Thinking

I recently went through a tough period after being laid off from my role as a director at my previous company, where I worked for 1.5 years before the entire division was shut down. My last job ended after I raised concerns about being bullied by a VP regarding confidential information from my past employer. I have evidence of this in emails, and I'm currently in arbitration with them after refusing a low severance package and deciding to sue. After 8 months of unemployment, I managed to secure two job offers. One was a work-from-home position, but it came with significantly lower pay. The other job required a long commute but offered a much better salary, so I chose the latter. Now, I'm on day three of this new role, but I’m struggling with my confidence and adjusting back to a regular work routine. I can't shake the fear that I might not succeed in this position either. I'm looking for advice on how to overcome these fears and regain my confidence.

I was laid off after just 90 days at a company I had previously worked for from 2019 to 2022. I returned in May for a different role, despite knowing they were undergoing significant layoffs. I thought the salary and opportunity outweighed the risks, so I took the leap and left a stable position at another company. When I rejoined, it felt familiar, though there had been some changes, including a new CEO. Then, out of the blue, I received a calendar invite for a meeting, which immediately set off alarm bells. My gut feeling was spot on; my entire department was being laid off. Now I have two months to find a new role within the company, but opportunities in my area are scarce, and financially, I can't afford to relocate. While the severance package is generous and gives me some breathing room, I feel overwhelmed by the situation. I haven't had the chance to make a significant impact in my short time here, and the job market seems bleak. After a tough couple of years, I thought I was finally getting back on track, but it feels like I've hit a wall instead.

I received my first job offer in May 2026 after graduating with my bachelor's in Information Sciences. However, I'm feeling conflicted about the offer because the salary is only $45k a year, which doesn't meet my expectations. I understand that this might be a reasonable starting point for someone in my position, but I'm worried about settling too soon. Some advice I've received suggests that I should take the job and keep looking for better opportunities while I work there. I'm considering this option, but I want to make sure I'm making the right decision for my career.

I recently started a job at a local restaurant chain after leaving a toxic retail position, but my excitement quickly turned into frustration. The onboarding process was chaotic; I had issues with my paperwork that led the manager to think I ghosted them, despite us having scheduled an orientation. Once I finally started, I was thrown into a hectic environment with broken AC and constant station changes, which made it hard to keep up with orders. During my first few weeks, I completed my Food Handler's Permit, but the training and practices at the restaurant were alarming. I witnessed a manager instructing me to reuse uncooked chicken on a salad that had already been sent back, which is a clear case of cross-contamination. To make matters worse, none of the produce was washed before prep, and I even spotted a roach in the kitchen, which was a major red flag for me. My schedule has also been inconsistent; after a couple of weeks of decent hours, I was suddenly scheduled for only one day in my fifth week. The supervisor even suggested I take on more hours at a different location that I can't reach due to transportation issues, which felt completely unreasonable. To top it off, I found out they were asking other potential employees for jobs despite claiming they didn’t have enough hours to offer me. It's been a frustrating experience, and I’m seriously considering my options moving forward.

I've been actively job searching and applying to positions on Indeed, but I've noticed a frustrating trend: potential employers rarely leave voicemails when they call. I often receive calls from numbers I don't recognize, and since I get a lot of scam calls, I tend to let them go to voicemail. Recently, I missed a call from a potential employer because their number showed up as 'scam likely,' and they didn't leave a message. Instead, they sent me an email saying they couldn't reach me. I can't help but wonder why employers don't take the time to leave a voicemail or even send an email first to schedule a call. It feels like a missed opportunity for both sides, especially since not everyone is available for a call at any given moment.

I recently received a significant merit-based raise at my current job, which took me from $65k to $75k. I was honestly surprised by the amount, as I didn't expect such a bump given the budget constraints I thought we had. However, instead of feeling happy about it, I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. My industry is known for high client turnover, and I’ve heard rumors that we might be facing a financial crisis due to several clients exiting. This could potentially lead to salary cuts for those affected by the client losses. On top of this, I'm currently interviewing for a new position that would pay $55k, which is a significant pay cut from my current salary. I’m weighing my options carefully, as I realize that my current role may not be as stable as I once thought. The thought of taking a job that pays $20k less is daunting, especially with the uncertainty surrounding my current position. It’s a tough spot to be in, and I’m feeling the pressure to find something more secure in this unpredictable economy.

I recently applied for a position at a tech company and submitted my application about two weeks ago. I haven't heard back yet, and I'm starting to wonder if I should follow up with the hiring manager. I'm unsure about the appropriate timeframe for following up after submitting an application and whether it would come off as too pushy. Should I be concerned that I haven't received any communication yet, or is this typical in the hiring process? Any advice on how to approach this situation would be greatly appreciated!

I recently wrapped up an intense six-month job search after being laid off, and I wanted to share my journey in hopes it might help others. From January to July 2026, I interviewed with 49 companies and completed 119 interviews, ultimately landing two job offers. I primarily targeted roles as a Customer Success Manager, Account Manager, and Technical Account Manager in the tech sector. Throughout this process, I utilized tools like ChatGPT and Claude extensively to refine my approach. I noticed many people struggling to get interviews, including a close friend who has been out of work for nine months, which motivated me to share my playbook. The key to my success was not just applying to hundreds of jobs blindly. Instead, I developed a systematic approach to identify the right roles, assess my fit, tailor my resume, and create warm connections with potential employers. I aimed for around five interviews per week, focusing on quality over quantity. To kick things off, I revamped my LinkedIn profile and resume to highlight measurable outcomes rather than just listing responsibilities. I emphasized key metrics relevant to Customer Success roles, such as ARR managed, renewal performance, and customer turnarounds. My resume was straightforward and easy to read, ensuring that recruiters could quickly grasp my qualifications. I found job opportunities primarily through LinkedIn, setting up alerts for specific roles I was interested in. Instead of applying to every listing, I filtered opportunities to ensure they aligned with my skills and experiences. I averaged about ten applications per week, carefully assessing each position before applying. Before submitting my applications, I would analyze the job descriptions using ChatGPT to understand what the company was truly looking for. This included identifying the core problems the role aimed to solve and the necessary competencies. I tailored my resume for each application, ensuring it highlighted the most relevant achievements and experiences. Additionally, I leveraged LinkedIn to create warm connections with recruiters and hiring managers. I reached out to individuals by crafting personalized messages based on their profiles, which helped me stand out and led to several interviews directly from my outreach efforts. Overall, this experience taught me the importance of a strategic approach in job searching. I hope my journey can inspire others to stay persistent and refine their methods in the face of challenges.

I was laid off last month from my job and I'm currently receiving severance pay until mid-September, which is a relief. However, I'm starting to think about the long term and what happens if I run out of money. I have a family of four, and my wife works part-time to take care of our kids. Unfortunately, both of my parents have passed away, and while my mother-in-law can help a bit financially, it's not a sustainable solution. I'm really worried that if I don't find a job by June next year, we could be in serious trouble. I believe we can stretch out the severance and unemployment benefits until then, but it’s a daunting thought. I just received my first rejection from an interview, and it hit me hard. I felt like I had a good shot at that position, and now I'm feeling defeated. I know the next rejections won't sting as much, but this first one really shook my confidence. I'm considering reaching out for help, maybe looking into local mutual aid groups, because going through this alone feels overwhelming.

I’ve been feeling really frustrated with my job search lately, especially in the oil field sector. I’ve submitted at least 15 applications across Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska, targeting positions in oil fields, mines, solar fields, and construction. Everyone keeps saying that the oil industry hires people with no experience all the time, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. It feels like a catch-22: I can’t get hired without experience, but I can’t gain experience if no one will hire me. It’s disheartening to see companies looking for experienced workers while offering entry-level wages. I feel stuck in dead-end jobs and it’s exhausting to hear people say that nobody wants to work when the reality is that nobody wants to invest in teaching skills anymore. I know I have potential beyond what my resume shows, but I’m starting to lose hope. I just needed to vent about it.

I’m feeling a bit lost today and could use some perspective. I got laid off in April and found a part-time role in May, which I genuinely enjoy. I give my all to my job despite struggling with insomnia, but today’s news really hit hard. I recently informed my boss about my upcoming wedding and honeymoon in September, and he encouraged me to take time off. However, when I tried to apply for vacation, I encountered an error message. After reaching out to HR, I learned that as a part-time employee, I’m not eligible for vacation benefits, even though my offer letter states that I should accumulate vacation time. This has left me feeling undervalued and frustrated, especially since I’m underpaid and struggling to make ends meet. I know I should be grateful to have a job in this market, but with my experience in pharmacy audit, clinical pharmacy, and data analysis, it’s disheartening to only find part-time work. Am I being ungrateful or just reacting to the situation? I’m really questioning if this job is worth it.

I've been trying to switch careers for a while now, but it's been really challenging. I currently work in customer service, and I want to transition into a marketing role. I've taken a few online courses to build my skills, but I'm finding it hard to get noticed by employers. I've applied to numerous positions, but I keep getting rejected or not hearing back at all. I'm feeling a bit lost and unsure about how to effectively market myself for these new opportunities. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated!

I received my first job offer in May 2026 after graduating from college as an undergrad. While I'm excited about the opportunity, I'm feeling a bit conflicted about whether to accept it or continue exploring other options. It's a big decision for me, and I'm weighing the pros and cons carefully.

I've been actively job hunting lately, and I can't help but feel frustrated with the application process. It seems like every company I apply to has this ridiculous requirement to answer the question, "Why do you want to work here?" Honestly, it feels so pointless. I mean, I'm applying because I need a job and an income, not because I'm in love with their corporate culture or anything. For example, I recently applied to a position at Jobplace.com, and when I saw that question, I just rolled my eyes. It feels like a waste of time to jump through these hoops, especially when I know that the job might not even be worth the effort. I get that they want to gauge my interest, but it just comes off as egotistical. I've noticed that if a job seems too much of a hassle to apply for, I’m more inclined to skip it altogether. I really wish companies would focus more on whether I'm a good fit for the role instead of making me jump through these unnecessary hoops.

I’ve been feeling really frustrated with my job search lately and started to wonder if there’s some sort of registry that companies use to track applicants. Specifically, I’m concerned about the possibility of being blacklisted—like, is there a list somewhere that companies share that could prevent me from getting hired? I know the laws around blacklisting in the U.S. are pretty strict, but it just seems like I’m hitting a wall despite having the qualifications and experience for the roles I’m applying for. It’s disheartening to see less qualified candidates getting hired while I keep getting turned down. I’ve been applying to positions that I know I’m well-suited for, but I get no feedback, which makes me think there’s something more going on. I really want to believe that I’m just being paranoid, but the lack of transparency in the hiring process is making it hard for me to shake off these thoughts. I’ve asked around and it seems like there’s no official registry for regular jobs—only specific checks like FBI background checks or industry-specific ones. Still, I can’t help but feel like there’s something else at play. I just wish I could find out if I’m completely off base or if there’s some truth to my concerns.

I recently experienced a frustrating rejection after a 30-minute interview for a position I was excited about. The HR representative informed me that I wasn't a good culture fit, which left me baffled. I was polite and friendly throughout the interview, so I can't help but wonder if it was a personal bias against me. As a young woman, I sometimes feel there are higher expectations for how friendly I should be, and this rejection feels particularly unfair. I've never faced a rejection for this reason before, and it's really disheartening. I'm left feeling angry and confused about how one brief interaction could lead to such a conclusion.

Tomorrow marks my last day at the company where I've worked for just under two years. I gave my two weeks' notice and had a positive conversation with my boss, so everything ended on good terms. However, I’m surprised that it seems like no one at the office is aware that I’m leaving. Is this a common occurrence? I thought there would be some announcement or at least a few conversations about my departure, but it feels like I'm just slipping away unnoticed. I've seen others send out goodbye emails or mention their last day to colleagues, but I didn’t do that. I’m wondering if I should have made more of an effort to inform my coworkers, especially those I might want to stay in touch with or use as references in the future. It’s a bit odd to think that I could just disappear without anyone acknowledging it.

I'm an 18-year-old college student actively searching for an entry-level minimum wage job in the California OC/IE area. I've applied to around 50 positions but have only landed one interview for a janitor role at Sam's Club, which I unfortunately didn't get after they learned about my college schedule. I have previous experience working at Knott's Berry Farm and hold a food handlers card, yet I feel stuck while my friends, some without any experience, are getting hired easily. I'm starting to wonder if I'm doing something wrong with my applications or if my past termination is affecting my chances. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I recently had a strange experience with a marketing job opportunity in Savannah, GA. The recruitment process felt very off-putting and patronizing. It seemed like they were more focused on fostering competition among employees rather than promoting a collaborative environment. During the interview, they mentioned that the job involved going out to various locations to man stands and solicit in public, which was not what I expected from a marketing role. It reminded me of some horror stories I've heard about companies that prioritize aggressive sales tactics over employee well-being. I ended up declining the offer after doing some research and discovering similar experiences shared by others in the r/devilcorp community.

I currently work as a contractor for a construction company, focusing on business analytics and administrative tasks. I landed this 1099 role through a connection within the company and have been enjoying it for a few months. Recently, the company offered me a full-time salaried W-2 position working for their VP of renovations. This role sounds decent, with a good salary and the responsibility of overseeing over $1 million in jobs each month. However, it requires me to relocate immediately. At the same time, I interviewed for an accounts receivable position at a defense company. I wasn’t sure how that would pan out, but I wanted to see it through. To buy myself some time, I reached out to my potential new boss and explained that I needed a bit more time to arrange my relocation. He agreed to let me continue my contract role while starting remotely, which bought me about three weeks. Now, I’ve been working remotely for almost a week, and while I enjoy the work, I know my new boss wants me in person to oversee job sites and improve communication. HR is also pushing me to sign the employment form and get introduced to the team. Today, I received an email from the defense company inviting me to schedule a final round interview. This is great news, but I know that even after the interview, it might take another two weeks to hear back, and I could end up being rejected. I’m feeling stuck between accepting the job offer from the construction company and waiting for the defense company opportunity. I don’t want to sign and leave immediately since a close connection helped me get this offer, and I don’t want to make them look bad. Both jobs offer the same salary and likely comparable benefits, and they both require relocating to the same city, which eases some of the stress. While the construction job is good, it doesn’t advance my career or enhance my resume. The defense company position, however, would be a significant step forward for my career, but I don’t have an offer yet. I’m not sure what advice I’m looking for, honestly. I might just need to vent because my mind has been racing all week. I spent nearly a year searching for work before landing this contractor role, and the thought of submitting hundreds of applications again is daunting. I value honesty and dislike putting people in difficult situations, so I’m unsure how to navigate this. Luckily, since both jobs are in the same city, the relocation stress is somewhat manageable.