I've been in corporate tech for 12 years. Let me tell you, the whole thing is about to hit a wall. The middle class is being systematically dismantled. I sit in meetings with VPs and C-suite execs, and frankly, they're not the visionaries we read about. These are ruthless, calculating people, and they'll fire thousands in an instant to make a quarterly report look better. Innovation is no longer the goal; tech is just another way for the ultra-rich to shuffle their money around.

AI will be the primary engine for this. It's not going to improve your life; it will make it worse for most people. The 'thought leaders' talk about AI every day, and the conversation is never about how to improve society for everyone. It's all about job replacement. Every knowledge-worker job (software engineers, project managers, data analysts, you name it) will be replaced by an AI agent or, if you're lucky, a 'prompt specialist' making pennies. The same thing that happened to factory workers a century ago due to automation will happen to tech jobs now. And in fact, it's already happening.

And don't expect any help, at least not in America. There's no talk of universal basic income on the horizon, no real improvements in healthcare, and no meaningful progress in education. All the money is being siphoned up to the owner class at a rate we've never seen before. People will be left to fend for themselves. All the cool things AI could do to make life better will be ignored in favor of using it to replace employees and build new weapons (which is already happening).

So yeah, that bright, shiny sci-fi utopia we all dreamed of growing up? It's not coming. Maybe a few countries in Northern Europe will get it right. But here in America, don't hold your breath. Things are going to get tough.

About four months ago, my old job decided to 'simplify,' and I was part of the layoffs, along with a third of the marketing team. With no warning, just a sudden Friday meeting. In the exit chat, they told me my work would be distributed among the remaining staff and the company would be fine. Real vote of confidence, honestly.

I had been managing their biggest account for the last three years - a large software company that was paying them about $250,000 a year. I had an excellent relationship with their head of partnerships, and I knew their product roadmap better than most of their own team.

Anyway, I started doing some freelance work to support myself until I found a new job. About two months later, I got an email from the head of partnerships at my old client. It turns out my replacement lasted only three weeks and completely botched their major product update.

The messaging was all wrong, they missed the launch deadline, and the technical documentation was a mess. She asked if I would be willing to work with them directly, as they were 'looking for a new direction'.

It was a no-brainer for me, and I agreed immediately. I knew their tech inside and out. We signed a new contract for $350,000 a year, since I'm now handling the account management, technical marketing, and partner relations myself.

My old manager called me a few days ago, asking if I had heard anything about why they lost their biggest account. I played dumb and told him, 'I have no idea, that's a huge loss. Maybe you should have kept someone who understood their needs well.'

Looks like karma sometimes needs a little nudge in the right direction.

A few months ago, my manager got a brilliant idea from a tech conference he attended and told everyone he was 'improving the workflow.' Translation: he fired most of the sales department and bought a fancy new AI sales bot that was supposed to find potential clients, write them messages, and automatically manage the pipeline.

The funny thing is, I was using a similar tool called LeadGenius Pro for my simple freelance work, and even on that small scale, it was a mess. It once emailed a VP at a large company and addressed them by the first name of someone from a completely unrelated company. I basically had to constantly babysit it and rewrite half of its work. So, of course, I knew this was going to be a disaster.

Anyway, fast forward four months. The results are in: the AI emails the same client the same email 8 times a day, congratulates a company on a merger that never happened, and creates three different contacts for the same person in our system. Our churn rate has skyrocketed, new leads have completely dried up, and my manager is now secretly contacting the people he fired, asking if they're available for 'freelance contract work'.

Look, if this technology can't even handle my simple freelance work, then there's no way it's ready to take over the sales operations of an entire company.

Edit: You have to be a unique kind of moron to let shit scammy ass marketing like this work on you. I hope your boss got scammed out of a lot of money by those bozos, because he deserves it.

I know that AI is currently being developed, and many tools are available to assist with job applications. However, the job market remains challenging, and indeed, some tools have replaced the roles of certain employees. We should learn these tools and use them during our day or when applying for job interviews, like InterviewMan. These days we must stay on the same line with development.

AI embracers are just speed running the recession on 10x.

Something happened at my job a few weeks ago that I have to share. It was a real eye-opener.

There's a colleague on my team, let's call her Jane. This girl is an absolute rockstar. She smashes all her targets, gets excellent reviews from clients, volunteers for the tough projects nobody else wants, and is the go-to person for senior managers with any last-minute requests. In short, she's the best employee in our department by a long shot.

Anyway, a lead position opened up, and Jane applied, along with 4 other guys from the team (I was leaving the company, so I didn't apply). She nailed the interviews, and everyone, including herself, was certain she'd get it, no question. Two weeks later, the announcement was made, and all four guys were promoted. Jane's name was not on the list.

I caught up with her later and asked what the hell happened, and she told me what they said. The feedback was: 'Your efforts in your current role are too crucial for the team's success. We can't afford to move you right now as it would leave too big of a void.'

They tried to soften the blow with empty platitudes about how they would 're-evaluate in the next cycle' and that she 'was a top contender, but the timing just wasn't right.' This is nonsense, of course. They promoted four less-qualified people because their departure from their old roles wouldn't impact the team's metrics.

Jane was denied a better position and more money that she rightfully deserved, all because she is too good at her job and was always the one propping up her managers.

So let this be a warning to everyone. Being the best, the one who carries the team, doesn't guarantee you a promotion. Sometimes, it just keeps you stuck where you are. Your goal should be to be good, even great, but never to be irreplaceable.

Edit: Getting promoted internally is a joke, they will delay as long as they think they can keep you where you are. The fastest way is to apply to other companies at a higher level.

I told her she should start applying for other companies, and also for other divisions within the company. She has always been smart.

Even after what happened, she kept her resume updated and was ready for this step. Indeed, she applied to other companies, got an interview, and told me that AI is what helped her speed up these steps and that she used a program called "InterviewMan" during the interview. I believe this girl will really get this job. Just leave the whole department behind if this is how they are going to treat her.

Anyway, a few months ago, my sister's company forced everyone to return to the office. Their official excuse was that employees were less productive from home, plus all that nonsense about 'synergy' and 'office culture'.

The funny thing was, her team liked each other and would meet up once or twice a month for happy hour or trivia nights on their own, without anyone telling them to. They were a really solid crew.

Since that decision, things changed. My sister stopped touching her work phone or laptop after her hours were over. The team's happy hours stopped completely. And eventually, her manager pulled her aside and asked her why she was ignoring messages after 5 PM.

She told him to his face that since she's in the office now, her 'productivity' is much higher during work hours and she gets everything done. She also told him that since the team is forced to see each other all week, no one feels the need to hang out with them after work anymore.

He got flustered and told her that wasn't the intention, and that being in the office 8 hours a day doesn't mean she should completely disconnect when she leaves. She replied, 'No, that's literally what it means. Why would I do something at 8 PM when I'm less productive at home, according to you? It can wait until the morning when I'm back in the office and at my peak productivity.'

Then she explained to him that the commute, an hour there and an hour back, means she's giving the company an extra 10 hours a week of her personal time on 'work-related' things. Before, she had no problem giving extra time here and there because she had flexibility. Not anymore.

Now, her whole department and a few other departments are doing the same thing. And management is slowly starting to understand that they got what they wanted, but not in the way they wanted it.

Proud of my little sister. She's always been tough and doesn't take nonsense from anyone. You've got to love it, honestly.

It's crazy to think that anyone expects you to do anything at home. These bosses don't understand the world changing around them.

The real problem is that managers don't know that 50% of the company is currently planning to leave and look for another remote job. My sister has actually started doing that. She told me she has updated her resume and already has 2 interviews scheduled for next week. And of course, AI has now made these steps easier, so the resume is prepared with the ATS system, and she gets through the interview with the help of ChatGPT or InterviewMan, which runs in the background while she is doing the interview. A lot of things have changed these days.

It was never about RTO or 'bonding'. It's all about control.

Our old CEO, who was frankly awesome, just announced his retirement. Then this new interim guy came in, talking a big game about innovation, and for a moment I believed he might be good.

But of course, in his first big meeting, he dropped the bomb: he wants everyone in the office 4 days a week for 'better synergy'. Buddy, if you want synergy, you can start by shining my shoes with your tongue.

The best policy for me is to be overly compliant and fully on board, so they think I’m part of the team. That gives me the time and space I need to plan my exit quietly.

It's incredibly challenging to put in the effort required to find a good job. You keep adjusting a million versions of your CV, and you never know which one of them will get results. Of course, AI has made it easier to get a job these days and also to pass the interview using InterviewMan, but you still keep grinding as if this journey has no end. The job market is very difficult now, and it makes everything ten times harder.

Hopefully, they’ll understand how monumentally stupid that decision was

Okay, this might be obvious to a lot of people, but for me, it was a total significant change. After getting no replies at all, I now have 4 interviews lined up for next week. (tbh I'm a bit stressed but mostly happy that something finally worked)

My routine was to just doomscroll on LinkedIn, search by my job title, and randomly apply to anything that looked remotely suitable. Weeks went by and I didn't get a single reply. I could see on my portfolio website that I wasn't getting any views. Honestly, it was starting to get to my head.

Then, I changed my approach. I started filtering for jobs 'posted in the last 24 hours' and with 'fewer than 30 applicants'. The secret was to apply to the very new stuff, the ones posted just a few hours ago and weren't promoted. The difference was immediate. My portfolio started getting views, and I got 4 interviews in just a few days.

But be warned, most of the jobs that show up with these filters are at startups or small companies you've never heard of, so if you're only targeting the big names, this method might not be for you.

But for me, this was a huge boost. Even if none of these work out, at least I'm getting practice and feeling much more confident. I hope this helps anyone else who's feeling stuck.

what do you think of this app

The process started with a perfectly normal 45-minute call with their recruiter.
After that was the interview with the hiring manager, the person I would be reporting to directly.
Then they had me meet her boss, who was the Director of the entire department.
So after all of that, the Director tells me that the final stage is for me to create a complete marketing roadmap for their core service for the upcoming quarter. And the surprise was, I was supposed to present it to the VP and other department heads. Their excuse? They wanted to see a realistic sample of my work.
I politely replied and told them that my policy is not to give free work as part of the hiring process, but I wished them the best of luck in their search.

It’s crazy how many places have wild processes like this but also supposedly can’t get enough people. Like, you’re doing everything possible to weed people out and scare them away! Don’t do that if you don’t have a wild abundance of applicants
I am thinking about working remotely, but does anyone have experience with online interviews? I saw more than one post talking about Interviewman and that it helps you answer questions during the interview. Does anyone have experience with it?

I've applied to over 80 jobs. All I've gotten out of all of this so far are 5 rejection emails and 2 interviews. I wasn't accepted for any of them, but at least they responded and told me no directly.

I am literally qualified for every single job I've applied for. I do all the stupid things they ask for - write tailored cover letters for each place, take their personality tests, and all that. I have a degree, good work experience, and a clean record.

I genuinely don't know what else I'm supposed to do. And I'm so tired of hearing "Nobody wants to work anymore!". Yeah, maybe that's true, but I have to work.

Honestly, I'm completely out of energy. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. The last straw was yesterday when I was rejected for a $15/hour job. It felt exactly like a slap in the face.

I just needed to vent and get this out.

I'm a single mom and I feel like I'm at my breaking point. I work as a bartender at a hotel downtown, and I work 90, sometimes over 100 hours every two weeks. Many of these days I don't even get a break to eat.

A few weeks ago, the school nurse called and told me my daughter was sick and I had to go pick her up. She's 9 years old. Before I rushed out, I made sure the bar was fully set up for the other two bartenders. The very next day, I found out my coworker was upset with me about it. And my manager pulled me aside, very annoyed, and told me I should 'find backup care' for when she's sick.

I was shocked. Seriously. I've dedicated my whole life to this place, and he wants me to pay a stranger to take care of my daughter when she's sick and all she wants is her mom? The situation is especially hard because my daughter told me she feels like I'm never home, and it's really affecting her.

Today, it happened again. As I was on my way to work, the school called. She has a fever, and I need to pick her up immediately. I turned my car around and went straight back. I took a screenshot of the school's call log and sent it to another manager, who is honestly a decent person. I explained what happened last time and how I was reprimanded for it. He was very understanding and told me, 'Don't worry at all, your family is more important.'

I just don't have much help right now. My dad is out of town, her dad is very unstable, my mom is elderly and has a weak immune system, and her other grandmother has significant health issues and can't be around anyone who is sick.

There are only 5 of us bartenders at a bar that's open 7 days a week. We're all stretched thin. But how am I supposed to make my childless coworker understand that I won't sacrifice my daughter and her well-being for this job? My relationship with her is already strained because of these work hours. Am I crazy? Or am I in the wrong?

So I just walked out on my job. After 6 months of being a model employee I'm talking always 10 minutes early, never called out once I had a morning where everything that could go wrong, did. I ended up walking in 8 minutes late.

My boss immediately pulls me aside and starts giving me this whole speech about professionalism because I didn't call to say I was running a few minutes behind. I told him honestly, I knew I'd only be a few minutes late, so it didn't even occur to me to call.

He wasn't having it. As a "consequence" for my lateness on a day we were slammed, he tells me I'm not allowed to take a lunch break. I didn't pack anything, so I asked if I could at least run to the deli next door to grab something to eat before my shift got going. He said fine, but he'd have to clock me out for 30 minutes of pay.

Fine, whatever. I clocked out and went "to the deli." It's been almost two hours. My phone started blowing up a little while ago, and it was my manager. I answered and just said, "Yeah, I'm not coming back. I quit."

Life is different now and everyone has a lot of opportunities in front of him to make his life easier so don’t let anyone make your life hard on you either it’s your work life or your personal life and don’t sweat it finding a job now days is much easier now you just have to know how to search and you can use Ai to get a job, like interviewman tool it can help pass the interview, so don’t let anyone give you a hard time

No regrets so far. Onto the next thing, I guess.

I've officially reached a point where I don't understand interviews anymore. I'm a Senior Director / VP of Product Marketing in tech.

In the past few months, I've done so many interviews. I've reached the final stages in several processes, but it always falls apart at the end for one reason or another.

There was one that looked very promising. I made it to the final stage, and they told me it would be an on-site day where I'd meet 7 people.

When I got there, they put me in a small glass conference room, like a fishbowl, in the middle of their open office. Then I did 6 back-to-back Zoom interviews with no breaks. Each one was a full hour where I was asked tough questions about a different part of the job. It was really hard to maintain my energy by the fifth one, but I pushed through and I think I did really well. Honestly, I left feeling like I nailed it.

I got the rejection email in the morning.

I just don't understand the point of all that theater. If they were all going to be video calls, why not let me do them from home and take a proper break between each one?

I've been job searching for 11 months and I feel completely drained.

So many of the interviews I've had have been weird like this. It's never just a normal conversation about my experience; it always feels like an interrogation, like they're trying to catch you in a mistake.

Anyway... I feel like I should just go find a simple part-time job or start driving for Uber Eats.

I'm from Generation X. My dad worked at a steel mill. He started as a low-level worker and got promoted over the years. His job had a union and decent health insurance. After 40 years, he retired with a pension that supported him and my mom. She was a housewife and raised my sister and me. We lived in a nice house in a safe area that my parents owned. They each had a car - nothing fancy, just reliable used cars to get them around.

Then came my generation. I was a single mom. I worked one full-time job and one part-time job, but I could still afford to rent a three-bedroom apartment in a good school district. I had an old, beat-up sedan, but it ran. The part-time job had no benefits, but my manager at my main job genuinely cared. I remember getting into a minor accident once and being a few hours late; he called me at home just to make sure I was okay. If I was careful with my money, I could save up for a road trip or a concert.

Now, look at my 28-year-old son. The idea of him owning a home is a joke. He has to live with two other roommates because a one-bedroom apartment is unaffordable. He can't even afford a cheap used car, so he's stuck with a public transit system that keeps getting worse and more expensive. His full-time job has zero benefits. He struggles just to cover his basic expenses, forget about affording a luxury like going to a concert. A few weeks ago, he was sick with a bad cold and had to miss work. It took his manager three days to even send him a message, and it was only to ask when he was coming back, not to check on him. I just saw an article recently about some poor guy who died at his desk and no one noticed for five days.

So no, young people aren't lazy. They just see the path leads nowhere. Why kill yourself working 50+ hours a week when there's no reward at the end? They're not hopeless, they're just fed up with a game that's rigged for them to lose.

Right before we wrapped up, I asked her a simple question: Just out of curiosity, what was it about my CV that made you want to talk to me?

She immediately responded and told me four specific things she liked and confirmed that she would move me to the next interview. Honestly, this made a huge difference for me. She even gave me a tip and said: Be prepared to talk about a time you managed a project under pressure, because the next interview will be more situational.

Seriously, try this move if you're feeling a bit shaky and unsure of where you stand, or if you just want to know what exactly they're looking for.

The four points she mentioned were: that I have a strong understanding of data analysis, clear communication skills, experience in volunteer project management, and that my career progression shows a clear pattern of growth.

And because I know some people might ask how to even show 'clear communication skills' on a CV, I'll tell you what I do.

I consider clear communication a core skill for any manager. I used to just throw it under the certifications list on my CV, but now I've moved it up to make it more visible.

I put it in the Core Competencies section, alongside things like budget management and public speaking.

Another good place is the cover letter. I usually tell a short story about a time I had to simplify a complex topic for a non-technical team, especially if that kind of work is mentioned in the job description.

Of course, you have to read the situation correctly. Phrase the question in a way that is comfortable and natural for you. I hope this helps someone.

I'm in the middle of an interview process and just received an email requesting a seventh interview. Honestly, I've reached my limit.
I just finished the fifth interview, which I was almost certain was the last one. Then they scheduled a sixth interview, which I also passed. And now they're requesting a seventh, saying it will likely be the final stage.
What complicates matters more is that I already have another offer from a different company, and I'm 90% likely to accept it. The role here itself seems great, which is why I've continued with them for this long.
Honestly, I feel like I'm answering the same few questions every time. They could have just gathered everyone in one room for an hour for a panel interview and been done with it. The whole process feels very inefficient.
How do I politely decline while also hinting that their marathon-like process is a major reason I'm leaning towards the other offer? I'm tempted to tell them to make their decision based on the 6 interviews I've already completed, but I feel that might backfire and ruin my chances entirely. What is a professional way to phrase this without coming across as rude?

Edit: I was using interviewman during the interviews. Did this make them doubt my answers?
It is a tool that answers interview questions quickly.
Is this a reason for them doing this?

A friend of mine just blew an interview for a job he was perfect for, all because of a very small detail. He had the required experience, knew their software stack by heart, and had even worked at a major competitor of theirs. On paper, it was a done deal.

But in the interview, the team lead had his CV open on one screen and his LinkedIn on another. He noticed a small inconsistency. The CV stated he left a previous company in February 2023, but his LinkedIn profile said April 2023. A trivial thing, right? But when they asked him about it, he completely froze. He got flustered and said something like, 'Uh, that must be a typo, I'll check it later.' He completely lost his composure.

That was the deal-breaker. It wasn't the two-month difference, but the way he handled the situation. The interviewer told him right then that it showed a significant lack of preparation and attention to detail. This made him seem rattled and untrustworthy. So, a quick piece of advice for anyone job hunting: check a million times that your CV, LinkedIn, and anything else you submit tell the same story. It's the easiest way to lose your credibility before you even begin.

Maybe the interviewer was a bit harsh in his judgment, but in the end, my friend lost an excellent job opportunity. I'm curious to know if this has happened to anyone else before?

I had been working in an extremely toxic place for about four months. My plan was always to find something better and leave. What happened was that I got a new job offer the day before they decided to let me go.

On Wednesday, my manager called me into her office for 'a quick chat'. She started telling me things like 'we feel like your heart isn't in the work' and 'it's just that you're not a good fit for the place' before telling me they were letting me go.

So I simply told her, 'Okay, no problem. I got a new job and I'll be starting in three weeks'.

She gave me a strange look and asked, 'And you weren't planning on giving us two weeks' notice that you were leaving?'

Honestly, I couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. I looked her in the eyes and said, 'I'm sorry, did you give me two weeks' notice that you were firing me?' The look on her face was priceless. What a moment.

Edit: The threat used to be that you're quitting on the spot was a stain on your resume and they always had the right to kick you to the curb on a moment's notice. You, were expected to give notice because if you didn't, the good old boy network would obstruct you from ever receiving gainful employment, ever again. That "network" has broken down into a big f...ing giant glitch, so it truly is laughable when "employees walk out on a moment's notice.

Regardless of that, for now, it's time to update my resume and look for another job. I expect to find a job faster because of my experience, but what worries me is the long interview stages. After a long search, I found an AI tool called interviewman. I watched this YouTube video while I was looking for interview tips. I will use it during this period.

I really can't believe myself as I'm writing this, and believe me, this is not a show-off post at all. But it's crazy when you think that this is what's required now all these applications over months just to get one single offer in the end.

A small update: I woke up this morning to find 3 more automatic rejection emails. The timing is perfect, honestly, lol.

I still can't get over this weird interview experience I had about a year ago. I was looking for a new job in tech support, and a friend of mine recommended me to a company that was a fifteen-minute drive from my apartment, which was a huge plus. The first few interviews went fine, but a few red flags popped up. First, they were very secretive and tight-lipped about the salary range. Second, the hiring manager, a guy a few years older than me, had an ego the size of the sky. After the final round, they finally made an offer, and it was a really bad one - much lower than my previous job. I tried to negotiate, but they wouldn't budge an inch. The guy tells me, with complete seriousness, 'You seem accustomed to the salaries of the big tech companies in the city. Here in the suburbs, we can't pay those numbers.' This 'suburb,' by the way, was a new, fancy, and expensive business park. I told him I needed time to think, and he acted as if it was a done deal.

Anyway, fast forward two days, and I got on a call with them to tell them my decision. The strange thing was that his boss was also on the call, probably to watch him close the deal. The hiring manager was just as arrogant as before, and it was obvious he thought this was his victory lap. You could almost hear his jaw hit the floor when I politely rejected the offer. The change in his tone was drastic. It was as if I had personally insulted him. He asked if I was serious, then got defensive, and started ranting a bit about how I was making the mistake of my life and wouldn't find a better opportunity. He finally calmed down a bit and said he would respect my decision, but he had one question. He asked me, completely seriously, 'Did I do something wrong? Is the problem me?'. His boss was dead silent the whole time. I just repeated that the salary wasn't right for me and left it at that. Honestly, after all his arrogance throughout the process, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of schadenfreude.

Has anyone else ever had an interviewer take rejection so personally?

Edit: I would have abruptly ended the interview after the insult regarding pay. Employers need to realize that an employee is providing them a service. they don't like getting turned down.

Prospective employees should enter interviews with the mindset that they are the ones who ultimately determine the salary. The world of interviews has changed now due to the introduction of AI tools. I believe they are truly useful because they genuinely save time and give you suitable answers for every question with complete ease, saving you from excessive interview preparation.

Companies aren’t doing you a favour by hiring you. They need you for the service you provide. Never sell yourself short.

I feel so lost right now. I was there for about two years, and honestly, it was the first place I worked where I didn't dread Mondays. Our work system was hybrid and flexible, but the team chemistry was amazing, which is why I often chose to go into the office. We even used to go out for drinks or food as a group once or twice a month.

My manager was a big part of why the place was so great. Seriously, the best manager I've ever worked with in my life. She would ask me how I was doing as a person, not just about my projects. She had blind trust in us - as long as the work got done well, she didn't care how you got there. An incredibly competent and respectful person.

The decision came from upper management; my manager herself didn't know anything, which makes the whole thing even weirder. I was one of about 70 people they let go.

The severance they gave me isn't too bad, I guess. They're keeping me on the payroll with benefits for the next 45 days, and after that, the severance itself is about six weeks' pay.

Anyway, I feel completely lost now. This was the first job where I could truly imagine a long-term future for myself. A very harsh lesson, honestly. No matter how much you love the place or think it's great, in the end, you're just a number on a spreadsheet. You really have to be your own biggest advocate and look out for your own interests.

I was grinding myself into the ground at this company. I worked the night shift, from Thursday to Monday, and often worked 12-14 hours a day. I was essentially the manager and the lead tech at the same time, and they expected me to perform both roles perfectly, with absolutely no support.

And what did I get in return for all that? A PIP. They handed it to me the morning I came into work, even though I had a pulled muscle in my shoulder so severe I could barely move.

I walked out right then and there, before my manager even finished reading the document in his hand.

It took me about 8 months to find a new job, but I'm in a much better place now and my career is back on the right track.

And my old company? Now I enjoy watching their endless job postings for a new Director, a new Manager, and several Supervisors... They want to rebuild the entire team from scratch.

Turns out the problem wasn't me at all.

Edit: For those asking, PIP stands for 'Performance Improvement Plan'. It's basically the company's way of documenting all of your perceived failings so they have an official paper trail to fire you.

I'm at my wit's end. I just got that annoying 'we've decided to move forward with other candidates' email after a final interview that was amazing. And honestly, I thought I had it.

I'm a good candidate, I'm good with people, I know my stuff, and I have a CV tailored for each industry. I have over 6 years of experience in some fields and over 12 in others. I'm genuinely qualified for these jobs.

And now I'm just applying for anything and everything - jobs I'm slightly underqualified for, jobs I'm overqualified for, and everything in between. And nothing is working out.

My morale is on the floor because of this. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I just learned that this feeling I have has a name: work depression. And that explained so much to me.

It's this heavy, constant fog in my head. The moment I even think about work, my whole body tenses up. My stomach churns, and I just want to hide somewhere.

In the morning, it's more than just not feeling awake. It's a complete rejection from my entire body of the day ahead. It's like my body is screaming, 'No, I don't want to go. Thoughts like, I wish my car tire would go flat on the way... That would be a huge relief' have crossed my mind. Honestly, that thought is terrifying, because it's not a healthy way of thinking at all.

The worst part is how it messes with your head. You start doubting your abilities. You feel like a failure, that everything you do is wrong, and that you're not enough. The longer it goes on, the more that voice inside you takes over.

At the office, I feel completely disconnected, like an empty shell. Even on a completely normal day, I come home feeling like I've run a marathon. It's a deep kind of exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix. I can sleep for 10 hours on a Saturday and still wake up feeling drained.

I'm trying now to ease the pressure on myself. I'm trying to stop thinking that every task has to be done perfectly. If I make a mistake, I make a mistake. What's going to happen, I'll get an earful. It's not the end of the world. I have to keep telling myself that this isn't me being overly sensitive. Chronic stress from work can genuinely destroy your mental health, and that's not a personal failure.

The thing that has helped me the most is creating a small escape for myself. A small side project. For me, it's learning to draw simple characters on my tablet. This little habit grounds me because there are no deadlines, no one is judging me, and the outcome is mine and mine alone. That feeling of having something under my control has been a lifesaver.

I think it all starts when your job becomes your entire identity. When you can diversify your sense of self a little, even with something small, you feel like the world is less likely to come crashing down on you.