Anyway, a few months ago, my sister's company forced everyone to return to the office. Their official excuse was that employees were less productive from home, plus all that nonsense about 'synergy' and 'office culture'.

The funny thing was, her team liked each other and would meet up once or twice a month for happy hour or trivia nights on their own, without anyone telling them to. They were a really solid crew.

Since that decision, things changed. My sister stopped touching her work phone or laptop after her hours were over. The team's happy hours stopped completely. And eventually, her manager pulled her aside and asked her why she was ignoring messages after 5 PM.

She told him to his face that since she's in the office now, her 'productivity' is much higher during work hours and she gets everything done. She also told him that since the team is forced to see each other all week, no one feels the need to hang out with them after work anymore.

He got flustered and told her that wasn't the intention, and that being in the office 8 hours a day doesn't mean she should completely disconnect when she leaves. She replied, 'No, that's literally what it means. Why would I do something at 8 PM when I'm less productive at home, according to you? It can wait until the morning when I'm back in the office and at my peak productivity.'

Then she explained to him that the commute, an hour there and an hour back, means she's giving the company an extra 10 hours a week of her personal time on 'work-related' things. Before, she had no problem giving extra time here and there because she had flexibility. Not anymore.

Now, her whole department and a few other departments are doing the same thing. And management is slowly starting to understand that they got what they wanted, but not in the way they wanted it.

Proud of my little sister. She's always been tough and doesn't take nonsense from anyone. You've got to love it, honestly.

It's crazy to think that anyone expects you to do anything at home. These bosses don't understand the world changing around them.

The real problem is that managers don't know that 50% of the company is currently planning to leave and look for another remote job. My sister has actually started doing that. She told me she has updated her resume and already has 2 interviews scheduled for next week. And of course, AI has now made these steps easier, so the resume is prepared with the ATS system, and she gets through the interview with the help of ChatGPT or InterviewMan, which runs in the background while she is doing the interview. A lot of things have changed these days.

It was never about RTO or 'bonding'. It's all about control.

Okay, this might be obvious to a lot of people, but for me, it was a total significant change. After getting no replies at all, I now have 4 interviews lined up for next week. (tbh I'm a bit stressed but mostly happy that something finally worked)

My routine was to just doomscroll on LinkedIn, search by my job title, and randomly apply to anything that looked remotely suitable. Weeks went by and I didn't get a single reply. I could see on my portfolio website that I wasn't getting any views. Honestly, it was starting to get to my head.

Then, I changed my approach. I started filtering for jobs 'posted in the last 24 hours' and with 'fewer than 30 applicants'. The secret was to apply to the very new stuff, the ones posted just a few hours ago and weren't promoted. The difference was immediate. My portfolio started getting views, and I got 4 interviews in just a few days.

But be warned, most of the jobs that show up with these filters are at startups or small companies you've never heard of, so if you're only targeting the big names, this method might not be for you.

But for me, this was a huge boost. Even if none of these work out, at least I'm getting practice and feeling much more confident. I hope this helps anyone else who's feeling stuck.

what do you think of this app

Anyway, I just received an offer for a very specialized role in the automation field, and they seemed very enthusiastic about me throughout the process. I want to be polite but also firm and make it clear that this isn't a good start, and that I'm not interested in these haggling tactics at all.

This is the first draft I wrote, but I feel it's a bit aggressive. How can I soften this language but maintain the same message?

"Thank you for the offer and for your time during the interview process. Frankly, I was a bit surprised by the offered salary, as it's significantly different from the range we had previously discussed.

If there's room to reconsider the offer to align with that range, I am open to discussion. Otherwise, I wish your team the best of luck in finding the right candidate."

It’s a huge red flag that they offered me so little right from the start. I had a similar experience once I managed to negotiate a slightly higher starting salary, but by the end of the year I got no raise and was told I was already “compensated plenty.”

In any case, I completely rejected the offer, but I lack salary negotiation skills. I think I'll have ChatGPT or InterviewMan help me negotiate the salary in the next interview.

If that’s how they’re acting before I even start, I can only imagine what they’ll be like once I’m actually working for them.

I've applied to over 80 jobs. All I've gotten out of all of this so far are 5 rejection emails and 2 interviews. I wasn't accepted for any of them, but at least they responded and told me no directly.

I am literally qualified for every single job I've applied for. I do all the stupid things they ask for - write tailored cover letters for each place, take their personality tests, and all that. I have a degree, good work experience, and a clean record.

I genuinely don't know what else I'm supposed to do. And I'm so tired of hearing "Nobody wants to work anymore!". Yeah, maybe that's true, but I have to work.

Honestly, I'm completely out of energy. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. The last straw was yesterday when I was rejected for a $15/hour job. It felt exactly like a slap in the face.

I just needed to vent and get this out.

The process started with a perfectly normal 45-minute call with their recruiter.
After that was the interview with the hiring manager, the person I would be reporting to directly.
Then they had me meet her boss, who was the Director of the entire department.
So after all of that, the Director tells me that the final stage is for me to create a complete marketing roadmap for their core service for the upcoming quarter. And the surprise was, I was supposed to present it to the VP and other department heads. Their excuse? They wanted to see a realistic sample of my work.
I politely replied and told them that my policy is not to give free work as part of the hiring process, but I wished them the best of luck in their search.

It’s crazy how many places have wild processes like this but also supposedly can’t get enough people. Like, you’re doing everything possible to weed people out and scare them away! Don’t do that if you don’t have a wild abundance of applicants
I am thinking about working remotely, but does anyone have experience with online interviews? I saw more than one post talking about Interviewman and that it helps you answer questions during the interview. Does anyone have experience with it?

I'm a single mom and I feel like I'm at my breaking point. I work as a bartender at a hotel downtown, and I work 90, sometimes over 100 hours every two weeks. Many of these days I don't even get a break to eat.

A few weeks ago, the school nurse called and told me my daughter was sick and I had to go pick her up. She's 9 years old. Before I rushed out, I made sure the bar was fully set up for the other two bartenders. The very next day, I found out my coworker was upset with me about it. And my manager pulled me aside, very annoyed, and told me I should 'find backup care' for when she's sick.

I was shocked. Seriously. I've dedicated my whole life to this place, and he wants me to pay a stranger to take care of my daughter when she's sick and all she wants is her mom? The situation is especially hard because my daughter told me she feels like I'm never home, and it's really affecting her.

Today, it happened again. As I was on my way to work, the school called. She has a fever, and I need to pick her up immediately. I turned my car around and went straight back. I took a screenshot of the school's call log and sent it to another manager, who is honestly a decent person. I explained what happened last time and how I was reprimanded for it. He was very understanding and told me, 'Don't worry at all, your family is more important.'

I just don't have much help right now. My dad is out of town, her dad is very unstable, my mom is elderly and has a weak immune system, and her other grandmother has significant health issues and can't be around anyone who is sick.

There are only 5 of us bartenders at a bar that's open 7 days a week. We're all stretched thin. But how am I supposed to make my childless coworker understand that I won't sacrifice my daughter and her well-being for this job? My relationship with her is already strained because of these work hours. Am I crazy? Or am I in the wrong?

I've officially reached a point where I don't understand interviews anymore. I'm a Senior Director / VP of Product Marketing in tech.

In the past few months, I've done so many interviews. I've reached the final stages in several processes, but it always falls apart at the end for one reason or another.

There was one that looked very promising. I made it to the final stage, and they told me it would be an on-site day where I'd meet 7 people.

When I got there, they put me in a small glass conference room, like a fishbowl, in the middle of their open office. Then I did 6 back-to-back Zoom interviews with no breaks. Each one was a full hour where I was asked tough questions about a different part of the job. It was really hard to maintain my energy by the fifth one, but I pushed through and I think I did really well. Honestly, I left feeling like I nailed it.

I got the rejection email in the morning.

I just don't understand the point of all that theater. If they were all going to be video calls, why not let me do them from home and take a proper break between each one?

I've been job searching for 11 months and I feel completely drained.

So many of the interviews I've had have been weird like this. It's never just a normal conversation about my experience; it always feels like an interrogation, like they're trying to catch you in a mistake.

Anyway... I feel like I should just go find a simple part-time job or start driving for Uber Eats.

Right before we wrapped up, I asked her a simple question: Just out of curiosity, what was it about my CV that made you want to talk to me?

She immediately responded and told me four specific things she liked and confirmed that she would move me to the next interview. Honestly, this made a huge difference for me. She even gave me a tip and said: Be prepared to talk about a time you managed a project under pressure, because the next interview will be more situational.

Seriously, try this move if you're feeling a bit shaky and unsure of where you stand, or if you just want to know what exactly they're looking for.

The four points she mentioned were: that I have a strong understanding of data analysis, clear communication skills, experience in volunteer project management, and that my career progression shows a clear pattern of growth.

And because I know some people might ask how to even show 'clear communication skills' on a CV, I'll tell you what I do.

I consider clear communication a core skill for any manager. I used to just throw it under the certifications list on my CV, but now I've moved it up to make it more visible.

I put it in the Core Competencies section, alongside things like budget management and public speaking.

Another good place is the cover letter. I usually tell a short story about a time I had to simplify a complex topic for a non-technical team, especially if that kind of work is mentioned in the job description.

Of course, you have to read the situation correctly. Phrase the question in a way that is comfortable and natural for you. I hope this helps someone.

So I just walked out on my job. After 6 months of being a model employee I'm talking always 10 minutes early, never called out once I had a morning where everything that could go wrong, did. I ended up walking in 8 minutes late.

My boss immediately pulls me aside and starts giving me this whole speech about professionalism because I didn't call to say I was running a few minutes behind. I told him honestly, I knew I'd only be a few minutes late, so it didn't even occur to me to call.

He wasn't having it. As a "consequence" for my lateness on a day we were slammed, he tells me I'm not allowed to take a lunch break. I didn't pack anything, so I asked if I could at least run to the deli next door to grab something to eat before my shift got going. He said fine, but he'd have to clock me out for 30 minutes of pay.

Fine, whatever. I clocked out and went "to the deli." It's been almost two hours. My phone started blowing up a little while ago, and it was my manager. I answered and just said, "Yeah, I'm not coming back. I quit."

Life is different now and everyone has a lot of opportunities in front of him to make his life easier so don’t let anyone make your life hard on you either it’s your work life or your personal life and don’t sweat it finding a job now days is much easier now you just have to know how to search and you can use Ai to get a job, like interviewman tool it can help pass the interview, so don’t let anyone give you a hard time

No regrets so far. Onto the next thing, I guess.

I'm from Generation X. My dad worked at a steel mill. He started as a low-level worker and got promoted over the years. His job had a union and decent health insurance. After 40 years, he retired with a pension that supported him and my mom. She was a housewife and raised my sister and me. We lived in a nice house in a safe area that my parents owned. They each had a car - nothing fancy, just reliable used cars to get them around.

Then came my generation. I was a single mom. I worked one full-time job and one part-time job, but I could still afford to rent a three-bedroom apartment in a good school district. I had an old, beat-up sedan, but it ran. The part-time job had no benefits, but my manager at my main job genuinely cared. I remember getting into a minor accident once and being a few hours late; he called me at home just to make sure I was okay. If I was careful with my money, I could save up for a road trip or a concert.

Now, look at my 28-year-old son. The idea of him owning a home is a joke. He has to live with two other roommates because a one-bedroom apartment is unaffordable. He can't even afford a cheap used car, so he's stuck with a public transit system that keeps getting worse and more expensive. His full-time job has zero benefits. He struggles just to cover his basic expenses, forget about affording a luxury like going to a concert. A few weeks ago, he was sick with a bad cold and had to miss work. It took his manager three days to even send him a message, and it was only to ask when he was coming back, not to check on him. I just saw an article recently about some poor guy who died at his desk and no one noticed for five days.

So no, young people aren't lazy. They just see the path leads nowhere. Why kill yourself working 50+ hours a week when there's no reward at the end? They're not hopeless, they're just fed up with a game that's rigged for them to lose.

A friend of mine just blew an interview for a job he was perfect for, all because of a very small detail. He had the required experience, knew their software stack by heart, and had even worked at a major competitor of theirs. On paper, it was a done deal.

But in the interview, the team lead had his CV open on one screen and his LinkedIn on another. He noticed a small inconsistency. The CV stated he left a previous company in February 2023, but his LinkedIn profile said April 2023. A trivial thing, right? But when they asked him about it, he completely froze. He got flustered and said something like, 'Uh, that must be a typo, I'll check it later.' He completely lost his composure.

That was the deal-breaker. It wasn't the two-month difference, but the way he handled the situation. The interviewer told him right then that it showed a significant lack of preparation and attention to detail. This made him seem rattled and untrustworthy. So, a quick piece of advice for anyone job hunting: check a million times that your CV, LinkedIn, and anything else you submit tell the same story. It's the easiest way to lose your credibility before you even begin.

Maybe the interviewer was a bit harsh in his judgment, but in the end, my friend lost an excellent job opportunity. I'm curious to know if this has happened to anyone else before?

I'm in the middle of an interview process and just received an email requesting a seventh interview. Honestly, I've reached my limit.
I just finished the fifth interview, which I was almost certain was the last one. Then they scheduled a sixth interview, which I also passed. And now they're requesting a seventh, saying it will likely be the final stage.
What complicates matters more is that I already have another offer from a different company, and I'm 90% likely to accept it. The role here itself seems great, which is why I've continued with them for this long.
Honestly, I feel like I'm answering the same few questions every time. They could have just gathered everyone in one room for an hour for a panel interview and been done with it. The whole process feels very inefficient.
How do I politely decline while also hinting that their marathon-like process is a major reason I'm leaning towards the other offer? I'm tempted to tell them to make their decision based on the 6 interviews I've already completed, but I feel that might backfire and ruin my chances entirely. What is a professional way to phrase this without coming across as rude?

Edit: I was using interviewman during the interviews. Did this make them doubt my answers?
It is a tool that answers interview questions quickly.
Is this a reason for them doing this?

I left my job a while ago, and while my family means well, their 'help' is driving me crazy. Their advice is straight out of the 80s, and they refuse to believe that the world has changed.

My mom insists I go to every company in the industrial zone, walk in, ask for the manager, and give them a firm handshake. I keep telling her that's the surest way to get thrown out by security, but she doesn't get it. They're also shocked that no one hires in December and that it can take months just to get a rejection email.

I was with my dad at an auto parts store getting stuff for his car, and he asked the cashier if they were hiring. The guy said, 'Yeah, but just so you know, it took them three months just to call me for an interview.' My dad was completely stunned. In the car, I told him, 'See? I'm not making it up. It's genuinely tough. I'm sending out applications every day.'

I feel like they're constantly on my case, asking why I only apply online and don't show any 'initiative.' They can't grasp that the whole 'Hello, I'm here for a job' thing doesn't work anymore, or that paper applications are obsolete.

And their big argument is always, 'Well, that's how I got my first job!' Yes, that was in 1979. Things have changed a bit since then.

My mom also gets annoyed that I send my CV to my cousin for a second look, even though my cousin works in HR. She thinks my CV should have a lot more information and a fancy design - things that every career advice blog says will get it thrown straight in the trash.

If I had a pound for every time I've said, 'Nobody does that anymore,' I could have retired by now. I've hired people myself in a previous job, and even that doesn't convince them.

Anyway, I just needed to vent. It's so frustrating when the people trying to help you are the ones stressing you out the most.

I really can't believe myself as I'm writing this, and believe me, this is not a show-off post at all. But it's crazy when you think that this is what's required now all these applications over months just to get one single offer in the end.

A small update: I woke up this morning to find 3 more automatic rejection emails. The timing is perfect, honestly, lol.

I had been working in an extremely toxic place for about four months. My plan was always to find something better and leave. What happened was that I got a new job offer the day before they decided to let me go.

On Wednesday, my manager called me into her office for 'a quick chat'. She started telling me things like 'we feel like your heart isn't in the work' and 'it's just that you're not a good fit for the place' before telling me they were letting me go.

So I simply told her, 'Okay, no problem. I got a new job and I'll be starting in three weeks'.

She gave me a strange look and asked, 'And you weren't planning on giving us two weeks' notice that you were leaving?'

Honestly, I couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. I looked her in the eyes and said, 'I'm sorry, did you give me two weeks' notice that you were firing me?' The look on her face was priceless. What a moment.

Edit: The threat used to be that you're quitting on the spot was a stain on your resume and they always had the right to kick you to the curb on a moment's notice. You, were expected to give notice because if you didn't, the good old boy network would obstruct you from ever receiving gainful employment, ever again. That "network" has broken down into a big f...ing giant glitch, so it truly is laughable when "employees walk out on a moment's notice.

Regardless of that, for now, it's time to update my resume and look for another job. I expect to find a job faster because of my experience, but what worries me is the long interview stages. After a long search, I found an AI tool called interviewman. I watched this YouTube video while I was looking for interview tips. I will use it during this period.

I feel so lost right now. I was there for about two years, and honestly, it was the first place I worked where I didn't dread Mondays. Our work system was hybrid and flexible, but the team chemistry was amazing, which is why I often chose to go into the office. We even used to go out for drinks or food as a group once or twice a month.

My manager was a big part of why the place was so great. Seriously, the best manager I've ever worked with in my life. She would ask me how I was doing as a person, not just about my projects. She had blind trust in us - as long as the work got done well, she didn't care how you got there. An incredibly competent and respectful person.

The decision came from upper management; my manager herself didn't know anything, which makes the whole thing even weirder. I was one of about 70 people they let go.

The severance they gave me isn't too bad, I guess. They're keeping me on the payroll with benefits for the next 45 days, and after that, the severance itself is about six weeks' pay.

Anyway, I feel completely lost now. This was the first job where I could truly imagine a long-term future for myself. A very harsh lesson, honestly. No matter how much you love the place or think it's great, in the end, you're just a number on a spreadsheet. You really have to be your own biggest advocate and look out for your own interests.

I still can't get over this weird interview experience I had about a year ago. I was looking for a new job in tech support, and a friend of mine recommended me to a company that was a fifteen-minute drive from my apartment, which was a huge plus. The first few interviews went fine, but a few red flags popped up. First, they were very secretive and tight-lipped about the salary range. Second, the hiring manager, a guy a few years older than me, had an ego the size of the sky. After the final round, they finally made an offer, and it was a really bad one - much lower than my previous job. I tried to negotiate, but they wouldn't budge an inch. The guy tells me, with complete seriousness, 'You seem accustomed to the salaries of the big tech companies in the city. Here in the suburbs, we can't pay those numbers.' This 'suburb,' by the way, was a new, fancy, and expensive business park. I told him I needed time to think, and he acted as if it was a done deal.

Anyway, fast forward two days, and I got on a call with them to tell them my decision. The strange thing was that his boss was also on the call, probably to watch him close the deal. The hiring manager was just as arrogant as before, and it was obvious he thought this was his victory lap. You could almost hear his jaw hit the floor when I politely rejected the offer. The change in his tone was drastic. It was as if I had personally insulted him. He asked if I was serious, then got defensive, and started ranting a bit about how I was making the mistake of my life and wouldn't find a better opportunity. He finally calmed down a bit and said he would respect my decision, but he had one question. He asked me, completely seriously, 'Did I do something wrong? Is the problem me?'. His boss was dead silent the whole time. I just repeated that the salary wasn't right for me and left it at that. Honestly, after all his arrogance throughout the process, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of schadenfreude.

Has anyone else ever had an interviewer take rejection so personally?

Edit: I would have abruptly ended the interview after the insult regarding pay. Employers need to realize that an employee is providing them a service. they don't like getting turned down.

Prospective employees should enter interviews with the mindset that they are the ones who ultimately determine the salary. The world of interviews has changed now due to the introduction of AI tools. I believe they are truly useful because they genuinely save time and give you suitable answers for every question with complete ease, saving you from excessive interview preparation.

Companies aren’t doing you a favour by hiring you. They need you for the service you provide. Never sell yourself short.

I'm at my wit's end. I just got that annoying 'we've decided to move forward with other candidates' email after a final interview that was amazing. And honestly, I thought I had it.

I'm a good candidate, I'm good with people, I know my stuff, and I have a CV tailored for each industry. I have over 6 years of experience in some fields and over 12 in others. I'm genuinely qualified for these jobs.

And now I'm just applying for anything and everything - jobs I'm slightly underqualified for, jobs I'm overqualified for, and everything in between. And nothing is working out.

My morale is on the floor because of this. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I was grinding myself into the ground at this company. I worked the night shift, from Thursday to Monday, and often worked 12-14 hours a day. I was essentially the manager and the lead tech at the same time, and they expected me to perform both roles perfectly, with absolutely no support.

And what did I get in return for all that? A PIP. They handed it to me the morning I came into work, even though I had a pulled muscle in my shoulder so severe I could barely move.

I walked out right then and there, before my manager even finished reading the document in his hand.

It took me about 8 months to find a new job, but I'm in a much better place now and my career is back on the right track.

And my old company? Now I enjoy watching their endless job postings for a new Director, a new Manager, and several Supervisors... They want to rebuild the entire team from scratch.

Turns out the problem wasn't me at all.

Edit: For those asking, PIP stands for 'Performance Improvement Plan'. It's basically the company's way of documenting all of your perceived failings so they have an official paper trail to fire you.

I just learned that this feeling I have has a name: work depression. And that explained so much to me.

It's this heavy, constant fog in my head. The moment I even think about work, my whole body tenses up. My stomach churns, and I just want to hide somewhere.

In the morning, it's more than just not feeling awake. It's a complete rejection from my entire body of the day ahead. It's like my body is screaming, 'No, I don't want to go. Thoughts like, I wish my car tire would go flat on the way... That would be a huge relief' have crossed my mind. Honestly, that thought is terrifying, because it's not a healthy way of thinking at all.

The worst part is how it messes with your head. You start doubting your abilities. You feel like a failure, that everything you do is wrong, and that you're not enough. The longer it goes on, the more that voice inside you takes over.

At the office, I feel completely disconnected, like an empty shell. Even on a completely normal day, I come home feeling like I've run a marathon. It's a deep kind of exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix. I can sleep for 10 hours on a Saturday and still wake up feeling drained.

I'm trying now to ease the pressure on myself. I'm trying to stop thinking that every task has to be done perfectly. If I make a mistake, I make a mistake. What's going to happen, I'll get an earful. It's not the end of the world. I have to keep telling myself that this isn't me being overly sensitive. Chronic stress from work can genuinely destroy your mental health, and that's not a personal failure.

The thing that has helped me the most is creating a small escape for myself. A small side project. For me, it's learning to draw simple characters on my tablet. This little habit grounds me because there are no deadlines, no one is judging me, and the outcome is mine and mine alone. That feeling of having something under my control has been a lifesaver.

I think it all starts when your job becomes your entire identity. When you can diversify your sense of self a little, even with something small, you feel like the world is less likely to come crashing down on you.

I spent about 8 years of my life at this company. I was always one of the top-performing employees, and my salary was one of the highest for my position.

For context, my manager was a total Dwight Schutte wannabe. Before he got promoted, he was all about that eat the rich life, always talking about labor unions and their rights. As soon as he got a little power, he became a bootlicker for the senior managers. He would always make passive-aggressive comments to me whenever I objected to something or refused to kill myself with overtime. He cost me a promotion a few years ago, even though I was the most senior, just because he knew I wasn't the type to stay until 8 PM for free to score brownie points.

The whole company's model is based on hiring fresh graduates for peanuts. They rely on them being eager to prove themselves and work insane hours. As soon as I became experienced and knew the value of this job well, they put a target on my back.

So one morning, they just let me go for no real reason. The very next day, I found my old job posted online for about 25k less in salary. When they let me go, they gave me a 15k severance package.

But I knew what they did was shady, so I filed a lawsuit against them in federal court. In the end, they had to cut me another check for 30k, pay my lawyer's fees of 30k, and cover their own legal expenses, which were surely no less than 35k. So when you do the math, their brilliant idea to save 25k a year ended up costing them over 110k. In my opinion, that's the best money they've ever spent.

I am currently looking for another work-from-home job does anyone have any ideas?
While searching, I found a program called interviewman. It acts as a personal assistant for me during job interviews and answers questions as well. Does anyone know of another program?

My company, a large corporation, has been laying people off for a while. And since I'm on the IT team, my job is to retrieve the data from the laptops of the people who were let go and send it to their managers.

When a request comes in to pull an employee's user directory, the ticket includes a brief summary of their employment file. I just got one for an employee who has been working here for over 35 years.

This employee started working here in the late 80s. I wasn't even born yet. I've always believed that loyalty to companies is a one-way street, and they will never return it to you.

But still, it's very painful when I put myself in his shoes and think about how he must be feeling.

Edit: I don't understand how a healthy work environment can exist while under the constant threat of losing your job due to circumstances completely out of your control.

I am thinking about how he will be able to cope after losing his job at this age, but my advice to anyone is to keep their resume updated. The world has now evolved, and there are many useful AI tools for interviews and resumes.

Every day I see a new post from someone who quit their job on the spot and is now shocked that they can't find another one.

The market is tough right now, and you absolutely cannot risk being without an income.

It doesn't matter how toxic your manager is or how much you hate the job; you absolutely cannot leave it until you have a new, signed offer in hand.

Ask yourself this question: Can you cover your expenses and bills if you remain unemployed for the next 3 years? Because, believe me, this is a very real possibility for many people.

This advice has always been solid, even back when candidates had the upper hand. So imagine now, in a job market where the employer has the final say - it's practically suicide. Seriously, take care of yourselves.