Feeling

I recently left my position at a small biotech startup where I had been working for about 10 months. I had a great experience there, enjoying meaningful contributions and a supportive team. However, I was seeking better work/life balance, which led me to consider a new opportunity. On my second to last day, my old company received a hint of funding for a grant that could stabilize our future, which made my decision to leave even harder. The CEO expressed a willingness to discuss my concerns about flexibility and vacation time, but I ultimately decided to pursue a hybrid quality assurance role at a different company, influenced by my best friend who works there. Now, just a week into the new job, I'm feeling a lot of regret. The role seems to involve mostly reviewing reports for eight hours a day, which is not what I expected, and I'm worried it won't be engaging enough for me. I keep questioning my decision and even considered reaching out to my old CEO to see if I could return, as I left on good terms. I'm also enrolled in a graduate certificate program related to my previous job, which adds to my feelings of uncertainty. It's a tough spot to be in, and I can't shake the feeling that I may have made a mistake.

I recently found myself reflecting on the challenges of being unemployed in the current job market, particularly concerning AI skills. As someone who was laid off from my role in marketing, I can't shake the worry that hiring managers might view my unemployment as a sign that I haven't kept up with the rapid changes in AI technology. I stumbled upon a LinkedIn post from a recruiter who stated she wouldn't consider candidates who had been unemployed for over a year, citing concerns about their ability to stay current with AI advancements in the field. This resonates with me deeply, as I was excluded from important AI training sessions that my colleagues attended over the summer, which only heightened my fears. It's frustrating to think about how difficult it is to gain relevant AI experience when many of us are being replaced by the very technologies we're trying to learn about. I'm curious if others share my concerns about staying connected to our fields while being unemployed.

I was laid off from my temp contractor position in Texas, with my last official workday being Friday, August 28th. Even though my contract technically ends today, Sunday, I’m unsure if I should apply for unemployment benefits now or wait until Monday. After some advice from others, it seems I can go ahead and apply today since I won’t be certifying for the first week until next week anyway. This whole situation has been a bit confusing, but I'm hoping to get things sorted out soon.

I recently moved for a job that isn't quite what I envisioned for myself. About a month into this role, I learned that my dream job had an opening. I had previously interviewed for it but lost out to a more experienced candidate. However, I just received a call from the company offering me this dream position, with a start date in about 5-6 months. I’m torn about what to do next. While my current job is fine, it doesn’t excite me like the new opportunity would. I’ve been advised to confirm the timeline and ensure the position is secure before making any decisions. For now, I plan to keep working at my current job until I have more clarity.

Today marks my last week at the company where I've spent nearly nine years of my career. Due to restructuring, I've been made redundant, and while I've managed the practical aspects like handover and paperwork, I'm struggling with the emotional fallout. Throughout my time here, I've prided myself on being the person who gets along with everyone, avoiding conflicts. However, this past year, especially this week, has been incredibly difficult. I've felt the palpable indifference from a few colleagues, particularly the one I hired and trained who is now stepping into my role. I informed the team about my departure, and she didn't even acknowledge it. What hit me hardest was when I attempted to remove myself from various systems and found that my access had already been revoked. It felt like they couldn't wait for me to be gone, and that realization stung deeply. Friends and family keep telling me that it's for the best, but I can't shake the feeling of being erased while still present. I’m not looking for confrontation or closure; I understand where I stand. What I really want to know is how others have managed to move on from similar experiences. How do you let go of that sting? Does it really fade once you leave? What strategies helped you stop replaying those moments in your mind? I'm hoping to find some comfort and advice from those who have been through this.

I'm turning 18 soon and I'm eager to find a job. I'm currently 17 and have just enrolled in university, starting my studies at the end of September. I really want to secure a job before the academic year kicks off, but I'm feeling a bit lost on where to start since I don't have my university schedule yet. I've never had a job before and I lack experience, which makes it even more daunting. My goal is to find a position that allows me to balance work and study while earning at least $400. I hate the feeling of relying on my parents financially and I'm motivated to be independent. I'm open to online work as well. I would appreciate any advice on how to begin my job search or where to look!

I recently started my job search for part-time positions in retail while attending university. I've been actively applying through Indeed and even went to several stores to hand out my resume in person. Despite my efforts, it's been incredibly frustrating to not hear back from most places. I did receive one response saying the position was filled, but aside from that, it's been crickets for days, weeks, and now months. I find it annoying that many jobs claim to be actively hiring, yet I feel completely ignored. I can't help but wonder if this is a glimpse of what the job market will be like for corporate roles once I graduate. It seems like there's a disconnect between the postings and actual hiring practices.

I recently faced a dilemma regarding my resume. After spending 8 years at a Fortune 500 company, I took a job at a lesser-known company in early 2026. I accepted a title downgrade and a pay cut because it offered remote work, which I needed for personal reasons. Unfortunately, the role turned out to be a poor fit, and I was let go after just 7 months during my probation period. Since then, I’ve been focusing on upskilling and have taken on some contractor work. Now, I'm considering leaving that 7-month job off my resume and backdating my contracting work to fill the gap. I did start preparing for the contracting role early, so I feel it’s not entirely dishonest. However, I’m worried about background checks potentially revealing that short stint. I’ve heard that omitting a job isn’t the same as lying about one, and that background checks mainly verify what’s on the application. Even if they did find out, I could explain that it was a poor fit and that it didn’t add much value to my resume due to the title downgrade. I’m seeking advice on whether I should go ahead and leave that job off my resume or if I should be more transparent about it.

I recently got promoted to an account manager at my landscape maintenance company, and it's been a whirlwind of emotions. My background is in sustainable landscape design, and I've worked various jobs including horticulturist and at a plant nursery. The physical demands of my previous role left me drained, so I was excited about this new position. However, the stress has been overwhelming. I've only been in this role for three weeks, managing 15 accounts now with the expectation to handle up to 90. The clients are emotionally invested in their landscapes, and I often find myself giving slightly incorrect information due to the lack of training. The other account managers are already stretched thin, so there's no one to guide me. I'm the youngest on the team by six years and have no prior managerial experience, which adds to my anxiety. With a coworker going on maternity leave soon, I might have to take over her larger clients, and I'm terrified of not meeting expectations. I love horticulture and working in botanical gardens, but I can't afford to earn just $19/hour. I need a stable salary above $55k/year, but it feels like I'm sacrificing my well-being for a job that is driving me crazy. I'm really at a crossroads and unsure of what my options are.

I'm currently experiencing issues submitting my weekly unemployment claim here in Utah. I've been trying to get it done for a few days now, but the system keeps giving me errors. Has anyone else faced this problem? I'm starting to get worried about my benefits.

I recently experienced a layoff and have been unemployed for over 1.5 years. During this time, I managed to secure only a 3-month part-time gig. Before the layoff, I had a solid work history spanning over 10 years, so I'm wondering if this long gap will be seen as a red flag by potential employers. I came across some insights from hiring managers who mentioned that in today's job market, they often overlook career gaps, especially after a layoff. They emphasized that valid reasons exist for such gaps and that what really matters is whether I can perform the job and be a good teammate. Some pointed out that while gaps might raise concerns about skill atrophy, particularly with the rapid changes in technology, the gap itself isn't a major issue in the current economy. I'm still a bit anxious about how hiring managers will perceive my situation, but it seems like there are many factors at play, including the specific company and the individual recruiter.

Today, I faced a major life change after being laid off from my job as a security guard at a homeowners association, a position I held for 13 years. The news hit hard, and I’m feeling scared and uncertain about the future. My former general manager assured me that they won’t contest my unemployment benefits, but I know the final decision rests with the EDD. Right now, I have about $3,200 saved up, which is a small comfort. I spoke with my landlord, who kindly offered a couple of months of free rent to help me get back on my feet. Despite this support, I can’t shake the fear of potentially losing my two cats if things get really tough. I’ve been homeless before, and that experience is weighing heavily on my mind. I’m also concerned about the job market in my area; it seems like the only available positions are either manual labor or low-paying part-time jobs. I’m not entirely sure why I’m sharing this, but I guess I’m looking for advice or just some comfort. It’s been overwhelming, but I appreciate the support I’ve received so far, especially compared to my last experience with job loss where I felt completely alone. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with encouragement.

I recently found myself in a tough situation after realizing that I exaggerated my experience on my resume. I applied for a position at a tech company for a software engineering role, and during the interview, I was asked about specific projects that I had claimed to have worked on. I panicked and struggled to answer some of the technical questions. Now I'm feeling overwhelmed and anxious about the possibility of being caught in my lie. I'm seeking advice on how to navigate this situation. Should I come clean to the hiring manager, or should I try to salvage the interview process? Any tips on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated.

I've been out of college for four years now, and I finally landed my first corporate job just last year. Unfortunately, my job search has been incredibly frustrating. I spent a significant amount of time working in restaurants and hospitality after graduation, and even got promoted to management, but it seems like interviewers are fixated on that part of my timeline. This week, I had two interviews that left me feeling disheartened. Both interviewers made it a point to count the years backward on my resume, questioning why I stayed in the hospitality industry after graduating in 2022. They even speculated about my age, which was uncomfortable. One interviewer bluntly asked, "so you graduated... then you did the kitchen/bar thing for a while... and then you found your first professional career job? Why??" It felt like they were judging me for not landing a corporate role right out of college, as if my career path was a flaw instead of a reflection of the tough job market. The interview processes themselves were shockingly unprofessional. The first one was for a temp-to-perm position covering maternity leave. The interviewer was multitasking on multiple screens, throwing a ton of operational details at me, and the pay was only $19 an hour with expectations for nights and weekends. The second interview was even worse; the interviewer spent most of the time talking about her personal struggles and showed me proprietary information and personal emails. I had to leave when she started discussing her religious beliefs instead of asking me about my qualifications. I can't help but feel like I'm being judged for having a non-linear career path while these interviewers can't even conduct a basic professional interview. It's hard to believe that these roles had over 100 applicants on LinkedIn. Is this what the job market looks like for those of us who didn't go straight from college to an office job? Am I already half-disqualified because I spent a couple of years waiting tables? I'm genuinely losing my mind over this whole situation.

I was recently laid off from my position as a software developer after about three years of experience in full-stack development. Now, I'm in the process of searching for a new job, but I need to bridge a short-term financial gap while I do so. It's been challenging to find a traditional role quickly, and I'm exploring different ways to generate some income in the meantime. I'm reaching out to see what other developers who have faced similar situations have done to make ends meet. Have you taken on short-term contract work, freelance projects, tutoring, consulting, or even temporary jobs outside of tech? I'm particularly interested in practical solutions that have worked for you, rather than long-term business ideas. Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I am preparing to return to work after a 7-year gap and I'm feeling a mix of anxiety and hope. My work history was consistent from 2014 to 2020, but then the pandemic hit and I faced some severe mental health challenges that kept me away from traditional employment. During this time, I was self-employed on OnlyFans and managed to earn a decent income, but I'm unsure how to address that on my resume. I'm looking to start with a basic service job or an entry-level position, like in retail or a movie theater, likely part-time at first. My main concern is whether my long absence from the workforce will hinder my chances of getting hired. I'm reaching out for any insights or advice on how to navigate this situation.

I recently learned that JLL (Jones Lang Lasalle) is facing layoffs due to the loss of a major contract. I'm concerned about my position and the overall impact on the team. If anyone has more details about which client they lost or any further information, I would greatly appreciate it. I remember they lost the Amazon contract last year, which makes me worry about the stability of our projects.

I started my job search in mid-to-late August 2025, just before my senior year began at a highly ranked public university. Despite having research experience, internships, and part-time jobs under my belt, finding a full-time position was tougher than I anticipated. I averaged two to three interviews each month throughout the year, which was exhausting but taught me a lot about tailoring my applications and preparing for interviews. After nearly a year of searching, I finally received an offer last week for a role in an industry I’m passionate about. I owe a lot to a strong internal referral from the owner's son, which made me realize how challenging it could have been to break into this field without that connection. I'm curious to hear from other recent grads about their job search experiences and how long they've been looking.

I’ve been feeling really stuck lately in my job search. I currently make $53,000 a year before taxes, and after three years in my role, I’m struggling with a lot of debt from grad school. I have a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree and three years of experience working in state government. Despite applying to dozens of jobs over the past year, I’ve only landed one interview, which I almost got, but they chose someone else at the last minute. It’s been incredibly frustrating to either get ghosted or receive generic rejection emails after applying for governmental relations positions in the private sector and other public sector roles. I really want to move to a bigger city where the cost of living is higher, but so are the salaries. I’m hoping that a change of scenery might help me find better opportunities.

I was unemployed for about 4 months and recently received three job offers in a span of two weeks, which has left me feeling quite confused about my next steps. Initially, I accepted an offer for 8 LPA, which was only a slight increase from my previous salary. However, while I was interviewing with another company, I received an offer of 11.5 LPA with a start date of September 7th, which I also accepted. Shortly after, the company I was interviewing with offered me 12 LPA, and I decided to go with that. When I informed the first company about my decision to decline their offer, they surprisingly reached out to match my other offers and ended up offering me 13 LPA. Now, I'm torn between the 12 LPA offer and the 13 LPA offer from the first company, both of which are at product-based startups with around 200 employees. One is in retail ads and the other in real estate. My concern is the significant jump from 8 LPA to 13 LPA. I'm worried that this might mean higher expectations and a more intense work environment, which isn't what I'm looking for after my time off. I'm aiming for stability and a reasonable workload, so I'm hesitant to choose the higher-paying option if it comes with added pressure. I'm seeking advice on whether to take the 13 LPA offer or stick with the 12 LPA company for potentially better stability and work-life balance. The difference is only 1 LPA, but I want to make the right decision.