The business world is not always kind. In order to attract the attention of potential employers, you must not only stand out from the competition but also outperform every other application seeking the exact same position. In other words, your only options are to play and win the corporate game or to fail horribly. To put it plainly, the game is tedious and never-ending. An employee who was taken aback is described in the story below. The original poster (OP) has been actively participating in…

You would think that this kind of information would not be so easily accessible by non-HR employees! And yet, like most companies, this one's HR department did not do its due diligence. Instead, a lowly member of the IT department discovered records of everyone's salaries from ten years prior, learning that not very much has changed. No matter how long certain employees have been at the company and no matter how many changes have occurred in the world, almost no one seems to have gotten a raise…

There are things in life that you'll encounter, and you'll find nothing you've encountered previously has properly prepared you for it. Usually, these things will be so off-the-wall that there's no way anything could have properly anticipated them. The very idea of being flown out to a final interview and accepting a position, enjoying lavish dinner with the company's owner, only to go into the office and meet the guy who has just started working in the role you thought you had been accepting,…

There is a lot a job candidate can do to mess up their application. Sometimes, it's not exactly their fault. Job postings can be notoriously vague and shady. Who hasn't ended up in an interview where you suddenly realize that this so-called “great opportunity” is far beyond what you thought it would be? However, every so often, the interviewer is not at fault. Sometimes, and I know this may be hard to hear, we may be responsible for not getting hired. These hiring managers shared what they beli…

Imagine having to clean up this boss's mess! This employee compared notes with some of the other women on her team and realized that something strange was afoot. Essentially, 13 female employees either quit or were fired as they were approaching their late 20s. All of them were newly engaged, recently married, are about to start a family. The way HR attempted to get away with this nonsense was to give these women “disciplinary action” months in advance and to accuse them of not pulling their we…

Imagine reaching out to a former employer for a full-time opportunity, getting flat-out rejected, and then being asked to give money to the organization. You have to admire the audacity of these people. This Redditor shared that after successful contracted work, she sought a salaried position at the same company and put a ton of work into her application. When she was rejected, she wound up receiving what was clearly a copy-and-paste rejection email. She ended up reaching out to her contact at…

If recruiters and hiring managers expect everything a job candidate submits to be polished, should they not do the same? Let's break this down further. A job applicant is often expected to submit a resume and cover letter at the very least during the first round. Throughout the application process, depending on the position, there could be interviews, assessments, subsequent essays, etc. The expectation is for applicants to create something new and tailored to the specific position each time, w…

Don't you just love it when your boss is on thin ice and decides to take it out on the entire team? You know, as if it's their fault that she's an incompetent manager? That seems to be a frequent occurrence in the workplace. It's certainly nothing new that people in high-pressure situations act out unfairly, but it can be difficult to stomach when the person acting out is also the one who signs your paychecks. Let's start with one obvious truth that always needs to be restated: your boss's tant…

The interview process brings about a whirlwind of emotions. It's like buying a house. After sifting left and right through job postings, you finally find a job you could see yourself doing. It checks all the right boxes: perfect location, ideal salary, and matches your experience level. You do your research on the company, and you're sold. If only you could just start working there immediately. But, my friend, the rollercoaster has just begun. Now, you've got to look at your application mater...

Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, no matter what form it comes in. You can sugarcoat it any way you like, throw around the whole “It's not me, it's you,” “It's just not a good fit,” and your words are still going to have the same message: “You're not good enough for me." This, of course, is a brutal affront to anyone's ego

It's always a better end to the story if you quit your job than if you're let go. Unfortunately, this overworked, underpaid, and undervalued employee had quit what he believed was a toxic work environment. However, after some time away, his old boss reached out and lured him back in with the promise of the promotion he likely always wanted. In fairness to the employee, he likely felt flattered that they seemingly needed him so much. Unfortunately, that flattery only went so far. A mere six mont…

Bad experiences are a dime a dozen when it comes to interviewing for a retail role; in no other line of work are there so many desperate interviewing managers looking for such a high level of effort and experience for such minimal pay. Usually, if an interviewer takes issue with you, there's no coming back from it, no avenue of recourse; after all, they're the ones doing the judging, and you hold very little control over the situation outside of your ability to walk away. Yet, sometimes, a hidd…

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking since, especially when you don't know what kind of person will be interviewing you. After all the hard work of job searching, updating your application materials, and researching companies, you finally get an interview. While it can be a relief to get an interview, sadly, the hard part is just beginning. If you're lucky enough to know the names of the hiring team beforehand, you can research them to mentally prepare yourself for the interview. Maybe...

There are several no-nos when it comes to what you should not reveal in a job interview, but discussing your enjoyment of Star Trek should not be on the list. Now, I myself am not a Trekkie, and while taking off from work to attend Star Trek-themed events would not be the way I elect to use my PTO, I certainly would not disparage someone else for wanting to use their much-deserved time off in this way. This job candidate was interviewing to be a last-minute replacement while this Redditor was o…

Always be careful what you tell your soon-to-be former employer before you get out. Otherwise, they might make things harder for you, as this boss did. Sure, this might be a cynical take. In an ideal world, your boss will understand your desire to move on to a different opportunity, but if your manager is among the many selfish employers in the workforce, then leaving might not be so easy. This Redditor was not even necessarily looking for better work until he was poached by a different company…

Why can't people just take “no” for an answer? Sure, this applies to many aspects of life from relationships to friendships to family dynamics. However, it also applies to one's professional relationships. This part-time worker politely turned down an offer for a full-time position, and her General Manager simply would not have it. An hour after the meeting, he followed up over email apologizing for pressuring her in any way, but of course in sending said email, he was doing the exact opposite…