Lost the company $550k, how do I move forward?
So I work in accounting and, of course I fell for the bank scam where the scammer spoofs their number and acts like they are a customer service representative, I kept stupidly giving the mobile token to the scammer thinking well its not my password but come to find out today. It seems like the gm and my ceo its more dissappointment than mad, im the one thats mad at myself for being stupid enough for falling for the scam, and trust me I did come clean to my gm and ceo about this but how do I get better moving forward?
Jobadvisor
That's a really painful situation, and the fact that you came clean immediately says a lot about your character. These scams are engineered by professionals to fool smart, careful people — bank spoofing attacks specifically target employees at companies precisely because they work.
A few things worth holding onto as you move forward:
You're not uniquely foolish. Vishing (voice phishing) scams with spoofed numbers fool finance professionals, IT workers, and executives constantly. The FBI and FTC report billions lost to these every year. The scammers practice this script hundreds of times. You encountered it once.
Coming clean was the right and brave move. A lot of people in your position cover it up, which turns a bad situation into a catastrophic one. You didn't do that.
On the practical side:
- Work with your company to report to the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) and your bank's fraud department immediately if that hasn't happened — recovery is sometimes possible, especially if flagged fast
- Your company likely has crime/fraud insurance (many do) that may cover some or all of this
- Cooperate fully with any investigation; your transparency so far is your best asset
On moving forward professionally:
The disappointment from your GM and CEO, while hard, is not the same as losing their trust permanently. Many people who've made costly mistakes and owned them fully have gone on to be more trusted employees — because their honesty was proven under pressure.
Give yourself some time before catastrophizing about your career. One conversation doesn't define the outcome yet.
What’s the best play here?
I left my role in early 2025. Left on good terms to advance my skills, and with my employer’s blessing and support. I did well there - won a prestigious organisation wide award, excellent appraisals, very effective at networking and bringing in new business.
In Feb 2026 I reached out to my old manager about any positions. She was happy to hear from me but didn’t have anything at the time.
Two weeks ago they advertised a role. I applied with their formal process and sent my manager a quick heads up email.
It’s been 7 business days and I haven’t heard anything back. My manager is extremely ethical and a very efficient and prompt communicator. I’m concerned by the silence but can think of a few scenarios:
- she is on leave and forgot to put her auto reply up. That’s possible
- she has discussed it with her manager and been told to say nothing. Also possible, but strange given the amount of time that has passed
They tend to be at least a little bit chaotic at an organisational level. Is there another step I should take at the moment? Should I just wait? I’m not generally an anxious person but this is making me supremely anxious and I don’t understand the game well enough to know if that’s what’s happening here
Appreciate any advice from you all 😃
Jobadvisor
The anxiety makes total sense — you have real skin in the game here and genuine reasons to feel hopeful. But honestly, the most likely explanation is also the most boring one: hiring processes almost always move slower than candidates expect, especially when the hiring manager isn't the sole decision-maker.
The silence probably isn't a signal. Seven business days after applying is still well within normal range. HR may be screening applications before your manager even sees the list, or there may be an internal candidate in the mix, or approval chains are slow. None of that is about you.
What I'd do: Wait one more week, then send a short, warm follow-up to your manager — not asking "what's my status," but something like checking in, expressing genuine enthusiasm for the role, and offering to chat if helpful. You've already done the right things (applied formally, sent the heads-up). A second nudge after ~2.5 weeks total is completely professional and expected.
What I wouldn't do: Send anything right now. You've already pinged her once. A second message this soon risks looking anxious in a way that doesn't serve you, and she almost certainly hasn't forgotten about you.
The fact that she was warm in February and you have a strong track record there are genuinely good signs. You're not flying blind — you have real equity with this person. That doesn't guarantee the outcome, but it does mean the silence almost certainly isn't rejection.
Sit tight a little longer. You're playing it well.
What does it mean when the CEO says he’s waiting on you after an interview?
Recently interviewed with the CEO of a company for a high level role - first round interview - and he was very adulatory during the interview. He ended the interview by stating that he would give me a few days to decide if I am still interested and want to progress and if he doesn’t hear from me by Friday he’ll send me a soft reminder. That feels really odd to me. I’m not accustomed to being placed in the driver’s seat with whether or not I progress to next steps in an interview process. Is this normal? Should I view this as a yellow flag? This is in the USA.
Jobadvisor
First off, congratulations! You clearly knocked that interview out of the park.
To answer your question directly: No, this is not typical for standard hiring processes, but for a high-level role, it is actually a highly positive signal.
It is completely understandable why this feels odd or even triggers a "yellow flag" warning bell. We are conditioned to view the hiring process as a gauntlet where the company holds all the power. Flipping the script feels unnatural.
Here is a breakdown of what the CEO is likely doing, why it’s actually a green flag, and how you should handle it.
Decoding the CEO’s Strategy
When hiring for executive or high-level roles, the dynamics change entirely. The CEO isn't just looking for someone who can do the job; they are looking for a peer, a partner, and a cultural fit.
Here is what that "wait on you" move really means:
The "Mutual Assessment" Respect: The CEO is acknowledging that high-level talent is evaluating the company just as much as the company is evaluating the talent. By stepping back, he is treating you as an equal, not a subordinate.
Testing Your Motivation: At a senior level, a CEO doesn't want to drag someone through the process. He wants to know if you are genuinely excited about the vision he just pitched. If you reach out, it proves you are highly motivated.
Closing the Deal Early: The fact that he was "adulatory" and bypassed the usual "we will review other candidates and get back to you" speech means you are a top-tier choice. He is trying to create a white-glove, low-pressure experience to woo you.
Why This is a Green Flag (With One Minor Caveat)
Instead of a yellow flag, view this as a bright green flag with a side of helpful insight into his management style.
The Green: It shows the CEO is decisive, empowered to move fast, and values your time. He liked you, he decided you fit the bill for the next round, and he isn't playing corporate games.
The Minor Caveat: It does tell you that this CEO is highly relational and might rely heavily on instinct and gut feelings. In a high-level role, you will need to manage this relationship closely, as he clearly values proactive communication.
Your Next Steps
Since he put you in the driver's seat, you need to drive. Waiting until Friday for his "soft reminder" will signal hesitation or lack of interest.
If you want to move forward, send a note within 24 to 48 hours of the interview.
Example Email Framework: "Hi [CEO Name], thank you for the great conversation on [Day]. I really enjoyed learning more about [specific company goal/challenge discussed]. I’ve taken some time to reflect on our conversation, and I am incredibly excited about the vision and the role. I would absolutely love to progress to the next steps. Let me know what works best for your schedule next week."
If you don't want to move forward, this is your cue to politely opt out now and save everyone time.
What careers offer stability?
Hi everyone,
I’m in my mid 20s and have already worked at 6 companies. I’m honestly getting tired of the standard 9-5 lifestyle.
I recently moved into what I thought would be a calmer industry hoping for less stress, but it feels like every company is trying to operate with fewer staff while expecting the same or more output from everyone.
A couple years ago I was homeless, so I’m genuinely grateful to have stable employment and be in a better position now. I grew up with very little security or stability, so losing income is something that scares me a lot. I don’t want to quit impulsively and end up back in that situation.
But at the same time, I can feel the constant stress catching up to me physically and mentally. My body feels weaker, I’m mentally exhausted, and I haven’t even had access to vacation time yet at my current job.
I’m hardworking and motivated, but I want more flexibility in life. I want to be able to go to the gym at 3 PM sometimes instead of commuting home after 5 PM exhausted. I want time to actually live.
I tried entrepreneurship in an area I was passionate about, but it’s a heavily regulated field and it felt almost impossible for a small startup to realistically break in or win contracts. The financial risk feels too high for me right now given my background.
The hard part is that I’m kind of a generalist. I have experience across writing, tech, compliance, operations, management, strategy, etc., but not one hyper-specialized skill that clearly points to a flexible career path.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What careers or paths actually offer flexibility, decent income, and some level of stability without completely burning you out?
Jobadvisor
Given your background across writing, tech, compliance, operations, and strategy, you're actually in a stronger position than you might feel right now. Here are some paths worth considering:
Roles that tend to offer stability + flexibility
Project/Program Management — Your ops and strategy experience translates directly. PMP-certified PMs are in demand across industries, and many roles are remote or hybrid. Contract PM work is also viable once you build a track record.
Compliance & Risk — This is genuinely underappreciated. Compliance officers are hard to replace because the knowledge is specialized and institutional. Your existing compliance experience is a head start. Financial services, healthcare, and tech all pay well here.
Technical Writing — Bridges your writing and tech backgrounds. Often remote, frequently contract-based (which gives schedule flexibility), and companies constantly need it. Tools like Confluence, Jira, DITA are worth learning if you haven't.
Business Analysis — Generalists thrive here. BAs translate between technical teams and stakeholders — exactly what someone with your cross-functional background does naturally.
Consulting (Internal or Fractional) — Once you have enough domain credibility, you can work as a fractional ops or compliance consultant. Lower financial risk than building a company, and you set your own schedule. This isn't an immediate move, but it's a realistic 3–5 year target.
Government/Public Sector — Given your fear of income loss, this is worth mentioning seriously. Federal and state government roles, especially in compliance, operations, and IT, offer genuine job security, defined benefits, and reasonable workloads. The trade-off is slower pace and sometimes lower ceiling pay.
A few honest notes
- The 9-5 exhaustion you're feeling is often more about how companies are run than the hours themselves. Remote-first or async companies genuinely operate differently — worth filtering for that in your job search, not just industry.
- Flexibility usually comes from leverage, either specialized knowledge, seniority, or being a contractor. Building toward one of those is more reliable than finding a company that magically has less pressure.
- You don't need to blow everything up at once. A lateral move to a better-run organization in a similar role can buy you recovery time while you build toward something more sustainable.
Given your background in homelessness and your current fear of losing income, it makes sense to prioritize a bridge move over a leap. Get somewhere with better conditions first, recover, then plan the bigger shift from a position of stability. You've already shown a lot of resilience — that matters.