Feeling Stuck and Unsure About My Career Path – Looking for Advice

Hey everyone,

I’m in my mid-20s and could really use some perspective. I graduated with a degree in Statistics and a minor in Computer Science. After college, I landed my first job as a software consultant at a company that developed tech solutions for government agencies. While it was a solid starting point, the technology stack was pretty outdated. Most of my work involved JavaScript with older frameworks, some low-code solutions, and occasional SQL Server or Java. It wasn’t the most exciting or modern environment, but it gave me some professional experience.

A few months ago, I was laid off, and since then, I’ve struggled to find another job. I live in the New York Metro Area, and while I’ve been actively job hunting, learning new technologies, and working on side projects, it’s been a really tough and demotivating process. I’ve realized I don’t love coding enough to dedicate every waking moment to it while unemployed. The constant pressure to stay ahead in this field feels overwhelming, and it’s starting to wear me down.

Now I’m at a crossroads. Part of me wonders if I should give it more time. After all, I’ve only had one experience as a software engineer, and maybe I just need to find a better fit. But another part of me questions whether this is really the right path for me. I want to feel excited about what I do, not like I’m just grinding to keep up, and failing miserably.

I’m open to exploring other career paths but feel lost on where to even start. I've been considerring actuarial since I have some friends in insurance. It leverages my Statistics degree, and they are pretty well compensated.

Should I keep pushing forward in tech, hoping my next role will reignite my passion? Or is it time to seriously consider pivoting to something else?

Any advice, personal stories, or guidance would mean the world to me right now. Thanks in advance for your help!