Planning

I've been working at my corporate job for over two years now, and honestly, I can't stand it anymore. It's draining my energy and making me dread each day. Currently, my manager is on maternity leave, and my skip manager is also absent, leaving me without any support. This has been particularly tough since I recently got diagnosed with ADHD, and I really need structure and accountability, which I just don't have right now. Because of this, I've been struggling to keep up with my tasks, falling weeks behind, and I’m terrified that someone will notice soon. The anxiety is overwhelming, especially with a big event coming up in October that I need to prepare for. To cope, I started medication to help me get through the workdays while I look for a new job. I had a recruiter interview this morning that seemed to go well, but I know the medication can only help so much. I've considered taking FMLA to offload my work to someone else, but I'm worried about the consequences. If I find a new job while on leave, I might have to pay back the employer's portion of my benefits, and I can't afford to take unpaid leave. I spoke with a trusted colleague about needing some support, but I feel like I can't rely on anyone to help me navigate this situation. I was hoping to have a new job by now, but the job market is tough, and I'm feeling stuck. Any advice would be really appreciated.

I'm currently navigating a confusing situation with my unemployment claim in Michigan. My employer informed me that there was no more work available for me in Michigan, and my last day would be at the end of May. They offered me a temporary position in Arizona, but I declined because I couldn't relocate. After that, they confirmed my last day in Michigan. I filed my unemployment claim as a layoff, but when I spoke with a representative from the Michigan UIA, they told me that my separation would be classified as a 'voluntary quit' since I turned down the job in Arizona. They plan to amend my claim and send out fact-finding questions to both me and my employer. I'm worried about how my employer might respond or if they'll even respond at all. I never resigned or submitted a resignation letter, and I'm confused about how declining a temporary relocation can be seen as quitting when I was told there was no work for me in my original location. It's frustrating because I expected to start receiving benefits around June 1, but here we are at the end of June, and I still haven't received anything. If anyone has experienced something similar or knows how the Michigan UIA typically handles these cases, I would really appreciate your insights.

I am currently a full-time college student working at Walmart, earning $16 an hour. I'm on the lookout for a new job in the clothing or retail sector, but I live in a small town without a mall, which limits my options. I'm open to commuting to a nearby town for work. My main concerns are finding a job that pays at least what I make now and one that can accommodate my upcoming educational leave in the spring semester. I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on where to apply, especially if there are local boutiques or clothing stores that might be more flexible with my schedule.

I was laid off for the third time in seven years, and it's really starting to take a toll on me. It feels like I've spent half of my professional life just interviewing and applying for new jobs. Every couple of years, I'm back at square one, trying to find a new position. It's frustrating because I feel like I can't get ahead. I'm also dreading the next round of applications, especially with the new AI tools and younger recruiters who seem to lack experience and proper screening methods. It's disheartening to think about getting rejected by someone who might not even understand my qualifications. I’ve read that this is becoming the new norm in corporate America, but it’s hard to accept. I wonder how anyone manages to stay in one job for more than five years these days. I know I need to be careful about how I frame my career in interviews, so I’m planning to really assess the companies I apply to next. I want to look for signs of stability, like their funding and leadership, instead of just jumping into the next opportunity.

I am currently searching for a communications job and have been unemployed since December. I have around 3 years of experience in communications and marketing, but I'm finding it challenging to navigate the job market. I live in the North Jersey area and would appreciate any advice or tips on how to effectively land a job in this field.

I have a job interview coming up with Nordstrom's Rack and an eyeglasses store for a sales associate or stock assistant position. This is my first job after high school, and while I'm feeling pretty confident, I know I'll be competing against candidates with degrees. I consider myself conventionally attractive and approachable, and I have a solid knowledge of fashion and sales, which I think will help me stand out. I've spoken with both managers, and they seem open to hiring a diverse equity and inclusion (DEI) candidate, which is promising. I'm also contemplating how to style my hair for the interview. As a Black individual, I'm debating whether to wear my afro or use product to enhance my curl pattern. I want to make a good impression, so I'm considering all options. I shared some outfit ideas, but I received mixed feedback. Some suggested avoiding certain fits, while others thought my choices were good. I'm leaning towards wearing my afro, but I'm still unsure. Overall, I'm excited about the opportunities ahead!

I've been out of work since my entire department was laid off last December. It's been incredibly frustrating as I've submitted hundreds of applications but only received one response, which ultimately ghosted me when it came time for a phone interview. I'm wondering if there's a service that could apply on my behalf. I thought staffing agencies would help, but most seem to act more like job boards, focusing on filling positions for employers rather than assisting job seekers like me. I've heard that smaller, boutique recruiting agencies might be more effective, especially those that specialize in my field. They seem to provide better support and communication throughout the job search process.

I've been working at my current company for just over two years, and it's been a real rollercoaster. Initially, things were going well, but over time, the workload and expectations became increasingly unreasonable. My work quality started to decline, which was frustrating. Recently, I was assigned a massive project that I believe should have been handled by an external contractor, but of course, they decided to cut costs instead. This only added to my stress and burnout. I've expressed my concerns about being overwhelmed to my manager several times, but his responses have been lackluster at best. He acknowledged my struggles but ultimately just told me that we all have to deal with it. This week, I was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) due to my declining work quality, which feels incredibly unfair given the circumstances. I've been putting in late nights and working weekends, and this is the thanks I get? I have a decent amount of savings, which I jokingly refer to as my 'fuck you money,' and I'm seriously considering just walking away and telling my management exactly what I think of them. However, I know that doing so could jeopardize my chances of getting a good reference, and my manager did say he'd provide one even if the PIP leads to termination. So, I've been holding back my anger and trying to remain professional. I'm torn between wanting to vent my frustrations and knowing that maintaining professionalism might be the smarter move for my career. Should I just keep my head down and start looking for a new job while I navigate this PIP?

I was recently laid off after 25 years with the same company in the media and newspaper industry. I know this industry has been struggling for a while, but it was my entire career. I started in customer service, worked my way up to management, and most recently managed offshore teams after much of the company was outsourced. Now, my position is being replaced by AI, along with many others in the company. I'm feeling completely lost. As a single woman in my late 40s with a teenage son and a mortgage, I don't have a degree and haven't applied for jobs or gone through interviews in decades. I truly don't know what to do next. I recognize that many others are in similar situations, but navigating this feels overwhelming and hopeless.

I recently shared my resume online, hoping to find job opportunities or get some advice on improving it. I'm currently in a tough spot, desperately searching for a job. I received some helpful feedback, suggesting I move my education section to the bottom of the resume and tighten up the bullet points for my work experience. They emphasized that resumes should tell a story about my career progression rather than just listing job descriptions. Some comments also pointed out that my resume could be visually improved, recommending I use powerful verbs and make it more concise. Overall, I'm eager to refine my resume and find new job prospects.

I recently completed a first-round interview for a marketing position at a casino. At the end of the interview, the recruiter mentioned that a federal background check would be conducted before hiring, and I agreed to it. Now, I'm feeling a bit anxious about what this background check might entail. I'm aware that they typically look into criminal history and credit reports, but I'm curious if there's more to it. One of my concerns is that I might have guessed some of the employment dates on my application. For instance, I wrote down 'March 1, 2010' as the start date for one of my jobs, but the actual date was 'March 17, 2010.' I'm worried that this discrepancy could raise some red flags. Additionally, since I am currently employed, I'm anxious about the possibility of the background investigator contacting my current employer. I hope that doesn't happen, as I want to keep my job while exploring this new opportunity.

I spent nearly a year looking for a job in finance, from July 2025 to June 2026. It was a long and challenging journey, marked by a total of 6 rounds of interviews for one position, only to face rejection in the end. I found it frustrating that after so many interviews, the company still couldn't make a decision. During this time, I submitted around 150 applications, but only managed to secure 8 interviews, none of which went beyond two rounds. I understand that my target roles might be less common, but it still feels disheartening. I'm trying to stay positive and keep the faith as I continue my search.

I experienced a significant layoff on May 1st, and it was an emotional roller coaster for me. I had dedicated so much to the company, working 60-70 hours a week and taking on new responsibilities as we grew from a startup of 32 employees to over 400, only to face five rounds of layoffs, with the final blow coming from a merger. I felt crippling grief, depression, and anxiety, and honestly, I spent two weeks in bed trying to process it all. After that, I decided to tackle my job search by reworking my resume and cover letters for every application. It felt insane to review my resumes from the past 30 years, but I really needed to refine everything I had done since my layoff. In just the past 48 hours, I was amazed at how going through this process helped me understand my professional journey. I created a 'Single Source of Truth' resume, which wasn't meant for applications but rather to help me accurately build tailored cover letters and resumes for specific roles. Completing that document brought me to tears; it was the first time I felt I could clearly articulate my career progression. Taking a step back to analyze my job titles and experiences was challenging, but it was a necessary exercise that most people never undertake. Now, I'm just hoping for another interview opportunity!

I recently started interviewing for a new position, and the company has requested my salary slips for the past three months as part of their hiring process. However, I work at a small startup that only provides pay slips after I serve my notice period. I'm feeling anxious about this situation because I'm worried that the potential employer might reject my application simply because I can't provide the salary slips immediately. I know that other companies usually have these documents readily available through their HR portals, but mine does not. I'm considering whether I should ask my current employer if they can provide the slips earlier, but I'm not sure how to approach that. I've heard that in many places, companies are legally obligated to provide pay slips, so I'm wondering if this could be an issue. For now, I might consider providing bank statements that show regular payments from my employer, but I would need to black out any sensitive information. Any advice on how to handle this situation would be appreciated.

I’m currently working as a courtesy clerk at Kroger, and I’m feeling really frustrated with my job situation. I’m only 16, and I’ve made it clear to my managers three times that I don’t want to work more than 30 hours a week. Despite that, they keep scheduling me for about 40 hours, which is really overwhelming. The management is terrible, and I’ve seen five new hires quit already, which says a lot about the work environment. I just want to have more freedom and not be tied down to such long shifts. I’m actively searching for other job opportunities, so if anyone has any recommendations, I’d really appreciate it!

I was laid off about a month ago from Goldman Sachs, where I worked as a Software Engineer. Since then, I've been actively searching for new opportunities, but the job market has proven to be more challenging than I anticipated. I have around 2 years of experience in software engineering, having also worked at Citi. My expertise lies in backend development, distributed systems, automation, and data platforms. I'm proficient in Java, Spring Boot, Python, SQL, PostgreSQL, Angular, and cloud-native development. I'm currently looking for Software Engineer or Backend Engineer roles with 0-3 years of experience and would greatly appreciate any leads, referrals, or advice. I'm open to opportunities in product companies, fintech, startups, and enterprise software. If anyone has any suggestions or knows of openings, please feel free to DM me, and I can share my resume.

I'm feeling really lost at 26 with my degree in mechanical engineering that seems to hold little value. I graduated with a 2:2 from a decent university, but my journey has been far from straightforward. I struggled with mental health issues that led me to drop out of a master's program and take a long break at home, where I've been for over a year now. I have no paid work experience, but I've done quite a bit of volunteering, including roles as a hiking leader and conservation leader at university. Despite my efforts, I feel like I have nothing attractive to offer potential employers. I don't drive, I'm out of shape, and I worry that my degree is essentially worthless now. I'm currently with NHS Step On, but I'm having a hard time finding opportunities. I'm considering starting in retail or admin, or maybe even looking into apprenticeships, but I still feel drawn to engineering and conservation. It's frustrating not knowing where to turn next, and I could really use some advice on how to move forward.

I took a career break three years ago from my role as a mechanical designer to fully immerse myself in studying data analytics. I dedicated around 10 hours a day to learning technologies like Python, SQL, and n8n. I had enough savings to support myself initially, but after a year of intense study, I started applying for jobs and attending interviews. As my finances began to dwindle, I took on temporary jobs in bartending and warehouse work to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the AI boom significantly impacted the job market, leading to a reduction in junior positions, and I struggled to find a role in data analytics for over a year. Now, I've decided to return to mechanical design and I'm currently trying to figure out the best way to explain this career gap on my CV.

I have a quick call scheduled with a hiring manager I reached out to on LinkedIn after they accepted my connection request. I found them through a job description and decided to cold-text them, which I know is a bit unconventional. They agreed to a quick chat, but I’m feeling really nervous about it. I’m used to traditional interviews, so this feels different and a bit awkward to me. I’ve tried reaching out like this a few times before, and it often gets uncomfortable when I run out of things to say. I want to make a good impression and not just feel like I’m selling my CV. I plan to start with a brief introduction and ask about the team and what they’re looking for, but I’m unsure of what else to discuss. I’ve read that it’s important to be genuinely curious and to keep the conversation flowing rather than just going through a list of questions. I’m also worried about how to wrap up the call without coming off as pushy. I really want this job, but the nerves are definitely kicking in. If anyone has tips on how to handle this type of conversation, especially how to end it on a good note, I would appreciate it!

After submitting around 150 job applications, I realized I needed to change my approach. Initially, I was doing the typical process: uploading my resume and retyping my information for each application, which was exhausting and time-consuming. What really helped me was separating the application process into dedicated blocks of time instead of spreading it out throughout the day. I started using a tool called Simplify that handles autofill for major ATS systems, which saved me a lot of repetitive work. For the custom portals that didn’t work with that tool, I set up standard answers in Quickform, which I could easily refill in Chrome. This way, I didn’t have to tailor every single response, but it significantly reduced the amount of retyping I had to do. I also made a point to avoid applying to listings that seemed like ghost jobs, which helped me focus on more legitimate opportunities. Overall, these changes didn’t lead me to apply to more jobs, but they made the process less taxing on my time and energy. I’m curious to know what other strategies have worked for you in terms of improving the application process!