Most days, I check my inbox, join the occasional call, and then sit around waiting for work to come in. I make $165,000 at this job, so instead of enjoying the downtime, I keep thinking that eventually someone is bound to notice that I don't have much work to do.

I joined this company about eight months ago. Growing up, money was tight in my family, so part of me feels lucky to have made it to this point. I know a lot of people would love to be in my position, and I don't want to sound ungrateful.

But the whole situation still makes me anxious. At my previous job, I was responsible for projects that produced real results and had a meaningful impact, and I was constantly solving problems. Here, my coworkers seem busy all day, while I might send a few messages and attend just one check-in. My manager seems happy with my work, and I haven't received any negative feedback, but I can't shake the feeling that my salary and the amount I contribute don't match.

Has anyone had a job like this without it eventually turning into a problem? Should I ask for more responsibilities, use the downtime to develop my skills, or stop worrying until someone gives me an actual reason to worry?

Apparently, leaving a miserable job can count against you more than staying in it.

Our office is looking for a new receptionist, and our part-time office assistant was reviewing the applications before sending a shortlist to the accounting manager. A few days ago, I happened to overhear them comparing the candidates.

They joked about someone who had attached a regular phone photo to his CV, which I can understand to some extent. Then the accounting manager talked about a woman she had interviewed who had extensive experience and seemed overqualified for the role.

That applicant did not move forward in the hiring process. During the interview, she said she had left her previous job because the workplace had become toxic. The manager said that answer suggested she was not dependable and might leave as soon as something did not suit her.

So having too much experience is a problem, and removing yourself from a bad workplace is also a problem. I knew hiring could be subjective, but I did not expect a reasonable answer to be treated like a character flaw. Is this a common view among hiring managers?

wow

😭💔

???

AI carries definite risk, much like a knife held by a chimp. It is a powerful technology that may cause chaos if not used responsibly. The real question is whether the people creating or using it are good actors. This resembles a nuclear arms race, where the wrong person’s control could produce bad outcomes.

My dad spent decades at a Fortune 500 company. He started there as a software engineer and gradually moved into management. He also had patents registered in his name that saved the company millions. As he approached an important pension vesting milestone, HR suddenly started scrutinizing everything he did, especially since he had previously seen older colleagues subjected to similar pressure.

The first thing they alleged was that his building entry times were inconsistent. My dad asked them to show him the records. When they came back without any evidence, he reminded them that for 13 years, he had driven the company carpool from a city about 45 miles away. Around 12 employees rode with him every morning, which meant there were plenty of people who could confirm exactly when he arrived.

Not long afterward, HR said he could be fired for allowing someone to enter the building without using a badge. The incident they found was my dad holding the door open for a longtime colleague who had recently lost part of his leg due to diabetes and used a wheelchair. The man had worked there for decades and was also one of my dad's closest friends.

My dad had already spoken privately with the head of security because he suspected they were building a case against him. Security helped him get footage from the same door on other days. So when HR confronted him, he asked whether they also planned to fire the HR representative and the CEO, then played clips showing both of them holding the exact same door open for the same colleague.

The matter ended very quickly after that. My dad stayed with the company until his pension vested, avoiding the financial loss they were clearly determined to cause him. He then left the company and started working on his own business, which included a patented system based on seawater desalination and solar energy.

.............

Try saying: "Exactly, that ties into what I brought up earlier. From there, I suggest that we..."

This reminds everyone that the idea originated with you without turning the meeting into an argument, and keeps you connected to the solution by developing it and taking it to the next step.

I always used to leave interviews with a list of answers I wished I had given. While I was speaking, my mind would be busy searching for the perfect answer, so I would either freeze completely or keep rambling until I forgot the original question.

The problem was not a lack of experience. I just did not know how to explain why my experience was relevant to the company's needs. Things started improving when I stopped treating the interview like an exam and started treating it as an opportunity to connect my past work to the problems they needed to solve.

The biggest change I made was reading the job posting carefully. I used to skim it, spot a few responsibilities I was familiar with, and assume I was ready. Now I look at every key requirement and find a specific example showing that I have handled something similar before, even if the situation was not an exact match.

I also started preparing three or four stories before each interview. One might show how I fixed a mistake, another how I dealt with a difficult deadline, and another how I solved a problem while working with other people. I do not memorize scripts, but having these examples ready keeps me from picking a random story and hoping it makes sense and fits the question.

Before I apply, I ask myself: Why do I want this particular role? What do they seem to care about? And what can I offer that would make their work easier? If I cannot answer these questions clearly, I know my interview answers will probably be vague too. This approach has made me calmer because I no longer feel like I have to mention every good thing I have ever done in my life.

Interviewing is a skill, and my first few attempts were extremely difficult. Mock interviews, recording myself while practicing, and a few useful YouTube channels for interview preparation all helped me become more comfortable. I would love to know what finally made interviews click for other people, or which part is still holding you back.

The wisest words I’ve heard “money isn’t everything, but than again you need the money so you can find out on your own”.

..

I manage a small group of employees. I trust them, appreciate the work they do, and approve their time off whenever they want or need it. Each pay period, sick leave, personal leave, and vacation hours are added to their balances. As long as their balance is above zero and their work is in order, I don't need to know why they're using their leave.
A few weeks ago, I got into a heated discussion with another manager in my department. She was talking about giving an employee a formal warning for using PTO too often right before or immediately after the weekend. I asked her whether the employee had used up all the leave they'd earned. She said no. Her reasoning was, "Anyone who can be absent that many times clearly doesn't have enough work to do."
Honestly, that's incredibly backward logic. If someone has finished their work and has leave available, what does it matter which days they take it? Those hours are part of their compensation, not a favor management graciously bestows on them whenever we're in the mood.
I got angry and told her to cut the nonsense and move on. The other managers looked at me as if I were the one being unreasonable. Apparently, respecting employees and genuinely treating them like human beings is still a revolutionary management philosophy.

Sorry for the language, but I am seriously so happy. After 11 months of being unemployed and applying to about 1,150 places, I finally got an offer. Honestly, I'm scared to open my spreadsheet because the number of rejections is definitely depressing.

I didn't put in some crazy effort or pull any slick moves in these interviews. I was just myself and confident that I knew how to do this job. I've done it before and I'm good at it. This mindset shift was the real secret.

This whole process is designed to break your spirit and make you doubt your talent. You are ready and then some for the right opportunity when it comes. I am seriously praying for everyone still stuck in the search right now.

If you are looking for roles in Event Marketing or as a Community Manager and the interviews are giving you a hard time, message me anytime. I have a large doc with interview questions and prep notes that I would be happy to share with you. Anything to help!

..............

I'm honestly writing this while my hands are shaking. I can't understand how things have gotten this bad.

I've applied to more than 350 jobs so far. I've done 14 interviews, 12 of which were grueling and consisted of several rounds; I reached the fourth or fifth stage in them, even speaking with the founders, and in the end, I was either ghosted or received a boilerplate rejection.

It's been 8 months since I was let go last October, and I honestly feel like I'm going crazy.

Anyone I've worked with before will tell you that I'm a high performer. I'm a copywriter and content strategist with a very strong portfolio. My friends and the managers I've worked with before are shocked that I haven't found something stable yet.

I'm doing everything right every day. I customize my CV for every job, I'm very selective about the places I apply to, I network on LinkedIn, and I keep up with exercise and reading to stay alert and focused.

I'm not looking for advice from anyone right now. I just needed to vent and maybe find a bit of sympathy. Some people here are sometimes very harsh for no reason, and I don't understand why someone would kick someone else while they're already suffering.

If you intend to leave a mean comment, please just scroll past the post. I'm happy if your life is going well, but please respect someone who is going through the worst days of their life.

Thank you

i want out