Planning

I was placed on a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) at my civil engineering job today, which feels similar to a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). I've been with the company for 3.5 years, and I'm only 26 years old. This news completely shocked me, especially since I have been getting along well with my coworkers. I genuinely want to improve myself, regardless of whether I end up getting fired. I received a document outlining the areas where I need to improve, and I'm struggling to understand if the wording is vague or if I'm just not seeing my shortcomings clearly. I've been encouraged by others to start job hunting immediately, as a CAP often indicates that management is unhappy and may be looking to part ways. I want to take this feedback seriously and become a better engineer and employee, but I'm also feeling uncertain about my future here.

I started a new job two months ago and I'm really enjoying it, but I just came across a remote position that I feel highly qualified for and would be genuinely excited about. I'm planning to apply, but I'm uncertain about how to handle my current job on my resume. Should I leave it off entirely or include it and address it somehow? I know it would show up in a background check if I progress that far, so I'm feeling a bit conflicted. I’ve received some advice suggesting I should apply and just list my current job on my resume, being honest if asked about it. I guess I’ll just have to see how it goes!

I’ve been working at my current job for almost a year now, and it’s becoming increasingly unbearable. I’m in a role that has nothing to do with my computer science degree, and it’s just a source of income for me. While the pay is decent compared to other jobs at this level, I know I could manage on less if I had to. Lately, the stress has been so overwhelming that I feel like I’m on the verge of a breakdown just being in the office. I was hoping to secure another job before I quit, but my last interview ended with the disappointing news that all positions for the year are filled, and I won’t hear back until January. Given the current job market and my recent luck, I'm not sure I can endure this job much longer while waiting for a new opportunity. My health is starting to suffer because of it. I’m seriously considering putting in my notice so I can take some time to recover and focus on finding a career that aligns with my goals. I’ve calculated that I have enough savings to support myself for over a year without touching my investments, which gives me some peace of mind. The only issue is that I don’t have another job lined up right now. I do have a potential lead for some inconsistent work that could help with the income loss, but I'm not counting on it. I also thought about asking for my old job back, but I was unhappy there too, so that would be a last resort. I have a plan to improve my marketability through certifications and personal projects, but I want to make sure that my approach is reasonable given the current job market. I believe that if I can get into a better mental state, I’ll have a better chance of finding a job that doesn’t drain me. I’m really torn about whether this decision seems reasonable.

It's now week 1 of being unemployed, and I have to admit, it's terrifying. I was laid off from my job at a tech company where I had worked for over 8 years, and it came completely out of the blue. My boss mentioned they were taking a different direction and needed to save costs, which felt like a vague excuse. On the bright side, I managed to negotiate a severance package that will last me about 4-5 months, so at least I won't be struggling financially right away and I was able to secure unemployment benefits without any contest from them. Despite having a financial cushion for the next 6 to 8 months, I'm experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. I feel angry, sad, and even a bit depressed, but there's also this underlying fear of the unknown. I'm particularly worried about the job search ahead since my field is facing significant challenges due to the rise of AI, which means I might need to pivot my career entirely. It's a strange mix of gratitude for having a safety net and sheer terror about what comes next. I plan to take this month to really think about my next steps before diving into the job search. I wonder if anyone else has gone through this kind of emotional rollercoaster after a layoff?

I’ve been working at my current job for six months, but I’m not doing the role I was hired for. Instead, I’ve been stuck with tasks that no one else wants to do, and my actual job responsibilities keep getting pushed back. I’m really looking for a way out, but I’m worried that having only six months in this position will look bad on my resume. I’m seeking advice on how to navigate this situation and find a new job without it reflecting poorly on me.

I’ve been actively job hunting for about four months now after finishing my master’s in May. I’m focused on getting into digital marketing, social media, and communications, with a particular interest in media or entertainment. I’ve had around 7-8 interviews so far, making it to the second or third round in a few cases, but I haven’t landed a job yet. I mainly use LinkedIn, but it feels oversaturated. I’ve also tried Indeed, but the listings don’t match what I’m looking for, and I’ve explored entertainmentcareers.net as well. I’m reaching out to see where others in the fields of social media, digital marketing, and entertainment are finding job opportunities. I’m considering expanding my search to include job boards, networking groups, events, communities, or even recruiters. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I was laid off after 2.5 years at a US fintech company due to a restructuring that eliminated my role. This has been a tough transition for me, especially since I believe I did some of my best work there. I have 6 years of experience as a frontend and product engineer, primarily in fintech, SaaS, and digital media. During my last position, I contributed to a multi-tenant wealth management platform that served over 200 client firms, managing 20 million accounts and over $1 billion in assets. I worked extensively with TypeScript, React, Next.js, and GraphQL within a Bazel monorepo. My responsibilities included owning features from start to finish, writing GraphQL queries and REST endpoints, and collaborating with backend teams in a microservices architecture. One of my proudest achievements was building an AI agent workflow that improved our delivery speed by about 60%, all while adhering to strict enterprise review and compliance processes. Recently, I’ve also been publishing system design concepts and a library of postmortems and papers to share my knowledge with others. Now, I'm seeking feedback on how to position myself for my next role. I have a few specific questions: 1. My title has been 'front-end engineer' for six years, but my work has been broader. Should I pitch myself as a product or platform engineer, or will that come off as trying to oversell myself? 2. Does my experience in enterprise fintech help me stand out, or does it limit my opportunities to only fintech companies? 3. My work with AI tooling is unique, but I worry it might be dismissed as just buzzwords. How can I effectively communicate that I built workflows that genuinely improved team performance? 4. My system design writing is public and meaningful to me. Do hiring managers actually take the time to look at that, or is it just a nice addition that I might be overvaluing? I’m open to sharing my resume and GitHub for anyone willing to provide constructive feedback. Additionally, if there are any teams hiring remote frontend, product, or platform engineers, I would love to connect.

I’ve been in the workforce for about 10 years, primarily in tech and SaaS roles. After getting laid off from one of my first sales positions during COVID, I took some time off to regroup mentally and ended up studying for a Salesforce admin certification. For the past 8 years, I’ve been working in GTM ops, RevOps, and SalesOps. About 4 years ago, I landed an operations role at an AI company based overseas, which was fully remote and offered decent pay. I had a great manager who encouraged learning from mistakes. However, after she left, I took on a lot of her responsibilities at a director level for a year without any recognition in terms of a raise or promotion—just a plaque acknowledging my extra work. When new leadership came in after a funding round, I requested a significant raise and bonus. Although I received a decent bonus in previous years, I was left without one in my last year and struggled to get answers about it. Things started to change for the worse, and my new manager even used AI to negotiate my raise, which ended up being just slightly above the standard increase. Feeling undervalued and disrespected, I began job hunting again. I eventually accepted a position at an investment real estate firm about 6 months ago, thinking it would be a refreshing change. The pay was better, but the role is in-office with a long commute. While I get along with my colleagues, the head broker has poor communication skills, and the micromanagement and passive-aggressive behavior in the office have been frustrating. I’ve been applying for new jobs again, but I’m torn. Is my desire to move on a sign of a problem with my expectations, or is it reasonable to seek a role that aligns better with my values and offers respect and trust? I’m unsure if I should stick it out longer or continue my search.

I recently received a job offer for a carrier position at my local post office, which is a significant step up from my current job at a gas station where I make minimum wage ($11/hr). The new position pays double my current salary, but I'm feeling uncertain about the hours. The manager mentioned that I would only be guaranteed one day a week, although there might be opportunities to pick up additional routes. I've calculated that I would need to work at least 16 hours a week to match my current income, and since I'll be using my own car, I would earn an extra dollar per mile for travel time. I’m struggling to find reliable information on how long the routes actually take and whether it would be worth the effort, especially since driving isn't something I enjoy. I'm feeling pushed out of my comfort zone, but I know I need to consider this opportunity seriously. I have just two days to make a decision, and I'm really torn about what to do.

I was supposed to start my new job on October 5th, but my start date has been delayed by two weeks due to a background check that hasn't cleared yet. I had already informed my recruiter and the company about my background, including any convictions, so this delay caught me off guard. I gave my two weeks' notice to my current employer last week, but I haven't signed any offboarding documents yet. I plan to let them know that my start date has been pushed back and that I can stay for a bit longer if needed. However, I'm feeling really anxious about this situation and I'm unsure of what to expect. Has anyone else experienced a similar delay? Any advice would be appreciated.

I was laid off from my position during a second mass layoff this year. They informed me that my role is no longer needed, and I will be receiving two months of severance. Surprisingly, in the same call, they offered me a contract position at the same hourly rate as my previous salary, doing the exact same job. It feels like a demotion since I'm losing my benefits. I understand they are trying to cut costs, but it still feels off. In a moment of pride, I countered their offer by asking for a 30% higher hourly rate to compensate for the loss of benefits, even though this new rate is still below the market rate for my role. Now, I'm anxiously waiting to hear back from them regarding my counteroffer. I'm trying not to take this personally, as I know it's just business, but I'm questioning whether I should have accepted their initial offer and continued my job search on the side. I feel like I might have jeopardized my chances by asking for more. It would have been nice to have some income while looking for something new, and I'm worried they might rescind the offer altogether. I'm feeling pretty emotional and devalued right now, and it's hard to see the situation clearly. I'm looking for some outside perspective on how to navigate this moving forward.

I'm currently on the job hunt and facing a challenge with transportation, which has led me to seek remote work opportunities. I'm eager to find effective strategies for locating and applying to online positions that would allow me to work from home. I've been looking for guidance on where to start and how to navigate this process efficiently. However, I've encountered some discouraging comments suggesting that remote jobs are highly competitive and that I might not be qualified enough. I'm trying to stay positive and focused on finding the right fit.

I was recently laid off from my position at a US SaaS company in their Barcelona office, where I had worked for just over four years. During a restructuring, I found myself among those let go. The HR team followed their usual termination process from the US, which included a mere four weeks' notice and benefits until the end of the month. However, I quickly realized that this approach didn't align with Spanish labor laws, so I consulted a labor lawyer. It turned out that I was entitled to 132 days of base salary as severance, calculated at 33 days per year of service for my four years with the company. The following weeks were a whirlwind as my manager escalated the situation through various departments, including legal and finance, and even an HR partner in New York who had no experience with Spanish terminations. They were completely unprepared for the legal obligations they had overlooked. I learned that US companies using EOR providers like Deel or Workmotion manage these situations differently, as the severance responsibility lies with the local entity, which prevents surprises during layoffs. Now, I'm on the lookout for my next opportunity, and the severance has given me the flexibility to be more selective. This experience has opened my eyes to the protections available in other countries that my employer was completely unaware of.

I’ve been actively searching for a new job for several months now, but I’m starting to feel discouraged. I’m currently employed, but the thought of settling for a position that doesn’t meet my expectations is weighing on me. I’ve seen comments suggesting that the job market is tough and that it can take up to a year to find the right role. I’m torn between continuing my search and considering other options. I really want to find a job that aligns with my skills and career goals, but I also need to be practical. Should I keep pushing through or start thinking about settling?

I had a virtual interview scheduled yesterday for a position I was really excited about, but the hiring manager didn't show up. After about 30 minutes of waiting, I received an email from him explaining that he got caught up in another meeting and asked if we could reschedule for tomorrow. While I'm still interested in the role, I felt a bit disappointed since I had prepared thoroughly and set aside time specifically for this interview. I'm wondering if this is a red flag or if I should just go ahead with the rescheduled interview and see how it goes.

I recently finished a lengthy 5-round interview process for a role that took about 2.5 months. My final interview was three weeks ago, and since then, I noticed the job posting had been reposted a few times, which made me think I had missed my chance. Just when I thought I had moved on, the recruiter reached out to say they have 'some news' and want to set up a meeting. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't think my final interview went particularly well; it was decent, but not my best performance. Now, I'm left wondering if it's normal for a recruiter to schedule a Zoom call just to deliver bad news, or if this could indicate an offer. The uncertainty is making me more anxious than I was when I had given up on this opportunity. I’ve seen some comments suggesting that I might be the backup candidate if the first choice didn't work out, which is a possibility. I’m just trying to prepare myself for any outcome.

I’ve been feeling a bit lost in my job search lately. I used to rely heavily on LinkedIn and Indeed for finding marketing positions, especially since I have a background in marketing and college admissions. However, it seems like these platforms have become oversaturated, and I’m struggling to find relevant job postings. I’m looking to pivot away from sales roles, which adds to the challenge. I’ve heard some suggestions from others that applying directly through company websites can yield better results. I’m considering setting up an AI agent to monitor specific companies' career pages and notify me of new listings. I’ve also been experimenting with ZipRecruiter, which has been more effective for me than Indeed lately. The issue with Indeed is that it seems to prioritize paid listings, often drowning out the relevant positions I’m searching for. I’m curious if anyone else has found success with newer job posting sites or has tips on how to navigate this changing landscape. It feels like I’m not alone in this struggle, as many marketers seem to be in the same boat.

I recently faced a challenging situation when I was terminated from my job while nine months pregnant after requesting maternity leave for several months. My employer had previously discouraged me from applying for short-term disability, promising something better. Eventually, they admitted that my termination was due to financial issues related to covering my maternity leave. They even suggested I could return once I was 'no longer pregnant.' I live in a state where paid maternity leave isn't mandated, but my employer is based in a state where it is, which complicates matters. Now, I'm in the process of suing my former employer for pregnancy discrimination, and I'm due to give birth any day now. After taking about 12 weeks off to recover, I plan to start looking for a new job. However, I'm feeling anxious about how to explain this situation to potential employers. I want to make it clear that my termination was not due to misconduct or performance issues, but I'm worried that the lawsuit might raise red flags. I’ve been seeking advice on how to navigate this, especially since the lawsuit will be public record. I know I should address it if it comes up in interviews, but I’m unsure of how to approach it without making myself seem like a liability. I’m just hoping to find a supportive work environment after this experience.

I’m currently navigating a challenging situation as I prepare to enter the job market. I was on track to graduate in 2025 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, focusing on Marketing, but I faced some significant hurdles. On the last day of my exams, I fainted early on and couldn’t finish my paper. Then, I missed my re-examination in December because I had to care for a family member who was diagnosed with cancer, which ultimately led to their passing. This has resulted in a career gap of over a year, and I’m feeling uncertain about how to address this in job applications without delving too deeply into personal matters. Despite these challenges, I’ve been proactive in building my skills. I’ve completed two projects and am proficient in Excel and PowerBI, and I’m currently learning SQL. I’m targeting roles in market research or customer insights and considering applying for associate positions. However, I’ve also received advice suggesting that internships might be a more realistic starting point for me given my circumstances. I’m torn between applying for associate roles or going for internships. I really need to start earning soon, so any guidance on how to approach this would be greatly appreciated.

I was recently made redundant from my engineering position at a company where I had worked for almost 7 years. The timing couldn't have been worse, as I was just 5 weeks away from going on parental leave for my newborn. They had even pressured me to shorten my leave to only 4 months instead of a year, so I had made all the necessary plans. Now, I'm left without my paid leave and am feeling overwhelmed about how to find a new job to cover the mortgage. This year has been incredibly tough for me. My stepfather is battling stage 4 cancer and is not coping well with the treatment, while my mother is struggling after complications from a hip replacement. On top of that, I've been dealing with a civil disagreement stemming from a car accident where the other party was at fault but uninsured, leading to expensive legal issues. To make matters worse, my son was suspended from school for telling other kids to harm themselves, which has added to my stress. I was really looking forward to my parental leave as a time to reset, but this layoff feels like another devastating blow to my mental health. I have degrees in engineering and business, but I'm not even getting acknowledgment for my job applications. I honestly don’t know what to do next.