My boss kept promising me a promotion for doing three people's jobs, but today they hired an external candidate. Am I really expected to train my own boss?
I am a 28M working as a senior financial analyst. Over the last six months, two people on my four-person team quit. Instead of hiring replacements, my manager dumped all their workload onto me. I've been working sixty-hour weeks, skipping lunches, and constantly saving the department from missing deadlines. Every time I brought up burnout my boss would tell me, "Just hang in there, a promotion and a massive raise are definately coming in the next cycle."
I trusted him because I'm naive and wanted to prove my loyalty. I literally ran the entire department's quarter-end closing process by myself last month. Today my boss called me into his office and introduced a new hire as our "Department Lead." He is an external candidate with less industry experience than me, but he has a fancy MBA.
The worst part is that my boss looked me dead in the eye and said, "Since you know the system inside and out, I need you to train him and get him up to speed over the next month."
I sat there in shock. I am being asked to train the guy who is now my boss, for the exact role I've been successfully running for half a year. I don't even know how to process this betrayal. honestly, my stomach is in knots and I want to walk out right now. Is this my cue to just quiet quit and start applying elsewhere?
Jobadvisor
That's a gut punch, and it makes complete sense that your stomach is in knots. You did the work, proved you could do the job, and then watched someone else get handed the title. That's not just disappointing — it's a real betrayal of what you were promised.
To answer your literal question first: no, you're not "expected" to train him in the sense of some binding obligation. You can say no, slow-walk it, or leave. But let's think through what actually serves you here, because "quiet quit on the spot" and "walk out right now" are both understandable impulses, not necessarily the smartest moves for your situation.
A few things worth separating out:
The trust is gone, and that's the real data point. Your boss made a specific, repeated promise ("a promotion and a raise are definitely coming") to keep you working sixty-hour weeks, and then didn't deliver it — not because the money wasn't there, but because they'd already decided to hire externally. Whether that was the plan all along or a last-minute change, the effect is the same: you were strung along. That's worth trusting your read on, even if he offers an explanation later.
Quitting on the spot vs. leaving on your terms are very different outcomes for you. Quiet quitting or walking out gives him a clean story ("they weren't a team player") and costs you a paycheck and reference while you job hunt. Leaving with a job already lined up, on your own timeline, costs him a lot more — especially if he's now dependent on you to onboard his new hire.
You have leverage right now that you won't have in a month. You're the only one who knows the system inside and out, and quarter-end just proved how much the department relies on you. That's exactly the moment to have a direct, unemotional conversation — not to beg for the promotion, but to find out where you actually stand: raise, revised role, real title, or you start interviewing in earnest. Go in with a clear ask and a number, not just a vague "I'm hurt."
Training him isn't really the issue — the terms are. You can agree to help onboard him while making it clear this doesn't erase the conversation about your compensation and role. Those are two separate conversations, and conflating them lets him off the hook on the first one.
One honest note: I can't verify the internal reasoning behind the hire — sometimes companies bring in outside leadership for reasons that have nothing to do with the employee's competence (politics, budget lines, a board mandate) — but none of that changes what you're owed for six months of doing the job.
What matters most to you right now — figuring out how to handle the conversation with your boss, or focusing on getting out?
What’s the quickest way to get out of poverty without a degree?
Im currently 22 and I have no degree other than a dental certification. I enjoy my job the pay is simply not enough. Anyone who didn’t go to college and had to pay their bills what was the quickest way you were able to get out of poverty. I want to afford my own place I’m looking for a at least a year certificate or license since I’m gonna have to pay for my self. I live in a more expensive area pay is decent but bills are high. I’m looking into lpn program or surgical tech. PLEASE someone give me advice.
Thank you to everyone who gave me advice I’ll continue exploring my options and the tips you guys gave me!!
Btw I don’t want kids anytime soon so that’s not a concern for me lol.
Jobadvisor
Moving from low-income survival to financial independence without a 4-year degree is entirely doable, especially since you already have healthcare experience as a dental assistant.
Because you are looking for a program that takes around 1 year, need to support yourself while studying, and live in a high cost-of-living (HCOL) area, healthcare certifications are one of the fastest bridges to immediate pay bumps.
Clarifying Questions
To help narrow down the best path for your specific situation, could you share:
What state/metro area are you in, and what is your current hourly wage vs. target income?
Does your current dental practice offer tuition assistance or flexible scheduling (e.g., 3-day work weeks) while you study?
Are you open to night/weekend shifts, which often pay high shift differentials in hospital settings?
Comparing Your 1-Year Healthcare Options
Given your interest in LPN and Surgical Tech, alongside leveraging your existing Dental background, here is how the top short-term paths stack up financially and operationally:
| Career Path | Typical Program Length | National Median Pay (2024–2026) | HCOL Area Pay Expectation | Career Advancement Potential |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN / LVN) | 12 – 15 months | ~$62,340 / yr ($30/hr) | $75,000 – $85,000+ / yr | Highest: Seamless bridge to LPN-to-RN (adds $20–$30/hr later). |
| Surgical Technologist | 9 – 18 months | ~$62,830 / yr ($30/hr) | $75,000 – $85,000+ / yr | Moderate: Specialized in OR; path to Surgical First Assistant (CSFA). |
| Dental Hygienist | 18 – 24 months (Associate) | ~$94,260 / yr ($45/hr) | $110,000 – $130,000+ / yr | High initial pay: Hard ceiling, but double/triple current dental assistant pay. |
(Note: In high-cost regions like California, Washington, Oregon, or the Northeast, LPN and Surgical Tech wages routinely jump 20–30% above national medians).
1. The Case for LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
Why it fits: LPN programs at community colleges or vocational schools typically take 12 months. Pay is immediate, and healthcare facilities (nursing homes, clinics, urgent care) hire heavily with overtime options.
Income potential: In expensive areas, LPNs often earn $35–$42/hour with overtime opportunities.
The Strategic Play: LPN gets you out of poverty now. Once employed, many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement, allowing you to complete an LPN-to-RN bridge program online or part-time while earning a full LPN paycheck. RNs in HCOL areas easily cross $100k/year.
2. The Case for Surgical Technologist
Why it fits: Highly focused, technical, hands-on work inside the operating room (OR) handling instruments and sterile fields.
If you want zero patient/family counseling or customer-service exhaustion, this is ideal. Income potential: Similar baseline pay to LPNs, but on-call pay (being on standby for emergency surgeries) can boost earnings by 15–25%.
Consideration: Advancement is limited compared to nursing unless you pursue a CSFA certification or switch tracks.
3. Don't Rule Out Dental Hygiene
Why consider it: While standard Dental Hygiene programs take ~2 years (longer than your 1-year target), you already have dental experience. Some accredited programs offer accelerated tracks or transfer credits for clinical hours/prerequisites.
Income potential: Dental Hygienists make $45–$60+/hour in high-cost areas, working 4-day weeks.
If you can stretch your timeline slightly, the return on investment is massive.
Hypothetical Financial Scenario: 12-Month Action Plan
Assumption: You enroll in a 12-month LPN diploma at a local community college (tuition ~$5,000–$9,000 total via grants/subsidized loans) while working part-time/per-diem as a Dental Assistant.
Current Estimated State: Dental Assistant (~$20–$23/hr in HCOL) = ~$3,500/mo gross ($42,000/yr). High rent takes 50%+ of income.
Month 13 (Graduation + NCLEX-PN): LPN Entry Wage (~$36/hr in HCOL) = ~$6,240/mo gross ($74,880/yr before shift differentials/overtime).
Result: A ~$32,000+ income increase in 12 months, dropping housing costs to ~30% or less of your gross pay.
Recommended Next Steps
Check local community college deadlines: Community colleges cost a fraction of private trade schools (avoid private for-profit trade schools charging $30k+ for LPN/Surg Tech).
Apply for FAFSA / Pell Grants: At 22, depending on tax status, grants may cover almost all community college tuition.
Pick LPN if you want a career ladder to $100k+; pick Surgical Tech if you love hands-on OR mechanics.
Is a degree from an ivy worth it?
I have an opportunity to transfer to Columbia for the Fall from a state school in Florida(University of Florida). I have three semesters remaining to finish an Economics and Computer Science degree from a state school in Florida, it would take me two years to finish a degree in Math + Computer Science because of the Core and since some credits would not pass over. Is the ROI from Columbia worth it including time and money spent($200k) to get an ivy degree. I would not qualify for any aid so it would be $80k/year for classes and $20k/year for housing. I don’t know how much better the job market is for someone coming out of Columbia for jobs in CS. Any advice is appreciated.
Jobadvisor
Let's run the actual math, because the framing of "ROI" deserves real numbers, not just vibes about prestige.
The cost side is brutal and often underestimated:
- $100k/year × 2 years = $200k, but you also need to add opportunity cost: two extra years not working as a CS/Econ grad from UF is probably $150k-200k in foregone salary (assuming ~$75-100k starting comp), plus lost retirement/investment compounding on that money.
- Real total cost of the Columbia path relative to finishing at UF on time: closer to $350k-400k when you count the extra year of tuition/living AND the delayed start.
The benefit side, honestly:
- For CS specifically, the field is unusually merit-and-portfolio driven compared to law, finance, or consulting. Tech recruiting leans heavily on your ability to code, your projects, and how you perform in interviews — not pedigree. A UF CS grad who can pass FAANG-style interviews gets hired over a Columbia grad who can't, every time. This is different from, say, investment banking or management consulting, where target-school pipelines and brand name still matter a lot.
- Where an Ivy does help in tech: name recognition for cold outreach, some elite quant/trading firms and top-tier VC-backed startups that recruit narrowly from a small list of schools, and networking access (classmates who found startups, alumni in venture capital, etc.). If your goal is Wall Street tech, a startup you'd want equity in, or eventually an MBA/VC path, Columbia's network has real value.
- Where it doesn't help much: general software engineering roles at large tech companies, which increasingly hire based on interview performance and portfolios from a huge range of schools.
The switch also changes your major, from Econ+CS to Math+CS — that's not a lateral move, that's a different skill set (Math+CS skews more toward quant/ML-heavy roles, which could be good or bad depending on what you want to do).
A few questions that would change my answer a lot:
- Is $200k+ coming from savings, family support, or loans? Loan-funded, this is a much shakier bet — you'd be piling significant debt onto a field where school prestige has a smaller salary multiplier than in law or finance.
- What's the actual career target — big tech SWE, quant/trading, startups, grad school? The answer to "is it worth it" swings hard depending on this.
What's funding the $200k, and what kind of CS role are you ultimately aiming for?
How do I speak like my colleague?
I work in Consulting and I am so impressed by the way my colleague navigates through client calls and how he speaks to the decks. The way he articulates is so concise, to the point, and impactful. He recently got promoted but I didn't because he performed so well during these client calls. I don't think I am bad speaker but I do want to improve so I can be ready for my promotion.
Do you guys have any advice in terms of how to articulate better at professional settings? Appreciate a lot!
Jobadvisor
It takes a lot of self-awareness to spot what someone else is doing well and decide, "I want that tool in my toolkit." First off, don't beat yourself up over the promotion—consulting moves fast, and the fact that you’re dissecting why your colleague succeeded means you're already on the right track to be next in line.
The polished, punchy style you’re seeing isn't magic; it’s a specific set of habits designed for executive communication. Here is how you can break down and adopt that level of clarity and impact:
1. Adopt the "Pyramid Principle" (BLUF)
Consulting leadership and clients hate waiting for the punchline. Start with BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front.
The Old Way (Storytelling): "We analyzed the data, looked at three different vendors, calculated the cost variations, and determined Option B saves 15%."
The Executive Way: "We recommend Option B to save 15% annually. Here are the three reasons why..."
Rule of thumb: Give the answer or key insight in the first 10 seconds of speaking. Use the rest of your time to justify it if asked.
2. Walk Decks Using "Insights, Not Ingredients"
Weak presentations read what's on the slide; strong presentations explain what the slide means for the client.
Don't describe the visual: "This chart shows our Q3 marketing spend across four channels."
Deliver the takeaway: "Q3 spend was heavily skewed toward paid search, which delivered a 3x higher ROI than social."
Transition smoothly: Master simple signpost phrases like:
"The key takeaway on this slide is..."
"What this means for our timeline is..."
"If you only remember one thing from this chart, it’s..."
3. Leverage Strategic Pauses & Ditch Filler Words
People who sound authoritative aren't afraid of silence.
Replace "um," "ah," or "like" with a pause. A two-second pause sounds thoughtful; filler words sound uncertain.
Slow down by 10-15%. Fast talkers often sound like they are trying to prove they know the answer; slow talkers sound like they own the answer.
4. Practice "Signposting" and Numerical Structuring
Group your thoughts on the fly so the client can easily follow your logic.
"There are two key risks we need to manage here. First... Second..."
"We see this in three phases..."
Structuring your spoken thoughts into numbered points forces your brain to be concise and prevents rambling.
5. Actively "Shadow" Your Colleague
Since you have a real-life benchmark right next to you:
Take literal notes during calls: Write down the exact phrases he uses to pivot conversations, handle tough questions, or slide transitions.
Ask for feedback: After a shared call, ask him: "I loved how you framed slide 4 today. How do you usually prepare your mental outline before jumping into those deck reviews?" (People love talking about their own methods).
Record and review yourself: If your firm allows recording internal dry runs or client calls, listen back. It feels uncomfortable at first, but it is the fastest way to spot your own verbal habits.
Which specific part of client calls feels trickiest for you right now—is it presenting the deck itself, handling unexpected pushback from clients, or synthesizing thoughts on the spot?
Unique situation. A jack-of-many-trades and master-of-none. 18 months unemployed. Is work even possible at this point or do I need to face reality?
This is a doozy and I am out of answers.
People are creative here so I am hoping that’s true in this case as well.
To give a quick background, I am 49, former military (radar tech), college degree, with limited mobility (can’t walk or stand too long).
To be more specific, I went straight into the military after high school and did well. I got out just after 9-11 and went to college.
I got a BA degree in performing arts. Completely unhelpful other than it was a bachelors degree which at that time was still considered helpful for most careers.
I then went to Iraq as a contractor working with the military in the recreation department where I excelled and then got hired into logistics over there and excelled there as well. I got injured while in Iraq and was sent back to the U.S. and have since had multiple back surgeries.
While recuperating I got into film/tv work on both sides of the camera as I felt it was something I could do based on my limited mobility, was fun, and paid well when it paid. Eventually had to give that up as I didn’t get the ultimate success and stability I’d hoped for and moved back to Texas to be near family and continue medical treatment.
Soon after returning to Texas I got a job working as an estimator for a construction company but it was only temporary.
Then I got into logistics/dispatching and was paid decent for the job $60k but management was unbelievably horrible and many of us walked out without two weeks notice. A mistake, I know, and I have to live with it now. I say this because any potential employers are probably seeing me as “non-hirable” with my last job. Although my experience makes sense, future potential employers don’t know the story nor do they care.
So it’s been 18 months without a job, living only on my workers comp. No unemployment because I left the last job. I wasn’t let go.
I have sent out over 200 resumes and only had a first interview twice. I have a bachelors degree, honorable discharge from the military, and experience in many fields. I catch on quickly and can do just about anything. But I am 49 now, and not overly experienced in any one thing.
I have considered an online bachelors or masters in another field that I can earn quickly, self-paced. And I have considered just accepting that a 9-5 isn’t in my future anymore and to focus on some kind of online work like a YouTube channel or tutoring.
I have gone through a six-month cybersecurity bootcamp in three months, have my CompTIA Security+, have my CPC-A medical coding certification, and some others. Nothing has led anywhere to even gain experience.
The insurance requires I look for employment but I can’t obtain any.
I was making $60k at the logistics/dispatching job but I can’t even find employment in logistics, supply chain, scheduling, operations, medical coding, cybersecurity, or dispatching among many other jobs I have applied to.
I have no idea what to do. The job market, my varied resume, and my age leads me to believe I need to hang it up and do something else because I’m just spinning my wheels. I’m hoping for remote, hybrid, or on-site desk work. The brain still works well but the body is fighting me so I can’t do any real physical type jobs that require standing, lifting, bending, etc.
I’m more than willing to work but can find the work.
I’m new to all this and trying my best so please take it easy on me. I tried and tried working it out myself and I am at a dead-end. Any and all ideas welcome.
Jobadvisor
Good — that helps narrow things down. A referral-first approach with boards as backup is actually the smarter play, and a recent resume review means the problem probably isn't "typos and formatting." So let's think about what else could be true.
First, the math. 200 applications, 2 interviews — a callback rate that low, especially with your background (honorable discharge, degree, real certs, actual work history) almost always points to a targeting or framing problem, not "nobody wants you." If age or the market alone were the wall, you'd expect a low-but-not-this-low rate. This is fixable. I don't say that to cheerlead — I say it because it changes what you should do next.
Here's what I'd actually dig into, in order of leverage:
1. VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Chapter 31) — have you used this? You mentioned workers' comp but not VR&E. If your Iraq injury is service-connected (even partially rated), VR&E is a completely different animal from generic job searching: they assign you a counselor who builds an employment plan around your actual physical restrictions, can fund additional training if genuinely needed, and — critically — do direct employer outreach and job placement, including with federal contractors who specifically want to hire through VR&E. This is the single highest-leverage thing on this list if you haven't tapped it. If you're already enrolled, tell me and we skip it.
2. Federal and federal-contractor logistics/supply chain jobs, using veteran's preference. You have: honorable discharge (veteran's preference points on USAJobs), radar tech background (suggests you held or could requalify for a security clearance — extremely valuable, expensive for employers to obtain independently), and real logistics experience. Federal logistics, supply chain, and operations roles are often desk-based, less youth-biased than private sector, and veteran's preference is a real mechanical advantage in a resume-screening system, not a soft nice-to-have. This is worth an hour of research even if it feels bureaucratic.
3. The resume probably needs a spine, not a cleanup. A recent reviewer likely checked grammar, formatting, keyword density. What they may not have fixed: right now your history reads as sequential unrelated jobs. The fix isn't hiding the variety — it's naming the through-line explicitly. You've actually done the same core thing five times: coordinating people, resources, and schedules under pressure (recreation ops in a war zone, logistics in Iraq, estimating, dispatching). That's "Operations Coordinator" with five proof points, not five different careers. I'd also bet you're using one resume for logistics, coding, and cybersecurity roles alike — those need to be three separate documents with different top-line framing, because an ATS and a human both want to see the job title mirrored back at them.
4. The walkout needs a rehearsed, boring, 15-second answer — not a hope it won't come up. Something like: "The operational work was a strong fit, but the environment became unsustainable in a way that affected the whole team, and several of us made the same call. In hindsight I'd handle the exit differently, and it's part of why I'm now more deliberate about vetting management structure before I accept an offer." No trashing, no over-explaining. Said once, calmly, then move on.
5. Contract/staffing agencies for remote logistics, medical coding, and coordination roles. Firms like Robert Half, Kelly OCG, or medical-coding-specific staffing shops place people into contract or contract-to-hire roles with a much lower bar than a direct FT hire — companies are less risk-averse about a 6-month contract than a permanent seat. This also satisfies your insurance's job-search requirement while potentially converting into something real.
On the YouTube/self-employment idea — I want to be straight with you: given that you're living on workers' comp right now, that path is a long, low-probability runway before it produces income. I wouldn't bet your near-term stability on it. It could be a good side project once things stabilize, not the plan.
Given where you're at financially, my honest read is: this isn't "hang it up," it's "the current approach has a fixable leak, and there's at least one major resource (VR&E) that may be sitting unused."
Want to start with the resume rebuild — I can help you draft the "Operations Coordinator" version right now — or do you want to talk through the VR&E/federal angle first since that could open doors the resume alone can't?