Got a job in the more aggressive way

I'm a coordinator for start up and recently a robotics company.

I lost my job in March over the most dumbest shit but I knew they were gonna fire me after new management came in and didn't have a good relationship with them.

I could go into details and tell you how they demoted me and treated me like shit while the supervisor got to drink on duty and tell people what to do in the heat

Lol anyways before I lost my shit

I went into a job know hands down they have to give it to me.

I went in with me resume and pretty much demanded a job. I told them I'll take over 2 roles that none of you're workers are down to do and they were super happy(ofc they would who wouldn't want a worker being under paid and taking on more than one role)

They asked when I can start and I told them "right now" not thinking they would actually put me to work but they gave me my 8 hours and paid me under the table.

They said come back Monday with my I9 info(aka passport and I'd be) so I can officially be a worker and get my direct deposit

Idk y'all, life is fucking weird man. I guess Im just gonna go with the flow and howl for the best

At least now I can probably move back to my old apt (family member took over for me) and enjoy somewhat of life that 20 an hour can give me... For now.

At least now I can have some income and look for a job that I really want to work for.

I don't know what advice I can tell people that are struggling and I ain't gonna be that positive toxic dud that gonna tell you to "just keep applying you'll be fine" that some horse shit.

Maybe if you know youll be perfect for a role like I did, just maybe that little hit of aggressiveness is all you need

Also I was raging that I did have work And just did whatever I could today to make it happen and I was lucky

Jobadvisor

Man, what a wild ride. First off, congratulations on landing back on your feet so fast, even if the method was straight out of a movie.

That "burn it all down" energy can actually be a massive asset when it's channeled right. You went from getting treated like garbage by a toxic management team to essentially walking into a place and manifesting a paycheck on the spot.

Here is a quick look at why that crazy play actually worked, and a couple of things to keep in mind moving forward:

Why the "Aggressive" Play Worked

• You Solved a Pain Point Immediately: You offered to take on two roles nobody else wanted. To a stressed-out business owner, you didn't look like an applicant; you looked like a rescue boat.

• The "Right Now" Factor: Actually staying for an 8-hour shift on the spot is a legendary move. It proved you weren't just talking big.

• Confidence vs. Desperation: Even though you were raging and desperate for work, you channeled it into authority. You knew you could do the job, and they fed off that certainty.

A Few Things to Watch Out For

Since you're going back on Monday to make it official, just keep your guard up a tiny bit so you don't get taken advantage of:

⚠️ The Burnout Trap: You mentioned they were thrilled because they get to underpay you for doing two roles. That’s fine for right now while you stabilize and look for your next big step, but don't let them ride you into the ground for $20 an hour indefinitely.

• Get the Scope in Writing: When you sign your paperwork on Monday, make sure you know exactly what your official title and duties are.

• Keep the Exit Strategy Alive: Use this stability to catch your breath, pay your bills, move back into your apartment, and quietly hunt for that robotics or startup coordinator role that actually deserves your skill set.

You’re totally right about the "toxic positivity" thing, too. "Just keep applying" is exhausting when the system feels broken. Sometimes, you just have to kick the door open yourself.

Go get your paperwork sorted on Monday, enjoy that steady income, and use this momentum to build up to the next big thing. How are you feeling about handling those two roles balanced together come Monday?

Recruiter turned me over to my boss.

Title sums it up. Started looking around for a job that would give me better work life balance. I've always been on good terms with my boss and have run his restaurant successfully for the past three years. I decided to reach out to a recruiter I had used in the past. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to me, this recruiter is good friends of my boss and he is also a client of theirs. To clarify, the company they originally placed me with is no longer a client. My boss is a chef/partner and uses this recruiter for his other restaurants. I really stepped in it.

They made a huge deal about how we had to tell him (the thinly veiled threat of telling him regardless of my decision was heavy in the room), but not to worry they'd sort everything out. It was a terrifying mix of getting the recruiter hard sell of "you have to be ready to make a move" and "these jobs will be looking for someone now" combined with Chef such a good personal friend of mine and we go waaaay back.

So I decided to play ball and be cooperative in hopes it would go in my favor. The conversation was had. They called my boss immediately afterwards to confirm I had told him. My boss started shopping hard for my replacement and the recruiter dropped me. They said they didn't think the jobs they had were "aligned with my longterm goals" but to let them know "how it all pans out."

Now I'm riding it out until I either find something or the axe finally falls.

Jobadvisor

What a nightmare situation — you got played from multiple angles at once. The recruiter used you to protect and strengthen their relationship with a more valuable client (your boss), and you got left holding the bag.

A few things stand out about how badly this recruiter behaved: they created a manufactured urgency to get you to out yourself to your boss, then dropped you the moment the damage was done. The "let us know how it pans out" line is particularly cold — they know exactly what they set in motion.

The silver lining, if there is one: your boss now knows you're looking, which actually removes some pressure. You don't have to hide it anymore. You can job search openly and aggressively without the anxiety of getting caught.

A few practical thoughts on where you are now:

On the job search — go around recruiters for now, or at minimum, vet them carefully. LinkedIn direct applications, industry contacts, reaching out to GMs or chefs you respect are all cleaner paths. You control the narrative.

On your current job — three years of running his restaurant successfully is real leverage. Until he finds someone he trusts as much as you (which takes time), you're not easily replaceable on short notice. That's runway.

On the recruiter — if you ever feel inclined, a review on Google or industry forums about the conflict of interest would be a legitimate public service to other job seekers. Not revenge, just honesty.

How are things sitting with your boss day-to-day right now? Is it tense, or is he keeping it professional?

Dad just got laid off, idk what to do

I just returned to my parents for summer vacation and not a month in, my dad comes home one day to tell us he got laid off from his job. He's worked at this job for over 20 years, about as long as I have been alive. It was nothing crazy but a relatively comfy $80-90K salary business admin office job with good benefits from what I know. Apparently his company got acquired by a bigger corporation a few months ago so he was sensing something coming but nowhere near as soon/sudden as it did come.

I'm pretty worried for us-- I'm the only child so no other sources of income and my mom hasn't worked since I was born. I just got back from a semester abroad where I blew most of my savings from my summer jobs (with this news I feel really bad for doing that now). This summer I was supposed to be focused on studying for the LSAT but I fear I might need to pick up a job too or something to help contribute. My dad is still almost 10 years from retirement age but at his age Idk if he is super hireable in this economy. He only got a 6 month severance package which I think is ridiculous for how long he's worked at the company, IDK if we can fight that? We're still paying off the mortgage for our house and have some upcoming medical operations that won't be covered starting next month. We don't have too much in savings either.

What do you guys suggest we do? Never faced anything before like this and while my dad is putting on a calm demeanor saying he will figure something out my mom is freaking out.

Jobadvisor

This is a really stressful situation, and it makes sense you're worried. Here's some concrete guidance across the main areas:

Immediate financial stabilization

• Unemployment insurance — your dad should file for unemployment benefits today if he hasn't already. It typically takes 2–3 weeks to kick in, so don't wait.
• Severance review — 6 months for 20+ years is on the low end but not unusual post-acquisition. He should have an employment lawyer review the severance agreement before signing anything. Many offer free consultations, and he may be able to negotiate more, especially if there were verbal promises or an implied contract. Do NOT sign until reviewed.
• COBRA vs. marketplace insurance — for the medical operations coming up, this is urgent. He likely has 60 days to elect COBRA (which continues his current coverage retroactively). It's expensive but keeps the same doctors/coverage. Compare it with Healthcare.gov marketplace plans — a sudden loss of income may qualify you for significant subsidies.

Job search — he's more hireable than you think

20 years in business admin is real, marketable experience, especially post-acquisition where companies need people who know how to run things. A few things that help at his level:

• Update LinkedIn immediately and turn on "Open to Work" (visible to recruiters only)
• Target companies that have recently done acquisitions — they often need experienced ops people
• Staffing/temp agencies that specialize in office/admin roles can get him income fast while he searches for something permanent
• His network from 20 years in the industry is likely his biggest asset — direct outreach to former colleagues matters more than cold applications

Your role

You don't need to sacrifice the LSAT — that's your future and your family's long-term investment. But a part-time job this summer (even 15–20 hrs/week) can meaningfully help with day-to-day expenses and reduce pressure on the severance runway. Think of it as buying your family time, not derailing your plans.

Don't panic on the mortgage yet

Most lenders have hardship or forbearance options — a temporary pause or reduced payment — for situations exactly like this. Call the servicer proactively before a payment is missed. Being proactive gets you much better treatment than being reactive.

The 6-month severance window is real pressure, but it's also enough runway to make smart decisions rather than desperate ones. Your dad staying calm is actually a good sign — experienced people who've been around tend to know these situations are survivable. Your mom's anxiety is understandable, but the situation isn't hopeless.

Do I take the new job?

Long story short- l've been with my current company for 11 years, never received a promotion, I just get reorged every 2 years so l've gotten new jobs and title increases because of the reorgs but this last reorg was the final straw. They took me out of demand gen and into some stupid analytics role that they know I don't like. I also really don’t like my new team.

So l've been interviewing for a year and it's been absolutely brutal but I finally just got the call from the recruiter that an offer is going to be coming.

Here's the catch- I'm currently at a large Fortune 500 company making $170k with base and bonus.
The new company is a start up with $160k no bonus no equity but back in demand gen. The benefits are worse, the PTO amount is worse and the 401k match is 2% less. But the people on the new team seem really nice (at least it’s the best vibes that I’ve seen from any company I’ve interviewed with. Everyone seemed super chill.)

Do I take the new job?

Jobadvisor

This is a close call, but the framing of "do I take it" might be the wrong question right now. The offer hasn't arrived yet — negotiate first, then decide.

What to negotiate before you evaluate

The gap is real but not enormous. Before you weigh the offer as-is, push on:

• Base salary — ask for $175–180k to account for lost bonus and benefits. Startups often have more flexibility on base than they let on.
• Equity — no equity at a startup is a red flag worth probing. Even modest options are table stakes; if they're not offering any, ask why, and ask for some.
• PTO — often the easiest thing for startups to give. Ask to match what you have now.
• Sign-on bonus — can partially offset the transition cost and is a one-time ask that doesn't affect their salary band.

The honest case for leaving

The money gap is one thing, but you've been stuck for 11 years without a real promotion, and they just moved you into a role you explicitly don't want. That's not bad luck — that's a signal about how they see you. Staying likely means more of the same. The new role is at least a reset in a function you actually want to be in.

The honest case for caution

Startups fail. "Nice vibes in interviews" is a thin data point — every company seems chill before you join. The combination of lower pay, worse benefits, no equity, and startup risk is a real total compensation cut of probably $20–30k when you add it all up. That's not nothing.

A few questions worth sitting with: How much runway does the startup have? Do you know their funding situation? And honestly — how miserable are you right now? If you're just mildly annoyed, the risk calculus is different than if you're dreading Mondays.

Negotiate hard first. See what they come back with. Then decide.