Planning

I was a driver for an Amazon Delivery Service Partner (DSP) in Michigan for three years until I was let go in April due to an "unscheduled stop". I stopped at a gas station to use the restroom after my route, but my employer claimed I was away for too long. My unemployment claim was denied, and I had a telephone hearing scheduled for August 10. However, an hour before the hearing, I received an automated call saying it was canceled. I found out from the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) that my former employer requested to reschedule because their HR rep was on maternity leave. Now, I received a letter stating the Appeals Commission canceled my hearing because my former employer is trying to transfer my case to a higher court, which could take months. I've already burned through my savings, and I'm facing eviction. I have evidence proving my case, including GPS records and affidavits from coworkers, but it feels like my former employer is fighting dirty. I suspect retaliation for an argument I had with the DSP owner over unsafe demands. I reached out to the unemployment advocate's office, but they can't assist until a new hearing is scheduled. I'm really stressed about the possibility of being homeless if this drags on.

I recently started tracking whether recruiters open my job application emails and follow-ups. At first, I thought it would be helpful to know if my emails were actually reaching someone, or if they were just getting lost in spam folders. Seeing that my email was opened by a recruiter was reassuring, but then I experienced the downside: one recruiter opened my email multiple times in one day without replying, which felt like mental torture. Now I'm wondering if tracking these opens is beneficial for timing my follow-ups or if it just adds unnecessary stress. I'm curious if others have similar experiences or if they prefer to send their applications and forget about them.

I recently completed my M.S. in Biotechnology with a 3.80 GPA and I'm currently searching for entry-level positions as a Research Associate, specifically in Molecular Biology, NGS/Genomics, or other laboratory roles in the SF Bay area. My experience includes research with C. elegans, PCR, nucleic acid extraction, cfDNA processing, NGS library preparation, quality control, and I am familiar with the Ion GeneStudio S5 and R programming. Despite applying consistently, I've only received a few interview invitations. I'm seeking feedback on my resume to identify any changes that could enhance my chances of landing interviews.

After a decade in my current job, I finally handed in my notice. I've been at this company for over 10 years, and honestly, I could do my job on autopilot at this point. I typically work around 47 hours a week, but I realize that a good portion of that time is spent on tasks that I've already completed. Recently, I applied for a work-from-home position that offers 8% less annual pay but a 10% higher hourly rate along with a bonus scheme, and it only requires 37.5 hours a week. Despite the potential benefits, I’m feeling a lot of anxiety about leaving my team and questioning whether I'm making the right decision. This anxiety is heightened by the fact that I’m generally an anxious person, but I didn't expect to feel this way about such a big change. While I wouldn't say I'm unhappy in my current role, the long hours and limited progression have made me feel somewhat complacent. I usually see others excited about new job opportunities, which only adds to my anxiety because I’m not feeling that same excitement. I'm curious if others have gone through similar feelings when leaving a long-term position or if I'm just overthinking everything.

I recently made the tough decision to quit my job as a Field Manager at Allied Universal. The situation became unbearable when my boss constantly pressured me with work-related emails during my one-week paternity leave. It felt like he didn't care about my new responsibilities as a father, which made it impossible for me to enjoy this special time with my baby. Now, I'm feeling lost and unsure about what to do next. I have about a month off, and I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. Ideally, I need to find a job that pays around $5,000 a month since my girlfriend wants to stay home with our child. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I've been on the job hunt lately, focusing on remote interpreter and translation roles. I came across a position at a company called LanguageBees for a remote Chinese-English interpreter. The job claims to be fully work-from-home and offers payment in USD, which is appealing since my local currency isn't strong. I reached out to a recruiter and got a response from someone who has over 500 connections and has been in recruitment for over a year. However, I can't shake the feeling of caution, especially since many scams originate from remote companies in India. I wanted to know how likely this job is to be a scam. Some comments on my post suggest it seems legitimate, but they also warned that the pay might be low—around $500 a month, which is concerning. I did some research on the company's domain, and it was created in 2022, which adds to my mixed feelings. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons before moving forward.

I recently graduated with honors from the University of Washington, where I earned a BA in Social Work and Criminal Justice, along with minors in Sociology. I’m fluent in French, German, and English, and I have over 200 hours of volunteering experience with various human rights and advocacy organizations. I thought my qualifications would make it easier to find a job, but I’ve been facing a real struggle in the current job market. It seems like everywhere I look, employers are either not hiring or they want candidates with 4+ years of experience for positions that are advertised as entry-level. My boyfriend, who also graduated from UW with a degree in Business Accounting and Math, is having the same frustrating experience. We’ve even discussed the possibility of pursuing Master’s degrees just to improve our chances, but that feels overwhelming and confusing. We both believe our degrees have value, yet we feel lost in this job search. It’s disheartening to see so many qualified candidates like us struggling to find opportunities.

I’m 25 years old and just celebrated my birthday a few days ago. I’ve been working at a niche fast food restaurant for 9 years, starting as a crew member and working my way up to manager and then taking over my own franchise location. For the past two years, I was making around $6,000 a month, thanks to overtime, and I was able to save a bit. However, I’ve created a lifestyle around that income. Recently, they put me on a salary starting February 26, and since then, my take-home has dropped to about $3,500 a month. This change has hit me hard, and I’m now living paycheck to paycheck. I have two job opportunities on the table, both commission-based, including one at Belle Tire, but I don’t have any certifications. I’ve been trying to navigate this situation, and while I have some savings to help during the transition, I feel stuck. Many managers at my job are leaving to pursue other careers or education, leaving me with a stagnant salary and working a lot of hours without compensation. When I’ve approached my director about revisiting my salary, I’ve been met with refusal. I know I’m a great worker—arguably the best in my position—but I need to make more money. I’m torn about whether to take the risk and leave the job I’ve been at for so long. I feel like I’m wasting my 20s, especially since there are no benefits, 401k, or health insurance offered.

I recently found myself laid off from my position as a contract game designer after three years with a startup in the medical field. The company has been struggling to secure grants and, as a result, they can no longer sustain the contracts for developers like me. This has left me feeling overwhelmed and stressed, even though I'm just starting my job search. I did the math and realized I can survive on my savings for about six months, which adds to my anxiety. Part of me is eager to find any job, even part-time work in unrelated fields, just to keep things afloat. However, I’m finding that even minimum wage jobs are hard to come by. Another part of me is aware of the current job market for software development and I’m unsure if my experience aligns with what employers are looking for. I’ve dedicated my life to game development, and it’s disheartening to think about stepping away from that passion. I excelled in my college courses related to game design, which helped me land this job, and now I feel like I’m losing the opportunity to do what I love. I wish I had spent more time developing my own games and pursuing indie projects, but balancing that with a full-time job has been challenging. I find myself wishing I had made different choices that would have put me in a better position to succeed. I’m trying to cope with the reality that I may have to put my dreams on hold just to survive, and even then, I know it will be a struggle. Writing this out helps a bit, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my thoughts. I know others have it worse, so I’m also trying to focus on my blessings.

I recently graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in English, but I've been struggling to find a job in an office setting for the past eight months. I have two health conditions, POTS and CFS, which make it essential for me to find a role where I can mostly sit. I've been particularly interested in working in a medical office, but most job postings require an office administration degree or something similar, which I don't have. I'm considering enrolling in the Health Services Office Admin program at Sheridan, but I'm unsure if it would be a worthwhile investment for my career. I would appreciate any insights on whether this degree is useful for securing a job in the medical office field or if I should continue applying with just my English degree.

I just went through a tough experience at my job where I failed my 90-day probation period. I was working as a marketing associate at a mid-sized tech company, and I never received any formal reviews or evaluations from my manager about my performance. The only communication I had was with the HR representative. My manager was often out of the office, attending meetings or traveling, so I never had a chance to discuss my progress with him. He mainly focused on results rather than quality, which I found concerning. During my termination meeting, he mentioned that I was asking too many questions and struggled to grasp the company vision, which I didn't see coming. It felt like I was left in the dark about my performance, and now I'm left to figure out my next steps. It’s hard to process this unexpected loss, but I know I need to update my resume and start looking for new opportunities. I’ve learned the importance of keeping detailed notes and seeking feedback more proactively in the future.

I applied for a pilot position about a month ago and have progressed through three interview stages: a video interview, a technical interview, and a final interview last Friday with the assistant chief pilots, who are the hiring managers. I felt confident about my performance and made sure to send thank you notes to each of them. They mentioned there are six candidates for the role, and they plan to hire two, with one last candidate to interview the following Tuesday. They indicated I would hear back by the end of last week, but it’s now a week later and I haven't received any updates. Throughout the process, communication was prompt, which makes the silence even more nerve-wracking. I've been checking my ICIMS status, which still shows 'under review'—it hasn’t changed since I started interviewing. The last update was the Monday after my interview, which adds to my anxiety. I know different companies use ICIMS in various ways, but I’m hoping for some insight to ease my worries.

I was recently laid off from my position as a flight attendant with Spirit Airlines due to company closures. Now, I'm actively searching for work-from-home (WFH) job opportunities that would allow me to spend more time at home with my daughter. My background includes experience in Operations Management, Customer Relations, scheduling and payroll, as well as Inventory and vendor management, Title processing, DMV compliance, and CRM systems. I'm hoping to leverage these skills in a remote role. I've been looking into customer service and project management positions, and I've received some advice to check out sites like remote.co and flexjobs for potential leads. I'm eager to find a suitable position that aligns with my experience.

I recently had an interview for a job that I applied for, and it went really well, even though it was held outside, which was a first for me. While I was there, I noticed they were interviewing another candidate as I signed in. Just two days later, I received a text from my recruiter congratulating me on getting the job! However, I was taken aback when she asked me to send my full name, address, date of birth, and social security number via email. She also requested photos of my SSN and driver's license for the I-9 form to start the onboarding process. I expressed my willingness to provide any necessary documentation, but I voiced my concerns about sending my SSN through email due to privacy and security issues. When I asked if there were alternative methods, like a secure link, she insisted that there weren't and reassured me that my information would be safe. I'm feeling conflicted because I really need this job, but I'm also wary about the security of my personal information. I'm considering reaching out to the company's HR department to verify the legitimacy of the request. What would you do in my situation?

I want to share a story from my early career that still sticks with me. After graduating with my IT degree in the early 2000s, I was working part-time at GameStop, which was great for flexibility while I searched for a full-time job. The manager offered me a full-time keyholder position, but I declined, wanting to find something more aligned with my career goals. A friend connected me with a recruiting company, and after a successful interview, I was told to wait for a full-time position. Eventually, they offered me a temporary role at a large medical insurance provider during a system conversion, which involved tedious data checking. I arranged my start date and gave my notice at GameStop. However, just days before I was set to start, the recruiter called to inform me that the position was no longer available. They suggested I wait for it to reopen. I stayed at GameStop, but with reduced hours due to another hire. A month later, the recruiter called again with a new start date. This time, I kept my position at GameStop, working nights and weekends just in case. When I finally started the new job, I found myself in a fluorescent-lit room with three others, and quickly learned that one of my coworkers was being paid more for the same work simply because she was hired through a different recruiter. As I got to know my colleagues, one revealed that she had started on the same day I was originally supposed to begin, thanks to her connection to the head of the recruiting company. It turned out that the recruiter had offered me the job, made me plan my exit from GameStop, and then hired their friend's daughter instead. I was furious and immediately began searching for a new job. Fortunately, I found a full-time permanent position not long after. This experience has always nagged at me, and I felt it was time to share it.

Today, I'm reflecting on a big decision regarding my career and living situation. I've been working in a fully remote role for about six years now, making around $103k while living rent-free with my family in Georgia. Recently, I received an offer for an onsite position in Birmingham, Alabama, which comes with a salary of $130k. However, this would mean moving out, paying rent, and covering all the living expenses that come with it. I'm trying to figure out if the extra $30k would be worth the costs of living in a new state. My current job is focused on cloud migrations, while the new role is a DevOps SRE position. I have concerns about how much I'd actually keep after taxes and living expenses, especially since my current company has been laying off employees annually. I also worry about job stability in general, as I've only received about three job offers in the last three years out of around 200 applications. Most of those offers came from smaller companies that seemed unstable and offered salaries significantly lower than my current pay. On top of all that, I'm considering the social aspect of moving. Living with family has been great financially, but it's not ideal for dating, and the local population feels a bit cliquish. I wonder if moving to Birmingham would improve my dating prospects or if I'd just end up commuting to work and back home without much of a social life. I'm really torn about whether to leave my $100k+ remote job for this new $130k position. It feels risky to leave a stable situation, especially if I could end up getting laid off again and not have a safety net. I'm looking for advice on whether this move would be financially beneficial in the long run.

I recently received a job offer that has left me feeling conflicted. I applied for a more senior role at a new company, but they believe I would be a better fit for a less senior position, which feels like a lateral move for me. Currently, I’m in a role with my existing company where there is no upward mobility, as I would essentially hit a dead end with my boss. I’ve tried to explore moving to different teams for growth, but my inquiries have been met with negative responses, leaving me feeling stagnant. The new role offers the same base salary as my current job, but with a lower annual bonus and no 401k match, which would effectively reduce my overall compensation by about $9,000 each year. Unfortunately, they are not open to negotiation on this front. On the upside, the new company is experiencing rapid growth and has promised plenty of opportunities for advancement, which is very appealing given my current situation. However, I’ve also read some negative reviews on Glassdoor about the new company, mentioning issues with lack of movement and a toxic work environment. Now, I’m grappling with whether it’s worth it to make the move to a new company where growth is a possibility but not guaranteed, especially when it means accepting a lower compensation package.

I just started onboarding for my first real job after graduating, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the paperwork. I need to provide my employment history for the last seven years, but I'm struggling to recall the exact start and end dates for some of my past jobs. I've worked about ten different jobs since I was 15, but I only have the dates for my three most recent positions on my resume. I've spent half an hour trying to track down the dates for my very first job, and it's frustrating me. I don't have any tax documents to reference since my dad handles that, and I'm worried about how strict the background check will be. Will it be a problem if the dates I provide aren't exact? Also, I had a brief stint at a bowling alley where I quit after a week due to harassment. Do I really need to include that on my history? I thought background checks were mostly to verify my resume and check for criminal records, so I'm hoping minor discrepancies won't be a big issue.

I started a new job about two months ago, but I'm really not enjoying it. I was excited about the opportunity to learn new skills and work on interesting projects, but since my third week, every day has felt like a chore. I've only been onboarded into two projects, neither of which are engaging or utilize my skills. The company culture also puts the onus on me to find work if I'm not busy, which adds to my frustration. I'm seriously considering whether I should start applying for new positions now or give it a bit more time. I've heard that it's often best to look for new opportunities while still employed, especially since the job market can be unpredictable. I'm weighing my options and trying to figure out if I should stick it out a bit longer or move on.

I'm currently feeling overwhelmed in my role due to a toxic workplace environment. It's really taking a toll on my mental health and overall well-being. I've been actively searching for new job opportunities, but so far, I haven't had much luck. I'm hoping to find a healthier work culture where I can thrive and feel valued.