Thinking

It's been almost a year since I was laid off, and I’m feeling really depleted. I lost my job 10 months ago after nearly 9 years as a senior director, managing a large team. I was well-liked and respected, and I thought I had reached a comfortable financial level. I wasn’t shocked when I got laid off; it was the fifth reduction in force in four years, and I had been passively looking for a year before it happened. I expected my job search to take some time, but I never imagined it would stretch to nearly a year. I’ve been actively applying and optimizing my resume for each application, targeting roles similar to my last position as well as a few levels down. My application-to-conversion rate is decent at about 10%, but despite making it to the final round in eight interview cycles, I haven’t received any offers. Right now, I’m waiting to hear back about advancing to a final round for a role I really want and believe I could excel in, but my self-esteem is completely shot. I’ve started avoiding conversations about my interviews because I’m exhausted from the cycle of excitement, preparation, and then rejection. I used to feel okay about my situation, but that’s changing. I’m fortunate to have about six months of emergency savings left, but the pressure is building. Each rejection makes it harder to keep applying. I’ve met with a few executive coaches to see if I can improve my interview performance, but their fees are high, and I’m just hoping something clicks soon. I’m not sure if I’m looking for advice or just some commiseration. If anyone has insights on coaching or tips on maintaining confidence during this tough time, I would really appreciate it.

Today, I was placed on a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) at my civil engineering job, which feels similar to a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). I've been with the company for 3.5 years, and I'm just 26 years old. This news hit me hard because I've always gotten along well with my coworkers, so receiving this CAP was a complete shock. I received a document outlining the areas I need to improve, and I genuinely want to better myself, regardless of whether I end up getting fired. I’m trying to understand if the wording in the document is vague or if I'm just overthinking it. I would appreciate any constructive criticism about what I might have done wrong and how I can become a better engineer and employee. I’m feeling anxious about the possibility of being laid off soon, and I hope to turn this situation around.

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 recently had a second round interview for an Executive Operations Partner position at an early stage aerospace company. I felt I over-prepared, diving deep into research about their competitors, the executives I'd be supporting, and their upcoming projects. However, during the interview, I noticed the COO seemed disengaged. To make matters worse, she was seven minutes late and ended the interview 15 minutes early. I was also battling the flu, trying hard not to sneeze or cough throughout the conversation. At the end, I asked if there were any concerns about my profile, and she politely said there weren’t any. But I can't shake the feeling that she might not have reviewed my resume thoroughly or had other priorities during our time together. I truly want this role and believe I could bring significant value to the team. It's frustrating to feel like I might not have made the best impression.

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 applied for a job last week and just received an email from the company requesting my transcripts to proceed with my application. I'm a bit unsure if this is a standard practice, especially since I'm based in Canada. I understand that in the US it might be more common for positions that require a certain level of education, but I would appreciate any insights on whether this is typical here in Canada. Should I go ahead and send my transcripts?

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 recently interviewed for a manager position, even though I don't have prior management experience. The interview felt a bit strange since they didn't really discuss the specifics of the role at all. I thought it went okay overall, but I was surprised when I received a call just half an hour later, right after I got home. They offered me a paid trial week to see if I'm a good fit for the team, which I've never done before—I've only experienced trial days or hours. While I agreed to the trial, I'm feeling a bit uncertain about the whole situation. I know hiring someone on the spot can be a red flag, but it seems like they haven't fully committed yet. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high.

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.