The two words that got me a higher offer: "wiggle room"
Quick hack I wish someone had told me years ago.
When you get an offer, don't just say "thanks, I accept." Ask this:
Is there any wiggle room on the base?
That's it. Recruiters know the phrase. Most of them expect at least some pushback and keep a little budget set aside for it. When you say "wiggle room," you're telling them you know how this works, and a lot of the time they'll go back and come up with more money, a signing bonus, or extra PTO.
If you don't ask, you get the first number they offered, and you're stuck with it. Nobody is going to call you later to say they could have paid you more.
It feels awkward for about 5 seconds. Then it's over, and that number follows you into every raise and every future offer.
Worst case, they say no and you're right where you started. Best case, you just got a raise for asking one question.
Used two coaches in the past and they both told me the same thing. Honestly the most productive advice I got. For reference, it was Wonsulting and Interview Titan! Both solid interview prep services
Jobadvisor
Is this something you're sending my way because you're job hunting? Either way, the core advice is sound: asking costs you very little, and the first offer is rarely the final one. A few caveats:
The exact phrase isn't magic. "Is there any flexibility on the base?" works just as well. What matters is asking politely, after they've made the offer and you've shown enthusiasm. It lands best with a reason or a number: "Based on my experience and what similar roles pay, I was hoping for closer to X. Is there room to get there?"
How much room there is depends on the job. Salaried professional roles often have a negotiable band. Hourly warehouse, retail, and similar jobs often have fixed pay scales, so the base may not budge. You can still ask about:
- A shift differential, since you've been working nights and many employers pay extra for them
- A sign-on bonus
- Schedule, start date, or PTO
- Where you'd land on the pay scale given your experience
A polite ask almost never gets an offer pulled. The "worst case is you're where you started" claim is basically true as long as you stay friendly and don't issue ultimatums.
The post ends with plugs for two coaching services. I can't vouch for them, and you don't need to pay for coaching to ask this one question.
If you get to the offer stage somewhere, I'm happy to help you draft the exact wording. And if you want help with applications or resume tweaks for getting out of that warehouse sooner, I can do that too.
Should I list my in-progress PhD on my resume, or just my completed MS? Worried either way looks bad for full-time roles
I'm looking for full-time roles right now (currently an ML researcher at my school), and I'm stuck on how to handle my PhD on my resume.
Here's my situation: I'm enrolled in a PhD, and I've already completed a significant portion of my research. My advisor is flexible and has actually encouraged me to look for full-time roles, and I can continue the PhD part-time while working. For the right opportunity, I might even take a break from my program. So availability genuinely isn't an issue for me. I also did my MS at the same school, so there's a lot of trust with my advisor.
My worry is this: if I list the PhD as "in progress," will recruiters or the ATS screen me out, assuming I'm not available for full-time or that I'm only looking for an internship?
But here's the other side, if I leave the PhD off and just show my completed MS (finished in 2025), my resume would show me doing ML research at my own university from then until now with no PhD listed to explain it. Would recruiters look at that and wonder why I'm still at my school doing research instead of having moved into a full-time role elsewhere? Would that come across as a red flag, like something's off or I couldn't land a job?
So it feels like I'm stuck between two bad signals: "not available" if I include the PhD, or "why hasn't this person moved on?" if I don't.
My questions:
Do you list an in-progress PhD when you're targeting full-time roles, or leave it off?
If you list it, how do you signal that you're actually available full-time?
If you leave it off, does the "still doing research at your own school" gap look bad?
Appreciate any advice from people who've been through this.
Jobadvisor
1. Highlight the PhD with Immediate Availability Signals
Ph.D. in Computer Science (Machine Learning focus) | University NameIn Progress (Part-Time / Flexible) | Target Graduation: [Month, Year]
Machine Learning Researcher with M.S. and advanced Ph.D. research experience, seeking full-time industry roles. Flexible academic schedule with advisor approval for immediate, full-time start.
2. Format Your Research as Experience
Graduate Research Assistant – Machine Learning | University Name | 2025 – Present
Addressing Your Core Concerns
- Do recruiters screen out "in-progress" PhDs?Only when the timeline or availability is ambiguous. Automated ATS filters search for keywords like "Ph.D." and "Machine Learning," which actually works in your favor for research and advanced development roles. Framing the status as "flexible" or "part-time transition" removes the internship assumption.
- Does remaining at the same school post-MS look bad if the PhD is omitted?Yes. Listing an MS in 2025 followed by ongoing university research with no degree context creates an unspoken question: Why hasn't this candidate transitioned or graduated? Clear context eliminates negative assumptions.
- How to handle interviews when asked about the dual commitment:Frame it as a strength: "My research is at a stage where my coursework is complete, and my advisor supports my full-time transition into industry. I can manage the remaining writing asynchronously without impacting my standard work commitments."
30m unemployed need help psychiatrists are against me plz I want advice
I’ve been unemployed for 5 years like a bum. Living off my parents, I’ve been hitting the gym a lot and lost 50lbs really fast I kinda starve myself. It’s the only success I have
When it comes to life I failed. Never had a partner, don’t have a friend group anymore because I pushed ‘em away. All this cuz of childhood trauma and just it’s a lot. I’ve only succeeded when it comes to weight lost. When I go out ppl say I look good, my cousin always tells me the girls around us talk about me to him. Idc my mind isn’t working I have a hard time not wanting to get aggressive with ppl
After multiple ward visits (my first being at 18) I’m finally seeing a psychiatrist. They say I have ied and I’m bipolar, I also have ocd. It’s possible I have adhd, they get mad at me cuz I don’t take my pills but i think the ied and bipolar issues are fake and they’re just trying to make me fat an hop on antipsychotics and ssris
I can’t concentrate on anything. Ever since I was little I’m only good at walking around and lifting weights. I have everyone’s numbers blocked my appointment is soon what do I do. I’m back abusing benzos and smoking. I spend the entire day high and focusing on weight loss
Last time I went for help I was in the ward for 11 days and they have to inject me to calm me down at times. Make me take things I don’t wanna take, I’m scared when my parents are gone I’m homeless. I have no future. I never been liked, ppl plot against me. I just went on a 3-4 day manic spree I feel better now. I also can’t tell anyone the truth of what my mind says because I’ll be back in the ward, I can’t keep a job cuz I’m always having panic attacks and arguing. Do I end it eventually? Like is there a point I’m not even in my body a times anyways it’s a throw corpse really
Jobadvisor
I hear how utterly exhausted and overwhelmed you are right now. Experiencing intense mental strain, feeling like you are detached from your own body, and carrying the weight of past trauma, isolation, and fear of homelessness is an incredibly heavy burden to bear alone.
Please know that **your life has value, and you do not have to end it.** Even when things feel completely hopeless, there is support available right now to keep you safe.
1. Immediate Crisis & Safety Support
If you are feeling like ending your life, feeling out of control, or experiencing severe distress, please connect with someone who can help you right now:
* **In the US and Canada:** Call or text **988**, or chat at **988lifeline.org** to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential, available 24/7, and connects you with trained support.
* **Text Support:** Text **HOME to 741741** to connect with the Crisis Text Line.
* **International Resources:** If you are outside the US, please visit **findahelpline.com** or **iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres** to find free, confidential crisis services in your country.
* **Immediate Danger:** If you feel you cannot keep yourself safe, please reach out to emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room.
2. Navigating Your Upcoming Appointment & Medication Concerns
It is completely understandable to feel scared, guarded, and mistrustful—especially if you have had distressing past experiences in hospital wards or feel like treatments conflict with goals that matter to you (like your health and weight).
When you see your psychiatrist, **you are allowed to be honest about your fears and goals without having to expose every overwhelming thought**:
* **Be Honest About Side Effects & Fears:** You do not have to accept a treatment plan blindly. It is okay to tell your provider directly: *"I am terrified of gaining weight or feeling sluggish, and that is why I haven't been taking the medication."* Psychiatrists have many different options available, including medications that are weight-neutral or tailored specifically to avoid the side effects you fear most.
* **Address the Substance Use Safely:** Stopping or misusing benzos, nicotine, or other substances—especially alongside periods of intense energy, mania, or starvation—can dramatically increase panic, dissociation (feeling like a "through corpse"), and aggression. Let your doctor know what you are currently taking so they can help you taper off or adjust things safely. Abrupt changes in benzos can cause severe anxiety and physical distress.
* **Focus on Collaboration, Not Conflict:** Frame the visit around what *you* want to fix: *"I want help focusing, managing these intense panic attacks, and staying out of the hospital so I can figure out my future."*
3. Understanding What Your Body and Mind Are Experiencing
* **The Physical Impact of Extreme Starvation:** Losing 50 lbs quickly through extreme restriction puts your brain and body in severe physical stress. Starvation directly triggers severe mood swings, intense irritability, aggression, inability to concentrate, and dissociation. Part of why your mind feels out of control right now is that it is running on empty.
* **Distrust and Isolation:** Feeling like people are plotting against you or that doctors are "against you" often happens when the mind is under massive physical and emotional overload. Pushing people away and blocking numbers is a natural defense mechanism when you feel unsafe, but isolating yourself makes the distress far heavier.
4. Small, Grounding First Steps
You do not have to solve 5 years of unemployment or your entire future today. Focus only on the next few hours:
1. **Eat and Hydrate:** Give your brain basic nourishment. A small meal or drink with complex carbs and protein can help stabilize your neurochemistry and reduce panic/aggression.
2. **Keep the Appointment:** Going to your appointment is an opportunity to advocate for yourself. Write down 2–3 specific goals (e.g., "reduce panic," "find weight-neutral options," "help with focus") and take that list with you.
3. **Reach Out to One Safety Net:** Unblock one trusted family member or contact, or let your parents know you are struggling today and need a safe, calm environment.
Please reach out to **988** or a trusted professional right now. You deserve support, safety, and a way forward that respects your autonomy and health.
Corporations: If You Need People, Start Acting Like It
For years, Americans have been told that nobody wants to work. Companies say they can't find qualified people, they can't fill positions, and there aren't enough people willing to work hard, communicate and take responsibility. Fine. Then let's have an honest conversation about what happens when someone actually shows up.
I have more than 15 years of professional experience across inside sales, manufacturing, business analysis, operations, systems and customer relationships. I'm not asking a company to lower its standards or hand me a job. I'm asking for the opportunity to sit across the table and demonstrate what I can actually bring to the organization.
Instead, too much of modern hiring has become an exercise in automation. Submit the résumé. Complete the assessment. Answer the AI interview. Record the video. Wait. Follow up. Wait again. Maybe speak to someone. Maybe get told you're still being considered. Sometimes, nothing.
Then the same organization tells the public it can't find qualified people.
That deserves scrutiny.
If communication matters, communicate with candidates. If accountability matters, hold the hiring process accountable. If people are your greatest asset, start treating applicants like people worth evaluating—not numbers in an applicant tracking system. If someone isn't qualified, say so. If the position has been filled, say so. Professionals can handle a “no.” What professionals shouldn't have to accept is being ignored.
Companies have every right to maintain high standards. Candidates have every right to expect the same standards from the companies evaluating them. That's a two-way street.
So here's my challenge to corporate America: Stop telling people nobody wants to work while making it unnecessarily difficult for people who do want to work to reach you.
I don't want a company to complain about finding good people ever again. Because if you genuinely can't find someone capable, call me. I'm right here. I'm willing to work. I'm willing to learn. I'm willing to prove myself.
Give me an honest conversation and let the results speak for themselves.
And if I'm not the right person? Tell me no. I'll respect that.
But if you want qualified people, stop searching for them exclusively through a database. Start talking to them.
And to all of you politicians out there who think you're clever by sticking your two cents into this conversation while having never worked a single honest day in the real world: shut up. You want to lecture Americans about work, jobs and the economy? Spend some time actually working alongside the people you're talking about.
The midterms are coming. Please do yourselves a favor: save yourselves the backlash and shut up. People who are actually trying to work don't need another lecture. They need an opportunity.
Jobadvisor
This is a strong piece with a clear voice and a real argument. You didn't say what you want from me, so here's feedback you can use, and I can go further in whichever direction helps.
What works
- The central contradiction is sharp. "We can't find people" vs. "we make it hard to be found" is a genuinely good point, and you state it plainly.
- Your ask is reasonable and specific. "Tell me no, I'll respect that" is disarming. It makes you sound like the professional in the room, which is the credibility you want.
- The rhythm is good. The sequence of "Submit. Complete. Record. Wait. Follow up. Wait again." mimics the experience it describes.
- The closing line to companies ("stop searching exclusively through a database, start talking to them") is the best summary of the piece.
What I'd reconsider
-
The politician paragraph. This is the one place the piece changes character. Everything before it is calm, credible and constructive. Then "shut up," said twice, turns it into a rant, and it also contradicts your own premise: you're asking for a fair hearing while telling a group to stop talking. It's also the most likely thing to be quoted back or to put off the hiring managers and recruiters you're trying to reach. If you want to keep the political point, a version like "Politicians who want to talk about work should spend time alongside the people they're describing" lands the same punch without the hostility.
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The "nobody wants to work" framing. Many companies would say the shortage they describe is about skills mismatch, location, or pay, not willingness. Acknowledging that in a sentence ("Some of that is real, but...") would make your argument harder to dismiss.
-
Your own experience gets one sentence. If this is also meant to get you noticed, add one concrete detail: a result, a system you built, a process you improved. "15 years across sales, manufacturing and operations" is a range; one specific win makes you memorable.
-
A direct call to action. You say "call me," but there's no obvious way to. If this is going on LinkedIn, mention that you're open to roles and what kind, or put your contact info in the post.
A practical note. Given how this will read to hiring managers, I'd weigh the politician paragraph carefully. A post this strong on the hiring process can be an asset; the last paragraph is what someone might screenshot against you.
Want me to do a tightened version with the politician section reworked, or a shorter LinkedIn-length cut?
Devastating rejection. Facing homelessness.
Title somewhat explains the situation I'm in. I've been unemployed for a little over a year. Burnt through all my savings months ago and my partner isn't going to be able to support me anymore. At least a good thousand or so applications. Online, in person, etc. I've met managers, I've gone to job fairs, was ghosted by the county for job help. Had a few dozen interviews and zero offers. Times are desperate and I've lost everything trying to stay housed. I'm only 24, I'm a trans woman, and I have no familial support.
Anyways, I just had the best interview I've had this whole year by far. At a game store I frequent since they have free events and are queer friendly. I thought the interviewer and I got along really well. They asked good questions. We laughed, had a good back and forth. Bantered. We spent an hour talking. They even followed up with a few additional questions after the interview.
I was, frankly, overqualified, but hell, when am I not overqualified these days? I've been working as an A/V tech and event coordinator for years but I've had no luck finding steady work in the field. Needless to say, every place I interview for that isn't in my field I'm overqualified for. Still though, I thought I made it clear that something more consistent like working retail and doing events at the store was exactly what I was looking for. Sold myself well I thought. Wouldn't pay the bills. It was only part time, but at least it'd be something. They were even looking for an opener and I made it clear that I preferred opening.
The interviewer and I were both trans and we related on a few key topics. Everyone I spoke to during the process seemed like my kind of person.
Well here we are. I'm three months from having no financial support and going homeless, in desperate need of a job, this is the best opportunity I've had this year and I felt like I nailed the interview. I even knew of the interviewers girlfriend since she's in a local band I've seen before & I've worker in the scene.
Waited a week and what do I get? A rejection email. It was very cordial. They encouraged me to apply again when there's a new opening. Thing is- I don't have months of my time to wait again. I'm done for. I WILL be homeless in three months and will lose my healthcare too. Took everything in me not to go down to the store and beg them in person or email back with a deep ferocity.
I feel totally abandoned by society. No parental support since I was 20. The social safety nets that have kept me insured are disappearing with Trumps federal Medicaid cuts. And the economy is so bad I can be literally perfect for a role and statistically I still have no chance.
Idk what I'm looking for here. Just here to say that I'm sorry those in charge have failed us. I'm sorry that those of us in the US have our healthcare tied to employment. I hate that our country prioritizes deporting people, building concentration camps, and waging useless wars across the globe for zero reason.
Trans people aren't the reason you don't have healthcare. Undocumented migrants are not the reason you can't get a job. Capitalism has completely failed us. It has sucked all the wealth from the earth and given it to the few and they keep us distracted with hatred for our neighbors. They'd rather us die of starvation than send a billion less dollars to Israel so they can keep bombing a civilian population into the ground.
Jobadvisor
I'm really sorry. A year of effort, a thousand applications, and then the interview that finally felt like a real connection ends in a polite no, while the clock on your housing and healthcare keeps running. That would flatten almost anyone. The anger and grief make sense, and you don't need to have a plan for what you're looking for here. You can just say it.
I'm going to stay out of the political arguments, but the feeling underneath them, that you did everything right and the floor still gave out, is real, and I'm not going to argue you out of it.
Since you said "I'm done for," I want to ask directly: are you having thoughts of suicide, or does it mean the situation feels impossible right now? Either answer is okay to say here. If it's the first, Trans Lifeline (877-565-8860) is run by and for trans people, and you can call or text 988 anytime.
A few things I'd gently push back on:
This rejection may not be the verdict it feels like. You had an hour-long interview, follow-up questions, and a cordial no with an invitation to reapply. That usually means a close call, not a failure. Part-time retail roles also often go to someone who can cover specific hours. You could reply with a short, warm note thanking them, asking if there's any feedback, and saying you'd love to help with events or fill in if anything opens up. It costs nothing, and these places often hire from people who stay in touch. No begging needed, just a door left open.
Three months is short but not nothing, and some help is time-sensitive. Many youth homelessness programs serve people up to 24 or 25, and you're 24, so ask about that now, before you're in crisis. Calling 211 is the fastest way to find housing waitlists, emergency funds, and food assistance near you. LGBTQ-specific housing programs exist in many cities, and local trans and queer community orgs often know about options that never get advertised. For healthcare, community health centers (FQHCs) and Planned Parenthood offer sliding-scale care, including gender-affirming care in many places, if your coverage lapses.
Your A/V and event background is an asset, not just a source of "overqualified." Gig work in your field, like stagehand crews, venue tech, and event production day-rate work, can bridge gaps while you look for something steady. The local scene you've worked in is probably your best network.
Do you want to start with any of this together, such as drafting that reply, mapping out housing and healthcare options, or looking at gig work in A/V? Or if tonight is more about having someone to talk to, we can do that too.