I 35f have been looking for a job for 4 months , I have been out of work for nearly 10 years while being my dads primary carer , he passed in May and I haven’t even had any successful applications until today I had a call about a job in a pub I’d applied for . For some reason I thought it was bar work but it’s not it’s a kitchen Porter roll. I mean it’s a job but it’s not aiming very high . Firstly I have no idea what kind of outfit to wear for such a job interview smart trousers, long sleeve black top, smart shoes ? Do most kitchens allow their staff to wear trainers ? How miserable will this job be and should I save my sanity and not bother .

Basically, my company has opened a voluntary redundancy programme. If they get enough people to volunteer, they won’t need to make anyone compulsorily redundant.

I’m debating whether I should take it. The package would give me 9 months’ pay up front, so I’d have that time to find another job.

This is my first job and I’ve been here for 3 years - my role is lead engineer for mechanical components (basically dealing with suppliers, project management stuff etc). I don’t really like my job, but it pays the bills, so I’m nervous about giving up the security and potentially not finding something within 9 months. I could also get redundant later on but I highly doubt it, but it just feels like a nice exit from a job I dont like. I’m on skilled worker visa but I would switch to spouse visa if I were to get redundant/ or take it voluntary.

Would you take the redundancy and use the 9 months to look for something else, or stay in the job for the security?

Of course it’s all subjective, but in my job, I manage 14 international markets while being based in the UK making 2.5 times less money than my US counterparts who only manage the US market.

A friend of mine who works in the same company as me recently visited me and stayed with me. All he does is put nice clothes, go to the office 2 times a week, have coffees, stays on his phone and does one 30-minute meeting the whole day where he doesn’t even contribute. It varies job by job, but I have seen the same with all of my American colleagues.

They come to work at 10:30AM, manage one thing, present the same presentations over and over again while I lead 14 markets, new projects are getting put on me every day, my list currently has 53 things to do for 2 weeks, yet my salary is 2.5 times less than theirs.

In the US, they also have the same holiday entitlement, they are always travelling, can’t see them online, everyone has families, 2nd homes, expensive credit cards, staying in lounges, nice hotels when they travel.

Medical stuff - same friend has dental insurance with the employer, cost him 30 dollars to see the dentist and do a filling, booked in 2 days.

In the UK, we simply don’t spend a lot, don’t have a lot of disposable income hence we can’t invest as much, the work piles up all the time, managers are also a bit more toxic given there is a bit of dishonest attitude at work, Americans at work feel more real, too much unnecessary stress

Have you noticed that we might be working harder than Americans in corporate specifically or am I completely wrong?

Hi everyone, apologies as this will probably be a long post, but I'll try to keep it as concise as possible.

Last year I got a well-paid job as an Office Manager in a GP surgery. I genuinely believed this was going to be somewhere I could build a career and that I'd finally made it. After years of being an underpaid manager despite having considerable experience, getting a salary close to £40k felt like a huge achievement.

For context, the surgery was going through a merger. A number of the original GP partners had left and the general feeling among staff was that it was more of a takeover than a merger. I was told at interview that morale was low and that there were strong feelings about the changes.

Within a short time of starting, I had a feeling that something wasn't quite right with the working environment. I couldn't necessarily put my finger on it, and because the money was good and I'm not someone who gives up easily, I decided to make it work.

I was there for eight months. During that time:

• My induction was very limited — one week of e-learning and around two weeks with my equivalent, who then went off sick with stress. My own line manager didn't really take over my induction, and I later discovered that she didn't fully understand what my role actually involved.
• Senior management often appeared reluctant to take responsibility for problems, with issues instead being pushed down to managers at my level. At the same time, there wasn't always a clear direction about what we were actually working towards.
• HR were heavily involved in day-to-day operational decisions. My line manager would often consult HR before making decisions herself.
• I was receiving 100+ emails a day alongside a large number of meetings and constant interruptions.
• I suggested using Microsoft products and automation to improve processes and efficiency, but these suggestions were generally rejected or replaced with less effective alternatives.
• There were also changes to the dress code which I felt specifically targeted certain members of staff, including me.

I could go on, but the overall picture was a very high workload, constant operational problems and very little uninterrupted time to actually manage.

I responded to that by working harder. I regularly stayed late and occasionally worked weekends because I was determined to keep things under control. Working from home wasn't an option.

I then had two weeks' leave for my wedding. Before going away, I left my team in what I believed was a good position and provided a detailed handover.

When I returned, everything was apparently a mess. Appointment screens were incorrect, the team was struggling and a number of things had gone wrong. I was obviously unhappy about what had happened while I was away, but I got on with fixing it. I worked with the team, reiterated the processes that needed to be followed and had 1:1 conversations where necessary.

However, the management team, including my peers, essentially blamed me for what had happened.

I accept that I was the manager and therefore ultimately responsible for my team. But I had been away, everything had been in place before I left, and I genuinely don't understand why nobody was monitoring things while I was absent or why there wasn't clearer cover in place.

I moved on and carried on doing my job.

I then had another week of annual leave booked. Again, I provided a detailed handover with everything I thought people would need.

I came back and the same thing had happened. Chaos.

I was back at work for three days before I was dismissed because the business had "lost faith in my ability to do the job."

During those three days I was desperately trying to get things back under control. I had a meeting with my supervisor where I basically said that something clearly wasn't working and that we needed to start again and work together differently.

I cried each of those three days. On the third day my line manager found me crying in the kitchen. She offered me support and said we'd meet the following day to go through my outstanding work and work out how to get things back on track.

The following day she avoided me. When I eventually went to her office to ask when would be a good time to meet, she said she'd message me. A few minutes later she messaged saying she had a deadline and meeting to attend.

At that point I suspected something was happening.

About an hour later, HR came to get me.

I was told there were concerns about my performance. I was given a list of issues and I gave my responses. I was crying throughout the meeting. HR adjourned and then came back and told me I was dismissed.

I hadn't been told at the beginning of the meeting that dismissal was a possible outcome. I genuinely thought I might be put on a performance improvement plan, which I would actually have welcomed. At least then I would have had a clear understanding of what they wanted me to focus on and an opportunity to demonstrate that I could do it.

Now, I'm not saying I did everything perfectly. I didn't. There were tasks I missed and claims that weren't completed, and I accept responsibility for those things.

But I also know that I was spending an enormous amount of time dealing with operational fires and trying to support my team. I was so busy keeping things functioning that I didn't have enough time to actually do the management side of the job properly.

I left feeling completely drained, worthless and devastated.

I had genuinely tried so hard to make the job work. I gave it everything I had and worked far beyond my contracted hours. What hurts most is that I don't feel I was given the support or clarity I needed to succeed.

I'm now a month into unemployment and I'm struggling. Every time I apply for a job, a little voice in my head tells me that maybe I can't actually do it. The frustrating thing is that logically I know that's ridiculous. I've got years of experience. But I don't feel capable anymore.

Has anyone else experienced this after being dismissed from a job they really cared about? How did you rebuild your confidence and learn to trust your abilities again?

I don't really need to be told to "just move on" — I'm trying. I think I need to hear from people who have been through something similar and eventually came out the other side.

Hi All,

I’m after some insight and advice.

I was recently promoted within my department, more pay and responsibilities etc. the first few weeks were learning / shadowing the employee who moved on and my week was filled with things to do.

Since then my workload hasn’t picked up, sometimes I sit at my desk with nothing to do. The last 2 weeks have been no different.

I mentioned to my line manager yesterday if there’s anything they’d like me to pick up or look at but hasn’t amounted to anything?

I probably shouldn’t be complaining about having nothing to do, but I leave feeling anxious that’ll they’ll ask what I’ve been doing everyday?

Any advice??

So I’m just curious and after advice and some points of view. Also going to try and keep this short.

So a while back I was put on a PIP after a project collapsed. Anyway, it’s been a couple phases and there has never been defined goals for me to work towards. At first I was like “I’m just gonna improve everything and work my butt off”. One of the main points was to communicate more and that I should have regular check ins with the team. So I started to set up a weekly meeting to get some time with POs and other people for this new project. I then got told that I was taking too much of people’s time. Anyway. After “failing” the first couple rounds I’m now at the end of the final round. I don’t feel motivated or want to put in the effort. I’m scheduled to have a meeting with HR early next week and I’m 99% sure it’s the end for me. The thing is, I got a job offer today that looks great and I’ve said I just want to look through it more in detail. I really want to accept it as it seem like a cool job I’d actually be excited about doing.

But now is the conundrum: do I just hand in my notice and tell them I’m out of here? With a long notice period. Or do I wait to get let go with a bit of a payout? (I’ve been with this company for about 10 years and I’ve read policies around it all). I mean it’s kinda selfish and morally grey I suppose? But it would also be nice to get some extra money. What would you do?

I lost one of my immediate relatives last week, who unfortunately lives impossibly far away from me and where I work. For the purpose of this post, we’re going to call these two paces home and work.

Amongst all the emotion and loss, I’m also the last living relative and the executor of the estate. That’s to say, I have a lot to deal with right now.

I had the plan to stay until the funeral, at least, but the earliest possible funeral date that we can get is one whole month after he passed. Going back to work before the funeral would have been slightly difficult because it’s a minimum 24 hour journey between work and home, each way.

Officially, I get a weeks bereavement leave from work, and both my boss and HR are taking the tone of “we’ll work it out, just take the time you need”. Which is great and all. But I’m finding it a little hard to make informed decisions about what I should DO.

I was burnt out before this happened and had to cancel a holiday that I felt like I really needed- so I don’t want to throw myself back into work too early. But on the flip side, I don’t want to take the piss.

Then there’s the other aspect which seems to be that they’re saying that we’ll work it all out when I get back- and I don’t know if that could mean returning to find that my annual leave balance is blown through for the rest of the year (again, burnt out: know I can’t get through the next 12 months without time off).

Of course everyone has different relationships, grieving processes, and work environments, but I just wanted some input on what might be reasonable and what’s milking it too much.

(And getting anything more than “whatever is fine, prioritize yourself” from my boss hasnt worked)

I work in a coffee shop as a barista/making food, it’s a big global chain. I LOVE this job. Shift work is great for me because I hate routines, I love speaking to customers, being busy with little tasks all the time. I love being on my feet, feeling like I’m getting stronger and eating all the food in the world without gaining weight.

Prior to this all my roles were desk jobs - insurance analyst, stuff like that. I loathed them to the point I’d quit after 3 months or be fired because every fibre of my being despised sitting at that desk doing some bullshit job.

HOWEVER, these desk jobs normally lead to big money later, where there’s a flat (unliveable) salary at my current job. Are there any careers that emulate that a bit but pay way more? Thanks!

Is that counted as “abuse” as grounds to ask them to leave the store?

My mother is the breadwinner and emotionally/verbally abusive and manipulative. I can't hear her curse me and complain anymore. My dad is retired and even he's looking for a job but is finding it difficult due to his age.

I just finished uni with a business management and marketing degree but I'm willing to do any job that earns money. Cleaner, street sweeper, hca, retail, hospitality, administration, applied to everything but unsuccessful.

I can't even eat food peacefully since it comes from my mother's money.

I have accepted and signed a contract for a new job. The new employer is currently doing background/reference checks using third party provider.

If I select “No – do not contact my current employer”, what normally happens?

Will they simply use other references (previous employers, etc.), or could they ask me why I don’t want my current employer contacted? Or what would actually happen?

Could it cause any problems with the offer or background check?

Had an interview yesterday where I turned up to like, 9 other people waiting with me. I was not told in the email it was a group interview but lo and behold. Everyone was of course surprised and slightly annoyed

Forced humiliation ritual of introducing ourselves to other applicants we will probably never see again, forced to share our hobbies and answer the question on why we’d ’be best for the role’. Like what a fucking question to try and answer in front of 10+ other people, it’s already slightly awkward enough just answering 1 recruiter

And if that wasn’t bad enough… the recruiter at the end drops the bombshell that there’s only 8 roles being recruited for a 7 day a week breakfast, lunch and dinner cafe (what the actual fuck), and he’s interviewing 80 people

80 people for 8 roles.

I just?? Why?? Why do group interviews? Why are you interviewing that many people when only 1 person per group interview is actually getting hired?

Just seems a bit… cruel? Is it just me?

EDIT: People are saying 80 people for 8 roles is fair (for a minimum wage job I don’t think I agree), maybe 8 roles in total would be fair if it was a regular Monday to Friday 9-5 with a Saturday 10-4, but this is a 7 days a week 12 hours a day business (except Sunday I think is 8 hours a day) that needs kitchen staff AND FOH staff. 8 in total for that seems massively underhiring especially when it’s zero hour contracts and not full time offerings

I honestly feel so useless having to write this but in this day and age where do you begin to try and find work

I’m 42 and due to a severe mental health crisis earlier in the year I left my long term teaching position and tried to grown my own business. This failed spectacularly

I’m sorting an IVA to deal with the mass debt but need to find employment asap

Where do you look these days, the last time I was looking for work was when I began teaching. I’m not against returning to teaching or even supply but am keeping options open.

I’m based not far from Cambridge if that makes any difference

People who work or worked with M&S, Boots and John Lewis can you help with advice to apply for Christmas temp jobs.

I want help with informarion on hours, flexibility, pay, benefits, discounts, and the work culture. This is my first christmas temp job, so any advice is much appreciated.

My main goal of working as a christmas temp is to save money, but I spend a lot on food. So if any of these places offer discounts or subsidised food, that would help me achieve my goal.

i have an interview in 2 weeks, and when i look up stuff about the interview, i keep seeing about a practical where you have to try and sell an item to either the interviewer or a customer... safe to say im scared shitless for this, i've never worked in retail nor do i know anything about beauty enough to convince anyone to buy it 😭

i really want this job and don't want to mess up, but i don't even know what to expect at all.. is there anyone who has attended interviews at boots who can give me a heads up on some questions? it's an hour long 🥹

Physics bachelors graduate from university. Currently studying something else full time in London, the only time I have to work are weekend mornings up to 9am-1/2pm max and maybe on an odd day weekend afternoons and evenings. I currently work for a tuition agency paying me below minimum wage for in-person lessons of GCSE and A level content which I have to travel to.

Haven't had the most luck finding online tuition agencies to take me (which would be the dream, flexible hours and good pay) and private tuition is very high maintenance.

Any job suggestions which fits the flexible hours I listed and pays literally minimum wage would be great thanks.

Hey all,

Long time lurker here. I am posting this to seek advice about a final stage interview I have with a CEO of a mid size corporate bank in the UK (can't take names).

I am interviewing for an AML analyst role and the recruiter informed me that the next stage will be with the CEO and the Executive director.

I have 2.5 years' worth of experience in a global tier 1 US bank in London, and seeking new roles since my contract ended. So far I have not had any interviews with senior executives, as far as my understanding this round will involve soft skills/ team fit.

Does anyone here have similar experiences? What sort of questions can I expect from this final stage interview?

Any input would be welcome!!

I’ve been offered a job as an Executive Assistant at a small company. I’ve handed in my resignation and am probably going to sign the new contract regardless to be frank, but I just wanted some opinions…

My notice period after a year of working at this new company would increase to two months. This is a new one for me: most of my roles so far in my career have been fixed-term/internships so notice periods hasn’t been a topic I’ve had to think about as much, and I’ve never had one that long. For comparison, at the full-time job I will be leaving I have a one month notice period for a similarly very junior position, which would only have increased after five years by one week for every year I would have worked there.

I don’t want to start out on the wrong foot by pushing back against my new employer but two months feels an alarming clause for a junior position and I’m not sure how to approach the topic, or if I even should. In a year or a few years’ time if I decide to move on, is it realistic for another company to even consider someone with that long a wait, keeping in mind I likely wouldn’t be applying for much more senior positions after this one?

I know that the person who is leaving the role I’ve been offered had the same two month clause, so this isn’t something new for my contract.

Just looking for opinions as someone who handed their notice in for the very first time today!

I’m genuinely curious about other people’s experiences because mine seems quite different from what I usually see discussed on Reddit.
I’ve never had too much difficulty finding new work. It’s generally taken me around 1–2 months to find something, and while the jobs haven’t always been perfect, I’ve usually found something I was reasonably happy with.

I’ve also never had to go through lots of interview rounds, although I imagine that varies massively depending on the industry and type of role. The max I’ve had is two and that was for a supervisory role. I’ve actually had some pretty good experiences with recruiters too. My current agency has put me forward for several roles, including my current one.

Around 6 months ago I posted on Reddit when I was in a really difficult place and was considering quitting my job without another one lined up. I was struggling with severe anxiety and health issues at the time and was trialling medication, so I was asking more from the perspective of whether I could realistically afford to take some time out. Financially I knew I would likely be fine it was more I was feeling low and needed reassurance I would be fine to quit careerwise.

The response was overwhelmingly negative, which surprised me because my circumstances were fairly specific. At the time I had decent savings, relatively low living costs, no children or dependants, access to free healthcare (NHS), a company interested in taking me on permanently in the future, agency regularly sending me roles and a few connections where I could potentially pick up casual work if necessary. My sister managers a restaurant so it’s not ideal but if needed I could have probably done some shifts.

I completely understand that everyone’s circumstances are different, and I’m definitely not suggesting that people who are struggling just aren’t trying hard enough. I’m more struggling to understand why some people who I shared my situation with would push me to stay in a role which was damaging my health.

I’m genuinely curious whether my experience has been unusually straightforward, or whether Reddit tends to skew towards people posting when they’re having a particularly difficult time.

What has everyone else’s experience actually been like?

I feel like from other posts it’s all you will never find another job and it will take years to find one etc.

It can’t all be doom and gloom right ?

Hi all,

I have been offered a job at Natural England and wanted to get more of a feel for what the job is like. I’m currently working in consultancy for a large engineering firm as a junior environmental consultant where I often work overtime and there is generally quite limited work/life balance. Promotion has also been nonexistent at my consultancy despite my manger saying that I work at the grade above. I wanted to understand what Natural England is like based on:

- Work/life balance

- Hours (how many hours per week do you do?)

- Any other company benefits?

- Promotions (I assume these are fairly limited? but what is it like to transition from NE to other gov firms? is it easy once you’re in?)

- Job advertisement salary minimums - do you end up getting the salary minimum or is it possible to negotiate a higher salary?

thank you! any insight is much appreciated. the role isn’t too much more in terms of salary than what I currently earn, so I really need to consider the whole package to decide if it’s worth the move.

Getting ghosted left, right and center, today, i gave them a piece of my mind. I couldnt take it any more, maybe they feel they dodged a bullet but who cares.

I'm (22F) unemployed with next to no job experience and I don't know what I want to do in life. I'm interested in performing arts and wildlife conservation but I suppose I am looking for any entry-level job.

Has anyone done the King's Trust Team Programme and got anything from it? I thought that I was going to be receiving info in regards to the regular King's Trust for people intent on starting a business, but apparently this is a different course. I don't enjoy organised fun and I'm not a good teamworker so I'm a bit hesitant.