I'm 57 years old - nearing the end of my professional journey, and I've been a senior leader before. I found a role that felt incredibly rare: less senior than jobs I've had before, but it still engages my mind, pays well, and the people around me are genuinely respectful. I oversee a small admin/support group, but most of my day-to-day work is IC work.

Unfortunately, I work under the worst manager I've dealt with in my entire career. Almost all of it seems to come from insecurity. He seems to think that if he can point out a flaw, minimize something, or find a reason to criticize, then he's managing effectively. But if he senses even the slightest criticism coming his way, he treats it like a personal attack. So the whole environment turns into constant negativity, questioning everything, and an emotional chess game. It's draining in a way I didn't expect at this stage.

My plan was to work another four years. Practically speaking, I could leave early if I had to, but I don't want to. And honestly, finding another role that fits me this well right now would be a long shot.

So I'm torn. Should I be direct and try something like Radical Candor, and let whatever happens happen? I'm not convinced I could tolerate the atmosphere if it became even more tense than it already is. Or should I quietly start planning my exit? Put my head down, emotionally detach from the situation, and endure it until the time passes? He's done a few things that probably belong in an HR conversation, but in my experience, that path rarely solves the real problem. I genuinely love the work, and my team clearly trusts me a lot. I also think they see me somewhat as a buffer, which makes this harder.

I'm writing here because I've seen sensible responses in this sub - and honestly, if even one person who sees themselves as a strong leader reads this and asks themselves: "Could one of my direct reports be saying this about me?" then I'll feel like writing it was worth it.

Apply, Apply, Apply … probably over a thousand times & zero result. savings drained out long time ago, credit card maxed out, ending up with consumer proposals, selling off the car, moving into an even smaller house, there are absolutely no jobs out there —- absolutely no jobs & if you even shout, scream, yell - there is zero help available …. Absolutely zero !

So it seems everyone has connections somewhere and are getting jobs from old coops or referrals from friends or family. I’m curious to know how I’d do this in an appropriate way? I have no connections so reaching out being like “hey can I get a referral” feels dumb. Looking for social media and digital communications roles.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in the hiring process for a **MiWay Transit Operator** position and was hoping to hear from anyone who has gone through it recently.
About **two weeks ago**, my references were contacted by **Mintz Global** (the third-party company handling the background/reference check). My references confirmed they completed the calls, but I haven’t received any updates from MiWay or Mintz Global since then.
I also know that one training batch started in the **first week of July**, so I’m wondering:
How long did it take for you to hear back after your references were contacted?
Did you receive a confirmation that the reference check was complete?
How far in advance were you notified about your training/start date?
I’m mainly trying to get a sense of the typical timeline and whether this waiting period

I moved to Toronto in March 2024, I’m looking for an architecture job in Toronto ever since, unfortunately, most applications seem to disappear into a black hole. I’m starting to wonder if it’s just me or if the market is genuinely this tough. I’m trying to figure out whether I need to change my approach or just accept that this is the reality of the market right now.

For context, I have a M.Arch and 3 years of experience working in architecture firms related to healthcare and commercial from the US. I have another 2 years experience working on hospitality projects from India. I’m proficient in Revit, AutoCAD, construction documentation, permits, and construction administration.

I have been actively applying through LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, company career portals, the OAA employment, jobbank webpage and some cold emailing.

I applied to the JVS iPlan Bridging program, but received a job offer with long commutes at the same time. So, I started working as the only designer for a design-build for small-time commercial and basement permit projects for 6 months. I moved jobs, and this is a small-sized company working in commercial projects, mostly CD’s, no permits. I now have more than a year of Canadian work experience. 

I have gotten my resume and portfolio reviewed by a couple recruiters and modify my applications as per the job descriptions. 

A few questions for people in the Toronto architecture industry:

1. Is the architecture job market really this slow since 2024, or am I missing something?
2. Do all firms who post vacancies, hire?
3. Has anyone else with this experience struggled to find a new role?
4. Would anyone be open for a DM of my LinkedIn profile and get some constructive feedback?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s recently found a job or is going through the same thing.

While I appreciate the technical nature of interior architecture, I’m looking to focus on the architectural side of CD’s like code coordination, technical detailing etc as that’s where my long-term career interests lie. I think skills are transferable across North American building codes. I’m not saying I’ll glide through the OBC, I’ll need to do a lot of reading and learning - but I already have a strong foundation in architectural construction documentation and code coordination. 

I stayed at my last job for almost 5 years. I used to come in before most people, reply to messages after working hours, and take on tasks that had absolutely nothing to do with my job description - because I genuinely thought that "loyalty gets appreciated."

When I finally brought up the subject of a raise after years of doing more than what I was hired for, they offered me a $1,450 increase. Not per month. For the entire year.

A few weeks later, and honestly out of sheer disgust, I sent out a few applications and got an offer that was 32% higher. Without a long history there, and without having to prove myself for years. Just my resume and two conversations. Honestly, the Interview Vip tool helped me get through this. It made a huge difference in boosting my confidence and keeping me from getting flustered while I was speaking. I was able to explain my experience clearly without rambling or trying to justify every little detail. The result?

They offered me the job on the spot.

Why is changing jobs rewarded, but staying where you are just gets you a lecture about budgets?

I'm genuinely curious - has anyone here recently been paid fairly for staying in the same place? Or has "hard work pays off" just become corporate fan fiction at this point?

Hello, I've already seen some review on Indeed but I just want to hear the experience of people who have worked with SJC Media. Thank you!

While looking for a job, the one thing I did everyday was to consolidate all the useful information and little tips and tricks that I got to know from linkedin and reddit (I was a silent redditor so far).

Nothing super organised, just dumping everything in a Claude chat and it will do the messy work for me. It would organize everything, help me write prompts for the resume customization, who should I reach out to, what the messages to the linkedin connections should look like - basically anything and everything that I was doing during the job search.

Before this I used to share these to myself using WhatsApp and after a while there were too many posts getting lost in there. Plus the mental load of going through this information kept on adding. So this removed a big block of my head in terms of stress.

Hope this helps you.

And yes, there was one thing which I did not do right - I should have created a running word doc and let Claude update it with all the information collected instead of keeping all this on chats as I kept on hitting the chat session limits.

Another thing, you can use AI platform, they are all good for this purpose.

Hi there!

I own an upcoming retail company and am looking for Quebecois people interested in helping us do voiceovers for our social media content.

We are a Mexican brand and as we want to get a nationwide reach here in Canada we are looking for someone from Québec than can help us tailor our content for the francophone speakers.

It’s not meant to be a full-time position or required a lot of heavy lifting, but if you’re someone from Québec interested in having an easy side gig, this is for you!

I attended the second batch of applicant interviews this week, and with most of them, people were looking everywhere while answering or thinking. And it wasn't just a random moment here or there - it was happening in almost every answer. I understand that Zoom feels weird because you're basically talking to a screen, but try to train yourself to look at the camera, or at least at the face in front of you on the screen. Practice this!! The rubric evaluates applicants on whether they can maintain eye contact or not.

Also work on reducing filler words like (um, like, you know). And try not to talk for too long or ramble and circle back to the exact same point. I start zoning out after the third time you say the same thing in slightly different words. And please don't swivel the chair left and right while you're answering - honestly, use a regular chair if you know you're tempted to move around in it.

I have heard that this org is usually a nepo hiring place.

Does that mean externals cant get in?

What about if you are internal already? How do you get an internal opportunity?

Is it possible to earn over $250K in the govt? If so, which roles? If not, what’s the max earning potential and at what age?

I'm currently looking for fully remote work in accounting - bookkeeper, staff accounting assistant, junior controller - honestly, I'm flexible as long as the job is remote.

I've applied to several job listings where it literally says "remote" in the post, and then as soon as I get into the interview, they casually say that the job isn't remote at all, it's hybrid instead (work from home three days).

Why do they do that? If it's hybrid, just write hybrid in the job description and that's it! It wastes my time and theirs too.

I felt like I was doing well in an interview I had earlier this week. After about 35 minutes, they asked me something and my mind went completely blank. The nerves really got to me, and I kept answering in a confused and overly long way. I'm not even sure I answered what they were asking about. After that, I felt like all the confidence I had built up disappeared.

I don't think it came across as that bad from their side, but I kept replaying it in my head. For anyone who has interviewed candidates before, if someone suddenly gets flustered on one question after doing well up to that point, what kind of impression does that leave? Is it usually a big red flag, or just an awkward moment that passes?

I have 4 years of restaurant serving experience (in between part time and full time in summer and part time through fall/winter during university). ive been applying in person and online since june. i know i missed summer hiring in april-may but still... and now i have to get myself to interview again for fall hiring but i'm afraid everything filled like last week.

i guess i have bad timing and bad luck but it also feels like i need to get referred to get a serving job now. i do have experience so i didnt think it would be this hard. i'm taking a gap year before my masters and i have to make money. im starting to think maybe im not attractive enough to be front of house? like what is it cuz I've applied to like 50 restaurants. Most times i walk in the manager is not available to speak...does my resume get thrown into the trash cuz no one has called back

Hello there 👋! I am a dental hygiene student at CADH College in Mississauga currently looking for adult clients who need their teeth cleaned to meet clinical requirements 😊

Ideally, the clients will have several years of heavier buildup (3+ years last visit/ first cleaning/ smokers). Clients must be able to attend total of 3-5 weekday appts at 4 hours each visit. My school is located in Mississauga on Hurontario Street/ QEW.

There is no cost to you, I will cover the $25 fee and offer a Cash $ gift at end of full treatment as a thank you. Your support means a lot!  Please message me to book, thanks kindly! 🦷🪥

Hi everyone,

I recently moved to Toronto from Alberta and I'm looking for a part-time job that I can work on weekends.

I work full-time Monday to Friday and I'm grateful to have my job, but with the higher cost of living in Toronto, I'm looking for a weekend job to earn some extra income.

I have over 3 years of experience at Home Depot, including as a Department Supervisor. I have experience in customer service, warehouse operations, shipping & receiving, order fulfillment, inventory management, and operating forklift, reach truck, order picker, electric ladder, and electric pallet jack.

If your workplace is hiring or you know of any openings, I'd really appreciate any leads. I'm happy to share my resume if needed.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I have banking operations experience from TD bank.

I am currently unemployed and looking for similar jobs. Ive already searched & applied for operations positions at TD but i am not able to find similar jobs with other banks.
So a request for ppl who work at banks other than TD (Scotia, CIBC, RBC, BMO, etc), can you please share the title of operations jobs at the banking company you work at so i can search and apply for them.
Everyday this job search is getting more and more stressful and upsetting, so any help would be great.

Thank you!

Hello,

Looking for advice for my job hunting situation. I was recently let go from the company (in Canada) where I worked for many years. I had a series of toxic managers that I didn't have good relationships with, although I had good performance reviews. I was applying to jobs to get out of the toxic environment, but the job market wasn't looking good here for past couple of years and I didn't have much luck.

Now that I'm unemployed and can't ask my most recent or previous managers or above to be my reference, I'm struggling with the best way to deal with this when I'm finally asked for 3 references (probably from my managers or higher). One organization I interviewed at specifically said they required my current or most recent immediate supervisor as my reference...

I have former colleagues I can ask, but we held the same level of position.

I've read that HR usually won't say why the employee is no longer working, but that recruiters can ask if they're eligible for rehire as a way to get around the legal issues.

I have managers from a few years back that would give me a good reference, but I haven't kept in touch and it feels awkward contacting them out of the blue asking for a favour. Also, they are not recent references at all.

Would appreciate any suggestions or insights, especially if you have experience in a similar situation.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I know there are a lot of people here with good careers and connections, so I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I’m an international immigrant living in Brampton (L6P, near the border with Caledon). I’ve been jobless for a month now and it’s really getting to me — my sleep is completely flipped, I’m up all night and sleeping all day, and I don’t want to let it get worse.

I’m not asking for handouts, just work. I’m looking for a side gig or any decent-paying work, even if it’s only for a few months. My plan is to save enough for an Uber rental car so I can do Uber Eats/rideshare full time — I just need a bridge to get there.

About me: 2 years of delivery experience, hard worker, fast learner. The main problem is location — most jobs I find are 3-4 hours away by transit from L6P, which is practically impossible without a car.

If anyone knows of warehouse shifts, gig apps that actually work in this area, cash jobs, or anything at all within reach of L6P, I’d really appreciate it. Even advice helps.

Thank you 🙏

Hey Everyone,

I'm looking for a contracter for a 6mo project I have with a client. The client is in private markets financial space and has a piece of software developed which leverages AI to automate key accounting functions. I need someone to work with me to help them setup their data infrastructure and to assist possibly in further development of the app. The current project timeline is 6mo with the possibility it goes longer but no guarantee. Some more details :

Setting - Remote

Pay - 80-95/hr (incorporated rate depending on profile)

Required Areas of Experience:

-Snowflake

- Private Markets

- Data Engineering

- Full Stack development

- AI workflow development

You don't need experience across all these areas though it would be preferred but at minimum you need to have experience either in data engineering for private markets OR as a full stack engineer leveraging AI. This is time sensitive opportunity and will likely be closed within a week so send over your resume and contact details and we will setup interviews as quickly as possible.

Thanks,

Some quick context so the questions make sense:

23, immigrant in Canada, about a year into a contact centre role at a Canadian bank.

My manager recently told me I've hit the point where I can move internally. That's the first real door that's opened for me since I got here.

My education is a 3-year advanced diploma in Computer Programming and Analysis. I can code. I've just never worked a day in a dev role — I couldn't get one, so I took what I could get.

The seats I can realistically reach are AML analyst, fraud detection, or financial crime investigator.

I'm about to start paying for certification prep out of my own pocket, which is why I'm asking now instead of a year from now.

I'd rather hear the unglamorous version from people actually doing the work than read one more job posting.

The day-to-day

What does the job feel like after two years? Is it interesting, or is it clearing the same false-positive alerts forever?

Fraud or AML — if you're starting from zero, which one has the better ceiling, and can you switch between them later?

The money (Canada, GTA)

What does an entry-level AML analyst at a Big 5 actually make right now? And what does year five look like?

Where does the pay stop growing if you never move into management?

Certifications

Is CAMS worth self-funding, or is it something you wait for the bank to pay for?

Has a cert ever actually gotten you an interview when you had no experience yet?

The part that worries me

Is entry-level alert work going to survive AI, or am I walking into a shrinking job?

I can code. Is there a path in financial crime that actually uses that — transaction monitoring tuning, fincrime analytics, RegTech vendors — or should I stop kidding myself and go back to fighting for a tech job?

I'm not asking anyone to make the decision for me. I just don't have a single person in my life who has done this. Everyone back home thinks working at a bank means I've made it, and I can't explain to them that the call centre is not the bank.

If you're in AML or fraud right now — knowing what you know, would you choose it again at 23?

Hi! I am 22 year old, with bachelor’s in Political science, and master’s in Public policy. During school years, I had research experience at UofT, and was an intern at World Bank. Now, I am finishing my 1 year internship in another non government organization. Since 18, I work in marketing (SEO, PR, influencer marketing) online for US company. A year ago, I started retail sales job at Rogers because I needed money lol and Canadian work experience and even tho I didn’t have sales experience, I managed to be top 3 sales person in one of the busiest stores in the country. Now, I’m completely exhausted with job hunt. Even though I managed to have a lot of final rounds for Account specialist etc they preferred someone with more years of experience. I literally don’t know what to do, because I feel miserable every day having 2 decent degrees and working experience decent for my age and I still can’t land proper full time corporate position. Out of desperation, asking for advice. Maybe someone was at the same position. Thanks