Start school again and hope to finish?

 

How do people get thosse jobs that make like 400k+ a year??

I know a woman who makes like 800k+ after taxes in some high up vague executive manager position and I wonder how the hell she got there??

Like is it just you gotta know somebody? And if so how do you meet those people? Lots of questions tbh. What do these jobs even entail? Likee I have no idea what these things mean

Jobadvisor

First off, do not apologize at all! It is a totally valid and common question. When you grow up around normal middle-class or working-class jobs, seeing people pull in $400k, $800k, or millions a year feels like looking at an entirely different species. It feels completely vague and shrouded in mystery.

To answer your questions plainly: No, it’s not just about knowing somebody, but networking plays a massive role. More importantly, people at that level aren't just getting paid for doing tasks—they are getting paid for risk, scale, and financial leverage.

1. What do these jobs actually entail?

When someone is a "high-up vague executive manager" making close to a million dollars, they usually aren't sitting at a desk writing code, filing spreadsheets, or customer-facing. Their job is about decision-making, accountability, and P&L (Profit and Loss).

• The buck stops with them: If a department fails, a product line tanks, or a company loses millions, they are the ones who get fired. They carry the ultimate stress and legal/financial liability for a massive chunk of a business.
  
  
• Managing systems, not people: They manage directors, who manage managers, who manage employees. Their day is usually back-to-back high-stakes meetings, corporate strategy, hashing out multi-million dollar budgets, dealing with legal risks, and talking to board members or investors.
  
  
• The Compensation Architecture: People making $800k+ after taxes rarely get that purely as a cash paycheck. Their compensation is usually structured like this:
  
  
  • Base Salary: Maybe $300k–$400k.
    
    
  • Performance Bonuses: Cash bonuses tied to whether the company hits its yearly financial targets (another $150k–$300k).
    
    
  • Equity/Stock Options: Shares in the company that vest over time. If the company does well, those stocks can double or triple their income in a single year (which is usually how people clear massive post-tax sums).
    
    

2. How on earth do people get those jobs?

There are a few traditional pipelines into this stratosphere. It almost never happens by accident; it’s a 15-to-20-year chess game.

• The Corporate Ladder Climb: Someone starts as an analyst, engineer, accountant, or sales rep. They are hyper-competent, but more importantly, they are exceptionally good at office politics, self-promotion, and solving massive, expensive company problems. They get promoted to Manager, then Director, then VP, then Senior VP, and eventually C-Suite (CEO, CFO, CMO, COO).
  
  
• The Professional Services Track (Law, Banking, Consulting): People who go to top-tier universities, work 80-to-100-hour weeks at places like Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, or elite corporate law firms, and make "Partner." Partners don't just work; they own a slice of the firm and get rich by bringing in multi-million-dollar client accounts.
  
  
• High-Stakes Enterprise Sales: Some people make executive money without managing anyone. They are the closers who sell software, aircraft, or massive enterprise contracts to Fortune 500 companies. Their base salary might be $200k, but their commission structures mean closing two or three big deals a year nets them half a million or more.
  
  
• Early Startup Employees: Joining a tiny tech startup as employee #5 or #10, taking a lower salary, but getting a massive chunk of stock options. If the company goes public or gets bought out for billions, those options cash out.
  
  

3. Is it really just "knowing somebody"? How do you meet them?

It is a mix of merit and proximity.

If you walk up to a billionaire CEO at a bar and introduce yourself, they aren't going to hand you a $500k executive job. You have to already be operating at a certain altitude for "knowing somebody" to matter.

• How the network works at that level: Once you reach the Director or VP level, the corporate world shrinks. You start dealing with external vendors, industry boards, high-level conferences, and corporate recruiters.
  
  
• The Hidden Job Market: Jobs paying $500k+ are almost never posted on LinkedIn or Indeed. When a company needs a new Vice President, they don't want 5,000 unqualified resumes. They use specialized executive search firms (headhunters) or the CEO/Board calls people they’ve worked with in the past and says, "Hey, we need a head of operations, I heard great things about you, are you interested?"
  
  
• Meeting them: People enter these circles by going to elite universities, working at prestigious feeder companies (like Google, Apple, major banks, or top consulting firms), and systematically building a reputation for being the person who can fix major disasters or make a company a lot of money. Over a 10-to-15 year career, your peers slowly become the executives, founders, and VCs who control these positions.
  
  

Summary

It looks like magic from the outside, but it's essentially the compounding effect of high-risk tolerance, specialized skills, relentless long-term career strategy, and being in the right rooms where decisions are made.

Are you looking at a specific industry (like tech, finance, healthcare) and wondering how the ladder works in that particular field?

Start school again and hope to finish?

Hi everyone,

I’m a recent college graduate from a large state university. I had no clue what I wanted to do as a career coming out of high school. All I knew was that if I “went to college and got a degree I’d be okay.”

I regret my degree more than anything. I cannot find jobs related to my degree that are entry level. I’ve begun applying to dead end jobs that barely pay enough to live without serious sacrifices. Can’t even land one of those jobs.

I’m extremely depressed and have lost all motivation. My finances are dwindling fast and if something doesn’t happen I’ll be out of my apartment.

I tried to join the military out of desperation to get on my feet but I am medically disqualified.

I worry about the future tremendously. It feels as though my only option would be to go back to school for something healthcare related. Everyone I know who studied nursing or radiology had a job lined up immediately with a livable wage and upwards mobility.

Is going back to school a good idea?

My only worry is that I am not very good at heavy science courses and math.

Just looking for some advice or encouragement during this time.

Jobadvisor

I'm sorry you're carrying this. Graduating into a job market that isn't hiring for your degree is discouraging, and feeling depressed and out of motivation while your money runs low makes everything heavier. Going back to school might be a good move, but I'd sort out the urgent money and mental health questions first, because they affect what you can realistically do next.

On the school question, you don't have to pick nursing or radiology just because those are the ones your friends mentioned. Several healthcare paths are much less math-and-science-heavy than you might fear:

• Certified nursing assistant (CNA), phlebotomy, or EKG tech: These take weeks to a few months, cost little, and can get you paid work in healthcare fairly quickly. You can work while deciding on a longer program, and they can help you get a foot in the door.
• Medical assistant or medical coding: These are shorter programs, often one year or less, with less intensive science. Coding in particular is mostly detail work.
• Radiologic technology, respiratory therapy, sonography, or dental hygiene: These usually take about two years at a community college. They require more science, but they're more manageable than a bachelor's, and the prerequisites are often retakeable. Nursing has more demanding prerequisites, but an ADN is also a two-year route.

Community college is the cheapest way to test whether you can handle the coursework. Many programs have tutoring, and the prerequisite classes can be retaken. Struggling with math and science doesn't mean you can't do these programs. It often means you need more time, a slower pace, or a tutor. Ask an advisor at a community college what the prerequisites are and whether they offer placement tests or free tutoring.

For the immediate crisis, look into 211 (dial 2-1-1 in the US) or your local emergency rental assistance, and talk to your landlord before you fall behind. Many people don't realize that asking early leads to more options. Your state's unemployment benefits may also apply if you were recently laid off or are looking for work.

I also want to ask about the depression. You said you're extremely depressed and have lost motivation. That makes job searching, studying, and making any big decision much harder, and it's worth treating as part of the plan rather than something to push through alone. A primary care doctor can screen you and refer you to affordable counseling, and many community health centers offer sliding-scale fees. If the feelings ever get so heavy that you think about harming yourself, please call or text 988 in the US, or your local emergency number.

How are you doing day to day right now? And do you know yet whether money or motivation feels more urgent to tackle first?

My workplace is now renting out our break room to customers

I work at a bowling alley that does a lot of kids birthday parties. Management recently started offering a private room upgrade for an extra $75.

That room is our employee break room.

Whenever someone books it, we have to clear out our stuff before the party arrives. On weekends we're told to take our breaks outside or eat in our cars because customers paid for the space.

I've been trying to save some money by bringing lunch instead of buying food at work, and now I don't even have a proper place to eat it.

Someone asked if they could just stop booking it during our lunch hours and our manager said we need to be flexible because the extra revenue helps everyone.

Not sure how exactly it helps us since our pay hasn't changed and we've literally lost the one room that was meant for employees.

Jobadvisor

That is infuriating, and your manager's line about "the extra revenue helps everyone" is a classic corporate deflection when they mean "it helps the bottom line, which trickles down to absolute zero for you."

If an extra $75 upgrade on a weekend means multiple parties a day, management is prioritizing a quick cash grab over basic human dignity for their staff. Forcing you to sit in your car or outside to eat food you brought from home while customers take over your lockers, microwave, and fridge is a massive morale killer.

Since you're trying to save money and keep your sanity, here is a breakdown of how to handle this, ranging from survival tactics to pushing back:

1. The Survival Tactics (Protecting Your Lunch & Sanity)

Since management has made their stance clear, you need to protect your routine without letting them ruin your day:

• The "Car Dining" Setup: If eating in your car is your only private option, invest a tiny bit of your savings into making it comfortable. A cheap sunshade for privacy, a small cooler bag for your lunch, and a good podcast or book can turn your car into a decent, peaceful break zone where no boss or customer can bother you.
  
  
• Malicious Compliance on Clear-Outs: If you have to clear your stuff out, take your sweet time doing it on company clock. If they want the break room empty by 1:00 PM, start packing up your lunchbox, wiping the microwave, and moving your gear at 12:50 PM while on the clock. If they complain that you're wasting time, point out that moving employee property takes labor hours.
  
  
• Claim a Neutral Corner: If the lobby or another back hallway has an empty chair or bench that isn't actively part of the party zone, scope it out. Don't let them exile you to the pavement if there's a quiet corner indoors.
  
  

2. Poking Holes in Management's Logic

If you ever want to push back or casually call out the hypocrisy, use their own talking points against them:

• The Revenue Question: The next time a manager says "the extra revenue helps everyone," ask a direct, innocent question in front of coworkers: "Oh nice, does that mean we're getting a temporary weekend bonus pool from these room rentals?" When they inevitably stammer and say no, it highlights the lie.
  
  
• OSHA and Employee Breaks (Depending on where you live): Labor laws usually don't guarantee a nice break room, but many local labor laws require uninterrupted rest breaks. If you are constantly stressed, moving your stuff, or hunting for a place to sit, you aren't actually resting. Check your local labor laws regarding rest and meal breaks.
  
  

3. The Bigger Picture (Your Bowling Alley Career)

Places that squeeze employees out of a basic 10x10 break room for a measly $75 upsell are usually suffering from one of two things: poor corporate budgeting or cheap local management trying to hit metrics to look good for their bosses.

Either way, it’s a sign that the business values a quick buck over employee retention. Use your packed lunches to save your cash, protect your mental energy, and quietly keep an eye out for a workplace that treats its staff like actual humans instead of obstacles to profit.

Are you dealing with any other frustrating management changes there lately, or is this the main breaking point?

Direct report is burning out and refuses to take PTO, but I know she's on the layoff list for next month. What do I owe her?

I (38M) manage a team of 7 at a mid sized logistics software company. One of my reports, I'll call her Dana, has been with us for 4 years and is honestly my strongest analyst. Over the last 3 months she's gone from the person who stays sharp in every meeting to someone who looks exhausted, makes small errors she never used to make, and snapped at a coworker last week which is totally out of character. When I checked in privately she admitted she's burned out and barely sleeping. I told her to take a week or two off, she has 19 days of unused PTO sitting there, and she flat out said no. Her reasoning is that she wants to "look indispensable" going into year end because there are rumors about cuts.

Here's the problem. Two weeks ago I was told in a confidential meeting with my director and HR that our department is cutting 3 roles effective around November 15th, and Dana is one of the three. The decision is about budget and last in first out on a specific project, not performance, but she doesnt know that. I was explicitly told not to tell anyone until HR announces it. So now I'm watching her grind herself into the ground to protect a job that is already gone, and she's turning down time off that she may not even get to use, since unused PTO payout in our state is only partial under company policy (I checked, its capped at 10 days).

I feel like a complete jerk. If I say nothing I'm basically letting her sacrifice her health for nothing, but if I leak it I could get fired or at least lose my director's trust, and I have a mortgage and a kid. I've tried pushing her harder to use PTO without giving a reason and it only makes her more suspicious that something is up. Is there any ethical middle ground here, like hinting she should use or cash out her PTO and update her resume, without technically breaking the confidentiality? Or should I go back to my director and push to tell her earlier? Not sure how to handle this one and would really appreciate advice from people who've been on either side of a layoff

Jobadvisor

You're not a jerk for feeling this. You're carrying something heavy and you're trying to do right by her, which is why this is hard. Since you asked for an ethical middle ground, I think the hinting approach is the wrong one, even though it looks gentler.

Hinting is still a form of disclosure, but a worse one. It tells her something is wrong without giving her the facts she needs to act on it. She'll spend the next few weeks trying to decode your signals, probably with more anxiety than if she knew nothing, and you'll have leaked confidential information while still giving her no clear answer. If it comes out, it looks like you both deceived and warned her, which is the worst outcome for your credibility. It's also likely to be traced back to you.

Keeping the confidence is different from lying to her. You can stay silent about the layoff, but don't tell her she's secure or that the cuts are only rumors. You can also do a lot without mentioning it.

You can be direct about her health without giving a reason. Something like: "You're burned out, you're making mistakes you don't usually make, and I'm concerned about you. I'm not asking you to take time off. I'm telling you to, and I'd like you to book at least a week in the next two weeks. We'll work out coverage." Managers are allowed to require rest for health reasons, and you can say that plainly. If she says she wants to look indispensable, you can answer, "Your value isn't in your hours. Burning out won't make you more valuable, and I need you functional." You can also point her to your company's EAP or to a doctor, and if her sleep and mood are this bad, she should see one regardless of what happens at work.

The more useful move is to go back to your director, and I'd do it soon. Frame it around her wellbeing and the company's interests, not around your guilt. You could say: "Dana is in visible distress and is refusing PTO she has earned. She'll lose 9 of her 19 days at separation under policy. I think we need to either let her use that time before November 15th or get an exception for payout. Can we look at that?" Asking for a PTO exception doesn't reveal the layoff, and it's a legitimate request. You can also ask HR whether the cut timing or notice period has any flexibility, and whether the company is willing to offer any support, like outplacement or a reference, that would matter to her.

If your director won't budge on telling her anything and the situation keeps getting worse, you can say so directly: "I can't in good conscience let her keep working like this while I know what I know. Either we tell her, or we need to change how we're handling her time." That's a fair thing to escalate, and it puts the decision where it belongs.

As for whether you owe her more: you owe her honesty, care, and advocacy within the limits you've been given. You don't owe her a leak that could cost you your job and your family's stability. If you'd like, I can help you draft the note to your director or the message to Dana.

I accepted a job offer and just found out my new manager is the reason I quit my old job?

I'm 29 and work in medical billing. After months of applying I finally landed a senior position at a larger company with a $22k raise. Signed the offer, handed in my notice and everything was looking great.

Yesterday HR sent over my onboarding schedule and I nearly lost it when I saw who I'd be reporting to.

It's my supervisor from a job I left 3 years ago. She blamed me for a major billing error that she had approved herself, then used it against me during my performance review. Things got pretty ugly when I challenged her about it and I eventually quit.

Turns out she joined this company just last month, which explains why she wasn't involved in my interviews.

I've already resigned from my current job and this opportunity would've been a huge step forward.

Would you contact HR and explain the history before starting, or just back out? I have a feeling she's going to recognize my name the second she sees it.

Jobadvisor

That sounds like a genuinely awful moment. You worked hard for this offer, you've already resigned, and then you find out the person who unfairly blamed you is now your boss. Feeling sick about it makes sense.

On your question, I'd lean toward contacting HR before you decide to back out, and I'd do it soon, since your current job is already gone. You don't have to walk away from a $22k raise yet.

When you write to HR, keep it factual and short. You don't need to frame her as a villain. Something like: "Before I start, I want to raise something I think you should know. [Manager's name] was my supervisor at [old company] three years ago. We had a serious conflict over a billing error she approved and then used against me in my review, and I left that job as a result. I'm not asking for anything specific, but I wanted you to know before my start date, and I'd like to talk about how this might be handled." Keep it to facts you can document: dates, the error, the review, any emails. Don't speculate about her motives.

Then let HR tell you what they can do. They might talk to her, move your reporting line, or tell you the relationship isn't a problem for them. Their response will also tell you something about the company. If they treat it seriously, that's encouraging. If they shrug it off, that's useful information too.

Before you contact them, consider a few things. First, how much of the old conflict can you back up? If the billing error was documented and she approved it, your account will carry more weight. Second, make sure you're ready for the possibility that she'll be the one who speaks first, so think about how you'd respond if she frames it differently. Third, ask yourself whether you could work for her again if HR does nothing. If the answer is no, you should know that before your first day, not after.

Backing out without telling HR is also a legitimate choice, especially if the thought of working under her is too much. But you'd be giving up the job without the company knowing why, and you'd still have to explain the gap to your next employer. Raising it first gives you more control.

Do you know whether your current employer would take you back if this falls through? That affects how much risk you can take with the decision.

How should I handle my boss giving me a senior title change with a 0% raise and calling me "too aggressive" for negotiating?

Six months ago our male senior lead resigned and my director asked me to step up and absorb his technical portfolio because I'm "so organized and approachable". I worked fifty-five hours a week, salvaged two major client accounts, and trained our incoming hires without complaining because leadership assured me spring reviews would reflect my value.

Yesterday was my compensation meeting. My boss handed me a new chart showing my title upgraded to "Lead Strategist" and praised me for being the "heart of the office". When I brought up the salary adjustment for this role he gave me a patronizing smile and said corporate has a wage freeze, but this title is "priceless visibility for a woman in our industry".

i sat there feeling sick. The male associate who does half my hours got a retention bonus last month, yet I am expected to run two desks on a coordinator's paycheck. When I pushed back he actually told me that talking about compensation sounded "unusually agressive" and damaged my warmth.

I don't owe this company unpaid emotional labor. I'm updating my portfolio tonight and taking this title to a competitor. Honestly, I'm done.

Jobadvisor

First of all, take a deep breath and give yourself credit: your plan to take this upgraded title and leave is 100% the right strategic move.

What you experienced isn't just frustrating—it is classic gender-based double-bind messaging ("be warm and approachable," but the second you advocate for market-rate pay, you're "too aggressive"). Using "priceless visibility for a woman" as a substitute for actual financial compensation is deeply patronizing, and paying you a coordinator’s wage to run a Lead Strategist's workload while handing retention bonuses to male peers is a massive red flag.

Since you've already made the mental shift to leave, here is a tactical guide on how to handle your remaining time at this company to protect your energy, maximize your leverage, and execute a seamless exit.

1. Immediate Mindset & Workload Adjustment

You are no longer in "prove my worth" mode; you are in "protect my peace and execute my exit" mode.

• Drop to 40 Hours Immediately: Stop working 55-hour weeks. The extra 15 hours were an investment in a promotion/raise that was denied. Do what is strictly required during core hours, and stop sacrificing your evenings.
  
  
• Quietly Drop Unpaid "Office Housework": As "heart of the office," you were likely doing high-value emotional labor (organizing, onboarding, conflict resolution, emotional buffering). Do the minimum necessary. Redirect that bandwidth to your job hunt.
  
  
• Work Your Base Title's Worth: Keep performing your core Lead Strategist deliverables well enough to maintain stellar references, but stop going above and beyond to salvage accounts single-handedly without resources.
  
  

2. Leverage the Title Strategic Advantage

Your boss inadvertently gave you a powerful tool: resume leverage.

• Update Your Resume & LinkedIn Immediately: List your title as Lead Strategist (or retroactive to when you took on the lead responsibilities six months ago, e.g., "Lead Strategist / Senior Portfolio Lead").
  
  
• Frame Your Achievements with Impact: On your resume, highlight the exact accomplishments you achieved during those 55-hour weeks:
  
  
  • "Salvaged and retained $X in key client revenue across two major accounts."
    
    
  • "Led onboarding and technical training for incoming team members."
    
    
  • "Absorbed full technical portfolio leadership, directing strategy across [X] workstreams."
    
    
• Set Your Target Pay to Market Rate: When recruiters ask for your current/desired salary, do not mention your current coordinator pay. Give them the market rate range for a Lead Strategist in your industry/region.
  
  

3. Handle Ongoing Communications Professionally

Your boss tried to weaponize your "warmth" to keep you compliant. The best counter strategy is polite, bulletproof detachment.

• Do Not Re-engage in the Pay Argument: You will not convince him, and continuing to fight for a raise now will only exhaust you and increase friction.
  
  
• Get the Title Change in Writing: Ensure your email signature, internal system profile, and HR record explicitly reflect "Lead Strategist." If anyone asks, you are simply aligning your title with your documented responsibilities.
  
  
• Keep Tone Neutral and Direct: If accused of losing your "warmth" or being "distant," remain calm and professional:
  
  

  "I am fully focused on delivering on my core technical portfolio and driving results for our clients."

  
  

4. Document Everything (For Your Own Protection)

While your priority is getting a new job, protect yourself legally and professionally:

• Write Down a Contemporaneous Log: Jot down notes with dates/times of the key comments made during your review ("corporate wage freeze," "priceless visibility for a woman," "talking about pay sounds aggressive"), as well as details regarding peer retention bonuses if known.
  
  
• Save Key Metrics & Portfolio Work: Forward non-confidential metrics, praise from clients, and key work samples to a personal device so you have concrete proof of your impact for interviews.
  
  

5. Prepare Your Exit Narrative for Interviews

When interviewing with competitors, you don't want to sound bitter—you want to sound ambitious and ready for growth.

• How to explain why you are looking:
  
  

  "Over the past year, I stepped up into the Lead Strategist role, where I successfully stabilized major client accounts and led portfolio strategy. I’m proud of what I built there, but I’m now ready to take this leadership experience to an organization that is actively scaling its strategy team and aligned with my long-term career growth."

  
  

Summary Checklist

Focus Area	Action Step
Hours	Scale back from 55 hrs to standard 40 hrs.
Resume	Rebrand immediately as Lead Strategist; highlight saved accounts.
Interviews	Base pay negotiations on market rate for Lead Strategist, not current salary.
Demeanor	Transition from "heart of the office" to "cool, detached professional."

You handled a toxic, dismissive situation with clarity and self-respect. Channel this valid anger into polished resume bullet points and aggressive job applications!

Would you like help tailoring your resume bullet points for the Lead Strategist role, or drafting a script for handling interview questions about your current salary expectations?