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One of the worst things about COVID-19 for those who have been lucky enough to secure work is that it is perhaps harder than ever in recent history to leave bad jobs and abusive work environments.
8 months ago
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I've been in a job I don't enjoy, don't feel motivated by, and with a culture and management staff which is a total mismatch since January of 2020. I was placed there by an agency, and they were willing to place me elsewhere after seeing my written reports about the managerial abuse going on there. Then COVID happened. Then nothing. It has been an emotionally devastating grind, and given the fact that there are now little to no special benefits to be collected due to hardship from COVID, many people are now facing joblessness and homelessness if they don't stick to whatever gig they can get, no matter how bad it is. This is not a working system.
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In January, I'd been ready to move on from my dead-end first position and develop professionally in my field for over a year. Just graduated, had a couple of interviews, I needed to move quickly in order to avoid getting pigeonholed. My field was competitive before, but I am really struggling right now. This isn't to say I'm not grateful to have an income, but it really feels like I worked like an animal for 3 years for nothing. Edit: this is not my first job, it’s my first post masters *professional* job. Lest anyone consider me “spoiled.”
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I'm sorry to hear that. It wasn't you that failed the system, the system failed you!
8 months ago
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I completely agree, my working environment has gotten so toxic this year. It’s unbearable. I’m applying for jobs constantly but getting nowhere. Mentally I’m at breaking point. Every day I cry multiple times in the day because it’s so unbearable. I have severe anxiety before starting each day and panic about what I’m going to do “wrong” that day. I feel like nothing I do is right or good enough. All of us employees are treated like the directors punching bags. I’ll do my work the exact way of the processes that have always been in place, just to be told off about not adding in extras that are not required. I’ll do my work the exact way of the processes that were introduced 2 days ago, just to be told off about not including stuff I’ve been told not to include. I can’t win. A team member has left so I have the work of two people on top of this. It’s gotten to the stage where I daydream about having a car crash on the way in to work because maybe less of my soul will die that day. It’s like they know no where else is hiring so they don’t have to be a good employer anymore. It’s even harder because I used to love the job.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Your story sounds similar. DM if you want to commiserate.
8 months ago
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I had another job lined up to start in May. Then covid hit and it got pushed to July. Then indefinitely halted. My current job has put me into therapy it's so bad. I was ready to quit over a year ago. I'm at hundreds of applications at this point and the only time I hear back is when recruiters proactively reach out to me. Still nothing concrete. Most of those calls have been them building a pipeline of candidates for when the hiring freezes end. Bright side though, within the last week or two I have started to see more actual positions opening. Keep grinding y'all, companies are starting to add roles.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
> Bright side though, within the last week or two I have started to see more actual positions opening. Keep grinding y'all, companies are starting to add roles. That's interesting, cause I've noticed the opposite. Up until this month I have had no problem finding postings (hearing back is another matter ofc), but now I'm just not seeing anything. I can scroll through 2 or 3 pages of LinkedIn openings before I find something in my field. Thats with the same keywords and filters I was using before. I guess it depends on the industry.
8 months ago
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Very well said. Most days I'd rather run myself over with my own car than report to work, but I really can't afford even 1 week without income right now. I don't have many choices and it feels like none of them are any good.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I feel it...I’m not gaining many sales and I honestly hate the type of work I am doing but I am fortunate enough to have an income so I feel like I shouldn’t complain
8 months ago
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I want to point out that if you are in this situation, don't give in to learned helplessness. Do what you can to move on. You can find something that works for you eventually, that doesn't make you miserable every day, even if it can take months or years to work toward. Don't criticize yourself or indulge in thoughts like 'it will never get better', 'I will never find a boss I can cope with', 'I'm always going to feel stuck', and so on: if you are doing your homework, working on yourself, and putting in the effort, there is nothing wrong with \*you\*. Keep going and for the love of all, be kind to yourself.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I want to second this. I spent three years at the job from hell once, after being placed there as a temp. I started trying to leave the day they officially hired me on from the agency, when the boss told me I'd be paid far below area market rate for my position, because he didn't think I had any "actual skills" (I guess the Bachelor's degree and years of experience in similar roles, and that I'd cleaned up their books a lot over the previous three months meant nothing? The man was and probably still is an absolute tool with zero social skills). Working there, for someone like that, was the exact kind of torment you're imagining. I ended up overworked, burned out, belittled, trying to navigate all kinds of head games from the other dysfunctional people who worked there, and severely physically injured to boot. It was demoralizing. I worried that I would never escape. But I never gave up, I applied to any old thing that paid at least as much as I made at HellJob. I told myself every day that this workplace was not normal, and that I would probably not encounter anything half as bad in the future. It was hard, but you're right that keeping your focus on the future and putting as much distance between yourself and the dysfunction is the only way to retain any sanity. I've now been out of that job longer than I was in it, and life is blessedly free of toxic insane behavior. The only way out is through sometimes, and as long as you're doing your best, you should hold your head high. I hope anyone reading this and suffering through an abusive workplace gets that next break soon.
8 months ago
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I hear ya. I’ve been at my job for a year and I’m miserable just about every minute of it. I’ve been applying like crazy since May but hardly any interviews and no offer. I’m ready to throw in the towel and quit but I’m worried I won’t get another job so quickly.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I do see one bright side, it’s never been easier to schedule multiple interviews than ever before. Pre covid id have to ask for days off or take half days to attend interviews whereas now I just take them around noon and skip taking a lunch hour. It was invaluable when I had secured a barely passable job and got a chance to interview for a much better job. I know you’re probably feeling down but I think there is a way out of it. It just needs one to fight like hell get out.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Lunch... Hour? What is this?
8 months ago
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This is not meant to be dismissive. But this is not going to magically change just because you're out of this particular work environment. I have nearly 15 years of experience in Corporate America, trust me on this. Sure, you may get out from beneath a bad manager, but it will likely be replaced by another toxic colleague or superior elsewhere. That's the thing. Toxic people don't just work at a singular organization. They are EVERYWHERE. So the change needs to come from within *you*. By that, I mean you need to stop giving them so much control over your feelings. Care less. What's the worse they are going to do to you? Fire you? That'd be a blessing from the sounds of it. Hopefully you'll get unemployment and a severance package out of it, too. You need to be saving every penny, like yesterday. Cut your discretionary spending and live on the bare minimum. Get roommates. This should be your mindset for the rest of your life. Debt and financial obligation is slavery, my friend. Offload that burden and free yourself from feeling like you're trapped in these situations. I will never finance another car again in my life. I will pay off everything in cash, or have cash on hand for anything that I do finance on a promotional 0% interest line of credit. I will not obligate myself to anything that I can't cancel or pay off at a moments notice. Take care of yourself, first and foremost. Put your mental, emotional, and physical health above any job, ever. That means giving yourself every opportunity to get out when it hits the fan. Play by your own rules and nobody else's.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
All good points, but while every job has its downside, not all ruin your mental health. Also, some are simply not a fit. While one should always be reflective and ask themselves hard questions about whether the external change they're seeking will really change things, it is also true that people can, and do, find work places which work vastly better for them. It just takes time to figure out what that is.
8 months ago
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I feel your pain. I'm currently working for a cable company in a call center. I had the chance to leave this place about 3 years ago but I didn't take it because the pay was good and at the time the work wasn't so bad and we had just merged. Fast forward to March when the shut down began and our company was not handling it well [in my opinion] and started sending people home far too late. Call center culture is already toxic to be honest, but when you're working in the billing department you realize how much you hate customer service. Everyones entitled. Everyone is going to call corporate if they don't get their way. Everyone is angry and screaming when they call in. But you keep telling yourself the pay is good. The benefits are good. Then you get to the point where you ask yourself "Am I good?". More and more I've been looking at my mental health and how much it's tanked in the last few years especially now. If I could go back and find a different job before the pandemic I would have left and never turned back. Mental health is so important and overlooked by almost all jobs.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Wow, your comment about asking yourself "am I good?" really hit home. I needed to see that!
8 months ago
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I appreciate this. I try to apply to an average of 5 jobs a day, I just sent my 100th job application today. I wish you the best of luck!
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Scams are on the rise as well. People are getting more desperate to find ways to make money. The system is broken, while millionaires relax on their yachts, mansions and supercars.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
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8 months ago
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It's so hard to know what's stable right now. Is it worth the risk to jump and become the first on the chopping block, should things worsen? I have no idea.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
That’s what I am going through now. I have an interview with a company that was just bought by another company. Even if I do get the job, I am already on the chopping block if we shut down again. It’s a lose lose. I feel like I should just hunker down at my current job, but do the interview as practice. I do see jobs in my field coming back, but it’s still risky to accept a new job if given the opportunity.
8 months ago
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I just lost my job. **Today** . And my first day was last Thursday. I lost it because on my first day, their site had been crashed due to poor upgrading, and they expected me to fix it ASAP. I’m a web developer, so they expected me to be able to fix it blindfolded. At the time, I didn’t have any onboarding procedures, no system overview, and no knowledge transfer of any sort. Well, there was that Zoom meeting on Friday, but they set if for 7pm-9pm AT NIGHT. The job description also said you needed 1 year of experience, not DECADES of it. So I guess they felt that 2 hours was enough time to learn a whole system... ...anyways, on the weekend, when no one was supposed to work, their System Administrator guy let everyone know in an email that he tried to fix it but there were still site errors, so he was handing the project off to me. He sent this email to EVERYONE important, including the big boss. Frazzled, I wrote a formal reply saying that I would try the best i could but that a knowledge transfer was extremely needed. BIG MISTAKE: The big boss didn’t like that and fired me, on my 3rd day. I was just trying to cover myself. And i believe I did the right thing. But it was at a cost. 🥺 I write all this to say, that even though the situation was definitely not fair, and the job was definitely a “set up to fail” kind of situation, I still wish, to a degree, that I still had it. With that job, I could finally exhale and not have to worry about next month’s rent. With that job, I had security in my heart that I could afford a good Christmas for my son this year. But now I have to worry all over again. I’m lucky that I still can do deliveries for DoorDash and other gig jobs, but that doesn’t beat a full time job in your chosen field. I guess I have no “moral of the story, ” or words of wisdom. But I look at myself, expressing my refusal to be handed a “nightmare task” during my first few days, because i demanded to be treated fairly as a new worker. But then I look at my friends, who all hate their “shitty” jobs and how they are treated unfairly. But while they don’t complain, and take the abuse daily, they still always last another day, while I didn’t even last a whole week because I didn’t take unfair treatment. 🙁 It’s not fair, or right, but they are still employed, and I’m not. I guess I did learn a lesson after all. 🤷♀️🥺 EDIT: Thank you all for the upvotes. I’m glad my post is touching the hearts and souls of a few people, maybe even more. The firing is still fresh in my mind, so I’m just trying to work things out in my head. This is not the first occurrence I’ve had in which a job set me up to fail like this. But most jobs I’ve had put the pressure on after a few weeks, not the first few days. I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t make it in these super high tech positions, since these companies are so cutthroat. They just expect you to know everything out of the box, like every developer is a genius/prodigy or something. They believe that so long as you know a little about a project, you can just jump in without needing any knowledge transfer from a predecessor. I can definitely do the work, and with good results, but if I don’t start churning out results quickly, then I’m instantly labeled as “slow” or “lacking skills.” I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I’ve had it. 👎 It’s so hard to experience a bad outcome, even though you did the right thing. But I guess this is what happens, when people fight for what is right, and end up suffering for it. But it was a trial they had to endure, and this was a trial for me. But I’m getting so damned tired of trials 🙄 I know that in time, this will just be another war story for me. And hopefully at that time, I’ll already be in a better position and career. Good luck all. 🙏
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I actually was just fired last friday for similar reasons -- they made me work at the same time as my part-time cashiering job at a supermarket, on 6 days of my 2 weeks notice, I had to work from 8:30a - 9 pm, let alone the drive home. I essentially worked everyday for two weeks though, and promised myself I would never do this to myself again, no matter what company. So for my on-boarding, I only had 2 days with the last graphic designer, he was super nice, but 2 days was really not enough to actually learn everything. Because after that, every day, I learned something new about my job that was never mentioned before. And sometimes, my boss would be angry at me that I didn't somehow magically pick up on this, she did this a lot with everyone. I have examples, but that would really make this post long. And after I started working full-time, I was consistently called into the office for something WRONG that I wasn't taught, because the last graphic designer made it seem as though there wasn't any sort of protocol. I would constantly ask my coworkers for help, but even then, she was never satisfied and constantly accused me and put me in the spotlight. And the horrible thing was, what she wanted was a seasoned graphic designer with several years of experience, despite the very low pay. I had been out of a design job for a various long time, and worked at various day jobs, and had to relearn my craft in the meantime. But that didn't seem enough. Least to say, I had decided to secretly start looking for work a few weeks ago, but she beat me to the punch and let me go. I think it was fine for her to do so because I came to realize that she would never ever be satisfied, and she was the negative type who will always amplify all the negatives and never give positive reinforcement back. I'm also really lucky enough to actually still have some EDD money -- I never spent it all and only ever bought necessities, so I have backup, however, I will still need to find work again... Christmas this year is gonna be tough. I wouldn't call this a total bad experience, because now I know I shouldn't ever say yes to a company that makes me bend over backwards the way they did.
8 months ago
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I left my toxic work environment mid pandemic, because I was dreading going in everyday due to toxicity, my pay was cut in half and I was hating life. I have not been able to find a job since and now I'm worse off mentally than I was before... Im jobless, no pay at all and have no hope.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I'm so sorry. Don't give up hope, things will turn around eventually.
8 months ago
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This was 100% my predicament earlier this year. In January I was totally planning to to leave my toxic firm at the end of the tax busy Season. But with COVID, I thought it better to stay and wait at this job until 2021, or whenever COVID is over with. Well, by waiting I burned out bad at a job I hated and ended up getting fired in October. I'm glad I'm out of that place, but now I have to try and find a job in the middle of the pandemic AND explain to perspective employers that I was fired. Heh
8 months ago1You have reported this post
On the bright side, this is probably the best time we'll see in our lives for having a reason to be fired. No one will question "cuts due to Covid".
8 months ago
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Also: 9 to 5 became from wake up to bed time. 1 hour lunch is non existent.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Working from home I am assuming
8 months ago
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I’m so fucking trapped and want to die, yes.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
That's my situation but started a month before you. It's an alright job but there's no growth opportunity, at least not for me. I posted here yesterday that I'm there as a contractor and a user told me that we're second class citizens, he got that right. It feels like that, no benefits, pay is nothing crazy and I do the work of at least 3 people. My position has only had 1 person do it historically but the projects have evolved big time and the company has expanded beyond belief so it's not the same job that I started last year, let alone what it was years before. What truly bothers me is seeing people with less potential than me getting better pay without a degree and just a load of praises. I would rather have money than praises, but it feels good to at least be acknowledged. Not the case, I'm literally treated as if I had leprosy. Can't even go to the meetings or luncheons (doesn't affect me since I'm remote due to Covid) because I'm not their employee plus have had people treat me as if I'm less. Tough position to be in.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
My job we are all instructed to praise each other to make it not a toxic work environment.... also we don’t make a ton either.
8 months ago
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I was interviewing when Covid started and I haven't started back up yet... I'm just going to keep an eye out and start back up after the new year. I just feel very grateful to have a job right now, even though it makes me so depressed.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Hang in there, may have to take a job doing literally anything or make a job yourself, never give up never surrender!
8 months ago
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I just got out of a toxic work environment, only was staying there because of the current job market. Ended up being told I couldn’t work there anymore over text because I asked if I could work from home over lockdown 2.0 (I do spreadsheets all day and it can be done from home) But I’m so fucking relieved I’m done with the place! Never been happier. I’m fortunate enough to live at home with supportive friends and family so I’m lucky. Couldn’t imagine the pressure on people who depend on a toxic job, but keep searching and something will come!!
8 months ago1You have reported this post
That’s what I want to do - spreadsheets all day from home... Enjoy
8 months ago
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Yeah my job isn’t that bad but I’m kinda worried to leave. It was so hard to find a job before all this it’s gotta be even harder now
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I figure it is better to hunker down, and roll with the punches. Worse case scenario if I get fired, I get unemployment. If I jump to another job and I don’t make it past that three to six month threshold, I won’t get any unemployment if I am let go.
8 months ago
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100%. I'm all for doing what you need to do in order to get through the pandemic but it's challenging to keep a level head in an undesirable job.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
What you’re told is very different from what is out there. I don’t know what state or province you are in and I think in the state’s it’s way worse than in Canada though we had stricter lockdowns for the most part. Please look for the job. It’s not true that it’s that bad. Only some industries crashed. I used Covid to get several offers because no one wants to move on from their job or work or drive/take transit to certain places. Don’t use it anymore as an excuse that things are bad because they aren’t. I took a job I’m ok with while taking the time to look for what I really want. It’s hard finding something truly fantastic, so it took several offers many of which I turned down. But of all my years in misery (Alberta) I moved to another province and it’s the best job search streak I ever had Zoom also makes it easy to have a lot of them although bear in mind employers tend to abuse zoom a bit
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I was a Peace Corps volunteer that was evacuated due to COVID. Being dropped back into this job market was ridiculously challenging.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Yep and the agency that reports on unemployment numbers said that unemployment recipients has gone down and shows people are finding jobs. No, a lot are just dropping off because their benefits ran out.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I feel ya. I entered 2020 ready to move onto a better job and a healthier work environment, then COVID hit and I more or less got stuck.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Yes I just started this one job as an administrator in a urgent care and I can’t take my manager anymore I feel like checking into a mental clinic. I think I’ll just go back to target at least my team was decent. The job market is getting worse by the day I don’t even think it matters if you have a degree or not at this point.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
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8 months ago
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I am currently in the same situation. I was bullied for almost a year at my current job. My old boss got fired for unrelated reasons and the new boss is absolutely terrible. He micromanages everyone on the team, and often causes us more work. My workload has tripled and we are not allowed overtime. Luckily I have an interview tomorrow but I am so worn out I don’t know if I can muster up the strength to get through it with a smile on my face. I have been trying to leave my current job for a year and a half and it just seems to suck me back in. Then Covid came out of nowhere and now I am stuck until I get fired or find something else. I’m terrified.......all the time. I’m hoping to land a better job but my fear is moving from one toxic environment to another.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
You have a flair for writing. Seek to leverage your gift.
8 months ago
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I couldn’t agree with you more, I started a new job the week before the first covid shut downs and it was just red flag after red flag. I can’t wait for my out, I’m currently using PTO for Thanksgiving yet I’m getting calls and emails to do things. So ridiculous, people act so helpless when I’m not there, but proceed to be extremely defensive and territorial when I am there. Makes zero sense, my manager always wants to know what I’m doing on PTO and if I can modify it. They want me readily available 24/7, but don’t offer any car allowance, cell phone allowance, or the ability to work from home. Inserts eye roll- this was not discussed during the interview AT ALL. Too much stress and expectations for minimal pay and benefits.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Well for what it’s worth, I left my job to start doing freelance work,and have more time to pursue a side business completely unrelated to the job I was at. So far so good. One thing I’ll add, learn to thrive in uncertainty.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Damn if this isn’t exactly how I feel right now.... I have enough to live off without a job for the next few months but shit man it’s risky and I’m DAMN close to taking it. Got hired earlier this year and was basically lied to in terms of where my job is and what it entails.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I’m in more intense therapy because of my job which I can’t leave because the only reason I can afford the therapy is my job! An already crumby work environment has become unbearable. I’m doing my best to hang in there. I hope everyone else in this same situation is, too.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
My company might start laying off people next year, so I need to start looking...doesn't seem promising.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
This is hitting me hard. I'm in university and I'm working a shitty, minimum wage job. It is very common for the new hires (mostly teenagers or young adults) to get yelled at by the older staff. I have never experienced this level of disrespect at a job. I was going to quit after securing a reference from a coworker for my program, but now that work is hard to come by I am stuck here! I experience anxiety every time I walk into work and it's really getting me down.
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True.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Yeah, that's where I am. I'm paid pretty well, but the stress is through the roof. Luckily, I'm waiting for a position to open up internally and transfer to that role. Same stressors though probably..
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I’ve already given up finding a job.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
This is the situation I'm in. I was going to leave and move this year but couldn't.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I’m so sorry. I’ve noticed while doing video interviews at some places that the employees look WRECKED. There’s having a casual work culture, but then there’s having a culture where people are so overworked they don’t even look halfway put together. I always make a mental note that I don’t want to work there (not that I’ve gotten any offers anyhow 😅).
8 months ago0You have reported this post
20x harder
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I left man my boss was bullying it was a hard decision but I did it. I saved up some money before quitting
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Nailed it!
8 months ago0You have reported this post
This is... horrible. I was in an extremely abusive and low paying job for nearly two years up until late March. As soon as I got my one year, I started looking for new work. The problem is that it’s extremely difficult to secure interviews during work hours without lying about a doctor’s appointment, in which case they would ask what’s wrong and for proof. It was horrible. They eventually found out I was looking elsewhere and took me into a back conference room and cussed me out and basically told me I was fired because they couldn’t believe I didn’t tell them I was looking elsewhere. I left thinking that I had no job. The y called me back in a few days later on Monday and said they would love to have me stay long term and tried getting me to sign a 3 year contract. LMAO! Said no to that. This was all prepandemic where it was ALREADY difficult to find a new job while being in an abusive one, and now it’s way worse. I really lucked out with the pandemic and it allowed me to be laid off and they didn’t bring me back unless I signed a contract and committed to them and I said no, so I’ve been fortunate enough to not work there anymore. That being said, it’s still extremely difficult to find work during these times. I’ve been looking for almost 9 months and I’ve secured nothing. I’m really sorry about the position you’re in and I relate to it 100%. Please feel free to vent or ask questions simply to let it out or just need someone to talk to. It’s an extremely difficult time for a lot of people, and you’re absolutely right that it has made abusive situations even WORSE.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I wish I had an answer but I can say you’re not alone. I’m going through the same. 16 hour days on salary, no PTO, but it’s better than the alternative like you said.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I haven't been able to put this to words, thank you
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I was ready to leave my previous job two weeks into it (April 2019). The culture deteriorated week after week. It got worse in January when our Chinese suppliers basically said "F*ck off with your parts orders" and when into lockdown. The CEO became increasingly agitated (he was already a monster to begin with) as deals began drying up due to the uncertainty. Huge deals were suspended and money that was forecasted to drop didn't. As a senior manager, I knew what was going on behind the scenes but couldn't tell those under me. I began leaving subtle hints for them and began writing references/recommendations on LinkedIn, resume reviews, sent them jobs I was seeing, and the standard, "Well, you never know when it could happen. That's the nature with at will employment, right?!" Then the VPs caught whatever the CEO had and begin railing into people. Screaming matches, computers being thrown at people. Reimbursements for travel and other expenses got delayed or halted. One day our director of purchasing told me they had stopped paying vendors. I thought, "Oh shit". That's the point at which I began telling people it was time to get serious about updating their resumes. I got an angry call from a VP about the "rumors" I was spreading. The dude was a two-faced snake. I explained I had only communicated the issues about paying bills and that to me, that meant the party was over. But otherwise he needed to take up the rumors of the purchasing guy. I had been aggressively interviewing for almost a year at this point. March came around and I was laid off along with about 50 other people. Instead of it being devastating, it was probably the single biggest relief I've ever experienced. But, after about two weeks of living it up, the reality of the market for my role was laid bare. I wasn't the only person doing what I do in a relatively small market. After 4 months of unemployment, I accepted a role that was nearly entry-level, paid half of what I was paid previously, and was the same job I had 6 years ago. I'm now pivoting out of the industry entirely, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed it came to such an abrupt end.
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The last place I wanted to work at is a prison, but I took the job anyways. I can’t live on part time work or 38 hours a week at some retail store.
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I have a job other's would kill for, but the last six months have been very hard to take. I make art for video games at home. The boss cuts our pay at random. He then hired on 3 more artists and then treated us like crap until one of us dropped out. When our supervisor got covid we got someone else in the organization with not enough to do took over. He sets priorities not knowing anything about software development, art direction, our work pipeline, or management. So virtually daily he reassigns work depending on what he obsesses about. He wants to seem decisive, but he comes off as mean and condescending. I am stuck working for a kid that makes my job needlessly complicated. I doubt I can get another job right now so I put up with a lot that I wouldn't have at other times.
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Shit employers will get a hard slap upside the head just as soon as the vaccine is well distributed.
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You couldn't be more right. Had to take an 8-month stint working a dead-end in a highly volatile sales call-center, was good for a bit and then everything started dying down and the stress got to me. Hang in there, we're with you.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
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8 months ago1You have reported this post
Do u live in an area with a ups, fedex or amazon? I got hired by all 3 of em almost instantly and they all pay 16+ an hour
8 months ago
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I left my job not long ago, when in hindsight compared to this new role that I’m grateful to have landed during these times, it wasn’t that bad at all. Sometimes you’re in a really stressful situation and feel trapped, you find something else which feels like a miracle because it’s so hard to leave a place during COVID, that doesn’t turn out like what you expect. The worst is stepping into something that you thought would be better than what you had, then having to go through this process again. I am now looking for new roles even though I’m so burn out from job hunting that led me to my current role. I cannot stay an extra day longer but hope to stick it out till early next year.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
I am in the same spot and am severely depressed because of it. Left a great job in hopes of a new learning opportunity and now I’m stuck at a job I hate. Seriously contemplating quitting in the new year for my mental health and taking some time off. But also worried about job searching come next year.
8 months ago
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Or like me you finally get a great job and are now afraid of layoffs. I just hope I have at least 6 months exp at that point
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my experience is a bit of the opposite ... but that might be because im in a high demand field right now. The only issue i have is that getting started with a new job is really hard, especially since onboarding is virtual and sorting out accesses can take weeks at a time. I switched jobs during the mysharona cyrus -- landed a nice raise, but it took a long time to get up to speed and i do not feel connected with my team at all. I am hoping the mandatory remote work ends soon.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
These stories sound pretty bad. Why don't people quit and fall on their safety nets, stay home with loved ones, apply for good jobs, wait out the pandemic?
8 months ago0You have reported this post
It was really validating to find this thread. I took a new job in Feb before the pandemic hit, always intending it to be temporary as I was ready for a career change and it’s a small company with no opportunity for growth or taking on a different role. I realized it was a mistake two weeks in when the boss fired one of my teammates. Since then the boss has become extremely erratic, unavailable, unreliable, untruthful, retaliatory, insecure, and vindictive. Boss tried to fire another one of my teammates when a project wasn’t going well (boss’s fault) but HR stepped in. Boss then threatens the entire team against going to HR with any problems. So I have been trapped, feeing powerless to make any change for fear of retaliation, while the boss drags the team into the ground and hurts the company in the process. Another team member quit two months ago without another offer because they couldn’t take it. I’m considering it myself. I’m in a fortunate position to have a very good emergency fund saved up, but I feel incredibly guilty and worried about walking away. Edit: a word
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I left 3 of them this year, lol.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
You left 3 jobs this year?
8 months ago
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I got *extremely* lucky: I was fired from a job I hated, and was eligible for unemployment, got into a job I liked, but didn't have enough hours, was able to move from that job to a full time position elsewhere in under 3 months, and now I'm in the best job that I've ever had. I don't know what I'm doing, I really don't. Usually, I struggle with employment. Am in IT, background is in IT and telecom.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Similar situation I had. I also started a new job in January 2020. I was in an IT Support role with a lab testing company. There was a more senior person in same role. He was ordered to work from home due to Covid in March. I didn't like the job much, nor did I particularly hate it, but it was tough to be on my own and supporting the lab. Most days were boring, but I was thankful to have a job. I started looking for new work in May; and had several interviews the next couple months. I left the lab when there were some promising leads on new work. I took a chance and submitted my resignation and was starting a new job in July. That job didn't work out and I have been out of work since July. Thank goodness for the Canada Recovery Benefit that started a month ago. That biweekly $900 has been a big help for my wife and I. She has been working, but will be going on mat leave in the spring. The whole idea of work in this new world needs to change. Browse the r/antiwork subreddit and I think you will find you are not alone.
8 months ago1You have reported this post
Already on there, antiwork is great. Sorry to hear about the shit you've been through. Don't have to tell a Canadian this but be glad you're not in America.
8 months ago
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I made a career change from the military( that made me absolutely miserable) to barbering, finished barber school right as lockdown started, managed to interview and get job offers for jobs that all disappeared due to a second lockdown, I’m now looking at unemployment but I’m still unwilling to go back to my previous job. COVID sure has threw a spanner in the works. But we will all get through this and things will get better.
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My current job has lost exactly no money due to the industry it's in being pretty recession proof. They've cut a bunch of different things like 401k matching adding up to about a 15% compensation cut because they are 'concerned about a possible impact' due to the pandemic. Every monthly all hands they've had since they've spent bragging about how well we're doing. Meanwhile we're busier than ever. I get an email in my inbox every day that starts with "Thanks for all your hard work today, please work extra hard today". They recently announced that they are not handing out yearly bonuses which is another 6% of our pay. Feels real good to be broken open like a fucking piggy bank when the higher ups get spooked. At least I still have a job I guess.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
It’s also been really hard to find solidarity. Until a few months ago, I was stuck in a job where I was regularly bullied by a shitty boss. Every day was miserable. I left work angry almost every day. I had panic attacks in the bathroom often. I’d been there since 2018 and in the beginning of 2020, I was on a roll securing interviews and was seemingly close to securing an offer when COVID hit and everything dried up. Then came the panic and work overload. When the economy slowed down, my already struggling company stared laying people off left and right. Those of us who were left found ourselves doing the job of like 5 people for the same pay. Then we got hit with a 20% pay cut. But I felt It really hard to talk about the anxiousness and depression I was feeling at the time because everyone was like “well at least you have a job.” And yes, that is true. And every time it came up, I felt guilty and horrible that I was fortunate enough to be working, but still miserable. The problem is, people who are stuck in shitty jobs rn still need community, space to talk through what they’re going through and the ability to find support..
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I'm at a job I don't feel safe at right now, and the fear of catching covid is somehow equal to the fear of being stranded with no income for the foreseeable future. I have no idea what to do.
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My dead end job isn't abusive, but it is chaotic and exhausting. I've wanted out for over a year now, but it doesn't look like that's going to ever happen. I gave up back in August and I can't get the motivation to try again. It's hopeless.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Lol yeah I knew applying for jobs was useless, I learned 3 professional skills, investing, probably after covid I won’t need my company. Covid really exposed a lot of people I’m a real entrepreneur. Many people are leaving my company also for their own start ups or just bored of having to deal with that mix of intellects and stupid people you don’t know how they work there or complete day to day tasks. I had way too much time to think during covid. Also with the stock market still being cut in half just my 2c learn a few skills
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I started my job in February just before shit hit the fan, and I really don't enjoy my role. I actually started on a temp contract until Feb 2021 which they have made into a permanent position last week. The job pays well for the area I live in, and I have not been able to find anything else in the meantime that would be worth taking the risk and moving into. This sucks as it makes me more stressed and depressed every day i spend there.
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Tge companies and managers are very aware of it
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This. I’ve been miserable where I’ve been at for so long it’s taken a toll on my self esteem. Micromanaging, low wage, no added responsibilities because office politics. It’s a drag to get out of bed in the morning.
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And here's the kicker: The lockdowns have shut down 10's of thousands of businesses. Once a vaccine is out and Covid lockdowns are over, you are going to have a massive glut of unemployed workers all fighting for a much smaller pool of jobs among the businesses that survived. What does that do? Drive down wages and benefits since demand for jobs will vastly outstrip supply. It also removes any incentive for workplaces to treat employees well or try to retain anyone, cause they know there are millions more people out there desperate for work and nowhere to go. > This is not a working system. I agree. The lockdowns were a tragic mistake that is going to end up costing FAR more lives and economic devastation than Covid ever would have caused. It's a case study on how well intentions liberal policies often end up causing more harm than good
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My dad was supposed to retire the end of last year but a combination of HR ineptitude and him not checking in to make sure everything was all set up delayed it into the new year. He ended up having to work remote once COVID hit which he hated (he worked in the office until they forced everyone to WFH). Of course this delayed it even further and he finally got to retire in July.
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There’s also no fucking jobs you can apply to right now that will be much better. All I see in my area are jobs from Amazon and jobs requiring years of experience in a specialized field.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
I lost my (temp) job early because of the virus, and I live with abusive parents. It's a very similar and also utterly hopeless sensation.
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Same! I feel like 2020 has been some sick joke. My plan for this year was as my daughter was moving into secondary school I could begin looking for jobs outside civil service as I don't need as much flexibility and progression is crap. The environment is toxic to the point that people who do my job usually leave after 3-6 months. Having been there for over 2.5 years I'm considered highly experienced in my field. But its mentally training and superiors take their titles too literally. I've contemplated stress leave several times. But I was hoping I could leave and I just feel stuck now. I feel your pain and it sucks!!! What's worse is who knows when this is all going to go back to normal
8 months ago0You have reported this post
definitely true Ive lost my 2 jobs to covid and im currently unemployed. Im desperate if i get a job no matter how toxic the environment is i am staying. I cant even get through to unemployment either smh. This is exactly why crime is up if you ask me. People are getting desperate and now with the second wave its not gonna get any better
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Ok so here's the story. Today I got an interview in a marketing agency. The guy has been texting me through whatsapp all week scheduling the interview for wednesday. Yesterday at 22pm he textes me and says that they want to change the interview for th net day (Monday) which was not very professional but I agreed. I graduated this May from my marketing and PR degree for 4 years and the position was for design applied to advertising (Which I love and I can do). Finally, after 8 months looking for a job I get and interview. So I go there and the guy starts talking like an hour about the company (which is too much) and wouldn't let me talk. Then, the CEO appears and starts to say that all my portfolio is shit and that he doesn't like it (very disrespectful). Then he tells me that it's not actually a job, it's an internship for a few months. Ok, here I started to get angry but the cherry on top was that he said to me and the other guy who was interviewing that we must leave the office as he needed it for another meeting. So, I END UP ON THE STREET FINISHING THE INTERVIEW with the other guy!! How disrespectful is that? OMG. Well, in the end , the guy tells me that they would send me an email with a test which I have to complete (it can take from 1-3h of my time) and MAYBE if they like it they would call me. It made me feel like I didn't mean anything and I was wasting my time. Honestly, I would not want to work at a place like that. If this was only the interview imagine working there every day. The thing is, if they didn't have time today in Monday why the hell did they wanted me to come so bad and reschedule? ​ What do you think? I really need some love comments.
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Currently, I am working on improving my application, eventhough I work for the government. Your business (for those who want to do so) should be on something that you are interested in. Whatever you enjoy the most can be a start. Since the pandemic, online and home based business are on the rise and if you use social media, those platforms can help grow your business exponentially. [BMD](http://berrianmydebt.appv.biz)
8 months ago0You have reported this post
Stay vigilant on your job hunt. The economy will eventually get better and you will find something you enjoy more.
8 months ago0
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We need more people like this
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Had an uncomfortable interview this week with a rude interviewer. Feel free to share your frustrations here too
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I gave up in the middle of the online group interview.
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My dad, with 35 years experience as an engineer, just discovered the bullshit that is today's application process.
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