Month: September 2023

Firstly I’ll start by saying I use Indeed, LinkedIn and whatever other online job listing sites are available these days, which I’m sure have a horrible reputation in this subreddit. Im a Canadian citizen and I’m noticing a lot of these jobs have 200+ applicants on each and as much as I understand it’s a competitive world out there this is draining. I’ve received interviews or “pre-screening” short interviews along with rejection emails for months and months. They’ve basically been an emotional roller coaster of maybe this time will be different and they haven’t been. 10 years ago I didn’t really have this much difficulty finding work. I can admit this is taking a toll on my mental health and self esteem. I’m open to hearing forms of positive advice but at this point it’s so tiring hearing negative feedback or “that’s just how it is”.

I feel bad about myself -like I am not progressing enough – some of my MBA classmates are now directors and i am still just a individual contributor and even struggling navigate that. My family / parents are well-off and live a comfortable life and that's like the only thing i don't need to worry about. I am single and I am not progressing and I dont know I just feel lost every time I check those linkedins. What's happening?

My work shoes have been worn down so badly; it’s definitely time for a new pair, they’re falling Apart. I’ve been avoiding it for as long as possible because I literally have to work for 8 hours to buy shoes to work in…. I have to work so that I can work (can’t go in without proper uniform).

After over a decade of being a top performance at my company, after multiple promotions, and after giving my company unpaid overtime, sweat, blood and tears, I was laid off among others due to losing clients (company provides third party services). I have seniority over others in the company who were not laid off, and better performance. I suspect it's because my salary is a bit higher due to my high performance and experience, though I was still underpaid. Reminder to everyone that your company is not loyal to you, even if you are loyal to them. In the end my tenure, loyalty, experience, performance and commitment meant nothing to them compared to the bottom line. So I get a severance package, my country requires it, but I have to transition my tasks to my manager over the rest of the week. My manager who should know what all my…

I work for a company where they give us about 21 days of PTO per year. We are allowed to carry over 7 to the following year so I had 7 carried over from last year. I have bot taken a vacation yet this year, only random days off so I still have 23 days of PTO left. I am about to take a 2 week vacation now but when asking for it my manager seemed to imply that I should use my PTO now because it would be a problem if I took it later during year end when we will be more busy. But I was indeed planning on taking on using the 12 days I have left or at least a good portion of it on another possibly two week long vacation. Is it too much to expect to be able to take two two-week long vacations…

I’m just trying to change careers. My wife and I are trying to save money for a house in the future. I hate my current job so much I can’t even describe it and have applied everywhere. I just cannot get an opportunity anywhere. I see so many places “urgently hiring” and what happens? They just don’t call me at all. When I do have an interview it goes great, they like me a lot, then say “you don’t have enough experience”. I’m literally losing my mind at this job I have. I cannot do it anymore. If I keep working at my current job I might have a mental breakdown and get fired. I just find it ridiculous that in order to switch careers I need a degree. To get a degree I will either need to use all of our savings or take out a loan to get…

Content note: discussion of death So I (39F) work in retail, and customers will often ask how I am. Usually I tell them fine or good or whatever, even if I'm feeling sad like after my breakup in November. Well, Saturday, yesterday, and today (I did not work Sunday or Monday), I was telling customers who asked I'm NOT okay, and I was telling them why. The reason is that my grandmother may die in the next couple days. My one boss didn't like that. Now, this is a boss who I really like. He's normally very kind to people in the sense that he sticks up for people who need it. Tonight? Tonight he scolded me for telling people how I was truly feeling. He said it was completely inappropriate, and I quite frankly don't agree. I can think of a lot of things that have been considered inappropriate…

I used to work for an office furniture sales company, with one of my tasks being to help our clients plan their office layouts, both new and existing. If you've seen the movie Office Space, you remember poor Milton was continually relocated within his cubicle, then moved to the basement- the corporate goal being to force Milton to leave. This is a very real practice in the corporate world. I was called in by HR managers, bosses, middle management, supervisors, etc., quite often, in order to “help our employees' work flow” but when the actual designs were being done we could tell who these snakes were looking to run out of the company without firing them. “Why don't we move this desk so they face away from the entry” or “put this one cube by this column (thus causing less space for them to work)”. I once moved someone's desk…

Title. Jesus christ. Keep your fucking cards close to the chest

I keep reading studies about how WFH results in increased productivity (latest was a Stanford study published this week). I read an article in Forbes this morning how productivity is lower but honestly the whole article only cites benefits and increased employee satisfaction and profits. I work in a medium sized city (800k) and coworkers say it's a conspiracy between govt and businesses. Cities decline before ('70s) and rebounded ('90s). Cities need to reinvent themselves, maybe transform high-rises into apt, whatever… fine set that aside. But honestly what's driving this counterproductive return to the office? Offices are sunk costs, bringing people back doesn't help balance sheets. If a company really wanted to recoup cost axe middle management that can't prove people are happier and more productive in the new arrangement. I just don't get it, please enlighten me.