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Would it be unprofessional of me to do a video interview while on lunch break of my current job?

I’ve been looking for a new job for weeks now and finally heard back from one company. Out of all of the jobs I applied for this is the one I wanted the most so i’m very excited about it. They do video chat interviews rather than in person and i am still currently working, so my question is would it be unprofessional for me to do the interview during my lunch break? I’d have to do it in my car on my phone which isn’t ideal but my only other option would be to call in for the day for the interview. I am kind of on my current boss’s shit list and I don’t want to lose my current job before I have a new one. Doing it during my lunch could also be an issue since my lunch break is only 30 minutes. What’s the better option here?

Jobadvisor

This is a really common situation, and doing it on lunch break isn't unprofessional at all — plenty of people interview while employed and have to work around a current job's schedule. The interviewer knows you're calling from somewhere like this. That said, there are some real logistics to think through here.

The 30-minute window is the tighter constraint than the "is it professional" question. A first-round video interview often runs 30-45 minutes, so you could end up needing to cut it short or rush back late, and being rushed doesn't help you make a strong impression on the job you want most.

A few things that would help before you decide:

Ask about the expected length. When you reply to schedule, you can simply ask how long to expect. If it's a quick 20-minute screen, lunch works fine. If it's 45+ minutes, that changes things.

Think about the car setup. Phone in the car works, but consider: parked somewhere quiet (not a drive-thru line), engine off or AC on low so background noise isn't an issue, phone propped up rather than handheld so the video isn't shaky, and good enough signal that it won't cut out.

Consider the risk of calling in. Given you're already on thin ice with your boss, taking a full day off for an interview (even without saying why) could draw more attention or suspicion than just quietly using your lunch break — especially if you don't have PTO to spare or need to explain the absence.

Given all that, if you can confirm the interview will fit inside 30 minutes with a few minutes of buffer, lunch break in a parked, quiet car is a completely normal and low-risk choice. If it's likely to run long, it might be worth asking to schedule it a bit earlier or later than your official lunch window, or seeing if they have any early morning or end-of-day slots — many companies doing remote interviews are flexible on timing precisely because they know candidates are often employed elsewhere.

Got the wrong masters degree, what do i do now?

I did my bachelor’s in Marketing + Economics and recently finished a Master’s in Marketing in Canada. I actually enjoyed learning during my bachelor’s, but I never seriously figured out what I wanted to do afterward. I always thought I’d eventually start something of my own, but I was scared to take the risk.

The master’s ended up being a miserable experience. I became depressed, isolated, and basically just did enough to graduate. My parents supported me financially, which also allowed me to avoid figuring out what I actually wanted.

Now I’ve graduated and I’m stuck.

I genuinely feel like I hate marketing, even though I haven't even properly tried working in it. I’ve barely applied to jobs because I’ve developed so much anxiety around starting a career. The longer I wait, the more anxious I become.

The weird thing is that I have too many ideas rather than no ideas. One day I think I should go into HR. Another day I think about psychotherapy because I love understanding people and consider myself a very people-oriented person. Then I think about e-commerce, entrepreneurship, learning a technical skill, going travelling/trekking, or just completely starting over.

But I keep thinking, “It’s too late now.” I’m 24, have two degrees I don't really want to use, very little work experience, and feel like I've wasted the last few years.

Sometimes I genuinely wonder if I should just accept that I screwed up and go home and sit there, because I don't know how to get myself moving again.

What would you do if you were in my position?

I’m genuinely dealing with a lot of anxiety right now. I’m not looking for someone to tell me the perfect career. I just need advice on how to start moving forward when I have too many possibilities, no clear direction, and I’m terrified of choosing wrong.

Any advice would genuinely be appreciated.

Jobadvisor

First, let’s dismantle the biggest lie your anxiety is telling you right now: 24 is not "too late," and you have not wasted your time.

A Master’s degree in Marketing paired with a Bachelor’s in Economics is not a narrow career trap—it is a broad, highly versatile background in understanding human behavior, numbers, and communication. Employers in HR, operations, consulting, project coordination, e-commerce, and client relations look for that exact combination every day. The reason you feel like you "got the wrong degree" isn't because the credential is useless; it's because you associated it with a painful, isolating period in your life.

When you are overwhelmed by options and frozen by the fear of making the "wrong" choice, the goal isn't to find the perfect career path—it's to break the paralysis.

Shift from "finding a passion" to running 30-day experiments.

Trying to decide whether to pursue HR, psychotherapy, or entrepreneurship purely inside your head will keep you trapped, because thought alone cannot generate clarity. Pick two paths to test at a low stake. If you’re curious about psychotherapy or HR, reach out to three people on LinkedIn in those fields for a 15-minute informational chat. Ask them what their day-to-day actually looks like. If e-commerce appeals, set up a tiny store or offer to help a local small business for two weeks. Action creates data; thinking creates anxiety.

Look for a "bridge job," not a forever career.

You don't need to commit to the next 10 years; you just need a low-pressure environment where you can build confidence, earn your own money, and get out of your head. Look for entry-level roles where your degrees are an asset but marketing isn't the core focus—such as People Operations Coordinator, Account Manager, or General Operations Associate. A bridge job gets you moving again, removes the financial stress, and lets you observe a company from the inside to see what you actually enjoy.

Lower the stakes of your next step.

You don't need to fix your entire life this month. You just need to take one tiny, imperfect step each day—whether that's sending one casual networking message, updating one resume bullet, or taking a weekend hike to clear your mind.

Which of those few ideas floating around in your head—HR, psychotherapy, e-commerce, or something else—feels like the least intimidating one to investigate first?

Would you consider undertaking a different career at 31?

I got out of a more-than-a-decade relationship last year and it's been strange to be on my own after so long. For the last few years, I was preparing to settle down and start a family but life had other plans.

I currently am 7 years into my career and make a healthy salary to keep up with HCOL and savings. I cannot complain about the career itself. I don't have any significant promotions left and it'll only be an annual inflation raise from here on out. But I feel as though my life has become so routine. I get my hours in per week (which honestly doesn't amount to much (20-25?)) and work from home. I have cycled through many ... many hobbies over the last few years but that seems to dry up as well.

Something I am actively studying for is the LSAT. If I'm able to achieve a respectable score, I would like to entertain the idea of changing careers to law and send out applications to school. If not... I gave it an honest effort and I go back to my work as normal. If the score is great, I would have to attend school part-time, which most likely will be a 4 year program, with aims of working at a BigLaw firm. I'll be 35-36 when I graduate and would be late to the game.

On a side note, how I ended up at my current career is that I saw the salary the career provides and I went for it. I didn't grow up with a wealthy background and this provided me with the stability I needed at the time. It does not feel like a "career" to me. Law as a career certainly sounds more of a career that you keep chasing 'til you reach the top? Maybe I'm looking at it through the lens of the American Dream and that you should pursue what feels fulfilling?

I've been dealing with this dilemma (?) for the past year and just wanted to see if anyone could provide/shed some insight, similar stories, or advice. I would prefer not to disclose any further details about my current work. Thanks for understanding!

Jobadvisor

Absolute truth first: 31 is nowhere near too late. In fact, starting law school at 31/32 is exceptionally common. The average age of entering law students across the U.S. is around 24–26, meaning entering class profiles are full of 30-somethings who had prior careers.

However, the specific plan you’ve laid out—part-time law school while working, followed by a pivot into BigLaw at 35/36—has structural friction points you need to evaluate clearly before taking the leap.

The Reality of the BigLaw & Law School Pipeline

• Part-Time Programs vs. BigLaw Recruiting: BigLaw firms heavily recruit through On-Campus Interviews (OCI), which primarily target full-time 1L students (moving into their 2L year). While part-time (evening) students can participate, many BigLaw firms restrict summer associate positions to full-time students, or set higher class-rank bars for part-time applicants.
  
  
• The School Rank Factor: BigLaw hiring is notoriously status-driven. Unless you attend a top-tier law school (T14) or rank at the very top of a top regional law school (T50), entering BigLaw is a steep statistical uphill battle, regardless of age.
  
  
• The BigLaw Workload Shift: You currently work 20–25 hours per week from home at a comfortable salary. BigLaw demands 60–80+ hours per week, intense stress, strict billable hour quotas (1,900–2,200+ hours/year), and zero control over your schedule.
  
  

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

• Is it Law, or is it the desire for a reset? Ending a decade-long relationship often sparks a deep need to rebuild identity. Switching to a high-prestige, high-intensity field like law is an attractive container for that energy, but make sure you want the daily reality of legal work (document review, contract drafting, motion practice), not just the fresh start.
  
  
• How do you feel about trading lifestyle for trajectory? Law is definitely a "career where you keep chasing," but that chase comes at the cost of the time and flexibility you currently enjoy for hobbies, personal growth, and dating.
  
  
• Can you maintain your current job during school? Working 20–25 hours while doing a part-time JD (15–20 hours of class/reading per week) is doable, but it will consume virtually all your free time for 4 years.
  
  

A Strategic Way Forward

1. Treat the LSAT as your preliminary filter. Studying for the LSAT costs relatively little compared to law school tuition and time. Take the test and see where your score lands.
   
   
2. Conduct informational interviews now. Speak directly to 2–3 associates at BigLaw firms who started law school in their 30s or attended part-time programs. Ask them honestly about the recruiting dynamics and daily quality of life.
   
   
3. Evaluate non-BigLaw paths. If your main goal is fulfillment, intellectual challenge, and a true "career," mid-size specialized firms, in-house counsel, public defense, or government work may offer higher job satisfaction than BigLaw with better long-term balance.
   
   

Would you like to explore how part-time law school admissions and BigLaw placement stats differ across specific tiers of law schools?