Just turned 31, jobless, still living with my parents, deadline to get a job by March 1st.

Hey everyone, I’m feeling pretty lost and could really use some advice. Here’s my situation:

I’m a 31-year-old guy with a B.A. in animation, where I learned 3D modeling and some programming. I graduated right around the pandemic, which made job hunting in my field nearly impossible. I ended up working as a call center customer service rep (WFH) for about a year and a half.

Then I jumped on the “learn to code” wave and started studying web development. But now, with AI automating a lot of front-end work and the job market being flooded—even CS grads are struggling—I’m realizing my chances of landing a dev job quickly are slim.

I’ve been living like a hermit for years, barely interacting with the outside world, and it’s taken a toll on my mental health and social skills. I want to get out, make money, learn, grow, and even help my parents financially. But the problem is that I have no clear direction.

To make things worse, my parents have given me a final deadline - I need to get a job by March (just two weeks away). Ideally, I want a job that pays at least $20/hr (about $40K/year in TX), has growth potential, and helps me develop a useful skill.

Right now, I’m considering two paths:

• IT Help Desk: My degree, web dev studies, and call center experience might make this a good fit. I don’t have certs yet, but I’ve heard people get hired without them.
• Cook: I love cooking and am a decent home cook. The idea of working in a kitchen, learning new recipes, and being around people excites me. But I’m not sure how realistic it is to get into the field quickly.

I only have two weeks, so I don’t know if either of these options is realistic, or if there’s something better I should consider based on my background. Any advice? I’d really appreciate any insights.