Thinking

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.

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.

I recently received a message and a call from a recruiter for a position that caught my attention. However, I have some serious doubts about the legitimacy of the opportunity. The recruiter was speaking very quickly, and the salary they offered is significantly lower than what I'm looking for—I'm aiming for at least $100k. They also sent me a coding assessment that I have to complete within 24 hours, which feels rushed and adds to my suspicion. Several comments on a forum suggest that asking for work authorizations might be a red flag, especially since they seem to be targeting H1B visa applicants to lowball salaries. I’m also questioning whether this company, Palantir, really recruits in this manner. I checked their LinkedIn page, and the recruiter doesn't appear to be listed as an employee, which raises more concerns about the authenticity of this opportunity. While nothing is screaming 'run' just yet, I feel like this could easily turn into a bait and switch situation. I’m trying to stay cautious and trust my instincts. If anyone has advice or insights, I’d appreciate it.

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 recently found out that a friend of mine in Ohio is facing a tough situation. She has two full-time jobs, but she's on the verge of losing one of them. We were trying to figure out if she could file for unemployment benefits if she still has one full-time job left. The information on the official unemployment website was pretty unclear, so I reached out for advice. From what I gathered, it seems that since she's still working full-time, she wouldn't qualify for unemployment benefits. If she loses one job and her hours at the other job are reduced, then she might be eligible for partial benefits. It's a confusing situation, and I just want to help her understand her options.

I got laid off today from my position. It was unexpected and I'm still processing it. I'm trying to stay positive and remind myself that I'm not alone in this situation. I've seen a lot of support from others who have been through similar experiences, which helps a bit. I'm not sure what my next steps will be yet, but I’m open to exploring new opportunities.

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.

I recently applied for a help desk position at a local museum and took the initiative to find the director of IT on LinkedIn to address my cover letter properly. I was excited to personalize my application, but now I’m second-guessing myself because I didn’t mention in the letter how I found their name. I’m worried that they might be surprised to see their name mentioned directly without context. Am I overthinking this? I’ve received some reassuring feedback from others who believe that hiring managers expect candidates to do their research, so hopefully, that will work in my favor.

I recently applied for a new trucking job and had to go through a background check with First Advantage. My work history includes three jobs: I worked at job A (a forklift position) from March 17 to March 23, then at job B (a non-driving role) from March 23 to June 23, but I was let go after the probation period. Currently, I’m employed at job C, which is a CDL trucking job, since June 23. In my background check, I left job B off my resume and the application, extending the dates of job A to cover the gap until I started at job C. However, I found out that all three jobs are listed on my employment verification through myworknumber.com, meaning they will see job B even though I didn’t include it. Now, I’m really worried about how to handle this situation. Should I come clean and explain that I accidentally left job B off because it was such a short stint? Or should I say I didn’t think it was necessary to include it since it wasn’t in the trucking industry? I’m concerned about the implications of this omission and whether I might be seen as dishonest. I really want this new job and I’m feeling stressed about how to cover my tracks.

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.

I've been at my current job for almost 7 years now, and honestly, I'm feeling really burnt out. The constant micromanaging and seeing others take advantage of the system year after year has taken its toll on me. I recently brought a friend into my team, and now I'm torn about whether to let them know I'm looking for a new job. I really don't want word to get out that I'm actively searching. On top of that, I need help getting my resume ready for ATS since I had a terrible experience with it last time. I want to make sure it stands out this time around. If anyone has tips or resources, I would really appreciate it!

I recently applied for a position as a TikTok Content Creator & Live Host with Aquanova Entertainment in Chino, CA, after seeing their listing on Indeed. They advertised a pay rate of $30–$50 per hour along with paid training. After submitting my application, I received a message inviting me to schedule a Zoom interview, and I had several time slots to choose from. So far, they haven't asked for any money, downloads, or personal financial info, which is a good sign. However, I've come across mixed opinions online. Some people are warning that TikTok host jobs are often scams, while others say they can be legitimate roles in livestreaming or talent agencies. I'm curious if anyone has experience working with Aquanova Entertainment or similar TikTok Live agencies. I'm also trying to figure out if the hourly wage they're offering is standard for these types of positions or if it typically depends on commissions or performance metrics. I'm being cautious and want to make sure this opportunity is legitimate and not misleading.

I recently went through an intense job interview process for a high-level creative position at a top fashion brand, starting back in early April. After four interviews and a mock campaign project (which I completed despite it being unpaid, as I was eager for the role), I was finally invited to their headquarters to meet the team. Throughout the interviews, I received nothing but positive feedback, with senior management expressing their excitement about my potential fit for the role. However, I received an unexpected email today regarding my trip, which included details about scheduling interviews during my visit. I asked for clarification on what to expect, given that I had already met most of the decision-makers. They suggested we discuss it over the phone, which led to a shocking revelation: I didn’t get the job. They wanted to inform me ahead of time to prevent me from wasting my time flying out for interviews that wouldn’t lead anywhere. This abrupt change in tone has left me confused and frustrated. Just last week, I had a conversation with the top executive for this role, who praised my mock project and expressed that I was the only candidate who truly understood their brand direction. It felt like everything was aligned for me to take the next step, so this rejection feels completely out of the blue. I’ve sent a final note thanking the senior management for their time and asking for any feedback on my application. Right now, I’m feeling lost and defeated after investing so much time and energy into this process. I’m not sure what to do next, but I hope to gather my thoughts and move forward soon.