Feeling

On October 1st, 2026, I was laid off again, exactly one year after my first layoff. This time, 75% of my department was let go, and it felt like a punch to the gut. I had just started a new full-time job that I loved, helping nurses and working with a great team, and I was finally feeling stable, especially with my first child due later this month. The day started with a vague warning to focus on our work and ignore any outside noise, which immediately raised my anxiety. When they started calling us into Zoom meetings one by one, I knew something was off. They informed us that our roles were no longer required, and I was left confused as to why they had hired me just 20 days prior, especially when I hadn't even completed my training. Now, I'm facing the uncertainty of job hunting again with a baby on the way and minimal severance. I feel cheated and overwhelmed, as this job seemed perfect for my family and me. It’s hard to process all these emotions, but I just needed to vent. Goodbye, and good luck, I suppose.

I was laid off on October 1st, 2026, exactly one year after my first layoff. This time, 75% of my department was let go, and it felt like a punch to the gut. Just 20 days prior, I had been hired into what I thought was a stable position, with a supportive team and great benefits. I was so optimistic, especially with my first child due later this month. I had been searching for 11 months after my first layoff and finally found a job that felt perfect for me. On that fateful day, we were told to focus on our work and not to check Slack or any outside noise. My instincts kicked in, and I knew something was off. One by one, my team members were called into Zoom meetings, and we were informed that our roles were no longer required. It was devastating. I hadn’t even completed my training yet. Now, I’m left with hardly any severance, and I’m torn between looking for another job or relying on my partner's maternity leave for the first few months. I feel cheated and overwhelmed with emotions. It’s hard to shake the feeling that this was personal, considering how hard I worked to find a job that finally felt right. All I can think about is what I’ve been told on October 1st for the past two years: "Goodbye, and good luck."

I interviewed for an Analyst position at a gas utility company at the beginning of last month, but I still haven't heard back from them. The hiring process was initially communicated to take about a month, and now that time has passed, I'm starting to wonder if this is a common occurrence for this organization or if it signals a soft rejection. My application status is still active in their portal, but any attempts to reach out to HR have resulted in automated responses or no replies at all. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced similar delays with this company or if they think this is typical for utility organizations. I'm ready to mentally move on, but I wanted to gauge if this kind of wait is normal or if I should be concerned. Thanks for any insights!

I was made redundant in 2024 and since then, I have been unable to find work. It's been a tough two years, and both my partner and I are struggling mentally. I feel completely hopeless and every day feels like a battle, especially with our 12-year-old to take care of. At 49, I’m increasingly worried about the challenges women face in securing roles at my age. The pressure and uncertainty are overwhelming, and I often wonder if I will ever find a way out of this situation.

I interviewed for a city job about three weeks ago and was told to expect a decision in a week and a half. After a week, my references were contacted, and I followed up at the two-week mark to check on the process. The recruiter mentioned to give them one more week. Now, that extra week has passed, and I still haven't heard anything. I'm considering sending a brief follow-up tomorrow if I don't receive any updates today. I know that government processes can be slow, but I'm also trying to manage another job offer that I signed. This city role is significantly better than the other position, and with my start date for the other job in a few weeks, I'm really hoping to get some clarity soon.

I've been searching for a new job for about a year now, trying to move away from the hospitality industry. I'm really looking for something more traditional, like a 9 to 5 role, since I've spent so much time working long, unsociable hours in bars and restaurants. I’m open to various opportunities, whether that's customer service, office roles, IT support, or even trade apprenticeships. I've had a few interviews where I've been told I did well, but I keep getting turned down because of my lack of experience in those fields. My last interview was in June, and since then, I've been feeling pretty defeated. I apply for jobs at least three to four evenings a week, but I haven't even landed an interview in over four months. I've made sure to tweak my CV and keep it professional, and I've had it proofread by friends and family. I don’t use AI to write it, as I prefer to keep it genuine. I'm considering reaching out to the job center for help, even though I'm currently employed full-time. I'm also curious about any government schemes or paid courses that might actually be worth it, since I've heard mixed reviews about job placement success from these courses. So far, I've mostly just applied, called, and emailed places, but I want to step up my efforts to achieve my goal of finding a more sustainable and enjoyable career.

I recently made a decision that I now regret deeply. My name is Ava, I'm 26, and I quit my job at a small game studio where I had been working for almost five years. Initially, I really enjoyed the work, but over the last few months, I started feeling stagnant. I felt like I wasn't learning anything new and that my contributions weren't valued, plus I was underpaid. In a moment of frustration, I decided to leave. After quitting, I took a couple of months to focus on improving my skills and preparing for interviews. However, I recently started applying for new jobs and the job market is incredibly tough right now. I feel hopeless and stupid for making such a rash decision without having another job lined up. I realize now that I should have done more research and considered my options before quitting. I had a decent job, and now I'm struggling to find something else. It's a tough lesson to learn, but I hope to find a way forward soon.

I'm currently trying to put together my resume for the first time, and I'm feeling completely lost. I graduated from high school while being homeschooled, and I have a lot of volunteer hours under my belt. I've been using a website called resume-now.com to help me, but I still feel like I'm not doing it right. I'm looking for advice on how to effectively fill out my resume. The only experience I can think of includes running my own pet sitting business for several years, extensive volunteer work, some child care experience, and three weeks spent working at a summer camp a few years ago. I'm not sure how to present this information, and I would appreciate any tips or guidance on what to include and how to format it.

I recently started a job at a mobile video game company, which I absolutely love. I've been there for a few weeks now, fully trained and integrated into the team. We have a great dynamic, often taking selfies and joking around while working on projects together. However, I just received an email stating that a third-party background check company is requiring my high school diploma or GED. The issue is, I never graduated high school and I don't have my GED either. I'm 25 years old and this is my seventh job, so I've never been asked for this before. The job listing I applied for didn't mention any educational requirements, and the school I attended has been torn down, so I can't even get a transcript. I'm worried that this could jeopardize my position and lead to serious consequences like eviction. Tomorrow, I need to call the new entity that the school turned into and see if I can request my transcripts. I'm feeling anxious about the possibility of losing my dream job over this.

I recently heard about the layoffs happening at Oracle. It seems that employees are being offered only 6 weeks of severance pay instead of going through a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This news has raised a lot of concerns about morale within the company. Many people are expressing that 6 weeks is not enough, especially in the current job market. Some comments I came across suggested that a fair severance package should be at least 6 months, along with benefits. There’s a lot of speculation that these layoffs are part of a strategy to cut costs, particularly with the expensive AI data centers Oracle has invested in. It feels like the company is prioritizing its financials over employee well-being, and there's a growing sentiment that PIPs might just be a way to justify layoffs without proper cause.

I've been experiencing a frustrating trend lately with recruiters ghosting me after initial contact. In the past month, this has happened three times, all with roles that were either remote or better than my current job. Each time, I felt a surge of excitement when they reached out, only to be left hanging after I responded positively, asking when we could discuss further. It's disheartening to be ignored, especially by well-known recruiting agencies like Actalent and Insight Global. I understand that they have busy schedules, but it feels unprofessional to initiate contact and then go silent. This situation has begun to feel like psychological abuse, and I'm left wondering why they even bothered to reach out in the first place.

I recently took a leap of faith and left a secure position after 20 years in financial services operations leadership, only to be let go after just 30 days. It’s been a tough experience, and I’m feeling completely lost right now. I had been miserable in my previous job, so when I found a new role that seemed to align with my background, I jumped at the opportunity. The interviews went well, and I received a great offer that felt too good to be true. However, I quickly realized that the role had changed during the hiring process, but the recruiter assured me I was still a good fit. I was eager to leave my old job, so I went for it. The new position was drastically different from what I was used to. I’ve always thrived in large corporations with clear expectations and strong leadership, but this new environment was chaotic and disorganized. I tried to adapt by learning from my colleagues and documenting processes, but I received zero feedback or communication from my boss, who was also new and struggling. On my 30th day, I received a call from my boss and HR. They informed me that leadership had lost confidence in my abilities and that I was being terminated immediately. It was a shock, especially since my previous role has already been filled, and I know they were unhappy when I resigned. Looking back, there were so many red flags in this new job—high turnover, misleading customer interactions, and a level of disorganization that left me baffled. Now, I’m trying to pick myself up, but I feel completely devastated. I took the weekend to wallow in my feelings, and now I’m starting to apply for jobs similar to my old one, but it feels like there’s nothing out there. I’m feeling hopeless and like a failure, especially with my family relying on me. I haven’t shared this with many people, but typing it out has helped a bit. I just hope things will get better, and I’m open to hearing if anyone else has gone through something similar.

I'm feeling utterly exhausted and demotivated after a tough few months in the job market. I graduated in 2026 from a tier-1 college with a degree in Computer Science, but due to my branch, I was limited to average salary packages of 6-12 LPA. My low CGPA prevented me from getting shortlisted for a few companies, but I finally got an internship offer with a service-based company in Hyderabad that promised a full-time opportunity after six months at around 8.5 LPA. I joined them in January, and things seemed to be going well. They were hiring a lot and even brought in a batch of 2025 graduates. However, after a month, I received shocking news: they had cut 10-15% of their workforce, and despite being a top performer, I was among those who didn't get converted to full-time. This left me in disbelief and struggling to process the unexpected rejection. After that, I tried to pivot my career and managed to get a DSA trainer role at two companies while interviewing for a couple more. Just when I thought things were looking up, the college I was supposed to join revoked my offer for the semester. Fortunately, one company that had ghosted me after two interviews suddenly reached out and asked me to join immediately. With limited options and the tech job market feeling like it was collapsing, I had to take it, even though I was suspicious about the salary they offered compared to what I found online. Now, I'm teaching tier-4 students, many of whom graduated two years ago and are struggling to find jobs. Their grasping power is weak, but I've been able to slow down my teaching pace to match theirs, and it seems to be going well. However, I recently found out that the company is still posting job openings for my role, which raises my suspicions. Today, HR called me to resign after my probation period, and I can't help but feel exhausted and lost about my future. The market for freshers has plummeted by about 70% due to AI advancements and companies restructuring their budgets, leading to a reduced need for developers. I'm starting to lose faith in this field and don't know what my next steps should be.

I recently graduated with my master’s degree in communications about two years ago and have been actively searching for a full-time job since then. My experience includes content creation, digital communications, newsletters, social media, and PR-related work, mostly in the higher education sector. I came across a PR Specialist rotation program at a local tech company that piqued my interest, so I decided to apply, even though I’m unsure if my graduation date makes me too far removed from the typical candidate pool. I’m feeling pretty burned out from the job search after applying to numerous positions over the last couple of years, facing constant rejections and a lack of responses. Despite this discouragement, I’m still trying to put myself out there, which is why I went ahead and applied to this program. I’m curious if anyone with experience in rotation programs can offer insight on a few things: 1. Is graduating two years ago too far removed from the typical candidate pool for these programs? 2. Do these programs usually require candidates to be current students or very recent graduates? 3. Would my master’s degree and relevant professional experience actually hurt my chances since I might be seen as beyond the entry-level profile? 4. Is it worth it to keep applying to these programs even if I don’t perfectly fit the timeline? I know the common advice is just to apply, and I did, but I’m looking for some perspective from those who have gone through similar programs or from hiring managers. After two years of searching, I could really use some encouragement and insight.

I was laid off at 54 after spending 12 years as a manager at my company. The entire team was eliminated during a reorganization, and I found myself navigating the job market with limited savings. Thankfully, I had a severance package that covered six months of expenses, which gave me some breathing room. I applied to around 150 jobs over the course of 11 months, but it was a tough journey. Ageism was a constant theme in my experience; it felt like my age was a barrier despite my qualifications. I even had to adjust my resume to remove employment dates and downplay my master's degree in hopes of getting noticed. Ultimately, I managed to secure a lower-paying position, but it was disheartening to realize that I was earning less in 2026 than I was in 2024.

I recently faced a challenging situation with my unemployment claim after being terminated from my job at a restaurant where I worked for 7 years. Initially, my claim was denied due to allegations of "misconduct," but I successfully won my appeal. However, my former employer is now appealing again, citing both "misconduct" and "voluntary leaving," which has left me quite confused about how they could argue both points simultaneously. During my time there, I experienced some unsettling changes in scheduling policies. After expressing concerns about the fairness of double shifts and the prioritization of lead servers for scheduling, I had to limit my availability to seek more stable employment. It felt like the work environment had become unpredictable, and I was uncomfortable with the direction things were heading. After I adjusted my availability, I noticed that the rules seemed to change back to how they were before, with doubles being scheduled again and only one lead server on the schedule. When I raised these issues in the front-of-house group chat, the manager suggested I contact him directly for further discussion. I did just that, reiterating my concerns, but after 26 minutes without a response, I received termination papers unexpectedly. When I presented the text exchange during my appeal with the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), my claim was quickly reversed. Now, I'm left wondering about the likelihood of my former employer winning this new appeal, whether the judge will uphold the previous misconduct ruling, and if they will find their new claim of voluntary leaving credible given the circumstances. This whole experience has been incredibly stressful, especially considering my history with the company and the medical issues I faced that contributed to my stepping down from a lead server position. I just want to find clarity and move forward.

I recently found myself in a challenging situation at my job as an assistant manager at a local coffee shop. I'm 21 and was hired a few months ago, but things have taken a toll on my mental health. The environment is toxic, with a lot of drama among the small team of five, including myself. After a couple of weeks, I was unexpectedly promoted to assistant manager, a role I never wanted. I initially requested to work only three shifts a week as it was meant to be a part-time gig for me. However, the owner and the team have been upset with my strict availability, which I clearly communicated during the hiring process. There's a clear double standard in how they treat employees, especially favoring the only male coworker. For instance, he often shows up late, takes last-minute time off, and his requests seem to take precedence over everyone else's. Just recently, I had to cancel plans to see my grandmother because he wanted to take a day off to go skateboarding. Additionally, the owner has made comments about my demeanor, telling me to smile more, which feels unnecessary and adds to the pressure. I also feel disrespected by my coworkers who leave the shop in a mess after closing, making my job even harder. This ongoing stress has led to significant anxiety and depression; I struggle to eat and my hands shake from the stress. I'm seriously considering quitting, especially since I have over $10,000 saved and my rent is covered for the next two years. I'm torn between leaving this toxic environment and finding a new job while relying on my savings.

I recently found myself jobless after my contract was terminated while I was on medical leave. It's been a tough two months, and I'm currently relying on my savings to get by. I have about 10 years of experience in Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and IT process automation, with a strong focus on automation and process improvement. I've been actively applying to jobs through major job portals, but unfortunately, I haven't had much luck so far. I'm reaching out to see if anyone has been in a similar situation and can share what strategies worked for them when traditional job applications weren't yielding results. I'm also open to temporary or remote work opportunities while I continue my search for a more permanent role. Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve been struggling to find a job after moving back to the U.S. from Europe. I’m in my early 30s and have a master’s in biology from a reputable university overseas. Despite being multilingual and having some experience in biotech and quality control, I’ve applied for over 100 positions in various parts of the U.S. in the last few months, but I’ve only received one interview for a role that didn’t even offer a living wage, and I was rejected after the second round. I’m currently living with my parents, which is not a sustainable situation for me. I suspect my resume might be getting filtered out for a few reasons: I’m applying for jobs in bio hubs like Boston and DC while using my parents' address in a different state, and I have a foreign degree that might lead companies to think I need visa sponsorship, even though I clearly state that I’m a U.S. citizen at the top of my resume. I’ve tried reaching out to a recruiter and the head of a lab on LinkedIn, but I haven’t received any responses. I’m feeling lost and considering whether I should just take a job in retail or fast food, but I worry that they wouldn’t hire someone with a master’s degree, and I wouldn’t be able to include that experience on my resume without jeopardizing my chances in my field. I’m looking for advice on how to navigate this situation.

I've been dealing with my unemployment claim in Florida, and it's been stuck in the adjudication state since January. It's been really frustrating not knowing what's going on or when I might start receiving benefits. I've tried reaching out for updates, but it feels like I'm just in limbo. I'm hoping to get some clarity soon.