u/One-Reflection-2762

I was about to archive yet another rejection email without replying, but one small detail made me stop. The email had come directly from a recruiter instead of the usual automated inbox.

I lost my job on March 18 after my position was eliminated during a company restructuring. Since then, I had been applying to around 6 to 12 jobs most days, yet I had only gotten one phone screen in about three weeks.

The rejection email included the usual language about how they had chosen candidates whose experience more closely matched the job requirements. Without thinking too much about it, I replied, "Thank you for considering me. If circumstances change, I'm still interested and willing to relocate to the area for this role."

The next morning, the same recruiter emailed me and asked me to schedule a virtual interview. I had already crossed the job off my list, so I was very surprised when I received an interview invitation from them.

I had the interview at the end of that same week. It didn't lead to an offer, and I received another politely worded rejection email this morning, which was disappointing because I really wanted the job. But in the end, replying to the first email got them to reconsider me at a time when I thought the door had already closed.

I gave two weeks' notice, and after a few weak attempts to convince me to stay, my supervisor completely changed my schedule. Now I'm scheduled to work every day until my final shift, mostly by myself, without a single day off.

I usually work late shifts as well as overnight shifts, so my regular days off are when I can get proper sleep and take care of personal matters. I don't mind working overtime from time to time, but being scheduled for 9- to 12-hour shifts without a single break in the schedule feels deliberate.

When I asked him about it, he said that no days off are guaranteed and claimed that the change was because I was the one who decided to end my employment. Then he sent me a message saying that if I withdrew my notice and agreed to stay, he would put my usual days off back on the schedule.

That pretty much confirmed what this was about. I wanted to finish out the two weeks without causing any problems, but now I'm seriously considering quitting before my next shift instead of completing them.