Planning

I have an upcoming interview for a position where the recruiter has no idea about the salary budget. They mentioned that the client is "open to negotiation," but I can't shake the feeling that it might be a trap. I'm feeling a bit anxious because I want to be flexible, but I'm also worried about either pricing myself out of the role or undervaluing my skills. There are three other candidates in the running, so I really want to navigate the salary expectations question carefully. I’m considering suggesting that we hold off on discussing salary until they can provide some insight into their budget. I want to focus on understanding the role better and ensuring it's a good fit for both sides before getting into numbers.

I recently had a tough conversation with my boss after three years at the company. He bluntly told me that I am of low value to the organization, which was a hard pill to swallow given my dedication and effort. My role involves finding work from clients to bill my hours, and if I'm not billing, it’s considered downtime. They expect me to juggle multiple roles — salesman, engineer, and technician — all while traveling, but the pay and benefits don’t reflect this workload. Lately, there’s been a shortage of work, and the shift in my boss's tone has been noticeable. Instead of congratulating me on my contributions, I now receive constant reminders that I’m not meeting expectations. The job is incredibly stressful, as I troubleshoot issues on-site for clients. I’ve noticed that while turnover used to be high, people are now sticking around due to the current economic climate. I’m feeling stuck and frustrated. I almost sent an email to quit out of anger, but I wonder if that’s what they want. I’ve realized that I haven’t built many transferable skills in these three years since I focused on learning the company’s proprietary technology. To counter this, I’m using my free time to learn about IT and programming in hopes of transitioning to a new role, but the outlook feels bleak right now.

I've been navigating a tough job market lately, specifically looking for per diem work. I recently had two interviews for such positions. One of the companies requested an outrageous number of references—four in total, with three needing to be managers. They gave me a tight 24-48 hour deadline to gather them, which felt overwhelming, but thankfully, my contacts came through for me. Unfortunately, after that, HR went silent on me. The second opportunity is asking for five references, including two managers, which seems excessive for a per diem role. I'm feeling frustrated and a bit overwhelmed by the demands. I really don't want to keep bothering my references for what feels like overkill. Despite the hassle, I’m considering taking the job if offered, even though I know it won’t significantly boost my income since I might not get called in often. I’m wondering if anyone has experience asking HR to lower the reference requirements? It seems like a reasonable request given the nature of the job.

I was made redundant 5 months ago, and I'm fortunate to have received two job offers that I'm currently weighing. Both roles have their pros and cons, and I'm really struggling to decide which one to accept. **Role 1 (already started):** - Salary: £37k - Work arrangement: First month in the office, then 2 days in the office and 3 days working from home - Commute: 50 minutes each way - Sick days: 5 - Holiday: 23 days - Lunch break: 1 hour - Hours: 8:30am to 5:30pm, with a 30-minute early finish on Fridays This role is closely aligned with my career interests, focusing on training, onboarding, and assisting clients. The team seems friendly and laid-back, and there are opportunities for career progression. However, there's a strong emphasis on in-office attendance, which feels a bit restrictive to me. **Role 2 (starts mid-July):** - Salary: £43k - Work arrangement: Fully remote - Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm - Sick days: 20 - Holiday: 25 days - Lunch break: 30 minutes This position is more customer support-oriented, involving live chat and phone support. I spoke with someone currently in the role, and while they mentioned opportunities for progression, it sounds like it relies heavily on individual initiative rather than structured development. My concern is that this role feels like a step back into a previous job I've done, lacking the training and onboarding aspects that I enjoy. On paper, Role 2 looks better with a higher salary, fully remote work, more holiday, and better sick pay, which would help me pay off my credit card debt faster and allow me to live independently. However, I'm worried about job satisfaction and fulfillment if I choose a role that doesn't align with my long-term career goals. I'm curious about what factors others would consider in a similar situation. Would you prioritize a role that aligns with your interests or one that offers better financial and flexible benefits?

Today, my boss called me into their office and informed me that they will be posting my position for 2-3 days. I've been working at this temp agency for about three months now, and I was surprised to hear that I need to apply for the position again. It makes me wonder why they would ask me to do this if they intend to keep me on. I'm feeling uncertain about whether I should apply or start looking for other opportunities. I've seen some comments suggesting that this is a normal procedure for converting temp roles to full-time positions, and that they actually want me to apply. I guess I need to clarify with my boss what this means for my future here. Should I go ahead and submit my application?

After being unemployed for 16 months, I finally made some changes that led to a surge in interviews and job offers. I used to get maybe one interview a month, but now I'm getting 3-4 interviews a week. The key change was tailoring my resume. I created about 10-15 different versions of my resume for specific jobs, which made a huge difference. I also realized that I needed to present myself as if I was currently engaged in something productive. For me, that was easy because I manage a true crime TikTok account with around 70,000 followers. I decided to list that as my current job, highlighting the marketing and social media skills I developed through it. This approach helped me connect my experience to the marketing roles I was applying for. Now, my email and phone are buzzing with responses, and my calendar is packed with interviews. It feels like a blessing in disguise, and I hope my experience can help others in a similar situation. Good luck to everyone out there!

I just learned that Diageo has implemented layoffs affecting their North American business unit. This news is concerning, especially for those of us in the industry, as it signals potential challenges within the company. I'm currently keeping an eye on my position and considering my options, as I want to be prepared in case more changes happen.

I’m a 20-year-old with two years of retail experience, and it’s the only job I’ve ever had. I graduated high school but haven’t pursued college or trades due to financial constraints and self-doubt about my abilities. Recently, I came across an opportunity at a company that assembles hydraulic machinery. They’ve mentioned that no prior experience is necessary, and my friends who work there say the job is straightforward. However, I’m feeling overwhelmed with fear about making mistakes—like assembling something incorrectly, causing an accident, or being too slow to learn. The pay and benefits are significantly better than my current retail job, which makes me really tempted to apply. But the fear of messing up and ending up without a job is holding me back. I’m looking for advice on whether I should take the leap and apply.

I've been jobless for nearly a year now, and it's really starting to weigh on me. I'm a 22-year-old male, and my last position was as an Amazon Delivery Driver. Since then, I've applied to over 500 jobs across various fields, even some where I don't meet all the qualifications. Out of all those applications, I've only managed to land 10 interviews, but none have progressed to a second interview. I'm at a loss for what I'm doing wrong. I've shortened my resume and I feel like I present myself well during interviews. The roles I'm targeting aren't particularly threatened by AI, and I'm planning to start college this fall, which I hope will help. I'm really seeking any advice or insights on how to improve my chances of landing a job.

Today, I experienced a setback in my career journey. After spending 9 years as a bedside nurse in the ICU, where I’ve taken on various responsibilities like running stroke codes and precepting new hires, I applied for a supervisor position at my hospital. My new director encouraged me to go for it, even though I had applied for a similar role four years ago and was told I needed more experience. After nearly six weeks of interviews, I learned this morning that I didn’t get the job. The decision was between me and a colleague who has over 20 years of experience. While I respect his ability to get the job done, he has a history of bullying and making inappropriate comments. The director mentioned that they felt I would take longer to learn how to hold others accountable, while my colleague just needs to adjust his approach. They are announcing his promotion this week, and the director suggested I apply for his permanent charge position to increase my visibility. I’m feeling a bit salty about the whole situation and am unsure if I want to pursue that role. Many on my unit have expressed concerns about him being the supervisor, but I can’t deny that he runs the unit efficiently. I’m trying to stay positive, but it’s tough. Just needed to vent about this experience.

Today was a turning point for me. I handed out 30 resumes in person to various restaurants and grocery stores, desperately seeking any minimum wage job to help pay my bills. I was down to my last $200 and feeling hopeless, almost ready to give up. Just as I finished distributing my last resume and got back into my car, I received a call from a different place expressing interest in hiring me. They want me to start tomorrow! I couldn't believe how quickly things changed. This experience reminded me to stay persistent and confident, even when times are tough. I want to encourage anyone else in a similar situation: don't give up, you never know what might happen.

I’ve been working as an admissions coordinator for a large behavioral health company for the past three years. Today, I received an automated notification about updated job duties that I need to review and confirm. My role has involved a lot of responsibilities, such as tracking referrals, answering calls and emails, assisting clients with paperwork, and communicating admission decisions. However, the new job duties have expanded significantly. They now include assisting families with Medicaid eligibility screening, performing clerical tasks, coordinating assessments for new clients, and even facilitating scheduling for various services. Some of these tasks seem reasonable, but others, like Medicaid applications and grant development, feel completely unrelated to my admissions role. I’ve scheduled a meeting with my new supervisor on Monday to discuss this, but I’m unsure if I have any room to negotiate these additional tasks. I’m the only person in my position, which means I can’t share the workload. I’ve already been feeling frustrated with the increasing responsibilities without any change in title or compensation, and I’ve been job hunting for a few months now. Should I just go along with these changes until I find a new job, or do I have grounds to push back? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Over the past three months, I've been analyzing job postings directly from various companies' ATS systems, including Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever. I scraped around 8 million job postings from approximately 350,000 companies. One significant finding is that 39% of all currently open jobs have been listed for over 30 days, which translates to about 1.25 million job postings that are essentially stagnant. This data suggests that the common explanation of it taking time to fill positions might not hold true for many roles. Interestingly, the analysis revealed that a large portion of these listings are not being reposted frequently; only about 2.5% of postings are reposted. Instead, many companies seem to be leaving roles open indefinitely. For instance, I noticed that on platforms like SuccessFactors and Lever, a staggering 73% and 63% of open jobs, respectively, have been listed for more than 30 days. Additionally, I found that 82% of these job postings do not disclose a salary, which is frustrating for job seekers. Moreover, only 5.6% of the jobs are genuinely remote, contrary to what many job feeds might suggest. It appears that some staffing and consultancy firms are holding onto thousands of listings without actively hiring, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of the job market. While I don't have all the answers, this data highlights a troubling trend where many job applications may be going into a void, as nearly four in ten jobs have been open for over a month without any updates. I have all this information organized in a database, and I'm open to sharing more insights based on specific queries.

I’ve been working at my current job for a year now, and I’m finally in the process of interviewing for new positions. I’m really hopeful about getting an offer soon because the management here is unbearable. My boss is incredibly narcissistic, and it’s really affected my experience at work. The CEO isn’t any better, showing no concern for employee wellbeing—no raises, no adjustments for inflation, and absolutely no support for the team. I’ve had enough of this environment, even though I’ve made some great friends on my team. I’m trying to figure out the best way to quit once I get a new job lined up. I know I should probably give two weeks' notice, but I’m worried about how my boss will treat me during that time. I can just imagine the tension while I’m trying to wrap up my work. On the other hand, if I just quit outright, I risk losing any chance of a reference from them, but honestly, I wouldn’t trust my boss to give me a good one anyway. I’d rather use my coworkers as references instead. I’m looking for advice on how to navigate this situation. Should I wait until I have a signed offer before putting in my notice? Or should I just quit and not worry about the consequences? It’s a tough decision, and I want to make sure I handle it as professionally as I can.

I was laid off 14 months ago from a big tech company where I worked as a Software Engineer for three years, right after graduating from college. The layoff hit me hard, and I faced significant mental health challenges that I've only recently started to overcome. Now, I'm finally feeling ready to re-enter the software engineering field. However, I'm concerned about the 14-month gap on my resume. I haven't written any code since the layoff, and I feel like my skills have atrophied. My memory isn't the best, so I tend to forget things quickly if I'm not using them regularly. I'm torn between spending the next few months building a project to showcase my skills or focusing on refreshing my coding knowledge and preparing for technical interviews. I'm worried that ATS systems or recruiters might filter me out before I even get a chance to interview due to the gap. Right now, it feels overwhelming, and I'm seeking advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation. I want to take control of my career again, but I'm unsure of the best path forward.

I've been working at a private nursery in the UK for about 4 months now, with a total probation period of 6 months. Overall, I'm enjoying my job, but there are two major downsides: my manager, who I don't get along with, and the low pay, which doesn't reflect my experience and qualifications. As a Level 3 Early Years practitioner, I'm currently earning £10.81 per hour, which is just minimum wage for my age. Recently, I applied for an agency job on a whim, and to my surprise, I received a callback within 5 minutes. The phone interview went really well, and they offered a pay rate of £14-£15 per hour, with potential for increases and plenty of work available in my area. I'm weighing the pros and cons of this opportunity: 1. The higher pay is definitely appealing. 2. My current job is only a 3-minute walk from home, while the agency work would require public transport and travel. 3. I genuinely love the children I work with and have a great rapport with my coworkers. 4. The agency position would be a 0-hour contract, meaning no guaranteed work each week. 5. While the agency offers flexibility, I've never worked in that kind of role before. I'm looking for advice on how to approach my current job about this new offer. I work 18 hours a week at the nursery, and the agency said I could try working with them for two days to see how it goes before making a decision. The main things keeping me at the nursery are the convenience, the children, and my coworkers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I recently moved to Colorado for a new job, which I started on December 18, 2023, right after leaving my previous position in another state on December 15, 2023. I made the switch to pursue a better salary and benefits, and there was no gap in my employment. However, I'm feeling uneasy about my current job as I've heard rumors that I might be terminated soon. I’ve never been on a performance improvement plan or had any discussions about my performance, but the uncertainty is stressful. I'm trying to figure out if I would be eligible for unemployment benefits in Colorado, considering I quit my last job for this one.

I haven't physically worked since the end of May and lost access to all company systems. My termination date is set for 07/31, but my severance package includes regular payroll until then, followed by severance pay. I'm currently in the final round of interviews for a new position, which is scheduled for tomorrow, with an expected start date of 07/07. I'm trying to keep this under wraps to ensure I can collect my severance. I'm concerned about whether my current employer will find out about my job search. Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

I interviewed on June 4th for a remote healthcare quality role that is part of a training class starting on July 13th. The interview felt really positive; the interviewer provided encouraging feedback and we discussed the training requirements in detail. I even had an employee referral from a supervisor in that department, which I thought would give me an edge. On June 19th, I received an email from recruiting stating that interviews were still ongoing and that decisions were pending, with updates expected by June 25th. Now it's June 25th at 6 PM and I haven't heard anything—no offer, no rejection, and no updates on the portal. I've also found out that someone who interviewed on the same day as me has already received an offer last week, which has me worried. I'm starting to wonder if I'm being considered as an alternate or waitlisted candidate. I've heard that for larger hiring classes, offers often go out in waves, so I'm trying to stay hopeful. However, the wait is definitely stressful.

Today, my boss informed me that due to a lack of work, I need to start looking for a part-time job. I've been with the company for a while, and it's been clear that we've been struggling, but hearing it directly was still a shock. I found it interesting that they offered to help me find a job and even prep me for interviews. However, when I asked about a good resume writing service, my boss seemed puzzled and suggested I just look for work at places like Home Depot or an auto parts store. There was no mention of unemployment benefits, but I vaguely remember hearing that you can claim partial unemployment when hours are reduced. I'm considering looking into that, especially since my employer seems more focused on getting me out the door than providing real support.