Planning

I currently work as a server at a small mom and pop restaurant, and I'm really feeling the strain lately. We've entered our slow season, and it's hit harder than I expected. My income has become inconsistent, and with bills piling up, it's becoming unsustainable. This is my only job, and I had planned a trip to New York soon, but when the schedule came out, I noticed I wasn't on it for the days I requested off. I've been trying to stick it out because I know the job market isn't great, but I feel like it's time to move on. The best part of this job has been the customers—they're really nice—and my coworkers are laid-back. However, the management changes have been frustrating. It seems like only one manager does their job properly, while the others are either micromanaging or on a power trip. I've started applying for jobs in neighboring cities, but I'm torn about whether I should confront my schedule manager about not being scheduled. I feel like it might be worth it, but I'm also exhausted from the lack of respect and feeling overworked and underpaid. I just want to know if it's a good idea to bring this up or if I should just focus on finding a new job.

I started my design and sales job in mid-July, and after a week of training, I was excited to dive into my role. I've done this type of work before, so I was eager to start taking appointments and making an impact. However, things have taken a turn for the worse. Over the past two weeks, I've only been given three appointments, which is far from the full-time workload I expected. It feels like I'm being quietly fired, and it's really disheartening because I genuinely enjoy the role, the clients, and the product. I've already begun searching for a new position, but it's a bummer to leave something I was looking forward to. It seems like the company is struggling to get organized, and I'm left feeling frustrated and uncertain about my future here.

I'm currently in a tough spot with my job situation. I'm subletting for the summer, and my lease ends on September 30th. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to secure a new place to live, which means I might need to give my two weeks' notice on the 14th since I don't have anywhere else to go. The problem is that I don't have an offer letter yet, and the job market in my field is extremely competitive with fewer entry-level positions available. I do have family about an hour away who I could stay with temporarily, but my current job is only offering me an hour less than full-time and doesn't provide any benefits. I'm really torn about whether to submit my notice and take the risk or hold off and hope for a better situation.

I recently found myself out of work after several years in the industry. I have about 7 years of experience in my field, but I'm feeling a bit lost on how to navigate the job search process now. I'm reaching out for advice on how to effectively leverage my experience to land a new role. Any tips on updating my resume, networking, or finding job openings would be greatly appreciated.

I have a video interview coming up with The Entertainer, a toy shop, and I'm feeling a bit nervous since I've only worked at McDonald's for a long time and haven't done a video interview before. I'm looking for tips or advice on how to prepare for this format. If anyone has experience with video interviews or knows what kind of questions I might expect, I would really appreciate your insights!

I had a virtual round 1 interview today that I ended prematurely because I was really struggling. My 13-year-old dog had a health scare last night, and the vet recommended I bring her in for observation today. I dropped her off, and I was a bundle of nerves waiting to hear back about her condition. Thankfully, she ended up being fine, but I was so distracted during the interview that I couldn't focus. I had prepared well for the role, which had a great salary range, and I had a positive interaction with the recruiter. However, I was laid off last year and am currently in a bridge role, trying to find my way back into my field. I didn’t want to reschedule because I liked the position and didn’t want to seem like I was making excuses. During the interview, I immediately felt off. I couldn’t answer the hiring manager’s questions coherently, and I kept going off on tangents, saying 'um' way too often. About 20 minutes in, I stopped the interview, apologized, and explained briefly what was happening. I felt it was best to end it there rather than waste her time. I was embarrassed, and I could feel myself getting emotional. The hiring manager was professional and offered to reschedule, but I was too flustered to process it properly. I told her I would reach out to the recruiter, but honestly, I’m worried I would just mess it up again. I emailed the recruiter afterward to apologize and thank her, but I don’t expect a response. I know I’ll be replaying this experience in my head for a long time. I’m wondering if I was inconsiderate to end the call, but I felt it was getting worse the longer it went on. I also would appreciate any tips on how to regain composure during an interview when I start to ramble.

I have a B.S. in Media Arts and Game Development, but it's not helping me land any jobs. I've been actively searching for over a year, sending cold emails, tweaking my resume countless times, and applying to everything I can find, but interviews are few and far between. I'm really eager to move out and live independently, but I'm struggling to find any job that pays enough. I'm considering options like working at a post office, in construction, or even food and bars, but I might need to juggle two or more jobs to save up enough. I haven't had any internships, which might be part of the problem. I heard Warner Brothers Games has job openings, so I plan to check that out. I'm also thinking about temp work or independent contracting with creative agencies, but living with roommates might be my best bet for now if I want to move out soon.

I recently interviewed for a position where the recruiters reached out to me first, encouraging me to apply. After going through the interview process, I felt it went well, but they didn’t provide a specific timeframe for feedback. It's now been 6 days since my interview, and I'm unsure about the company's typical hiring timeline. I'm contemplating whether I should send a follow-up email to the recruiter or HR to inquire about the status of my application. I want to express my continued interest in the role without coming off as too pushy. Given that they approached me initially, I'm wondering if that changes the dynamics. Would it be appropriate to follow up now, or should I wait a bit longer?

I recently received a job offer after being laid off about two weeks ago. I’ve been actively applying and interviewing within my industry since I didn’t get a severance and wanted to avoid a long break. The offer came from a company where I know some people, and I had a positive interview experience. The compensation package is decent, and I have a personal connection with the hiring leader, which makes me feel valued. However, there are some significant downsides to consider: the job is over an hour away, requires me to be in the office five days a week, and has rigid hours from 9 to 6 with little flexibility. On top of that, the PTO is quite disappointing—only one week of vacation per year and two weeks of sick time. I have a few other final interviews lined up, but I’m unsure if they will lead to offers. I’m feeling torn about whether to accept this current offer, negotiate for better terms, or decline it altogether. I have a couple of days to decide, and I’m nervous about declining without a solid backup plan. I’m seeking advice on what to do next.

I’m currently in the second round of interviews for a digital organizing operations role with NextGen America. I have two solid references lined up, but I’m in a bit of a bind because I need a third reference by tomorrow. I’ve been in the industry for years and have a lot of experience, but I tend to focus more on networking than keeping a list of references. I’m reaching out to some former coworkers who I was friendly with, hoping they can step in. Fingers crossed!

I was recently laid off from my job while I am deployed with the Army, marking the second time this has happened to me. My employer, which I prefer not to name right now, had voluntary layoffs, but I never received any notification in my personal email. This situation has been particularly frustrating because I am supposed to be getting paid while deployed, but there was a mix-up with my return date. Lincoln Financial mistakenly communicated a September 2026 return date instead of my actual May 2027 date, which I had to rectify. My termination date is set for September 4, with my last day of work being September 11, but I should still be receiving pay from Lincoln Financial until November. I found out about my layoff on August 10, and despite reaching out to HR for clarification three weeks ago, I have not received any response. I also contacted the severance team and am still waiting to hear back. To make matters worse, the company is now undergoing massive layoffs and is planning to spend over $300 million on severance packages. I recorded a conversation with an HR representative who acknowledged that I should have received the layoff email, but she quickly changed the topic when I brought it up. I’m feeling lost and unsure of my next steps. I’ve been advised that my job protection rights may have been violated due to my deployment, and I’m considering reaching out to legal resources for guidance.

I reached out to a recruiting director at a contracting company about two months ago after applying for jobs for a month. She had previously placed me in a job that led to full-time employment, so I felt comfortable sharing my preferences for a new role. Within two days, she secured an interview for me, and I was excited to find that the job met my salary expectations, although it was located in Atlanta, which wasn't my preferred location. I accepted the one-year contract, but I haven't signed anything yet beyond expressing my interest. Now, a month later, I'm still waiting on official onboarding and the formal offer from the company. In the meantime, I interviewed for another role that I had applied to before contacting her, and it turned out to be a much better offer in terms of salary, location, and potential for interesting work. I'm really torn because the recruiting director has been incredibly supportive and has advocated for me throughout this process. We had a good professional relationship in the past, and I don’t want to screw her over by taking this new offer. I know the consensus is to take the better offer, but I’m curious if any recruiters can share how much it would impact our relationship if I decide to go with the new opportunity.

I was laid off while on paternity leave, which has been a tough situation for me. I took a total of 16 weeks off, consisting of 12 weeks of Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) followed by 4 weeks of company parental leave. My leave started on June 1, 2026, and my PFML period ended on August 24, 2026. I was notified of my layoff on August 25, 2026, just one day after my PFML protection ended, through a personal text and call from my director. My company leave was still active until September 21, 2026, which was also my original return date. I had never been on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and had received good reviews, so this came as a shock. It’s important to note that I wasn’t the only one affected; many people from my team were also let go as part of a larger layoff, so I don’t feel singled out. However, I am concerned about the timing of my layoff. The decision to lay me off must have been made while I was still on PFML, and it feels wrong that they waited until the day after my protection ended to inform me. I’m currently trying to understand my rights under Washington PFML, especially regarding anti-retaliation and anti-discrimination protections. I’m also curious if the fact that it was a larger team layoff has any bearing on my situation. I plan to document everything and speak to HR, and I’m considering consulting an employment attorney before signing any documents. I’m not looking for formal legal advice, just hoping to hear from others who might have had similar experiences.

I just found out that I have an unexpected orientation scheduled for tomorrow from 6:45 AM to 3:30 PM. The good news is that it will be paid. However, I'm concerned about how this might affect my unemployment claim. I want to make sure I report this correctly to avoid any penalties. If anyone has experience with this situation or knows the best steps to take, I would really appreciate your advice.

I recently made a second counter offer for a position I applied for, but it's been almost two days and I haven't heard back from the employer. I'm starting to feel a bit anxious about the wait. I know some people say it would have been better to negotiate before accepting the initial offer, but I really wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. Now, I'm just hoping for a positive response soon.

I'm currently at a remote job making around $103k, and I've received an offer for an in-person role that pays $130k. However, I'm weighing my options carefully. My current job has faced layoffs for the past three years, and I've been here for almost three and a half years, so I'm familiar with my role. Staying remote means I have fewer expenses and no commuting costs, plus I'm living with family, which helps financially. My current employer wants me to get an AI vendor certification, which I find pointless since I haven't seen many job listings asking for it. They seem to want it to enhance their service offerings in my consulting role for cloud migrations. On the other hand, the new role would be as an in-house SRE for a manufacturing company in Birmingham, and I'd have to relocate from Georgia. The new company is spinning off, and while the hiring managers claim it's due to growth, I can't help but feel uneasy about it. Their Glassdoor rating is 3.3, and I've heard mixed reviews about layoffs, with some saying they only let go of underperformers. The recruiter insists that the new role is more stable than my current tech consulting job, but I worry about the lifestyle changes, like commuting and adjusting to a new city. After taxes, the difference in salary might only be about $6,000, which doesn't seem worth the added expenses and stress. I'm torn between the comfort and familiarity of my remote job and the potential growth of the new position. Should I stay remote or take the leap for the in-person role?

I was recently laid off from my remote position at a California company while on parental leave in Washington State. I took a total of 16 weeks off, which included 12 weeks of Washington Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) and an additional 4 weeks of company parental leave. My leave started on June 1, 2026, and my PFML protection ended on August 24, 2026. I was notified of my layoff on August 25, 2026, just a day after my PFML ended, through a personal text and call from my director. The layoff affected not just me but many others on my team, indicating it was part of a larger reduction in force. My last working day is set for September 21, 2026, which is also the end of my approved company leave. I have never been on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and have consistently received good reviews, so this came as a shock. I am concerned about the timing of the layoff decision, as it seems it was made during my protected PFML period, yet I was only informed after that protection ended. I am currently trying to understand if the anti-retaliation and anti-discrimination protections under Washington law still apply since the decision was made while I was on leave. I plan to document everything and discuss my situation with HR and possibly consult an employment attorney before signing any documents. I would appreciate any insights or similar experiences from others who may have gone through something like this.

I’m Tori, 28 years old, currently working at Taco Bell making $13/hr while pursuing my bachelor's degree in education online. My goal is to complete my degree in 2.5 years so I can get my certification and start teaching. However, I work overnight shifts from around 6-7 PM to 3:30-4 AM, and honestly, I’m struggling with these hours. I used to handle it well when I was younger, but now with a two-year-old son, it's taking a toll on me both physically and mentally. I’m actively job searching to get into a school district here in East Texas, but it’s proving to be more challenging than I expected. I want a position that’s more stable than substituting, and without prior experience, I’m not sure I can land a para role, although I’ve applied anyway. I’m reaching out for advice on how to break into a job or company that offers regular hours and isn’t in food service. I feel burnt out from fast food and really need a better schedule for both my well-being and my son's. If anyone has tips on getting responses from school districts or other avenues I should explore, I’d really appreciate it! Thank you!

I was laid off two months ago from a small service-based company where I had been working for three years. Our main clients were from the Middle East and Canada, but due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, our work from those clients came to a halt, and the company's revenue took a significant hit. I was ultimately asked to resign, and since there was no severance mentioned in my offer letter, I left without any financial cushion. Since then, I've been applying for jobs non-stop, but unfortunately, I haven't received any callbacks. It's been really tough on my mental health, and my savings are starting to dwindle. I'm feeling lost and unsure of what to do next. In terms of my technical skills, I have experience with Nest, TypeScript, React, Flutter, and Laravel, along with AWS services like SQS, SES, Lambda, and S3. I also have some exposure to GCP and have worked on minor projects using React Native, Angular, and Vue. I'm hoping to find a new opportunity soon.

I've been feeling really frustrated with LinkedIn lately. It just seems like a platform filled with AI-generated posts and a lot of self-promotion that doesn't resonate with me. It's become a source of stress and anxiety, much like Facebook did before I decided to cut that out of my life. I’ve actually taken a step back from LinkedIn altogether. For my last three job applications, I went old school and mailed in my CV and cover letter instead of applying online. It feels more personal and I think it might help me stand out in a sea of digital applications. I just wish there were more effective ways to connect with potential employers without all the noise.