u/No_Bluejay9904

I just needed to vent because I'm absolutely fuming.

I'm a recent graduate, but I have a few years of work experience. I've been throwing applications everywhere for a while and finally got several back-to-back interviews with one company. I thought this was it, I passed 5 stages and was optimistic. But this time, it truly crushed me.

Let me tell you about the circus that happened:
First, the HR screen - the usual stuff you all know.
Then an online assessment - it was tough, honestly. Questions on Python, FastAPI, Postgres, and 3 LeetCode problems.
Next was a Home Assignment - this took me a full week. I was asked to build a full-stack internal tool to manage assets for marketing campaigns. I built it with the same design system as their internal portal, to the point where I mimicked their component library. I even added a few extra features to show I was enthusiastic. I explained all of this to the CTO in a 90-minute technical discussion.

After that, there was another stage - a 90-minute technical session with the same CTO. This time he wanted me to integrate the Stripe API to handle mock subscription events and generate reports. He seemed very impressed and told me, 'Great, prepare for the final interview'.

The final interview with the CEO - he asked me a system design question about how to build a flexible data pipeline. I was just starting to explain my approach... He cut me off after 10 minutes and coldly said, 'Have a nice day.' And that was it. He didn't ask any questions or give any feedback. And hung up.

I have no idea what I did wrong. After the call ended, I just sat there staring at the screen, completely numb. I wasted maybe over 30 hours building them a working tool, and for what? To get rejected in 10 minutes.

I feel completely drained and, honestly, defeated. The take-home project was a massive waste of time. I put in so much effort to research their stack and build something solid. Today I'm completely burned out and questioning if this field is even for me. I don't know how I can endure this unemployment grind any longer. 😭😭

Anyway, I just had to vent somewhere.
Looks like it's back to LeetCode... 😑

My manager got fired. Before he left, he told me that I'm probably going to get fired too.

Earlier this week, my manager was end for "job abandonment." He had bronchitis and was absent because he was sick, and upper management clearly used that as a reason to finally push him out.

He and I were in almost the same situation. When I was having issues with my medication, my attendance got really bad because I kept clocking in late. Our company calls them "points." If you get 4, you get written up. Two write-ups and you're out. We both had 8 at one point. He worked something out with HR and our old regional manager (who is also gone now, because of the same person above us) so we wouldn't lose our jobs as long as we reduced the points. A point drops off after 75 days. I'm not sure where he had gotten to, but I went down from 8 to 5, and it's supposed to drop to 4 the week after next. By the beginning of February, I'm supposed to be back to zero.

This afternoon, he came in to collect his things. He pulled me aside and told me I'd be next. Apparently the "backup role" they're hiring someone for, for my same position, isn't a backup at all - it's my replacement. So basically, I have until they find someone else and train them.

He also said the real reason he got fired was that he had proof that someone above us was falsifying paperwork. That same person is now in charge of our office, and all of us regular employees are quietly worried because no one knows who is safe.

I'm stuck and I don't know what the smart move is. There's a meeting on Monday to explain all the changes that are happening. Do I believe my old manager and start sending out applications now? Or do I act like I didn't hear any of this and just keep doing my job like normal? I had previously asked about extra training, and they told me to talk to the same person who fired him. Honestly, I'd rather walk into a cage with a mountain lion.

I'm scared and I have absolutely no idea what to do.

A few days ago, I went into a meeting that I thought was just a normal check-in with HR and my manager. As soon as I arrived, it quickly became clear that it wasn't that at all. It was just me, my supervisor, and the HR director. The HR person started explaining what "harassment" mean for 7-12 minutes, until I finally interrupted him and said: "I understand what those words mean. Why am I here?"

Up to now, I haven't gotten a clear answer, and of course no one told me who made the complaint. The whole conversation was almost two hours of vague, incomprehensible corporate talk. In the state I live in, a law changed a few months ago that made filing official complaints easier. If someone says they felt uncomfortable or that they experienced "harassment," they can treat that the same as harassment itself. No one at work has ever pulled me aside before, not a coworker or a manager, and told me that a particular behavior of mine was bothering someone. If that had happened, I would have respected the boundary immediately and adjusted myself. Instead, the matter went straight to senior HR.

So now it's clear that I've been accused of harassment for reasons no one wants to explain, and some kind of note has been placed on my company record. They also told me I have to change/improve my behavior, which is impossible when no one says what behavior they mean. 🤷🏽♂ The whole thing feels unreal, and I have absolutely no idea what my next step is supposed to be. Any advice would be appreciated. 🙏🏽

I'm married and happy in my marriage, and I've always tried to be an ally to people, whoever they are or however they identify. I'm currently a case worker, but before that I lived and worked abroad with people dealing with poverty, displacement, and very difficult circumstances. I've spent my adult life trying to preserve people's dignity and help them be safe. That's why this accusation has honestly left me unable to breathe.

I'm only 22 and I feel like I'm already completely burned out. I've been working on and off since I was 17, and I seriously can't imagine doing this for another 18 months, let alone 35-45 years.

I can't imagine ever feeling truly happy while working at some company. Sitting through 38 boring, repetitive hours every week. 4 or 6 days a week depending on the schedule? I don't understand how everyone agreed that this is normal. It's exhausting, and even if I somehow found the perfect job for me, I think I'd start hating it as soon as there were deadlines, financial pressure, and the expectation that I keep showing up and working around 38 hours a week. I don't care if the people are nice or the manager is chill. I don't want to spend that much of my life at work. I feel like I'm selling my time and freedom just so I'm allowed to live.

Starting my own business doesn't seem much better tbh. If anything, it looks like it would swallow even more of my time, not to mention all the pressure and responsibility would be on me. I just don't want to be part of this whole system. I want a life with color, small weird adventures, enough space for my silly hobbies, and energy left over to care about the people I love. Peace. Freedom. Time that feels like it's mine. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with this feeling.

Hey everyone, I have a serious question from someone living in Spain.

I keep seeing people here from America talking about salaries over $130,000 a year as if it's the norm in certain fields, and honestly, I'm trying to understand if this is true. Where I live, a salary like that (around €130,000) is almost unheard of, unless you're a senior manager in a company or working in a very rare and specialized job.

I've visited America before and I know people sometimes exaggerate online, but I see these comments so often that it's starting to confuse me. Here in Spain, you can have a strong degree from a good university, a master's, and excellent experience, and end up working for a major consulting firm and making around $65,000.

So what's the reality? What percentage of employees in America earn more than $130,000 a year? I'm genuinely curious to know.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can give some information.