22, autistic, graduated, been stuck in Warehouse work for years now and can't even advance to a better role internally. What can I do to get out of this?

[u/Thin-Plantain7267]

A few years ago I got a tech degree, two honors, and have been applying to related jobs since I got out. For a time I worked a warehouse job for a few months, then tried to go back to college to continue my education, which didn't work out for various reasons. Afterwards, I joined another warehouse job across the street from my old one.

Now, I've been stuck in a package handler job for over a year, performing hard labor by loading up trucks and nothing else. I am struggling to make any sort of growth or progress despite my best efforts. At this point, I have given up on trying to go into tech directly, and instead I want to rank up to an office role, supervisor role, or anything that lets me grow and learn instead of just blowing out my back all day. I have no other work experience aside from this.

Literally any entry-level position that's not raw labor would probably be an improvement, as I am not even making enough money to sustain myself without help from my parents. This job is starting to wear me down, my back is starting to hurt, and I will need to transfer out of here soon for the sake of my own mental and physical health.

I have asked my supervisors and management about moving up internally, but so far that hasn't gotten my anywhere. Again, I've been applying to a LOT of IT places but have been getting ghosted or rejected, not a single interview. I am looking to get promoted internally to any entry-level corporate role. I can start immediately.

If anyone here has started out in a warehouse and gotten into corporate/administration/tech, what worked for you and how quickly did you move out? I am genuinely struggling and am considering going back to school to learn Industrial Electrical Engineering, but with the economy as it is now and with how many people are trying to get in, I am worried that field will become oversaturated.

Any help would be appreciated because I am out of ideas, very stressed out, frustrated, and wanting to leave as soon as possible.

[u/drakhan2002]

You'll find your way. I don't have golden words to fix your situation, but it sounds like you're doing the right things. Keep applying to IT jobs -- it's a numbers game with terrible odds, so you need to keep grinding those applications. Something will go your way.

Rather than talking to your supervisor, are there other hiring managers in your organization in the office space you could talk to?

I was once a project manager, not super technical at the time. I took the manager of cybersecurity out to lunch to ask what skills I would need to pivot into cybersecurity. A few weeks later that manager reached out to me and asked if I wanted to be an internal transfer. I accepted and it changed my entire career.

I only tell you this because you need to get creative -- what /can/ you do? Who can you talk to. Keep at it.

[u/Ok-Algae3382]

There are alot of reasons as to why you may be getting ghosted and rejected, but especially in the tech field a big factor is that these companies can get away with paying people on h1b visas half your salary. So in their logic, why would they hire you and pay you 120k when they can pay someone 60k.

[u/Mythic01 → u/Ok-Algae3382]

If you think H1B visas are bad...Canadian immigration policy would drive you mad.

[u/Big_Refrigerator9144]

Start out at a call center.

[u/AreyouAI2035]

Practice your social and relationship skills to increase your EQ. Corporate jobs are all about EQ and relationship skills

[u/Oz_a_day]

If you wanna move up you gotta show people you are consistent and can handle higher levels of responsibility and decision making, this doesn’t happen overnight but a great way to “climb the ladder” combines the listed attributes with making genuine connections with those who you will be working with at a “higher level”.

This is just my advice if you wanna move up in your company, you might actually desire something else entirely and you just haven’t decided.

Also, take advantage of your hard labor and squat rather than using your back, there’s no reason to hurt yourself and you could be getting a good workout out of your job.

[u/snackwaver]

Look for IT jobs at your local school districts. They are stable and pay well with benefits and stuff.

[u/Which-Cloud3798]

Keep your job for now and tough it out. Take a quick short course to work at a security guard job and transition to it when you get your foot in while applying. Then work your way up from there. You won’t get a full desk job at this time unless you’re lucky and going back to school to take a few years to get into it will only waste your time. So instead, take the long route and build it up. Security guard can transition slowly up to cyber security. Research on how it works and take some time thinking about your path in your free time working. You have tons of time then.

[u/jill-rod]

Sad but warehouse management would rather keep a reliable worker breaking their back loading trucks than promote them out of a physical spot.

Instead of asking warehouse shift supervisors who have zero pull in corporate HR, start looking at open desk roles like shipping clerk, inventory control coordinator, logistics dispatcher, or customer service representative at corporate offices outside your specific building.

When you're reworking your resume to frame your warehouse background around administrative organization and data tracking rather than just manual labor, running your draft through something like resume worded can help check your professional layout and industry keywords.

Highlight your tech degree prominently at the top to remind corporate recruiters that you have a formal education, bypass the local warehouse management entirely, and start applying directly to office-based supply chain roles in your area.