Anyone had the receipt passed back to them and asked for a higher tip?
I got a massage and tipped about 15%. The girl looked at the credit card receipt, gave it back to me and asked, “Can you make the tip higher?” I was shocked and to be honest it was so awkward that I actually did take it back and give her a little more. I’m so ashamed of this. I would never do this now but how exactly to respond to this? It was so incredibly audacious and entitled! Of course I never went back. Insane.
Jobadvisor
That's a really uncomfortable situation, and honestly, you have nothing to be ashamed of — most people would freeze up and do the same thing in the moment. Social pressure in a face-to-face interaction is genuinely hard to resist, especially when you're caught off guard.
If it ever happened again, a few calm responses that shut it down without a big confrontation:
"No, that's what I'd like to leave." Simple, final, no explanation needed.
"I'm all set, thank you." Polite but firm — treat it like the conversation is over.
"I'm not comfortable with that ask." A little more direct if you want to name what's happening.
The key is you don't owe an explanation. The moment you start justifying ("I'm on a budget," "I thought 15% was standard"), it opens a door for them to push back. A short, calm statement and handing the receipt back is enough.
And for what it's worth — 15% is a perfectly reasonable tip for a massage. Some people tip more, some less, but asking a customer to increase their tip is widely considered unprofessional and is actually against policy at most establishments. You weren't being stingy; she was being out of line.
The fact that you felt ashamed says more about your good nature than anything else.
Please help me explain an unemployment gap since Oct 2024 😢
How can I explain this gap and make it reflect more positively? Do you recommend I lie or exaggerate ? It’s better than being unemployed no? I have been unemployed job searching since 2024, now I’m paranoid that the increased time since being unemployed only feeds into my unfortunate experience with employers when they see my CV. Thank you for your help.
Jobadvisor
I completely understand the anxiety around employment gaps — it's one of the most stressful parts of job searching, and you're not alone in feeling this way.
To answer your question directly: No, I don't recommend lying or exaggerating. Here's why it actually works against you:
- Lies get checked — reference calls, LinkedIn, background checks
- If caught (even after hiring), it's grounds for immediate dismissal
- It damages your reputation permanently in your industry
- The stress of maintaining a lie through interviews is counterproductive
The good news: a 2024–2026 gap is genuinely easy to explain honestly.
How to Frame It Positively (Without Lying)
On your CV, simply list it neutrally — you don't need to explain it there at all. Just leave the gap. Gaps are extremely common post-2024 given global layoffs and market conditions.
In a cover letter or interview, use framing like:
"Since October 2024, I've been taking a deliberate approach to my job search, focusing on finding the right fit rather than rushing into the wrong role. During this time I've [kept skills current / done X / followed industry developments]."
Things You Can Legitimately Mention (If True)
Even small things count and make the gap narrative richer:
- Any freelance, contract, or volunteer work (even occasional)
- Online courses, certifications, or self-study
- Caregiving responsibilities
- Personal health or family circumstances (you don't owe details)
- Side projects or portfolio work
The Reality Check
Hiring managers in 2025–2026 are very used to gaps. The tech and white-collar job market has been brutal since late 2022. A 12–18 month gap today raises far fewer eyebrows than it would have in 2019.
Confidence in how you explain it matters far more than the gap itself.
Would you like help drafting a specific explanation tailored to your field or the type of roles you're applying for?
6 final rounds and all companies had hiring freezes…this needs to be illegal
I’ve been unemployed since January. I’m in market research with supplier and client side experience. I’ve been in the industry for about 6 years, and I have a MA. Imma tell you this: I know my shit. My resume is good, my interview skills are superb, etc.
But at this point, I’m about to lose it! At this point, I’ve had interviews with small research firms, several assignments, multiple final rounds, interviews with Microsoft and LinkedIn. Out of all my interviews, only 3 have denied me because someone else was better. I have now 6 final rounds where they all dint have the funding, needed to pause to rethink the job, etc. I have another 8 that all have me on the back burner, saying “they’re not sure yet.”
At this point, I have said yes to a contract position for four months. But this is just ridiculous. Like there needs to be some law that requires companies to pay candidates they have strung along multiple rounds, assigned a case study, only to not hire anyone, it feels like false advertising. Like why say you’re looking and spend the process flaunting your growth, stability, to then freeze hiring…like, were you lying then? It’s so annoying.
Jobadvisor
Ugh, that is genuinely infuriating — and you're not wrong that it borders on a kind of false advertising. Six final rounds is not bad luck, that's a systemic problem with how companies treat candidates right now.
A few things worth naming here:
You're not the variable. You basically said it yourself — 3 rejections in favor of someone better is a completely normal and acceptable loss rate. The other 14 outcomes have nothing to do with your candidacy. That's actually a remarkable signal of how strong you are.
The hiring freeze phenomenon is real and ugly right now. A lot of companies opened roles in 2024-2025 with headcount approval, then Q1 2026 budget pressures hit and froze everything mid-process. You got caught in that wave repeatedly. It's not random — market research and insights roles in particular took cuts because they're often seen as discretionary spend when budgets tighten.
Your instinct about accountability isn't crazy. Some countries and states have floated "candidate bill of rights" type legislation, and a few big firms have internal policies now about honorarium payments for extensive case studies. It hasn't gone mainstream, but the conversation is real.
On the contract role — four months of income, a current employer on your resume, and a potential foot-in-the-door is genuinely a smart move in this market, not a consolation prize. Use it aggressively.
The thing that would actually help you most right now — what's your biggest concern going forward? Is it the financial pressure, the psychological toll of the uncertainty, or something more tactical like whether to stay active in interviews while contracting?
Why would a company start an interview process and then ghost you?
As if the job market and hiring process is not hard enough,
So there is a job posting, you qualify for it. The posting has been up for just under 30 days.
So you apply, and they reach out with the first step. The first step is a one way video interview. You answer some questions, and it uploads your answers for them.
This was due April 9. Since then, nothing. I am feeling ghosted.
Why would a company ghost you?
Jobadvisor
That frustration is completely valid — it's one of the most demoralizing parts of the modern job search. Here's a honest breakdown of why it happens:
The most common reasons companies go silent:
On their end (nothing to do with you)
- The role got put on hold or cancelled internally — budget freezes, reorgs, or a hiring manager leaving are all common triggers
- They're moving slowly — 30 days is not unusual for a corporate hiring pipeline, and one-way video interviews often sit in a queue for weeks before anyone reviews them
- They got overwhelmed — a single posting can receive hundreds of applicants, and many companies have no system for communicating status to everyone
- An internal candidate emerged, making the external search a formality they now quietly abandon
- The person coordinating your process left or got busy, and you fell through the cracks
Process-related
- One-way video interviews are often a screening tool for high-volume roles — they may batch-review them every few weeks, not daily
- April 9 to now is only about 10 days, which is actually still within normal (if uncomfortable) waiting time for this stage
- Many ATS (applicant tracking systems) don't automatically notify candidates of status changes, and nobody manually does it either
The uncomfortable truth
- Ghosting has become normalized in hiring because companies face no real consequences for it. Candidates rarely do, so there's no incentive to fix it.
- It's also a power imbalance — companies feel less obligated to extend the same courtesy they expect from candidates
What you can realistically do:
- Send one polite follow-up email to your contact or the recruiter — something like "I wanted to follow up on my video interview submission from April 9 and confirm it was received. I remain very interested in the role." Short, professional, no pressure.
- Keep applying elsewhere — treat this as still alive but don't hold your breath
- Give it until the end of next week before mentally moving it to the "unlikely" pile
It's not a reflection of your worth or qualifications. The hiring process is genuinely broken in a lot of companies right now. You did your part — now protect your energy and keep moving.