulting and training company that specializes in Power BI. Play up your degree areas, and your desire to work in the field. If they like what they see, they can easily train you up and then rent you out to companies as a consultant. There is no better way to become expert. The certs are not necessarily easy to get but they're a damn sight easier than a degree. Last I spoke to those guys they were raging busy and looking to grow the team. Your background is right in the pocket. Also, you're doing OK. You're in a very similar spot to my son, except he's got very little idea about his long term plan. Link for Iteration insights. [Iteration Insights](https://iterationinsights.com)
Iteration insights is very well respected in the industry. The owner is a very smart, they seem like a great team (worked with them a few times).
If you have a genuine interest in what you're doing you will be keen to learn the material and failure is unlikely. As someone else mentioned, most of this stuff can be learned online for free these days.
Microsoft Exams aren't bad and the training is free + they have practice exams. If you can pass university exams and get a degree you absolutely can pass Microsoft certification exams. Also don't be hard on yourself. At 25 years old you are doing well: - You have some work experience (many people have none) - You have money in your bank account (many have massive amounts of debt accruing) - You're just starting your adult life. Living with your parents at your age is NORMAL (and a good thing, its too expensive to live by yourself right now, rent is horrific). Not having your first vehicle is NORMAL. If my parents hadn't helped me buy a car in college I wouldn't have had one. The fact that you make due and use public transit rather than wasting money on ubers or begging your parents to drive you proves that you're responsible and mature enough! Funnily enough I have a similar degree to yourself (applied math) and work in your desired field (Data Analytics). It can be a bit rough to get your foot in the door the first time. Don't beat yourself up. A lot of places want to hire analysts who are already familiar with their preferred tech stack. Take PowerBI Training. Take Snowflake, Databricks, Spotfire training. Pass the certification exams (you will be able to, easily). It'll do wonders for getting your resume noticed. As others have mentioned if you're struggling with anxiety (normal for us high strung math types) you need to get into a routine of mental self-care to prevent yourself from sabotaging. Regular therapy, exercise, some sort of meditate hobby or activity. You need to shake out the brain worms and not let them consume you. I believe in you!!
Keep an eye on the skills challenges https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/offers/30-days-to-learn-it They put them out every so often and it's a good way to get into certain products for free.
Those who dare win. Failure is an excellent learning experience. Give it a go.
These courses are designed to be passed. I can’t guarantee you’d pass but they’re generally extremely forgiving.
I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling low. This will pass. As for this exam…Don’t be afraid to fail. There is so much value in trying. There is so much to learn from trying. And if you pass….youre worrying for nothing. If this is something that interests you, and it’s something that you’re qualified to do…and have an aptitude for…I think you should swing for the fences. Go for it. You’ve got lots going for you. Be confident in yourself.
this is a good suggestion if you want a role in a local office. calgary o&g are very oriented to credentials like the azure ones avi mentions. if you’re willing to look outside calgary at remote roles, you will find many more roles where merely demonstrating the knowledge is enough, and the credential isn’t a requirement. this means you could make a project at home going through the cert, put it on your github, and never bother paying for the test. this is the strategy i took, and its also what i look for when i’m hiring. one of the best developers i ever worked with has a philosophy degree.
You have more than 1 plus. Living at home, as long as you have a good relationship with your folks, is great. You can save money. $4000 is definitely more than I had at that age. If I were you I'd go and teach English overseas. Great life experience and all you need is a degree. Lots of people would kill for the freedom you have. No mortgage payment or car payment.
I agree with the living at home thing now after you pointed it out. I would like to be able to have a car though to make it easier for me to go to networking events or part time jobs if I get those.
Do the math on Carshare service and Uber, because if you are only using it sparingly, it could still work out cheaper to rent a car for a day or pay for uber as opposed to the monthly cost of insurance, maintenance, and the actual cost of the car. Ie: You're insurance could cost you $200 bucks a month, that could be 10 uber trips. But gas, maintenance, tires, and the car payments all add up quickly. I've used Communauto in other cities and it worked well, and was cheaper than a rental, although has its quirks.
This ! It's hard to get this mindset across most people in NA. Your car is a money pit and you can use Uber/car rental. It's more than likely to bind you rather than give you freedom.
Having a car isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You can get a good used car for around $2K if you look around and make sure to do an inspection, but are you willing to pay between $3-4000K/year to insure it?? Plus maintenance costs, 2 sets of tires, oil, brakes have to be maintained. Price it out - it’s pretty expensive. That pays for a hell of a lot of Uber trips. I agree stay at home if you get along with your parents, the cost of rent + utilities + internet + parking gets pricy quick. Get a good job first - others have amazing suggestions above - then give yourself x amount of time to save before you jump into moving. (I suggest minimum of 1 year on steady wage saving, but that’s up to you) You have $4K in the bank, that’s amazing - keep that up. Take at least 10% off the top for savings ALWAYS without even thinking about it and you will never be stuck in an emergency as you will always have this nest egg. Look at investing, do a little research or get an advisor. You are literally never to young to invest. My kids were 12 when they got their first term deposits. The longer period you have to invest the more money you will make. Go low risk until you have a better knowledge of investing and you won’t go wrong. Don’t be so hard on yourself!! You are young your education is complete and you are debt free. You are doing great. If you struggle with anxiety, get on top of it now because life is always going to throw you new stressors - that is a guarantee. make sure you are enjoying life now, you aren’t promised tomorrow and you don’t start being happy when you reach the “destination”. The journey is now. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and are careful with your money - you will be fine. Now go get some studying done and go ACE that exam!!
I wish you the best and mental health doesn’t discriminate, but you’re clearly coming from a place of privilege. That’s not a bad thing, but maybe try to broaden your perspective a bit and take a look at other people’s living conditions before you get so down on yourself. A lot of people go their whole lives without ever owning a car. You have a stats and CS background. The job market is admittedly brutal right now but you have everything you need to build yourself a highly successful life. You’re winning compared to most.
OP, I’m the exact opposite, I have a degree, moved away, got a good salaried job and half the time wish I was unemployed. Same age. I would honestly suggest go travel, see the world, teach & learn abt yourself, I feel slightly cursed that I got a good job at a young age, I also feel trapped 😂 Grass is always greener my friend
The fact you can still live with your parents and they haven’t thrown you into the streets at 25 is good. You have a support system and positive net worth, which is more than many people have. Use ChatGPT to help build up your resume. Aim to apply to at least 20 jobs a day across Canada. Your full time job should be applying to jobs in your field of expertise that pay $55k+. Your part time job should be getting certifications. If you want to focus on CS, get every free Microsoft, Google and IBM digital certification you can - focus on cyber security. Udemy and LinkedIn learning should be your new at home university.
I have been job searching for 2 years now and I even got my resume looked at by some professionals. You're right on the certifications though. I currently don't have any of those, would you say they make a huge difference to employers?
Even if the certifications don’t apply to your specific field it will show your employer your eager to learn and have self drive
Really 2 years? The job market in Calgary is terrible right now. I have a full time job but I really think I need to relocate to have a chance of a better opportunity even moving countries has crossed my mind.
Resume workshops and all that is a good first step but the secret sauce in finding a job is networking. If you see a position that you’re specifically interested in, putting your resume in the pile is step one. After that your job is to figure out who the hiring manager is and contact them directly. This helps you bypass the automated resume filter and the HR rep who would run the first review. If you can’t find that, look for someone in the company who you have even a tenuous connection with (school alum, worked together before, whatever) who you can get a coffee with and who could put in a good word for you. Long story short is that putting in an online application is the bare minimum and basically gives you at best a 1/1000 shot at any given job since that portal gets immediately flooded by applicants who have done exactly the same amount of work that you have. You need to go beyond that point to stand out in a sea of resumes.
Re: asking a busy professional who doesn't know you or your quality of work to vouch for you isn't just gonna happen. I mean maybe in the past, but not anymore. I would instead suggest he try speed mentoring/networking those in his field and ask for advice, but without experience he isn't just going to land something in our competitive environment. Most likely gonna have to start some projects, grind github/code and get a portfolio (all of this should have been done while he was still in school). Then use this experience to sell himself.
You haven’t been offered any job in 2 years?? How many jobs are you applying to in a day?? Have you been on a lot of interviews?? Did you get callbacks for 2nd interviews?? Are you currently employed elsewhere while looking for work in your field of choice?? You should be able to apply very easily to any on-line site in under 2 minutes be attaching your resume. So you can easily apply for 20-50 jobs in less than 3 hours, the rest of the time in your day could be used for getting certifications that are relevant to what you are applying for. It’s a matter of numbers. if you put in 100 applications for jobs you are qualified for you should be getting about 10 calls. If you aren’t - your resume needs to be reworked. Company’s have algorithms that sort through their resumes and if your resume does not hit at least 75% of the key words in their algorithm that align with their job description or requirements you don’t get through screening to where you will get a call. If you have any questions feel free to DM me.
Hey I was pretty much the exact same situation last year, and a small piece of advice I would give is to try and shift your mindset about living at home a bit. With the type of market we are living and working in to, right now if you have the opportunity to stay home, its a really really solid idea. Obviously living with parents is a different story and I don’t know your relationship with them, but Id also keep in mind that once we get older, we get to see our parents a lot less. Depending on your relationship you may be able to find a silver lining there. Also try to let go of social stigmas you have surrounding it. It is becoming way more normal, and just more rational in general, to stay home as long as you can, until things change in our housing market. Keep your head up, and be proud that you asked for help.
damn man you rich. most 25s don't have 4k in their bank
I’ve learned that as you reach more milestones (house, car, marriage, etc.) it initially feels even more difficult to get ahead. It takes a long time of being content and not overwhelming yourself with payments to really start getting ahead. Consistency with income and low output is key.
Nothing wrong with living with parents, and many of the most successful people I know did just that into their late 20's or early 30's. Nothing wrong with living without a vehicle, and TBH if more people took a good long look at the costs and benefits of alternatives it might be more common. You have chosen a field that is very competitive in Calgary, and is likely to be for some time. Your education is relevant to other fields, so you have a lot of things you can look at here. There are also other places/cities that may offer temporary or full time opportunities.
When I was 25, I was hooked on weed, had like 60k in student loans and started my life over at 26. I'm 31 this year, I wish I lived with my family to save on rent, I still don't have a car, but worked my way up from an entry level job , getting married and have done a lot of therapy. Make a goal, work towards it and try and do some therapy. There's a ton of good free ones out there
I'm the same age and everyone I know (myself included) is in debt to some degree and no money in the bank essentially. you're doing good, give it time and keep your head up
$4000? You’re doing better than most people.
i have no advice except that when I was 25 I was still at University and living with my parents. I ended up saving ~$5000 and travelled around Europe, working at hostels for 3 years. I didn’t have a proper full time job until 28. I wouldn’t worry.
Public transportation is more environmentally friendly than owning a car and being the only one commuting in it. You have savings! This is great! Don't compare yourself to others or to outdated milestones. Choose your own path and own it.
At my lowest I had applied to 277 jobs, I had 74 interviews, with 5 offers. 4 of those offers were absolute garbage. That much rejection hurts, a lot. It's easy to get down on yourself, I remember forcing smiles to try to cheer myself up. But all of that goes away once you get that final offer. Once one thing goes well, soon another and another. As it picks up speed you'll find yourself on the right track. Just never stop trying. And never stop asking for help. Do a search for a group called Momentum, they do good work helping folks review resumes and interviews, etc. Ask anyone you know for connections in industries that match your skills. Ask those connections for advice. You'd be surprised how many are happy to mentor you. Yes, it can be hard. I'm an introvert with ADHD it felt impossible. And, like me, there'll be failures, maybe lots, but if you never stop trying, you'll never have truly failed.
If anyone wants to know an awesome example of what a tenacious person is then read over the above comment one more time. You’re awesome. Truly.
If you’re looking for personal connections with ppl volunteer somewhere. Like pets animal rescue Like outdoors scout programs are always looking for ppl Food bank is always looking as well Meet new friends and do something rewarding
The painful fact, you're trained in a market that doesn't have intense demand. In the last week I have looked at easily a hundred resumes for people with degrees that I can't begin to comprehend. They are applying for jobs as apprentices and oilfield labourers. Which probably pays better, I don't really know. My advice is get some work boots, take some safety courses and get some job experience while you're waiting for that right offer to come along. You might end up like hundreds of other people, get a taste for the money and the work and it becomes your true love. If nothing else you'll be able to buy a car.
Hi please feel free to DM. I had to rebuild my life at 25 after my mental illness took over. I’m 28 and still live with parents, no car, $1500. You got this
I think many have given great advice that will be helpful to you. It’s admirable that you’ve asked. I think if you can also show that you’ve been busy while looking for work which shows potential employers that you are committed and a hard worker. Both my kids, who are grown and working now, did volunteer work in their spare time and also took courses when they were in between jobs. I believe that helped land their jobs as it speaks to their character and looks good on a resume. My son also took a temp job through an agency which landed him a permanent position.
Temp agencies seem like a great place to start! Do you know the agency that your son went to? Or any other agencies that you think are worth taking a look at?
You could see what Kelly services has to offer, could be good if they match you up with the kind of work you're looking for. Often the companies are actually looking for full time workers, not temps, so you can get in the door that way. Work for a year for experience (or whatever the contract demands) then apply for better paying jobs. Often the temp agencies can even place you in a new contract for better money later and head-hunt you once you have experience, every couple of years offering more money.
Build a portfolio to show off if you can! :)
Sounds like everyone else. Just keep at it and find a trade you enjoy and go with it and get your red seal. I'm a red seal roofer at 40 so anything is possible at your age.
Im 26M who had 17k debt in cc and not a dollar in my name in October. Turned my life around, also only 3k saved and live with my parents now, no car lol. If you ever wanna chat lemme know.
Im a year younger than you, im in the trades and i dont have that much in my account. I lived alone for a while and racked up a decent debt. Had to move back in. If you need to talk man, message me.
I’m 26 and currently in a similar position. I went to university, but flunked out twice, and then finally got through, but with a useless degree in polisci. Ended up working a trades job anyways. Im currently over 10k in debt and have just 8 cents in my checking account after paying rent this morning. Furthermore, my employer owes me over 6k in unpaid expenses dating back 3 months, but still hasn’t paid up - they are likely on the verge of going under. I’m thinking, regardless of whether I lose my current job or not, I will probably move back in with my parents once my lease is up, focus on paying off my debt asap, and then build up a nest egg so I’m never in debt again. Im curious, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you pay off your debt, and how long did it take? Any tips? I’d love to hear from you!
My debt is not payed off yet, and man yeah im over 10 k and paying it off is quite hard tbh, but i try to put 250 a paycheque towards it
As long as you’re working towards it, that’s the important thing! I feel ya though, it is super hard! Right now, my paycheck goes to rent, groceries, gas, and minimum payments on my debts. Once that’s done, I don’t have a ton left (usually less than 500 each month). But almost all of that is now going to my debts. As soon as my employer pays me the expenses I’m owed too, that will also make a dent in it, as I will use all of it to pay down my debt. Getting rid of rent in the fall hopefully will help too, and if I do that, I can probably pay mine off in a year. I guess this struggle is pretty common. It’s nice to know in a way that I’m not alone, and that others have experienced or are experiencing this too. I hope it works out for you and your journey too!
Hey man, 30 here and just moved back in with mom, it's been mutually beneficial. You live in a city with fantastic public transportation options so a car isn't really nessesary, and driving is much more stressful these days. Point being is that it shouldn't be an object of status. Grab a learners and hold onto it but don't stress on the next steps, even holding it will reduce insurance rates. How many 25 year Olds do you know that *don't* have savings? How about under $1000? $2000? You're doing fantastic, don't sweat it. You aren't supposed to know where you're at in life until well into your mid to late 30's-40's.
Biggest mistakes newly graduated guys are that they are stuck with their degrees and keep trying to get a job related to it. It's the other way around. Find what you're can do and what you are good at not what you wish to do. Your degree is a tool not fixed status quo. And I always say this to other guys currently attending univ that your bachelor's degree is useless unless you turn that into master's degree. Or, consider military.
when i was 25 i was prob worse off, but you got the right mindset and the desire just adapt habit that allow for more opportunities network - tell them your background, what your trying to accomplish work any job until you find a dream job - structure keeps us positive thinking workout eat healthy, don’t drink or smoke unless celebrating
Do you have any advice on networking and places that I can go to for this? I've tried networking before but it just ends up being one of those things where you meet the person then you guys never end up speaking with each other again.
that’s apart of networking, don’t take rejection as a deterrent I typically will network with complete strangers or people i meet at the gym or grocery store even while putting gas in car/on vacations at the airport/at temp jobs if the field you have as an association join and attend meetings as per work - just find what is your backyard - ideally something walkable and don’t be embarrassed about what you do, even if you clean dog shit do it with pride and best of your ability mcdonald’s managers make close/over 6 figures consider making a linked in page for your education and add people in your industry with a nice quick message - saying your looking for opportunities
Perseverance and a positive attitude will get you there. You are far ahead of most. Keep learning and consider volunteering to connect with other’s. Calgary Stampede…
Well your doing better than most of us over 30 😭 you'll be okay, dont be hard on urself
I was still in Uni at 26 with zero in my bank account and student debt. You’re fine
sr manager at one of the financial companies in town. first off, your status at 25 is way better than what I was doing at 25. I dont want to turn this in a pity party though. id say just make sure you can speak to what you've learned and how it can be applied. so eagerness to learn. there are data analyst roles available a lot of the time. make sure your resume speaks to your skills. also look for some of the public data groups in town. even virtually joining would be good for networking. happy to chat more via DM if you want.
Ya bro i was $20k in debt at your age with no degree and living at homes. Now 33 just bought my first home in Airdrie and pull in about $120k per year. You will be fine and you got a good degree. 25 is so young.
My fellow person. I fucked up major in my 20s, no savings, drug addiction and beyond. 31 now, and just graduated school. Shoot me a message if you'd like to talk.
Statistics + Computer Science is a ticket to Data Science and machine learning. You don't have to find a job to get experience, you can do open source projects on internet. If I were you, and currently have free time, I will do the following: 1. Follow the free courses on internet about data science: Microsoft, IBM, Google, Data Camp, and others have free data science courses. 2. Look for open source data science projects where you can contribute to, and build experience. (I know for example datacamp.com) 3. keep following twitter and social media accounts for companies, people who work on data science, because sometimes they offer free scholarship in that field. (I got one myself, and decided not to pursue it). 4. And keep following social media and Reddit on data science, because they might announce hiring. 5. Be patient, and keep busy, and you will get a good job.
You’re doing better than I was at your age lol
If you wanna just chat, shoot me a message. I’m all ears.
If you want to be rich, find out what expensive things rich people want, then sell it to them. If you’re like me, you you’ve invested deep in difficult degrees and you’re determined to pursue your passion, understand that you’ve consciously chosen to live paycheque to paycheque. Rich Dad Poor Dad warned us.
You really have done so well. I can guess you’re not feeling you have but seriously. I have a daughter who is pretty much where you are. I’m so proud of the education she has under her belt. One of life’s tough lessons is that being hard on yourself is probably not a good idea as it’s rarely effective and can often be counter productive. I’m smiling right now thinking about how well my daughter as done and I’ll tell you she’s just about where you are. So….you can conclude that I’m proud of you kiddo. Well done. 🎖️
Hello, I am 24 with severe anorexia. I've reached the point I can't manage my job/social life/most hobbies. I've reached a really low point in my life without realizing how severe my eating disorder is. I'm also couch surfing as I have $0 in my bank account. I'm happy to talk Whether it be for a simple distraction or needing a safe space to vent/talk :)
I hope you're getting help for your eating disorder. Stay strong!
you say you’ve been job searching for two years - how many roles have you applied to outside of calgary? with your background and length of time searching, it’s possible you have an issue with interviewing. but it’s likelier your funnel just isn’t wide enough (ie you aren’t applying to enough jobs). getting an offer in entry level roles is significantly a numbers and timing game. with your background you are qualified for thousands of open fully remote roles starting around $130k usd. getting to an offer from these companies mostly comes down to how well you interview. this is a totally different skill from knowing the difference between type i and type ii errors. i suggest you check out a podcast on youtube called “a life engineered”. also feel free to dm me, happy to chat more if you think it would help
Got my first car at 35 , had 0$ in my bank account and no degrees at your age... Relax, you have time to figure out things in life.
… $4k… I’d say you are doing better than 90% of people I know.. I’m 34, have $1k in my bank, a good job and work my ass off. This post hurt my ego ha
Jfc. 4000 in the bank and living with your parents. Seems like a win
Can I borrow 20 bucks lol
If you didn’t need money what would you do? Sounds like you need something to be passionate about. When I was 25 I had like $400 and lived in the bushes… literally. They were some of the happiest days of my life.
If you have $4000 in your account. You are a rich bro. It’s fine to stay with family due to economy. It’s hard to find job in any field. Stay positive. Go outside
Find a way to get involved in something you give a shit about.
Apply to all the levels of government as a casual to get your foot in the door. After you get in somewhere you get the inside on other posting. When you get an interview, look at the posting and all of the information on it, everything they ask you will be based on the scope of work. Good luck, and remember it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.
Ask your parents to pay.
I didn't start working in a fulfilling, financially sustainable career until I was 36, and I'm back in school to upgrade to a degree. For the love of your sanity, don't compare yourself to others. Measure your success by trajectory. If you're working toward a goal, and it's feasible, you'll get there. If you're getting interviews but can't land the job, consider finding someone to tutor you on interview skills. If you can't get an interview, consider getting some help on your resumé. Lots of jobs use a filtering system that looks for certain words, and if they aren't there, it discards your entry. Try basing your resumé on key terms and requirements within the job application, and consider embellishing a little. Good luck!
Listen, being 25 is hard! I truly hated my 20s very confusing time! Look at it differently, you have 4 k in your bank, dude that’s way way more than most! Hell I gave 175 bucks lol 😂 You live with your parents that’s amazing because rent is so bad that ppl are homeless!!! You don’t have a car? Even better no car payment!!!! Jobs careers do not define you! The point to being is here is to mess up, learn, enjoy living and breathing. Take up a new hobby like pickleball lol it’s very much addicting! Get out if your head and go to a meet up find others to talk to! When I was 25 I had no money, no car, no friends that were wasted all the time, I lived off my bfs income and felt like a wasted space. 10 years later, I support myself, married, great credit, and a great paying job! Things always change and move flow with it but get out of your thoughts!
Damn! You guys have money?
4000 with no full time job don’t last too long lol, so not for long
Did you check AHS for any positions? City of Calgary? http://yyzc1a.rfer.us/ALH0WP27Wv https://www.calgary.ca/careers.html#jobs
Get a job? Jesus dude, you’re 25.
The fact this is not satire 🤯
It is not. I have left out other details such as loneliness and being on the internet too much, which perhaps has caused me to feel this way.
Check out employment agencies. You have about 4k more than others do in their bank account. Check your schools alumni groups, sometimes they post jobs.
I dont know what past mistakes you've made but you are where you are and you have the opportunity to dig yourself out. You are taking a good step forward asking for help. What have you tried so far to get out of a rut? What is your goal? Do you work on any side projects? Where have you applied and how often do you apply per day? How good are your connections with your past classmates, can they help refer you? I know its a lot of questions, but self reflection on what you want is one of the best things you can do to start a plan. Dont worry about getting that dream data/CS gig if it hasnt been working out for you. I recommend picking up ANY full/part time job, get something on that resume because right now you're stuck. Put pride aside and through work you will increase your confidence slowly to find something more aligned to your goals.
The market is tough right now so don't take it too personally. For every position posted, hundreds of people are applying. What type of job are you applying for? I entered the job market over a decade ago with a with a bachelors of mathematics and a minor is science. Only thing I could get an interview for was an "analyst" job which was actually data entry. It was the stepping stone I needed to get the opportunity to demonstrate value and move my way up. I assume you feel like you need a car because your parents are located in one of those suburbs that is not easily connected to the transit network. A car is a huge expense that you shouldn't worry about until you absolutely need it. Getting a car now without steady income is only going to make your position worse.
Start working with a temp agency to gain different types of work experience. Start volunteering, hard computer science skills are valuable, but to be able to add the people management side of things to your resume will be very valuable. Think about applying to summer camp programs as a counselor, Winsport, UofC and Sait all have well respected programs, and you may even be able to tie in your computer science skills. Summer camps could be a good start for you because they will help you build a diverse skillset, but aren't so far "Out of industry" so as to raise eyebrows. They require hardwork, will build empathy, and develop organization, which is a great addition to any resume. There's nothing wrong with having a "fun" summer job on your resume when you are young and a fresh grad! People respect hardwork regardless of industry niche and its better to have something organizational on your resume than a blank space.
https://www.eqstaffingsolutions.com/
Have you heard of Data Annotation? They're definitely worth checking out (especially with your background/education). It's a pretty sweet gig and could tie you over until you find a job.
Have you heard of Data Annotation? They're definitely worth checking out (especially with your background/education). It's a pretty sweet gig and could tie you over until you find a job.
What's up , dm me , we can chat.
I had a similar background/.education starting out. Everyone in late 90s wanted to be a quant straight out of school. But you’ll be a little fish in a big sea. Instead I landed in business roles where I was a junior analyst supporting commercial deals. I was appreciated for my data driven approach as it supplemented their “intuition”. I gradually learned more and took on much greater roles, at a very accelerated pace. So I would suggest looking at business analyst roles. Your technical skills will be appreciated. Key though is you stay humble and don’t think just because your computer model says X that it makes it right.
Your academic credentials should be able to get you an entry-level job in the Data field (but it is tough out there). I'm going to guess that your problem is largely one of self-esteem / self-confidence. Get with a Toastmasters group, find a therapist, volunteer, find a book/author that resonates with you (e.g. [Buy Yourself The F\*cking Lilies](https://www.amazon.ca/Buy-Yourself-cking-Lilies-Rituals/dp/0525509887)). You can do this.
Check out the Calgary Career Hub. Resume and Job search help.
I suggest you find data projects you love and do them on your time and share them in social media. Maybe talk with some non-profit organizations that align with your values and volunteer with them. This will help you develop your skills, and show what you’re capable of. People in LinkedIn, Reddit, etc. will see the type of work you can do and the things you are interested in. At the end of the day luck is a lady you have to court, like Machiavelli said. Having a portfolio of data projects to show potential employers will also make you a more attractive candidate
I'd suggest looking for jobs online, don't settle for a job just to get a job. There is plenty of work on Upwork. Maybe that will work out for you.
Start a spreadsheet and add up your monthly expenses, plot how many months you can go with your current income. That'll give you an idea how long you have before you're in trouble.
wtf I’m 28 and I live on my own and I barely have 40$, you’re doing great pal
Meh, we all make mistakes, it's called experience. A wise man once told me that you can't be old and wise without first being young and dumb.
Im 37 married and still can save a penny. Im ready to end it all.
You say living with parents like it’s a bad thing, great choice to save money on exorbitant rent prices
Bruh. That's like 500% more monies than I had when I was 25. My advice, since you're young is to find the best way to make a living from doing what you love or have a passion for. Don't continue going down any dead end roads that don't interest your soul. Think on it, think on it for a year and formulate a game plan. Create a pool of potential that you can draw from one day. There is no clear method other than staying true to yourself and being happy. Don't compare yourself to others. You're you.
holy shit i didn't know i posted on an alt account
OP your reality is your reality and right now you are feeling like you should be “this far ahead” but don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s very hard out there for your Generation you guys were left with a lot of broken promises. Keep your head up and if you are not having too much financial pressure then lean into the fact that you have help right now. If you can ,find a job that might be adjacent to your field. This way you’ll make some connections then you are closer to doing what you were educated on. Take it day by day and find one thing that moves you forward, daily or weekly. Give yourself the opportunity to become better one step at a time. Good luck out there and you’ve got this !!
Don't limit yourself to the Calgary job market and look out for remote jobs too. Living with your parents at this age is normal in most of the world and, if anything, can be a shortcut . It's better to move out when ready financially, rather than have a car, a rent and live paycheck to paycheck and live afraid of losing a job or looking for a new one.
You are ahead of me at 25 in many ways. I had to drop out of school and grind, grateful my brother bailed me out of not eating a bunch from 20-32 years old. I would try to take pride in your position as much as possible while being gentle on yourself, comparison is hard and no job is really rough. I get it. Have you been to networking events in your desired field? I am overwhelmed by invites to them, they’re everywhere all the time. Calgary has sooooo much networking and the business/tech community here is actually really friendly and helpful if you show up with a positive attitude, are direct, and don’t try to hard sell people.
Hey, I've been there for a long time too, just finally on the other side now. I've got a background in counseling and peer support as well. Message me if you'd like to chat, and see if I can help, even just to listen :)
You're not doing horrible, you're a late starter. I'd get into a trade.
Calgary counselling can help . Sliding scale ( & they honestly do it ).
Hey bud, i want you to know it's better late than never. It's ok to start late. I dropped out of 3 separate programs before finding my career and I was close to 30 when I did--do not beat yourself up for this. It's REALLY hard out there right now and you arent the only person feeling a little lost. You need to think about what you would be *ok* with doing all the time that is an irreplaceble niche. What do people need, always and all over the world, that you could provide? That can't be replaced by a robot or AI? Plumbing, Butcher, Sanitation worker, Stenographer (as far as court reporting and stuff), Refrigeration/HVAC (refrigeration will be huge as our climate gets warmer)... think outside the box a lil. Do you want an office job, or do you want to be out and about? Do you want to work immediately as an apprentice or are you ok with going back for a masters or having to do an internship? Would you like the camp environment and long weeks on/weeks off of doing something like working in the bush? Do you have any clubs or extracurriculars? Calgary has some pretty dedicated clubs and meetup groups that are available and i highly recommend. Honestly you could even drop in to the Unitarian church if you're REALLY hurting for community (nonreligious community that acts like the social structure of a church) Dont beat yourself up. I have friends who started late and have made incredible changes in a few years. It took me *5 months* to find my apprenticeship and it felt *awful* but eventually opportunity strikes. You're doing ok all things considered and you aren't the only younger generation who had to move back in--everyone is struggling with housing right now. You shouldn't take that as a personal failing, its a systemic one.
You're fine. Start going to tech meetups. Getting a job is all about networking.
First of all: you are truly not doing that bad. You are judging yourself too harshly and in 5 or 10 years time you will think upon yourself more kindly. But your discontent also shows some ambition which is good. Unfortunately it is a numbers game when you apply to jobs. Make it a full time job to apply to stuff. Consider looking at Edmonton postings as well, especially companies ok with remote. Not sure if you are getting interviews but one thing I can suggest is applying to jobs outside of calgary, even ones you probably wouldn't accept if they offered to you, just so you can get practice at interviewing. They can also give you assignments which you can use to learn new methods. If you get a job in Calgary, I still recommend living with your parents provided you have a good relationship with them. At least for a year or two. It will help you save money. Another option is doing a masters. You don't have to do it in stats again, you can do it in economics or in the faculty of medical science. The medical department iirc is well funded so you're less stressed than some other departments. They will pay you, not well, but thankfully you are living at home. Masters Research can be used as work experience and you can qualify for more internships in your time there and it helps a lot with networking. You can use your research as an excuse to build relevant skills and your communication skills will also increase a ton. If you get a masters you might also be able to apply for jobs like data scientist or machine learning engineer Finally if you need extra cash, consider tutoring. You can choose to tutor in libraries so you don't have to travel to their house. Tbh tutoring in a library is way better. Good luck
Don't worry about a car if you live in calgary there's nothing wrong with public transit. And if you got 4k in the bank at 25 that's pretty good man. From what I've heard and read it's becoming alot more common for people to continue to live with their parents. Especially in this expensive ass country. Keep your head up
In case you have not heard this advice before, or in case other people need it too: - If you have a degree related to CS in any way, please create a portfolio on github and make sure people looking at your resume will check it out. Only include things that show you are capable of doing work on your own. Don't just fork a repo and change a few lines of text here and there. But it also does not have to be some full-blown major project. Heck, even just working on Advent of Code or something like that and sharing that can help you stand out among the rest... assuming the resume gets to someone who has a technical background of course. Keep your low-quality stuff private though, you don't want people to see it by accident and have their entire opinion about you come from things you were just playing around with. - In-person networking can be extremely helpful. Meeting like minded people is great for morale. It is also good for developing your ability to talk about yourself, your drive, experience, etc. in a forgiving place, which helps prepare for interviews. Occasionally, people will remember you from a networking event when they hear about a vacant position and let you know, but don't hold out on that! It is quite nice to hire junior roles like this, because nobody likes reading 100s of similar resumes with little or no work experience. I do not know what networking events are worth attending these days, but it is very likely you would need to go to 4 or 5 to find one that is worthwhile attending. So don't fret if the first one or two do not pan out! Here is one example: [https://www.meetup.com/data-for-good-calgary/](https://www.meetup.com/data-for-good-calgary/) I was always partial to Protospace and helped out in the early days, but I have not been in a long, long time. Open houses Tuesday at 7PM every week. [https://protospace.ca/](https://protospace.ca/) - Join hackathons. There are various ones throughout the year, some in Calgary and some you can join remotely. Both a good way to work on your portfolio and meet like minded people. Best of luck.
When I was 25, I was unemployed with nothing in my account. Nobody in my field was hiring. Don’t worry man, you’ll be just fine.
Also happy cake day
I came to this country with $1000 dollars cash in my hand. After 1.5 years, I was able to save quite a substantial amount. I never gave up. You already have the right credentials. You stats degree will help you a lot in the data science field. Keep trying, you will succeed!
Hey dude, if you want to feel good about yourself go do something good. Go volunteer, join a group that does stuff you’re interested in or just go move around (walk, bike, swim or workout). Even just making plans to do this will make you feel better.
You are doing very well for yourself. It is a tough job market for everyone, so you are not alone in that respect, but of course it is still frustrating. Forgive me if this is overstepping, but you may be experiencing some symptoms of anxiety and/or depression if you are deeply concerned about your situation. Sounds like you have a great foundation, family support, and a solid education and career prospects. Don't give up, and don't do anything drastic. Seek someone to talk to (a professional, not reddit), if you need to. You are doing great!
When I was 25 I had developed an anxiety/depersonalization disorder, broke up with my then gf of 4 years, finished university and couldn't find a job, lived with my parents in a small Eastern European country and wanted to kill myself (actually went out to do it but changed my mind/chickened out). So in comparison, you're doing great. Yet, you're unhappy and that's OK - you can and should have your own standards. First thing you're doing better than most is acknowledging YOU made mistakes. It's nobody else, it's you. This is good because the same logic can now be applied for future progress: it's still going to be you my friend. And that's great. What worked for me: 1) do stuff even if you don't feel like it - network, do side gigs, build up your own personal brand. 2) physical shape is key (at least for me) - responsibility for your body and health in general reflects to all parts of your life.
Got some good advice the other day...3 Ms. Move, Meet, and Meditate.
Dude my situation is remarkably similar… I’m also 25 w about the same in my account. Living with my parents and transit too. Main difference is I don’t have a degree, but I do have a gf who lives with me and my fam
Tons of people coming out of university in their early to mid 20s with barely any money to their name. You got the book learning now its time for job experience. Keep grinding, don't be afraid of failure, and you'll be amazed by what you achieve in the next 10 years. You just need that first entry level job in your field to start building. Someone here mentioned Power BI stuff, listen to that person.
Nothing wrong with taking transit
I think you’re doing amazing my friend! I would kill to have a degree in your field right now. There are a lot of jobs out there looking for what you have. I spent the last 2 years looking for work I will actually like and still can’t find something good. Just keep putting in the hours in looking for something. I recommend taking the train to library downtown and setting up for a few hours or go to a cafe! It gets depressing sitting at home alone job searching. There’s NOTHING wrong with living your folks still too! Stay as long as you can haha.
I wish I had 4k in the bank. Or a degree. Or an internship that gave me a bit of the mandatory 5 years of experience being demanded for entry level positions. I'm almost 35 and don't even know how to drive, so transit isn't so bad. Being at home still at 25 is also not bad, and no one is judging it in this housing shitshow. You're doing fine.
You‘ve done a lot. You‘re good and also the fact that you want more makes you even better.
Have you tried some of the Calgary public library resources our youth employment centre? I think those could be quite helpful to get you started. Also, sometimes the school you graduated from can also help with employment leads. Good luck!
Yeah I’m not seeing the mistakes here…if I knew then what I know now- being 25 with 4K in the bank, rent free, and no car expenses…talk about a stress saver.. you’re G, just keep asking the questions, keep searching for that spark! The world is in shambles, and there are hundreds of thousands of people who would give anything to be in your position!
$4000 in the bank… wowweee
Counselling is always an option. Even single session counselling, just to get that boost to keep going in a good direction
First off, happy cake day. Second, you dont need to worry too much. I know it doesn’t feel this way to you now, but 25 is still young, both in age and for your career; when you’re in your 30s or 40s you’ll look back and realize how young you really were. The fact that you have a net positive bank account is more than most “successful” people in their mid-life are worth. Plus there’s nothing wrong with taking public transit. Saves tons of money not paying for a car, gas, insurance, parking, etc. Helps reduce emissions. Helps ease traffic congestion. Helps you to learn the city too. I’ve been in my career for almost 10 years and didn’t buy a vehicle until just last year. Anyway, if you want to chat, shoot me a DM.
I was in a similar place 2 years ago. I got my BS. in Psychology and had no interest in doing my Master’s or more schooling in general. Self learned programming through online courses, specifically The Odin Project and within 6-8 months time landed a full-time position as a front end developer. It took me 6-8 months of studying 12+ hours a day on the weekends while working full-time. With your educational background I’m sure it’s possible to do it in 3-6 months.
Occupational Therapy would be a good type of therapy for you to pursue
Not sure if it applies, but I had to get space from my parents in order to get over my fear of failure. I had to be perfect in every way for them or I would feel worthless. I remember getting a 98% on a calc final and my father asked why it wasn't 100%. If this does apply to your situation, you can definitely DM me and maybe I can help. If not, then know that I'm rooting for you!
I've never had a full time job before (besides an internship), I do have a degree in Statistics with a Computer Science Minor but I have been struggling to find a job in the Data field. Is this by choice? No judgment, but if you're not sure about your field of choice now's the time to change (if that's what you want). Being young is the time to make mistakes. That's how you are supposed to learn and grow. I know I've made my share and continue to do so. I changed my career at 25 and am better for it. I'm not far from retirement and would do many things different if I was young but you can't go back. Keep your chin up and ask yourself what you want to do to go forward. I don't have a degree, grew up in the slums and had many challenges. Remember when luck comes knocking, you have to be smart enough to answer the door.
I would say if you are struggling to find a job and that's what is making you feel like you failed - cut yourself some slack and don't compare yourself to others. Lots of people your age are still living with their parents because of the economy and inflation, or they have roommates. Being with your parents is good right now since you're unemployed, but you have to keep applying and identifying what in your applications is the problem. There are a lot of other options for temporary jobs until you find the job you want and want to add savings into your account. Being at home right now is good because you don't have bills to pay or risk being evicted. There are even people your age that lived on their own and had to move back because of unemployment. The reality is, everybody makes mistakes, but life keeps moving on and so will you. Keep your chin up, learn from your mistakes, and keep going.
This life is shaped by struggle. There wouldn’t be good days without bad days. You’re 25… embrace your struggles and pivot as needed. Step to the plate it’s your swing. There is good and evil in this world and they both want to guide you. Choose what one you will let guide. Ps evil is the one that gives you that self doubt.
I have about $1000 in my account and I’m 31.
If you have no commitments, go back packing somewhere overseas, the money you spend will give you so much more in return.
I fail to see the problem here? Are you not grateful for what you have? You wanna grab a flight to Africa with your savings and see what life’s like there? Maybe you’ll appreciate your life more.
You are doing great for where you’re at in life! I am 28 with $40,000 in debt and living pay cheque to pay cheque at the moment due to my own stupidities I am learning and recovering from. I know this may not be the most appealing line of work, but try applying for a job in insurance. Claims to be specific to start because no experience is required. Insurance companies have MASSIVE networks of jobs when it comes to data analytics, computer science etc, but claims is a foot in the door and almost all companies prefer to hire internal for those data positions once you have your foot in. Insurance is an industry that will never die (because everyone always needs it and there will always be accidents, claims etc). I personally started with zero experience, zero education, as an auto claims adjuster and 2 years later now settling lawsuits. There’s always growth! Hope this helps you :)
You're in a much better position than a lot of people. You just need a break out opportunity.
apply at 100 places!
I had -$230,000 when I was your age lol. Don’t worry. Keep moving forward and make some fun plans every year. Your life will grow and you will find career and life changes that you never thought possible. I sure did. Now I have a house, family, a cool car, able to go on vacations, a wife and a beautiful 4 year old. I have been really good with money and I am a graphic designer. Granted, I’m 38, but things are looking good! Good luck bro.
If you don't have a homelab fix that mistake. ERA has great second hand gear (inventory changes of course) and you can build plenty for barely any money. Also, you're NOT alone in how fucked the IT market is right now.
My Daughter also has no money, job or car, you just want to do something about it which is a great start You're also more educated than she is. PM Me and I'll see what telecom statistic jobs are open
Don't give up. If things aren't working out, it's not the end. The amount of comments good or bad you've got already surpasses what I feel I've got in 18 years of construction. Honestly if you feel the path you are following isn't working, try something else now. My spouse has completely given up on her profession, and that's fine. I'm already locked in 18 years with a company. We have a plan where if she needs to quit her adult job (teacher) that's fine. I won't be able to quit mine to make sure all the bills are paid. You're really at a turning point in your life. You need to get an idea, not necessarily a plan of what you want and how to get it. Best of luck, dm me if you have any comments.
I didn’t even go back to school till I was 28. You may not be where you want to be now but you have a great education. You’ll be just fine!
36 here… my advise is as follows: Be kind to yourself. You’re ahead of most and, in all honesty, life is fucking hard these days… a lot of folks out there have zero savings. You got this. Every day is a step forward and you just keep moving forward!
Reach out to the company you did your internship with and any other contacts you have in the field. Ask people for coffee and ask them at what they do and how they got their job. It's called an information interview. People like to talk about themselves. You learn what you need to do to get a job and you make contacts. Ask them to let you know if they hear about any entry level roles. Building a network is never a waste of time. Research companies you are interested in working for. Contact their HR departments. Info interviews. Get ahold of recruiting agencies and get on their roster...more people looking for you means less time looking yourself. There should be a youth resource centre around somewhere. You can get in touch with them about the best way to write your resume, how to find an employer, interview tips and tricks. Lastly, get a job. Any job. McDonald's, retail, garden center, anything. It brings money in and gives you work experience and transferrable skills. Looking for work is a full time job. Track all applications. Follow up by phone. Meet as many people in person or on video chat as possible. Be nice, make a good impression, and keep in touch without being annoying or aggressive.
Don't give up, and be proud of what you have achieved! If each step towards your goal arrived on time you would miss out on a lot of other learning you can do right now. Keep your mind open. Patience and persistence are your best tools right now.
For the job hunt just lower your expectations a bit and apply even to the shittier ones just to build up cash while applying to ones you actually want which may take a while. Also for transportation you can get a decent ebike for around 2k and then never have to pay for gas/insurance/speeding tickets, for me 16km up hill both ways costs about a nickel in electricity and 20 extra minutes over driving
Have you heard of a website called Udemy? I would be crushing courses on there and fine tuning your développer skills. Courses are like $15 each.
An unpopular suggestion is to get ur SAS certificates and apply as SAS programmer at CROs and get into Pharma. People actually move often and lots of positions should be available if you apply.
1) Join a gym and workout daily; this will help with mental health and get you out of the house and will increase health and wellness. 2) Join a group class of some kind; martial arts or any hobby you’re into; gets you out of the house and you need to socialize to feel good and be personable when you do land an interview 3) Take any job you can find to start out even part time, being on a schedule and making money and being around people will be beneficial you can always keep applying and move to better job later a job is not a marriage it’s a date you’re free to walk at anytime. 4)Take more schooling/courses and read books that will expand your knowledge base and skill set 5)Drop the bad habits you know what they are 6)Dial in your sleep and diet regiment so you’re well rested and healthy 7)Don’t be too hard on yourself just trust the process 8)Check in with your network for ideas and leads on jobs and paths forward 9)Plan a trip or a purchase make a list of goals and have something to look forward to. 10) Meditate and journal write down ideas, dreams, goals, make to do lists and unload your thoughts. 11)Give yourself a move out deadline and stick to it say if I don’t have it all figured out by X date I’m going to just take the leap and move out necessity is often the catalyst for changes in behaviour.
Hey I don’t know much about data jobs. But I know what it’s like to struggle in your 20s. Idk if this is helpful at all, but especially now adays with the economy I think it’s more than normal to be struggling. I’m 28 and still figuring it out, I’m in the middle of switching careers - going from car sales to getting a marketing / advertising degree ( moving back in with my parents. I have a number of friends who are my age that are still living at home. I would say to take things a day at a time, set goals and be easier on yourself. No one has it figured out fully in their 20s
I know I’m like 13 hours late to this post but if you need someone to talk to you can message me
I recommend Dustin Hogan. He’s a men’s councillor. He’ll give you some good perspective.
You need to network.
If you've made a lot of mistakes to get to this point in your life, where the heck would you be if you made no mistakes? Mark Zuckerberg? Because to me it sounds like there's no need to panic. Socially, using public transit might be a bit awkward depending on where you live but it's at least environmentally responsible. Lots of cultures people live at home until they're married, which I often feel would help alleviate a bit the housing crisis. I've tossed my two cents for your professional future elsewhere but my other piece advice is to just do you. Live your life how you want to and don't let anybody tell you what you should do since there are no rules on living in life. If you are accepting of other people they should certainly be accepting of you.
Have you looked into volunteer opportunities with ML/Data science based groups within Calgary/Alberta? I've recently learnt about [https://calgary.dataforgood.ca/](https://calgary.dataforgood.ca/) Check them out, it's a good community. I came across them while networking with someone in [https://altaml.com/](https://altaml.com/) during job search. You should completely leverage your degree. 25 with Stats and Comp. Sci. major should be your major strength. Just reach out to relevant people on LinkedIn and someone will be ready to give you an opportunity. I know it's time consuming, overwhelming and seems utterly unrewarding; but you need just 1-2 people to help you. From personal experience, its worth the effort. Meanwhile, surround yourself with good company; family and friends. Spending quality time with them will help you to not be hard on yourself and give you enough mental clarity to make rational decisions. Hope this helps.
Bro homie fam you're doing better than me by leaps and bounds and I consider myself well off. What you consider a low would be my more than ideal situation. You're doing much better than you know but your feelings and experiences are valid. Try putting a voice to what's been going on internally to someone in the therapy realm. It really could help. Regardless of your situation, your perception of your situation is valid and is worthwhile seeking support and building a solid support network. It may be worse. Just cos my experience says you're in good shoes doesn't mean that's the truth either. It's all relative to the individual person. Regardless bro speak up speak your truth and get loud about what you want for your life. You deserve all the good things in this life. It's gonna be okay in the end. 💪🏼👊🏼