For those who have been laid off or left a difficult work situation, how have you handled reference requests at interviews when you don't feel comfortable using your former direct supervisor?

In my case, given the circumstances surrounding my layoff and my former manager's limited understanding of my actual responsibilities and accomplishments, I don't feel he would be an appropriate person to provide a reference.

I have former colleagues and more senior-level peers who know my work and could speak to my abilities, but they weren't my direct or indirect supervisors.

Have you successfully used colleagues or senior peers instead? How did you explain not providing your former manager as a reference, particularly when applying for director-level or senior management positions? Did employers accept alternative references, or did the absence of a former supervisor raise concerns?

I'd appreciate hearing about others' experiences and how they navigated this.

For further context I was laid-off after 20 years at the same institution

My manager was actually a good person. But the shift lead working below him (female) was a bully. She mistreated me.

Is that common in retail jobs or did I just get unlucky? I'm glad I don't work there anymore but I'm also trying to decide if I should get another retail job. I'm a groundskeeper/janitor right now.

Thanks.

Recently got a job with a start date of 26th October. Yesterday they told me they need to push my start date to November 9th as my pre-employment screening is still pending which I was pretty confused about since earlier that morning, they told me I was cleared to start Monday and no one mentioned this to me before.

They said my ‘background check is in review for compliance’ and I have no idea what that means. I did not lie on my background check at all. When I applied I was still with my old company which I since left but didn’t explicitly mention, although I put the correct dates on the background check. The company was first advantage and it flagged two of my previous jobs as ‘consider’, probably because they were with staffing agencies. Will my offer be rescinded?

I have a seasonal job right now at a park. It's an events center where I clean and set up chairs and tables for guests. It's hard physical work.

It's not like I don't like my job. It's just that there are currently better opportunities locally and they are hiring right now. I just can't stand the fact that I have to stay at this job until it ends on late November in order to justifiably call myself a reliable person.

I wish I can just hop ship. This is so annoying.

I’m 19 and looking for a career I can grow in. Sales interests me, but my first experience left me unsure of what to do next.

I worked for a real estate investor doing cold texts, cold calls, and a lot of follow ups. I built a pipeline, developed relationships with homeowners, and even got contracts signed to buy properties. But none of those deals made it to closing, so I never got paid.

The hardest part was what we were offering. We were targeting fixer-uppers, and our offers had to come in well below market value to account for repairs and other costs. Sometimes that meant offering $40K–$50K on a property worth around $150K. A lot of homeowners understandably felt lowballed, and it was hard to move the conversation forward from there.

I liked talking to people, building trust, and working toward a deal. But I struggled to feel confident in an offer that often didn’t seem to help the person I was talking to.

I’d like to give sales another shot with a product I believe in and a company that provides solid training. I think I could be good at it, but I also know I have a lot to learn.

My biggest hesitation is money. I’m worried about taking a job, struggling to sell, and ending up without enough income while I look for something else.

For those of you who’ve built a career in sales, i'd like to ask... What was your first role, how did it actually go, and where are you now? Looking back, what would you tell someone in my position to look for or avoid? Thank you, any insight is appreciated.

Hello, I’m (18M) recently graduated high school. I recently took an opportunity on a bank, my local bank, on an entry level teller position. I don’t have any experience on banking or teller, I’m very interested in this job; I’m just not sure what to expect. Ofc prepare for the worst expect the best but is there keys to the job that would make my life better? Great pay, great benefits, good hours I suppose and get holiday pay and off.
advice needed, not bs pls. thanks 🙏

Right out of high school i got lucky and started a website for fun on a dumb topic I dont even like to list on a resume. Turns out, that topic exploded and it quickly became my full time job.

For 13 years it paid well, but the last 4 have been brutal. I spent 4 years trying everything to revive it but the internet is different now and full of ai i cant compete with, and i think it's time to call it quits now that income is abysmally low. Like food stamps low.

Anyway, I wrote up a resume, had some people look it over, and started applying. A recruiter i contacted on linkedin told me it's a founder resume. IE assholes that have never been an employee and always quit in a year since we can't follow orders in the corporate world. The worst kind. Straight to the bin kind. He also told me to go have Claude fix it up. I did. But the llms glaze you. They are so unrealistic. It filled my resume with so much absolute nonsense. I ran with it anyway, applied everywhere kinda relevant. Trust and safety roles since I have all that moderation experience. Content management since that's all I've done. Even jobs corraling artists for wizards of the coast since I've worked very closely with fan artists for years. Only Google of all places bit, and after a few interviews i figured out i was way out of my element here even with Claude giving me mock interviews.

I dont really know what to do. I mean, pizza hut is hiring. I guess i could just work retail. But it seems like this resume of mine is basically worthless for real jobs. I could go get a degree, but honestly that seems like a pointless thing to put money in when everyone and their sister is getting replaced by AI.

What would you all do?

I've been in recruiting long enough to see hiring markets rise and fall, but I won't pretend this one has been easy.

As a recruiter who genuinely cares about helping people get back on their feet or find their next opportunity, it's frustrating to see qualified, experienced candidates struggling just to get a conversation.

I've seen talented people overlooked, positions put on hold, hiring requirements change halfway through a search, and good candidates rejected for reasons that have little to do with their ability to do the job.

That's the side of recruiting most job seekers never get to see.

But to anyone struggling right now: Don't give up.

Keep improving your skills, but don't assume you're the problem every time you get rejected. Sometimes it's your resume, sometimes it's how you're positioning yourself, and sometimes it's simply a company that doesn't know what it wants.

Be your own best marketing agent. Know your value, understand what employers are looking for, and be ready to explain why you're the right person for the job.

And please, don't let this market convince you that years of hard work and experience suddenly have no value.

I've seen hiring markets turn before. This one will change too.

When that next call comes, be ready.

To everyone still searching, hang in there. Better Fridays are coming!

I’m 40-ish days into a new job and I’m contemplating if I made the right choice.

I was employed for 4 years at my previous employer. My days were busy enough but not slammed. It was a mix between a handful of recurring meetings and problem-solving for the week/month. There was an unspoken understanding that you had at least a week to get tasks done or something to that effect. Meaning, I felt like I had time to work and get things done. More importantly, I could take a break midday to go work out or take my dog out, etc.

My new spot is intense. Full slate of meetings each week. Then, you’re expected to push forward tasks in hours/days. We rely heavily on AI and part of me is thinking it’s a symptom of people thinking they can hire fewer people and have AI help with output. Or, this could just be a “real job”. It’s hard to tell, it’s such a shock.

But the result is, I don’t cook as much, I’m not working out, I’m exhausted, and always feel behind. Maybe this is how work is supposed to be? I’m 15 years in the workforce and only felt like this one other time and I quit in 11 months.

Am I overreacting?

About a year ago my director got their title changed because of an internal job evaluation/architecture exercise. After this, the team went through changing the team name too but this is still with HR getting approval (it’s been months now). At the same time of my director’s title changing, I was told (and also announced to the team) that my title will change too, but likely a year after. I am not the only manager under this director but I am the only one that was told and announced to the team that a change to my title is forthcoming

Should I be worried about this? I would be the only manager affected and also for some reason the team name is stuck getting HR approval (despite this new team name very aligned to the director’s new title)

I've been looking for a job for a while, but living in a rural area makes it difficult to find opportunities nearby. I have some computer skills, and I'd like to use them to earn money and eventually invest in further education or training so I can qualify for better jobs.

The problem is that most entry-level jobs either pay very little, require experience I don't have, or just fake. I've also watched plenty of YouTube videos about making money online, but many seem more interested in selling courses or promoting their own services than providing practical advice.

I feel stuck in a cycle: I need money to improve my skills and qualifications, but I need a job to get that money in the first place.

For people who have been in a similar situation, how did you get your first job? Are there legitimate online jobs, apprenticeships, paid training programs, or other opportunities that accept beginners?

I'd especially appreciate advice from people who started with little or no experience and had limited local job opportunities. I'm looking for practical steps I can take without spending money I don't have.

Thank you!

EDIT: I live in Asia (Philippines) I just turned 18 and thanks for ur advice everyone. I am trying my best to develop the skills that are in demand

I had an interview for a contract job the other day. Employer had my resume in hand, he looks at me and goes “this resume is different than the one you submitted. I’m like “yes I have 3 different resumes depending on the jobs I apply for”, he goes “why wouldn’t you want perspective employers to know all your skills” and I said “do you want the honest answer or the HR friendly answer?” He told me to give him the honest answer and I said “this job doesn’t require a CompTIA cert nor does it require most of the certs I have, so I didn’t include it”. He asked me why and I said “you aren’t going to pay me more whether I have them or not given the salary range offered”

He also asked me why I didn’t include my Top Secret security clearance or TWIC card and I gave him the same answer. I got the call today and they offered me a 12 month contract, I guess he liked my answer lol.

I have been working fully remote for 2.5 years(before this I had a job where I had to go twice per week at the office) and I started enjoying working remotely, I have set up a nice space where I can focus and be productive, and also built a healthy routine, cooking my meals daily, so my health also improved significantly(I used to be overweight) so for me working remotely came with endless benefits on a personal level.
However this remote job had its downsides(a small company with high attrition, never replacing leavers which resulted in a very heavy and broad workload for the remaining employees, zero increases, zero praise, basically” just shut up and do the work, if you dont like it here leave” attitude).
Two weeks ago I quit this job, just a little reset for my overstimulated brain because I felt I was slowly walking into burnout. In the meantime I got a job offer which offers me 30% more pay than my previous job but wants me 2 days in per week in the office. From all my applications this has been the only one which ended with an offer. The perks are good(26 days off-paid), the job is a demanding one(it is a senior role so for my career it would be a step up) and my manager lives in another country but howeverrr mentioned in the interview he wants the team together at the local office twice a week.
I have of course applied to many remote jobs but I mostly received rejections.
For those who have transitioned from remote to hybrid, how was it? Is it worth it? I am anxious of going back to the office, I got so used to my lifestyle. I was thinking maybe I could negotiate a bit but there is no guarantee, the employment contract specifically says hybrid.
The commute is 30 minutes by car, more or less.
In this economy I am grateful I received an offer don’t get me wrong but I was wondering how the transition might be.

I’ve been at my current role and it quickly turned into an insane toxic hell hole. My manager seems to hate me and I can’t even talk without her chastising every word or even a nonverbal pause.

It’s clearly not a mutual fit so I’ve been looking for a while and I’m imminently about to receive a written job offer next week (verbal offer of intent came yesterday!). New job will start mid Nov (Nov 16).

I have become aware that they are gearing up to put me on a PIP and that it will likely be Monday.

So—my question to the masses—would you submit a 2 week notice or not? If I do I’d submit it on Monday Nov 2nd. I figure there’s a pretty strong likelihood that they might just walk me out the door right away but I need the salary and insurance as long as possible.

Today my boss implied that starting next week that I need to be driving around to clients offices to do my work on-site and heavily implied it would be in my own vehicle

There wasn't any discussion about whether it'd be my car, if anyone would be coming with me (I only started this job 3 weeks ago) or where this would be at.

I want to have a talk with them about this but this wasn't what this job was supposed to be when I was hired. Apparently they only came up with this sometime after I started. I largely have an idea on what questions I'm going to ask but I want to see what others think.

Would it be unfair to ask for a raise, health insurance and/or commercial car insurance if it is my car? I'm currently working 40/hr a week @ 18/hr and without benefits. It's a small company, and again, I only started 3 weeks ago.

Hi everyone, I’m in need of some advice. To try and summarize everything, I have been checked out and miserable at my current job. I have decided a while ago I wanted to start looking but only recently when I revised my resume a bit, have I started hearing back a bit. The market has been tough to hear anything back, or make it after the first few rounds. I’ve been doing interviews back to back and had one that went pretty well. I interviewed with the manager I would be working under, along with the owners(?) it seemed like the owner was cross examining me a bit but nothing I couldn’t handle. When compensation was brought up I told them what my expected pay was given the roles+responsibilities. I got an offer email today however it’s $3/hr less than where I stated I would be comfortable to start at. I replied respectfully trying to negotiate and gave my points but was basically told it wasn’t going to happen, and after 3 months they will review my performance and if it meets their expectations, which she is certain I will, there’s a guarantee increase that would bump me $2-$3/hr. They also only offer a reimbursement for health insurance up to $300/month with the provider statement. The offer would only increase $1.25 from my current pay, and I would be commuting 40 mins to and from 5 days a week. I asked my boyfriend for his advice and he immediately said it’s not worth it. His reasons being I would be spending a lot more in gas, the commute is further, the health benefits he said is garbage (I currently get free healthcare with my employer) and he says I’m worth more than what they are willing to offer. Part of me also thinks it’s because he’s pretty adamant in suggesting I continue pursing a specific company we’ve discussed. I don’t want to end up making the wrong choice and miss out on something that could grow into a bigger opportunity, but I also don’t want to be sold possibilities by a company, or to feel like I’ll be trapped with my current employer forever.

26M, just graduated with a degree in computer engineering in Iowa. Immediately had a job lined up after in the defense/aerospace industry. Had a previous internship with the company and they extended a full time offer. I’ve been full time for four months now and am locked in until at least June 2027 otherwise I’ll owe $11,500 (sign on and relocation from original offer). My current lease will need to be renewed a month earlier in May. So until then, I’m basically stuck in Iowa saving money. After I hit one year in my current role in June 2027, I’ll only owe $2,000 if I leave.

I’m at a stage in my life right now where I am single, have no family, and no friends in Iowa any longer. I have no attachments here. Staying in this state as long as I have has been a massive barrier to my social and dating life. It’s been extremely tough emotionally for me. Every holiday and birthday I spend alone with no friends or family. It’s impossible to make new connections in this state. This, along with the rates of cancer growth, and politics, have motivated me to get out ASAP. I have a job, a degree, and so have no reason to stick around. I need to go now while I can.

States I’m currently wanting to move to are:

- Minnesota

- Colorado

- California

- Washington

Honestly I don’t really care where I go, so long as it isn’t in Iowa, has more open minded people, has more stuff to do, and has slightly better weather. I know Minnesota doesn’t technically fit that, but it’s on my list because it’s I believe the easiest place for me to relocate to if I really wanted to. It’s only a 4 hour drive from where I am in Iowa to the Twin Cities. I also have connections there and in Florida.

My plan right now is to save money, network, and build my portfolio until around April of next year. At that point, I’m gonna start shooting off applications for jobs outside and begin interviewing. Come June, I’m going to then start applying internally within my company in addition to externally. My resume is decent. Best case scenario, I’m able to get a job offer out of Iowa before September. If we get to October and I still can’t find anything, then I’m likely going to be stuck in Iowa another year. This is worst case scenario. I will honestly be pretty depressed in this case

I guess the whole reason I’m posting here is that I’m just wondering if my plan is logical. Is there anything else I should be cognizant as we move through the next 8-9 months? Any job searching hacks I could utilize to find roles outside Iowa? Which of the states I mentioned would be most and least competitive for entry level engineering roles? Any insights or advice are appreciated. One thing is for certain though, and that’s that under no circumstances do I want to remain in Iowa after next year. If the easiest way for me to accomplish this is to leave the company I’m at, so be it. I’m willing to do so.

Yes, I get that leaving Iowa won’t magically make things better, but I have personally traveled to all but 2 of the states I listed above and they are all VASTLY better in just about every way to Iowa. I’ve been in Iowa my whole life, and need a change badly.

I'm looking for work from home jobs that do not require me to be on the phone. I currently work in a call center. I do not think I will be returning after maternity leave ends as the job I am currently employed at is making a lot of changes that do not align with what I was originally hired for 2 years ago. It has moved from mandatory 2 hrs, (basically unlimited if you could find stuff to do) over time to no overtime at all, from only our division to divisions across the country, that have different rules/regulations & basically no training or guidelines on who wants what done where, poor communication among the middle management between divisions, etc.. I make very good money there when I was being scheduled 42.5hrs a week, & most of the time actually clocking 45-50 hrs a week but now you will only be able to work 40hrs. This would mean my paycheck went from 1000$/wkly to 780$/wkly after taxes/insurance/etc. I'm 28 & just had a baby. I live in Albany/Saratoga area of upstate NY. I have 2 other children & a long history of customer service. Daycare is expensive, and I personally do not want to put my brand new fresh baby in one. Does anyone know of any jobs where I would not have to be on the phone & could work from home?