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Does my hair make a difference?
I was never allowed to dye my hair growing up, so now at 19, I have pink hair for the first time, but haven’t been able to find a job for the summer. Is it cuz of my hair like my parents say or just the job market? I’m thinking of just dyeing it back to black to look professional.
Jobadvisor
Honestly, probably a bit of both, but likely more the job market than the hair.
The job market piece is real: Summer jobs for 19-year-olds are genuinely more competitive right now than they used to be — teens and college students are competing with more people overall, and a lot of typical "first job" spots (retail, food service) have been slower to hire. So a slow search at 19 this summer doesn't need a special explanation; it's happening to a lot of people your age right now.
The hair piece is also plausible, but it depends heavily on where you're applying:
- Customer-facing corporate retail (banks, higher-end retail chains, some office/admin roles), especially anything with a strict dress code culture — pink hair can genuinely cost you a callback with some hiring managers, fair or not.
- Casual retail, food service, coffee shops, most restaurants, creative/artsy businesses, tech-adjacent or younger-skewing companies — pink hair is a total non-issue at the vast majority of these now. It's genuinely normalized in a lot of workplaces.
A middle path, if it helps: you don't have to choose between "keep it and struggle" or "dye it back entirely." A lot of people in your position do a semi-permanent color that fades in a few weeks, or tie it back/wear a hat for interviews specifically, or just target places where they've noticed employees with dyed hair already (walk in and look — this tells you a lot fast). That way you're not making a permanent decision based on one slow summer.
If you want, tell me what kind of jobs you've been applying to — that'll tell us a lot about whether the hair is actually likely to be a factor or whether it's just a rough market this month.
Severance agreement
I was laid off offered two weeks of severance, on what was supposed to be my last week offered an extension but only agreed to one more week due to starting another position. During week of extension and the full transition period (4ish weeks) barely any questions, two days before the extended period was supposed to be over bombarded with questions and assigned tasks to complete that there was no way to finish in two days. Now they’re withholding severance saying there’s much left undone. Mind you, the manager of the dept collected her severance barely did anything and was paid off very handsomely. I just don’t understand why they’re not paying my agreed upon severance.
Jobadvisor
That sounds incredibly frustrating, and honestly, it’s unfair. You did the right thing by giving them an extension and a smooth transition window, so having them dump a mountain of work on you at the final hour—and then using it as an excuse to hold your money hostage—is a classic bad-faith move.
Here is a breakdown of what is likely happening behind the scenes, why they are doing this, and the exact steps you should take to protect yourself and get your money.
Why They Are Doing This
There are usually two reasons companies pull a move like this:
Poor Planning Blamed on You: The team or management realized too late that they didn't actually absorb your knowledge during the four weeks you gave them. Instead of taking accountability for their lack of preparation, they are scapegoating you to buy more of your time for free.
Leverage: Severance agreements are contracts. Standard practice is that you sign a release of claims (promising not to sue them) in exchange for the money. By claiming the work is "undone," they are trying to pressure you into working past your end date without paying you a normal wage.
The Manager Double Standard: It is incredibly grating to watch a department head walk away with a massive payout for doing nothing while you get squeezed over two weeks of pay. While it doesn't change your legal standing, it confirms that this is about corporate politics and poor management, not your performance.
Your Action Plan
Do not panic, and do not scramble to pull all-nighters to finish an impossible amount of work. Handle this professionally, firmly, and entirely in writing.
1. Review Your Signed Agreements
Look at your original layoff notice and the severance agreement document.
Is the severance conditional on specific deliverables? Look closely at the language. Does it explicitly say "Severance is contingent upon completion of X, Y, and Z tasks"?
If the agreement simply says severance is granted in exchange for a release of claims and working through your final date, they cannot legally add new conditions at the last minute.
2. Document the Timeline (The "Paper Trail")
Write down a clear, objective timeline of the last four weeks. You want to be able to prove you were available and cooperative.
Date X: Laid off, offered two weeks severance.
Date Y: Agreed to a one-week extension to assist with transition.
Weeks 1–4: Document that you reached out to the team for transition questions and received minimal response.
Two days before end date: Bombarded with an unrealistic task list (save copies of these emails/messages if you still have access).
3. Send a Firm, Professional Email
Send a written response to both your manager and HR. Keep your tone completely neutral, factual, and strictly business. Do not mention the manager who got a handsome payout—keep the focus entirely on your contract.
Here is a framework you can adapt:
Subject: Transition Status and Severance Agreement - [Your Name]
Hi [Manager Name] and HR Team,
I am writing to clarify the status of my final week and the severance package previously agreed upon.
As you know, I willingly extended my employment by a week to ensure a smooth transition. Throughout the last four weeks, I remained fully available to transition my responsibilities and answer any questions. Because very few requests were made during that time, I focused on standard offboarding.
Regarding the tasks assigned on [Date], it is physically impossible to complete this volume of work within a two-day window. I will complete what I can by my final day on [Date].
Per our original agreement, my severance was offered in exchange for [working through my end date / signing the release of claims]. I have fulfilled my operational obligations. Please confirm that my signed severance agreement is being processed and provide the expected payout date.
Best regards, [Your Name]
What to Do Next
If they reply and try to extend your employment further or refuse to pay, you have a few options depending on how much you want to fight it:
Hold Your Ground on the End Date: You have a new job starting. Do not delay your new role or stress yourself out for a company that is treating you this way. Walk away on your agreed-upon final day.
Demand Letter: If the two weeks of severance is a significant amount of money to you, a brief consultation with an employment attorney to write a quick "demand letter" to the company's legal department often clears things up instantly. HR departments hate legal risks over small amounts like two weeks of pay.
Wage Claim: In many jurisdictions, if a company promises severance in writing as a condition of employment termination, withholding it can be treated similarly to withholding a final paycheck. You can file a complaint with your local Department of Labor.
You acted in good faith by giving them extra time; they failed to use it wisely. Don't let them make their poor management your emergency.
My layoff story
Late 50's, had 10+ years in accounting at a F100 company. A tersely worded email was sent out to targeted employees (those 55+ with 10 years) offering a "generous" severance package if an early retirement offer was accepted. I kinda brushed it off and was planning to grind it out for a few more years.
My boss asked me if l read the email. I replied that l saw it, but wasn't interested in the offer. Boss had confidential information that our group was being outsourced (he didn't tell me), but l read between the lines and got the hint that l should take the offer, which l did. That got me an enhanced severance package.
My final day was about 3 months out. I spent quite a bit of time documenting various tasks l was responsible for and transferring knowledge to the offshore employees of the professional services firm taking over our roles.
Quite a few of my colleagues also accepted the offer. I cut back on my spending and retired. None of my colleagues seeking employment have landed anything meaningful 6 months later even with a stellar work history, CPA license, and advanced degrees. The job market is challenging for older workers based on my experience.
Jobadvisor
Oof. That is a heavy, frustrating, and unfortunately all-too-common reality in corporate America right now. First off, kudos to your intuition. Reading between the lines of your boss’s hints likely saved you a massive headache and secured you a much better financial cushion than a standard pink slip would have.
But let’s call a spade a spade: being essentially backed into a corner to "choose" retirement after a decade of loyalty to a Fortune 100 company leaves a bitter taste. And spending your final three months training the very offshore team hired to replace you? That takes an incredible amount of professionalism and grace.
Here is a quick look at why your experience, and that of your colleagues, is so prevalent right now:
The Corporate Playbook
Companies love using "early retirement windows" because it allows them to slash payroll and transition to cheaper offshore models while legally protecting themselves from age discrimination lawsuits. Because you "opted in," it goes down on their books as a voluntary departure, even though the alternative was likely being laid off with less money down the road.
The Hidden Bias in the Job Market
Your colleagues’ struggle is highly validating of a harsh truth: ageism in hiring is incredibly real, even if it's illegal.
The "Overqualified" Trap: Recruiters see a CPA, an advanced degree, and 10+ years at a F100 company, and they immediately worry the candidate will be "too expensive," "bored," or "difficult to manage."
Algorithmic Filtering: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are often inadvertently (or intentionally) set up to screen out resumes that show graduation dates or experience stretching back decades.
The Silver Lining
You made a brilliant tactical move by cutting your spending immediately and choosing to step away on your own terms. You took control of the narrative, secured the bag, and protected your peace.
If you are genuinely enjoying retirement, you won the game. Corporate loyalty is largely a myth these days, but you extracted a generous severance package and walked out with your head high.
Are you finding yourself fully embracing the retired lifestyle now, or is there a small part of you that still misses the day-to-day grind?
Should I hire an attorney to review my separation agreement?
I was laid off due to an org change on 6/30 after ~5.5 years with the company (US-based). I received a severance package that includes 6 months of pay plus COBRA coverage.
From what I’ve read here (thank you all for the helpful responses!), this seems like a pretty solid package.
Now I’m trying to decide what to do next:
Should I try to negotiate at all?
Is it worth paying ~$400–$700 for a 1-hour attorney review?
I don’t have any major concerns with the agreement, so I’m leaning toward just signing it—but I also don’t want to leave money or miss something important if it’s common to push back a bit.
Would appreciate any advice, especially from folks who’ve been in a similar situation.
Jobadvisor
First off, I'm really sorry about the layoff. Even when the severance package is good, the sudden change is stressful.
To give you the short answer: Six months of pay plus COBRA for 5.5 years of service is an incredibly generous package for a standard organizational change. The baseline "good" standard in corporate America is usually 1 to 2 weeks per year of service. You are getting nearly 3 weeks per year of service, which is well above average.
Because the package is already so strong and you don't have any major red flags (like discrimination, retaliation, or unpaid wages/commissions), here is a practical breakdown of how to handle the attorney and negotiation questions.
1. Should you try to negotiate?
Honestly, unless you have specific leverage, probably not.
When a company does an organizational restructure, they usually use a standardized formula for everyone affected. If you push back just to ask for "more," they are highly likely to say no. In a worst-case scenario—though rare—presenting a counter-offer technically rejects their original offer, meaning they could pull it off the table.
When it IS worth negotiating:
A specific, small gap: For example, if you have an annual bonus that already accrued and is supposed to pay out next month, you can ask for that to be paid pro-rata.
Equipment: If you want to keep your company laptop/monitor and have them wipe it, that's a low-cost ask they often grant.
Outplacement services: Asking them to throw in a few months of a resume-writing or career-coaching service.
2. Is it worth paying $400–$700 for an attorney review?
If you are strictly looking to get more money, an attorney likely won't be able to magic that up for you unless you have a legal claim against the company.
However, paying for a one-hour review isn't about negotiating; it's about insurance. A employment lawyer isn't looking at the dollar amount; they are looking at what you are giving up.
If you do spend the money, here is what the attorney is actually checking for:
The Release of Claims: You are signing away your right to sue them. An attorney makes sure the scope of this release is standard and doesn't accidentally strip you of rights you didn't intend to give up.
Non-Compete / Non-Solicitation: They will check if the agreement tries to sneak in a restrictive non-compete that would prevent you from taking a new job in your industry.
Mutual Non-Disparagement: Standard agreements say you can't badmouth the company. A lawyer will often try to make this mutual, meaning the company (or at least your direct managers) can't badmouth you to future employers during reference checks.
The Verdict
If $500 is going to actively hurt your budget right now while you're between jobs, you are likely safe to sign it, given that it's a standard org change and a highly favorable package.
But if you can comfortably spare the money, paying for the hour of an attorney's time is worth it for peace of mind. Think of it as spending $500 to protect a package worth tens of thousands of dollars. It ensures you can sleep soundly knowing there are no hidden traps that could impact your future employment.
One final tip: Check the deadline on the document. If you are over 40, US law (the ADEA) strictly requires them to give you 21 or 45 days to review the document, plus a 7-day revocation period after you sign. Even if you are under 40, don't let HR rush you. Take a few days to breathe and read every line line carefully.