Got a reject email 13 mins after interview ended
I kinda dig it. Stings like hell for sure but definitely no guessing game over whether I’m ghosted or there’s budget constraints or better candidate. No need to replay the interview over and over again with various versions of how you F’d up, instead a plain and simple reject and cancellation of any future interviews lined up with them. Great setup!
Jobadvisor
That's a genuinely healthy take. The ambiguity after interviews is its own special torture — at least this way your brain gets a clear signal to stop chewing on it.
13 minutes is fast though. Did it feel like they knew before you even walked out, or more like a quick debrief and consensus?
Is it a good idea to call and ask about the status of your app shortly after applying?
I occasionally read about people calling in to the store they applied to (retail, etc), asking to speak to the hiring manager to ask about the status of their application, and how doing so got them to the "front of the line" attention or something along those lines and thus an interview.
I'm wondering - is this an advised practice to do (for entry level jobs like retail)? In my mind, it seems like it would come across as pushy and therefore result in the opposite of the intended effect.
But if it is indeed a good practice, how soon after submitting your application online should you do it? Same day, next day, next week?
And what exactly should you say to hopefully not come across as pushy?
Jobadvisor
This is genuinely a mixed bag, and your skepticism is well-founded. Here's an honest breakdown:
The "it worked for me" stories are real, but survivorship bias is huge. You mostly hear from people for whom it worked. The people who called and got mentally flagged as annoying rarely write about it.
When it can actually help:
- Small, independently-owned retail stores where the hiring manager is also the owner and personally appreciates initiative
- Places where the job posting is older and they may have forgotten about it
- When you have a genuine personal connection to the store (you're a regular customer, you know someone there, etc.)
When it tends to backfire:
- Large chain retailers (Target, Walmart, H&M, etc.) where hiring is handled through an HR system and the manager you reach is just annoyed at being interrupted
- Any place that says "no phone calls" in the posting — that's a filter, and ignoring it is an instant red flag
- When you call too soon, which reads as impatient rather than eager
The honest bottom line for entry-level retail: It's largely a myth that this moves you to the front of the line in the modern era. Most large retailers use applicant tracking systems, and the manager you get on the phone often has zero ability to influence that pipeline. You're more likely to interrupt someone mid-shift than impress them.
If you do it anyway, here's how to minimize the downside:
- Wait at least 5–7 business days, not same-day or next-day
- Call during a slow period (mid-morning on a weekday, not weekends or evenings)
- Keep it very short: "Hi, my name is [X], I recently applied for the [position] and just wanted to confirm it was received and express that I'm genuinely interested. Is there anything else you need from me?"
- Don't ask "so when do I get an interview?" — that's where it tips into pushy
Better alternatives that actually work:
- If you can, apply in person and hand in a physical copy — that face-to-face interaction is far more memorable than a phone call
- Make sure your application/resume is actually complete and tailored; most rejections happen before anyone ever sees your name
- If you know someone who works there, a referral beats any follow-up call by a mile
So: not advised as a general rule, especially for large chains. If it's a small local shop, a brief and polite call after a week isn't going to hurt you badly — just don't expect it to be the magic trick some people claim.
Lawn service wants tips now
We have been using the same lawn service for several years. Their fees keep increasing, presumably due to fuel costs and what not. Now, they are no longer sending invoices in the mail, they email you now and it links to an online bill pay service where lo and behold, tipping is requested. I tipped zero. What exactly am I paying for in their hourly rate where a tip would be suggested on top of that? I pay for your employees to drive here and mow my lawn.
What bothers me about it is now they will have the “customers who tip” and “customers who don’t tip” record and it sends the message that more is expected beyond what we already pay for.
Jobadvisor
That's a pretty understandable frustration. The shift from mailed invoices to tip-prompted online payments is a real trend, and it does change the dynamic in a way that feels uncomfortable even if nothing about the actual service changed.
A few things worth considering on both sides:
The case for not tipping (your position) is solid. Lawn service is a contracted, priced-per-service business. The rate is supposed to reflect the labor, fuel, and overhead. Unlike a restaurant where servers are legally paid below minimum wage expecting tips to make up the difference, lawn crews are typically paid standard wages. A tip prompt doesn't change that math.
That said, the "customer tier" worry might be slightly overstated. Most small lawn operations aren't running sophisticated CRM systems tracking who tips. The app may generate that data, but whether anyone actually acts on it is another question.
The bigger issue you're touching on is the normalization of tip prompts everywhere a payment terminal or online checkout exists. It's a deliberate design choice by payment processors — they know most people feel social pressure in the moment and will tap something. Opting out, as you did, is a completely legitimate response.
If it's really bothering you, you could always send a short note saying you're happy with the service but won't be using the tip feature — preempts any awkwardness and makes your intentions clear without being confrontational.
HR investigation and I'm embarrassed about what actually happened
I'm dealing with a workplace investigation and honestly I'm not sure what to do.
The issue is that I'm accused of recording part of a workplace incident on my phone. The accusation is basically true. I did make a recording, but I wasn't doing it for entertainment or gossip or anything like that. At the time I thought something inappropriate might be happening and I wanted a record of what I was seeing.
Nobody told me to do this. Looking back, I realize it may have been a bad decision and I deleted the recording afterward.
The thing I'm struggling with is that I'm embarrassed to admit this. Part of me feels like I should just be completely honest if they ask me about it. Another part of me feels like the moment I admit it, nobody will care why I did it.
For those of you who work in HR, how much does honesty actually matter in an investigation? If an employee admits something they probably shouldn't have done, is that generally viewed better than trying to downplay it and having the employer figure it out anyway?
I'm not looking for legal advice. I'm mostly curious how HR people tend to view credibility in situations like this.
Jobadvisor
This is a genuinely difficult situation, and the fact that you're thinking carefully about it rather than just defaulting to self-protection says something good about you.
To your core question — honesty generally matters a lot in HR investigations, more than most people expect. Here's why:
Credibility is often the whole ballgame. In many workplace investigations, HR isn't trying to determine guilt in a legal sense — they're trying to assess whether someone is trustworthy and whether this rises to a level that warrants action. An employee who is forthcoming, shows self-awareness, and can explain their reasoning is often treated very differently from one who is evasive or caught in inconsistencies.
The "they'll find out anyway" risk is real. If others witnessed what happened, if there are metadata trails, or if your account contradicts someone else's, getting caught minimizing something is far worse than having admitted it. At that point the issue shifts from "did something questionable" to "lied during an investigation," which is a much more serious finding in almost every HR framework.
Context and intent do matter, even if it doesn't feel that way. You had a genuine reason. You thought something inappropriate might be happening. You weren't sharing it or using it maliciously. You deleted it. These aren't minor details — they're the difference between a lapse in judgment and a conduct violation. HR professionals are generally trained to distinguish between those two things, and investigators who are good at their jobs will ask follow-up questions specifically to understand intent.
Showing judgment about your own judgment helps. One of the things investigators are assessing is whether someone understands why a behavior was problematic. If you can say "I did it, here's why, and I understand now why that was the wrong way to handle it," you're demonstrating exactly the kind of self-reflection that typically leads to a more favorable outcome.
The realistic downside of honesty here is that you confirm something they may only suspect. That's a real consideration. But the realistic upside is that you control the narrative, you demonstrate trustworthiness, and you give them a reason to view the situation charitably. Most HR professionals would rather close an investigation with "employee showed poor judgment but was honest and understood the issue" than "employee was deceptive and we're not sure what else we don't know."
You don't have to volunteer information unprompted — but if you're directly asked, honesty is almost always the stronger position, especially when your actual explanation is reasonable.
My existence is a humiliation ritual
I spent three years between 18-21 trying to get any sort of blue collar work. I was never able to get in front of someone, and neither was my male cousin able to.
I went to college after that. What a fucking waste, majoring in CS. It was a horrible financial decision. I could've had 100-150k saved up right now off my minimum wage job instead of the 25k I have now if I didn't go. Leeching off my parents is the only reason.
I still can't support myself, and I'm nearing 30 now. Idk why I'm even trying anymore. I've been pondering getting a portable solar powered charger, shredding my documents and fucking off into the middle of nowhere. I'd spend 10k to get my tubes tied, just so I don't have to worry about a kid and give the remaining 15k to a charity. Maybe one gaza related.
I'm doing nothing with my life. I'm so fucking sorry I was born. I didn't want this
Jobadvisor
What you're describing — disappearing, giving everything away, feeling like your existence is a mistake — that's not just frustration. That sounds like someone who is exhausted and in real pain, and I want to make sure I understand what's happening for you right now.
Are you having thoughts of ending your life?
I'm asking directly because I care about what happens to you, and I don't want to talk past what matters most.
If you're in crisis right now, please reach out to a crisis line — in Romania you can call 116 123 (Antisuicide Telefon, free, 24/7).
The weight you're carrying — years of rejection, feeling like you made the wrong choices, still not being where you want to be at 30 — that's genuinely hard. None of that is small. I want to hear more about it, but I need to know you're safe first.
Second shift update: new warehouse job, supervisor issues escalating, not sure if I should leave. Any advice?
I’ve recently my first job in and I’m already really unsure whether I should stay or leave after only a couple of shifts.
For context, I’ve been under a lot of personal stress recently and I also have a lot of deferred university assignments to complete over the summer, plus I’m trying to spend time with my grandad who has had serious health issues and is currently unwell.
The job itself is simple (replenishing shelves and click & collect orders) and the pay is decent. The issue is mainly one of the supervisors and the general experience so far.
On my first shift I was told to shadow someone and only help with certain tasks when asked. Shortly after, I was shouted at in front of other staff for not helping more, even though I was following instructions to just observe. During training I was also corrected immediately after explanations and felt like I was being expected to know things before they were properly shown. When I tried to explain I was following instructions, it didn’t really get received well.
There were also some comments made about non-English speakers not speaking proper English and several general remarks across both shifts about new starters being a pain.
On my second shift, things felt worse rather than better. The same supervisor was very inconsistent with instructions, questioned where I was during breaks including asking if I had been to the toilet, and seemed to change rules about things like having drinks at different points. I was also told I wasn’t allowed to do certain things after previously being told it was fine.
I also felt there was pressure for everyone to take breaks at the same time rather than having flexibility, which added to the sense of being tightly controlled.
At one point he also forgot to point out the fire exits while we were on the shop floor, then had to correct it afterwards.
When I tried to clarify things, I was told there were communication issues and that I would need to start repeating instructions back, which felt controlling. There’s also a pattern of being interrupted when I try to explain anything.
Overall, I’m feeling quite anxious before shifts and during them, and it’s starting to affect me substantially. The job itself isn’t difficult, but the environment and supervision are making it feel very stressful very quickly.
I’m now debating whether to leave after only a few shifts or stick it out longer to see if things improve. The pay is okay and the work is piss easy, but I’m not sure it’s worth the stress alongside university work and family commitments.
Jobadvisor
This sounds like a genuinely difficult situation, and your concerns are legitimate — not just first-job nerves. A few things you described stand out as real problems rather than just adjustment pains:
The supervisor behaviour is objectively poor. Being shouted at in front of colleagues for following instructions you were given, contradictory rules, asking if you've been to the toilet, comments about non-English speakers — none of that is normal or acceptable, even in a fast-paced warehouse environment. That's not "strict supervision," that's disorganised management with some concerning undertones.
Your context matters enormously. You're not a person with nothing else going on who can absorb workplace stress easily. You have deferred uni work, a family member who is seriously ill, and you're already under pressure. A job that adds significant anxiety on top of that isn't just unpleasant — it has real costs to things that genuinely matter more right now.
On the stay-or-leave question, here's a practical way to think about it:
The case for leaving is stronger than it might feel. You're very early — a few shifts in — which means you haven't built up enough routine or muscle memory for things to "settle." If it's already making you anxious before shifts, that's a meaningful signal. Warehouse jobs at this level are also not scarce; you could likely find another with a less chaotic supervisor.
The case for staying a bit longer is really just: financial stability, and the slim chance this supervisor is unusually bad that week and things normalise. But "stay and hope" isn't a strategy so much as a delay.
A middle-ground option worth considering: before deciding, you could speak to a different supervisor or the store manager — not to complain formally, but simply to say you're finding the onboarding inconsistent and wanted to check in about what's expected. This tells you something useful. If they're receptive, maybe it's fixable. If they're dismissive or it feels uncomfortable to even raise it, that's your answer.
The honest summary: the pay and ease of the work don't compensate for an environment that's actively making you worse at managing everything else in your life right now. Leaving after a few shifts feels awkward, but it's entirely normal, and there's no obligation to stay somewhere that's measurably harming your wellbeing during an already hard period. Your granddad, your degree, and your own health are all better uses of that mental bandwidth.