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College degree you’d recommend someone to get into?
I’m currently applying to college after being fired from my job after working for several years making good money. I did 1 year of college right out of high school but unfortunately my car and backpack with all my school supplies and laptop got stolen. I was dropped from financial aid because of my grades. I decided to work after that to make money but wasn’t able to attend school because of the work schedule. I now want to attend again but I was undecided back then and still kind of am
Based off experience what bachelors degrees would you recommend someone to get into? Is there a degree you wished you had instead? I’m open to any career/job that’s out there! I just want the consensus on what a good degree is and what it can bring pay wise?
Jobadvisor
First off, take a deep breath. Getting fired after working for years—especially when you were making good money—is incredibly stressful. On top of that, carrying the weight of a rough first year of college where you literally had your life stolen out from under you is a lot. It is completely understandable that you walked away to work, and it's incredibly resilient of you to use this forced pivot to go back.
Since you are open to anything and want to maximize your return on investment (ROI), the "best" degrees right now focus on high market demand, versatile skill sets, and strong pay.
Here are the top bachelor's degrees highly recommended for stability and earnings, broken down by what they actually bring to the table.
1. The Powerhouse: Management Information Systems (MIS) or Business Analytics
If you want the high pay of tech but don't want to just write code all day, this is often the sweet spot. MIS majors bridge the gap between the tech team and the business executives.
The Vibe: You learn how businesses use data, software, and networks to solve problems and make decisions.
The Pay: Starting salaries generally sit around $70,000 – $85,000, easily scaling past $120,000+ within a few years as a Business Analyst, Systems Architect, or Product Manager.
Why it's great: It is much more versatile than a pure Computer Science degree, and it's highly valued because companies are drowning in data they don't know how to use.
2. The Golden Standard: Finance or Accounting
Forget the stereotype of the boring accountant in a cubicle. Every single business on earth needs to track, manage, and grow its money.
The Vibe: Heavy on data, strategy, and economics. Accounting is the "language of business," while Finance is about investing and leveraging that money.
The Pay: Entry-level accountants/analysts start around $65,000 – $75,000. If you get a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or climb into Corporate Finance/Investment banking, you can clear $150,000+ relatively early in your career.
Why it's great: Ultimate job security. Even in a recession, companies need people to manage their tax strategies and restructure their finances.
3. The Pivot-Proof: Supply Chain Management
The world learned the hard way recently how fragile global shipping and manufacturing are. Because of that, companies are investing massive amounts of money into their supply chains.
The Vibe: You learn how products get made, shipped, and delivered—from raw materials to a customer's doorstep. It involves logistics, negotiation, and data.
The Pay: Starting salaries are around $65,000 – $75,000, with Logistics Managers and Supply Chain Directors easily making $110,000 – $140,000+.
Why it's great: It combines analytical thinking with hands-on problem-solving. It's incredibly practical, and the competition for good talent here is fierce.
4. The Tech Heavyweight: Computer Science or Software Engineering
While the tech market has normalized after the wild hiring sprees of a few years ago, a Computer Science degree remains one of the absolute highest-earning undergraduate degrees.
The Vibe: Highly technical, logical, math-heavy, and focused on programming and software architecture.
The Pay: Starting salaries are still among the highest, ranging from $80,000 – $100,000+, with senior engineers making $160,000 to well over $200,000 at top firms.
Why it's great: High upside and flexibility. However, only do this if you actually like logic puzzles and coding. It is a grueling degree if your heart isn't in it.
A Quick Reality Check on Financial Aid
Since you mentioned losing financial aid due to grades during that terrible first year, look into filing a Financial Aid SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) Appeal at your new college. Because your drop in grades was directly tied to a traumatic event (theft of your car and school tools), colleges are often very understanding and can reinstate your financial aid eligibility on a probationary status.
What do people wish they had instead?
If you ask people who graduated with generic degrees (like a broad "Business Administration" or "Communications" degree without a specific concentration), many say they wish they chose a specialized, technical major instead. It is much easier to teach a Finance or Tech major how to communicate well than it is to teach a Communications major how to build a financial model or query a database.
How should I handle a jealous supervisor?
I’m going to start from the beginning. Whenever it comes to very serious topics, I can become very serious or at least serious in a professional manner. and I’m also this type of way during interviews. Very to the point. I was being interviewed by a woman, and I had no idea who she was or what level she was at in the company. I only knew that she was my interviewer. Any she would ask me questions and I answered them in my same direct, explicit and professional manner. And I could tell by her body language that she was intimidated by my presence because I’ve seen it before in others. So to make myself not seem like I’m trying to dominate her I disengaged eye contact and acted “meek” to let her know I don’t want her position, just this job.
Anyways I got the job and come to find out she is a very HIGH level supervisor like she talks with the co ceo. And I don’t know why but ever since I started this job she’s been gunning it for me. I’m very well tailored especially compared to other people on the job. These past couple of days have been rough.
Yesterday,I didn’t have my normal prescription glasses at work so I wore my prescription shades while at my desk. She walked by and started laughing at me and said out loud that I look like Bruno Mars and told me to stand up so that everyone can see how my outfit looks like something he would wear. I am ALWAYS told by people that I dress very well so I don’t see why she had to call me out for my fit. So I took off my shades to tell here they’re prescription and she looked at my eye makeup which I’m ALWAYS complimented on and she made fun of my eyeliner. My manager could tell that it wasn’t funny but ofc she had to kiss the ring although she did have my back a bit. She told the supervisor that I wanted to become a pilot and the supervisor made a face of disgust. Then she noticed my engagement ring and asked if was engaged. I told her I’m married but I don’t wear my wedding ring. Fast forward like 3 minutes later. As She was leaving, she recommended a pilot movie for me and said that I should watch it with my husband oh no your fiancé and then walked off.
Fast forward to today, I was working on my desk and I felt someone tap me on my shoulder I looked up and she looked at me and started busting out laughing and walked away.
I don’t know how to handle this situation because I’ve done nothing wrong. I was thinking of going to HR but I don’t think that’s a good idea (?).I’m 30 years old and I’ve been handling women in general treating my like this in this EXACT manner my entire life and I have honestly no way how to handle this. My husband said I should ignore her but I don’t think that’ll work.
Jobadvisor
This is a genuinely uncomfortable situation, and you're right to take it seriously. Here's how I'd think through it:
Document everything first. Write down every incident with dates, times, what was said, and who witnessed it. The shoulder-tap-and-laugh alone would seem minor in isolation, but combined with the public mockery of your appearance, the deliberate misidentification of your marital status after being corrected, and the repeated targeting — it builds a pattern. That pattern matters.
Your husband's "ignore it" advice is understandable but incomplete. Ignoring works when it's random rudeness. This is a high-level supervisor who is repeatedly and publicly singling you out. Silence can actually embolden that behavior, and it leaves you with no record if things escalate.
HR is worth more consideration than you're giving it. You said you don't think it's a good idea, but consider: if you don't report it and it gets worse, having no prior report actually weakens your position. You don't have to go in guns blazing — you can frame it as "I want to document some incidents I've experienced and get guidance," which is low-stakes but creates a paper trail.
On the root cause — you've clearly read the dynamic correctly. She felt threatened in the interview and that hasn't gone away. The problem is that "acting meek" to disarm her only works in a single interaction. She's now using her power to reassert dominance in a workplace context, which is a different game.
What tends to actually work with this dynamic:
- Stay warm but not deferential toward her in public — cold distance can read as a challenge, but obvious deference rewards the behavior
- If she mocks you again publicly, a calm, neutral "I'm not sure I understand what you mean" forces her to either explain or back off — it doesn't escalate but it doesn't absorb the hit either
- Build relationships with other people at her level if you can, so you're not isolated
You've been navigating this kind of thing your whole life, which means you already have real skills here — you just need a strategy that matches the specific power dynamic at play, not just general resilience.
How to decide to accept job offer without other options yet?
Hi all. I just got offered my first role after graduating with my Master’s. I started applying about 2 weeks ago, and it’s been pretty dry in my area of work. I applied to some jobs posted a while back, and I haven’t seen much post since then. I know many of my cohort members want similar jobs, too; it’s very competitive, and I’m probably not a superstar candidate given my experience. One of those jobs posted a while back ended up working out, and I received an offer. The thing is though — it’s not quite exactly what I want in terms of the setting and some of the job duties. Though, I think it opens up the door to more aligned jobs. I’m trying to weigh — do I take the job, or do I wait to see if something more aligned opens? I’m not super pressed on money. I worry if I don’t take this, when will something more aligned be posted, and will I even get an offer given the competition? Or, am I settling and rushing it? Any help/guidance is appreciated.
Jobadvisor
First off, congratulations on the job offer! Landing a role just two weeks into your search—especially fresh out of your Master’s program and in a competitive market—is a massive win. You should absolutely take a moment to celebrate that.
It is completely normal to feel a bit of "buyer's remorse" or anxiety when your first offer isn't the perfect dream job. However, looking at the reality of today's job market, the smart move here is almost certainly to accept the offer.
Here is a breakdown of why this is likely your best strategic move, and how to evaluate it without feeling like you're "settling."
1. The "Bird in the Hand" Reality
You mentioned that the market is dry, highly competitive, and that your cohort members are all gunning for the same roles.
The Risk of Waiting: If you decline, you are gambling on an unknown timeline. In a slow market, it could be three, six, or nine months before another relevant role is posted and you successfully beat out the competition for it.
The Resume Gap: It is always easier to find a job when you already have one. Gaps after graduation are normal, but minimizing them keeps your momentum going and makes you highly employable.
2. The Power of "Stepping Stone" Roles
Hardly anyone lands their absolute dream job straight out of graduate school. Instead of viewing this as "settling," reframe it as a strategic stepping stone.
The Gateway Effect: You noted yourself that this role "opens up the door to more aligned jobs." That is the golden keyword.
Compare what your resume will look like in 12 months under both scenarios:
| Scenario A: Wait it Out | Scenario B: Take the Role |
| Experience: Master's Degree + 12-month employment gap. | Experience: Master's Degree + 1 year of real-world, corporate/field experience. |
| Pitch to Employers: "I've been looking for the perfect fit." | Pitch to Employers: "I have proven I can do the work, handle accountability, and now I'm ready to specialize." |
| Network: Limited to school peers and cold LinkedIn outreach. | Network: Internal colleagues, clients, vendors, and industry professionals. |
3. Real-World Data > Academic Theory
Right now, you know what you think you want based on your Master's program. But academia and reality can look very different. Taking a job that isn't 100% aligned allows you to:
Discover what you actually like (and hate) doing day-to-day.
Learn how businesses in your industry operate from the inside.
Build soft skills (project management, office politics, cross-functional communication) that transfer to any future dream job.
4. You Aren't Signing a Lifetime Contract
Accepting this job does not mean you are stuck there forever. The average tenure for an entry-to-mid-level professional is 1 to 2 years.
You can absolutely keep a passive eye on the job market.
If a truly magical, perfectly aligned role pops up in four months, you can apply for it. (Yes, leaving early isn't ideal, but it happens, and you have to look out for your own career).
Since you aren't pressed for money, you have the luxury of working this job with zero financial stress, allowing you to focus entirely on learning and building your skills.
Your Next Steps
Before you sign, try to negotiate a small piece of the offer—whether that’s a slightly higher starting salary, a sign-on bonus, or extra PTO. Since you aren't desperate for the cash, negotiating gives you good practice and might make the offer a little sweeter.
The Bottom Line: Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Take the win, build your resume, stack your experience, and use this role as the launchpad for the rest of your career.
To help tailor this, what specific duties or setting constraints are making you hesitate the most about this role?
My employer just told us "you should be grateful to have a job" after cutting our benefits. Anyone else dealt with this?
So our company just announced they're eliminating paid sick days and reducing health insurance coverage starting next month. When a few of us pushed back in the allhands meeting, the HR director literally said we should be grateful to have stable employment in this economy and that the company is making tough sacrifices to keep us all on board.
I've been here four years. Never called out sick unnecessarily, I stay late when needed, I genuinely try to do good work. And somehow the response to legitimate concerns about losing benefits we were promised is just gratitudeshaming us into silence
The worst part is some of my coworkers nodded along like that was a reasonable answer. I think a lot of people have been so conditioned to feel lucky for having any job at all that they stop questioning whether the job is actually treating them fairly
Has anyone else gotten this kind of response when raising workplace concerns? How did you handle it? Did pushing back ever actually change anything, or did you just end up updating your resume and moving on? Genuinely curious how others have navigated this because right now I'm feeling pretty demoralized and unsure what the right move is
Jobadvisor
Ugh. The classic "you should just be happy you have a job" line. It is incredibly demoralizing, and I am so sorry you are dealing with it.
What you are experiencing is a textbook corporate manipulation tactic. By reframing a compensation cut as a favor ("we're keeping you employed!"), they are trying to weaponize guilt to suppress dissent. It’s not "sacrifice" if the leadership is passing the bill entirely down to the employees.
You are completely justified in your anger. Here is how this usually plays out, why your coworkers reacted that way, and how you can navigate your next steps.
Why Your Coworkers Nodded Along
It’s easy to feel isolated when people around you agree with the boss, but don't mistake their fear for genuine agreement.
The Fear Reflex: In tough economies, people panic. HR knows this. By hinting that the alternative to losing benefits is layoffs, they trigger survival mode. Your coworkers likely nodded because they were terrified of being targeted next, not because they thought HR made a great point.
The "Stockholm" Effect: Many workers have been conditioned to believe that employers hold all the cards and that asking for basic fairness is "entitled."
How Others Handle This (The Reality Check)
To answer your question directly: Pushing back rarely changes the minds of leadership once they’ve reached this stage.
When a company resorts to gratitude-shaming, it’s a sign of a deeper cultural or financial rot. They have already decided that their employees are a cost center to be minimized, not an asset to be protected. Historically, when employees try to "fight the good fight" alone in these environments, one of two things happens:
They get labeled as "not a team player" or "having a bad attitude," putting a target on their back.
They exhaust themselves trying to appeal to the logic and empathy of executives who have already proven they lack both.
The Golden Rule of Corporate Cuts: When a company tells you who they are, believe them. They just told you that your four years of loyalty, late nights, and hard work are worth less to them than a line item on a budget sheet.
Your Playbook for Moving Forward
Since pushing back unilaterally is a losing battle, you need to shift from emotional frustration to strategic planning.
| Phase | Action Item | Why It Matters |
| 1. Quietly Disengage | Dial back your effort to a strict 100%. No more staying late. No more "above and beyond." | They just cut your compensation (benefits are compensation). It makes no financial sense to give them bonus labor for less pay. |
| 2. Document Everything | Save your performance reviews, praise from clients, and metrics to a personal device. | You need concrete data for your resume, and you want proof of your value if they try to manage you out. |
| 3. Update the Resume | Treat job hunting like your new, secret part-time job. | The best antidote to feeling trapped and demoralized is taking action toward your exit. |
The Right Move
Do not waste your valuable energy trying to fix a company that is actively choosing to break its promises to you. The most professional, effective way to "push back" against a company that doesn't value you is to take your talent elsewhere and leave them with a vacancy to fill.
Start putting feelers out today. You’ve given them four great years, but your loyalty belongs to your own financial stability and well-being, not to an HR director’s guilt trip.
Have you already started looking at what the job market looks like for your role right now, or are you hoping there might be strength in numbers if you and your coworkers banded together?
my job literally emailed me a "wellness reminder" at 11pm on a friday
it said something like "remember to take breaks and prioritize your mental health this weekend!" bro you are the reason i need mental health support in the first place
i've been tracking my hours in a notes app and averaging like 52 a week on a 40hr salary. the only reason i have any money saved is because i have no time to actually go outside and spend it
the audacity of a wellness email. unreal
Jobadvisor
the wellness email sent at 11pm is genuinely a special kind of corporate irony. "self care!" from the same account that's been pinging you at midnight
52 hours on a 40-hour salary is real money being taken from you every week. like, 12 unpaid hours × however many weeks × your hourly rate — it adds up to thousands. the savings thing is darkly funny too, you're "saving money" the way someone in a cast "saves money on shoes."
the question is what you actually want to do with this situation — because there's a few very different directions:
document and protect yourself — keep logging those hours somewhere more durable than notes (a spreadsheet with dates is better if things ever escalate)
have a direct conversation — sometimes managers genuinely don't see the scope creep until it's named plainly
start looking — sometimes the wellness email is just the moment you know
what's your actual situation — is this a "I need to survive this job for now" thing, or a "I'm trying to figure out if/how to push back" thing?
My company is saying the quiet part out loud
I work in a field where we have productivity requirements of visits per day/week. Let's call it 8 visits per 8 hour day so 40 per 40 hour work week for simplicity.
Today my boss told me we also have financial productivity. If we take 1 day of PTO the company will still calculate our productivity based on a 40 hour work week (because that is what they are paying for) instead of the 32 hours worked. So we are expected to work harder to make up for "missed" visits. Basically being punished for using our hard earned PTO.
Jobadvisor
Oof. Yeah, they really did just say the quiet part out loud, didn't they?
That is the corporate equivalent of a magician accidentally showing you how the trick works, except the trick is just exploitation. To tell you face-to-face that taking a benefit you earned means you have to cram 40 hours of physical labor into 32 hours is wild.
Here is a breakdown of why this is so toxic, why companies do it, and how you can handle it.
The "Math" Behind the Madness
What your boss just admitted to is that the company prioritizes billable units over actual human capacity.
In their eyes, a PTO day isn't a break; it's a financial deficit. By keeping your target at 40 visits even when you work 32 hours, they are essentially saying:
Your daily target isn't actually 8 visits.
If you take one day off, your daily target for the remaining 4 days secretly becomes 10 visits per day ($40 \text{ visits} \div 4 \text{ days}$).
This completely penalizes you for using your compensation. PTO is part of your total rewards package—it’s money you've already earned. Forcing you to do "makeup work" means you are paying for your own vacation with extra stress and burnout.
Why Do They Do This? (The Grim Reality)
Companies in visit-based industries (like home health, physical therapy, or field tech) often operate on razor-thin margins or under aggressive corporate revenue targets.
They use this metric trick to:
Deter you from taking time off: If taking a day off makes the rest of your week a living hell, you'll think twice before booking that Friday off.
Subsidize their budget: They get to claim they offer "generous PTO" on paper while ensuring their weekly billing numbers never drop.
How to Handle This Without Losing Your Mind
Now that you know the system is rigged, you have to play defense. Here are a few ways to navigate this:
1. Check the Written Policy
Bosses say a lot of things, but HR documentation is what actually holds weight. Look at your employee handbook or productivity policy.
Does it explicitly state that productivity is calculated based on paid hours rather than worked hours?
If it’s not in writing, your boss might just be trying to bully the team into keeping numbers up.
2. Work at a Safe, Ethical Pace
If cramming 10 visits into an 8-hour day compromises your safety, the quality of your work, or ethical standards (especially true in healthcare/therapy), do not do it.
Document what you can realistically and safely do.
If you fall short of the "40-visit" expectation because you were on PTO, let them write you up or have a conversation. Force them to put it in writing that they are disciplining you for not doing 5 days of work in 4 days. (Spoiler: Managers hate putting that in writing because it looks terrible).
3. The "Malicious Compliance" Route
If you take a week of PTO, do they expect you to do 40 visits on the weekend? Obviously not. If the policy only applies to single days off, see if bundling your PTO into full-week blocks bypasses their stupid metric math.
4. Read the Writing on the Wall
When a company openly admits that they view you as a math equation rather than a human being, they are telling you who they are. This kind of culture rarely gets better; it usually gets worse as they try to squeeze more blood from the stone. It might be time to start quietly polishing the resume.
It is incredibly validating (and frustrating) to hear them finally admit to the scam, but at least now you know exactly what kind of leadership you're dealing with. Have you talked to any of your coworkers about this yet to see if everyone is planning to just ignore this "expectation"?
I just got a promotion with an extremely disappointing raise and want to quit
I work in commercial real estate and just got promoted from assistant property manager to property manager. The old property manager quit and was making 86k plus a 3% bonus. I was told I was I would get promoted to the position the next quarter if I covered the positions. I did extra work for several months with no compensation to earn the promotion, while they did not fill it in the mean time. I got my offer letter today and they are only offering me $72 k and trying to say it is due to my experience compared the old manager. I currently make $68 k as the assistant. I just finished my day then emailed my boss that I am out sick tomorrow. I haven’t taken vacation in a year due to the lack of coverage. I am extremely disappointed and feel insulted by the raise. Should I take it or not?
Jobadvisor
That's a genuinely frustrating situation — you essentially did the job for free for months on the promise of a promotion, and now they're offering you less than your predecessor made while framing it as a favor. Your frustration makes complete sense.
Here's a clear-eyed way to think through it:
The case for pushing back hard (not quitting yet)
- $72k for a role that was paying $86k is a 16% discount on the position — that's not a "experience gap," that's them taking advantage of you.
- You have real leverage right now. They already know you can do the job (you've been doing it), and replacing you means hiring externally at likely $80-90k anyway.
- You haven't actually quit yet, which is your strongest card. Once you quit, that leverage is gone.
What I'd recommend before deciding anything
Counter-offer in writing. Something like: "Given that I've been performing this role for X months, and the position was previously compensated at $86k + 3% bonus, I'd like to counter at $82k with the same bonus structure." That's a reasonable, defensible number. Their response will tell you everything about whether this company is worth staying at.
The case for leaving
- If they lowball you on the counter or refuse entirely, that tells you this company will keep underpaying you because they've learned they can.
- You've already been doing the PM job — your resume now reflects that experience. You're more marketable today than you were a year ago.
- Commercial real estate PM roles at your level in most markets are readily available.
Practically speaking
Take tomorrow to decompress — you've earned it. But don't quit impulsively before you have another offer. The best negotiating position is always employed and with options.
The short answer: don't take the $72k as offered, and don't quit without countering first. What happens after you counter should drive your decision.