#advice

If MW and company want to continue destroying morale and this company then if anyone out there is still working hard for Chevron should stop now. Put in the bare minimum. If we have to go into the office 4 days a week, then no late night or early morning meetings with India. S crew them. Collect your paycheck and do nearly anything else. For those saying "have a work ethic and self respect", having self respect is taking back your time and life from a company who obviously hates its employees so the right thing to do is bare minimum work!

At some point you realize the job is just a paycheck. All the talk about loyalty, impact, and family is a sales pitch. Do your work, keep your boundaries, and stop believing that going above and beyond will save you when budgets tighten. And you'll be much happier for it in the end.

I’m investing in my own skills because clearly no one else is going to. I feel like this place is intentionally pigeonholing us into positions so we don’t have too many options to leave unless they’re the ones to kick us out. Anyhow, if there ever was a time to start expanding your skills people, it’s now.

The job market isn’t as bad as everyone’s been saying. Or maybe it was and it scared people off from applying, and now there are plenty of opportunities again. I don’t know for sure. What I do know is that I had several interviews lined up right away, and within a month I got a good offer. The pay’s about the same, but I get better benefits and, more importantly, the culture seems so much better than Humana. Go and apply, folks. You’ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

You only get one life. And when the realization hits—that you spent most of it working for a company with no real purpose, serving a cause that added no value—the regret can be overwhelming.

Most people will not wake up until it’s too late. You may not realize the cost of wasting your time, talent, and spirit in a manufactured corporate illusion until you are staring at the ceiling in your final days.

And in that silence, you might remember the beautiful world around you that you completely missed living in shadows of fake company culture:

the adventures you never took, the passions you silenced, the time you traded for titles, meetings, and made-up metrics that meant nothing.

EM sells you a culture—but it’s not real. It’s a carefully constructed façade of progress wrapped in ad-hoc slogans and shallow incentives.

Beneath it is a hollow system, where human potential is sacrificed daily for shareholder returns and surface-level prestige.

You may think you're winning—climbing the ladder, getting promotions, fitting into the mold. But the mold is the trap. And by the time you realize it, the real you will be long gone.

Choose carefully. Because no title, no paycheck, and no pension will ever give you back a life unlived.

Everything they do is a complete SCAM. From the Agents, to their business models, our Executives, horrible commercials, employees they hire, surveys, pay, the Hubs... you name it. Everything thing has a sleezy, low rent, dirty feeling. Trashy.... It feels like a bad dream that you can never wake up from. You keep running and running but you never go anywhere. This is not a legitimate company anymore. Everyone and I mean everyone I have spoken to prays for severance. The funny thing is SF keeps making new lows. Just when you think we are at rock bottom they find a whole other level to sink too. Leave, find some way out now. Run! This place is a disaster beyond disasters!

You are a top performer who genuinely cares about your job and your customers. You strive to improve yourself each year, yet you can still be let go without any warning!

I’m relieved that I haven’t invested more years in this place; it feels like a blessing. I realize now that I was foolish to dedicate so much of my time and weekends to work. It still hurt but I would never go back to this environment. One of the worst place I have worked at. Management is a total joke. Only my coworkers were wonderful. Always have a backup plan and upskill if you are still there. I'm glad I have not wasted 10 years at this place….

Nike su-ked the life out of me, and now I actually feel lighter, with my days finally my own again. Leave. It gets better.

Start quitting. I did and I'm so much happier. If you just complain and don't do anything about it, why would they care?

Each day it more and more reminds Squid Game. I am happy that I left it before this sick olympic cut game started. Remember to refresh your resume, plan updating your skills (there are many trainings online), do not ignore mental issue signs (burnout is a really a huge problem). I keep my fingers and thumbs.

I’m an outpatient mental health therapist at a very small location and have been here since January. We have had barely any new clients and have a huge office. Even though we have no new clients they are hiring 2-3 new therapists as well as a psych doctor…currently there are only two of us as all other therapists quit…neither has full case loads or are hitting RVU’s. I don’t understand how they can afford to keep the office open and have hired all these new people to start full time around the holidays when there are no clients to see. Marketing was supposed to host events since February but haven’t done one yet. They were supposed to do community reach out but still have not. And when I see on this website they are still laying people off it confuses me? As someone who has moved for this position can anyone give me an opinion if I should move back home and resign? Or risk renewing my lease only to be laid off or told we are closing? Just looking for ideas? Thanks

Not just medical, dental, vision but everything else as well. Who knows when you will be let go so might as well milk them for every penny you can. Go request training courses, go spend the $500 we get per year on "health equipment" or whatever tf its called. Go buy $500 worth of random gym equipment, submit a receipt for reimbursement, then go return it all and get your money back... Now you have a nice free $500 check from Dell!

Go get a procedure done that you want - insurance may cover part of it. I got lasik and about 1/4th was covered by insurance.

As for training courses, go find the super pricey ones and have dell pay for it. Doesn't matter if you pass the exam or not but the knowledge and material you get from it is irreplaceable. IE... SANS courses which are about 10k per course. You get like 7 books, downloadable course material and Mp3 audios of the course.

idk what other benefits we have but those are the main ones I can think of. Point is, milk em dry for what you can. Tired of going into the office? Make something up and talk to your manager; then have a medical exemption filed that frees you to WFH for 3-6 months. Dell legally cannot ask for medical documents if your med exemption is under 12 months... btw.

I am writing this as a longtime Cisco employee. I am an individual contributor and have been for almost 20 years. I like Cisco, I like most of my managers and colleagues (not all, of course but that is true anywhere)

Am I worried about getting LR'd? A little but since I put this plan into place several years ago I am not worried about finances. Not one bit.

You can't change the wind but you can change the set of your sails. The most important of which are your financial decisions. Strive for financial independence now. It is not too late. jump to end for TL/DR version:

1. shift to maximum frugality.
   This is not the "latte factor" where your $4 coffee will change your life but rather an entire philosophical shift. Embrace frugality as a desirable and enjoyable lifestyle (it is). Focus on both the small rocks (the daily expenses like coffee, doordash and money su-kers). not to sound s-xist but money su-kers are typically gender aligned. Women spend a lot on nail care, beauty and the like. Men spend a lot on autos, gadgetry and beer. obviously stereotypical but you get the point.
   Eliminate, DIY or change the frequency.

2. Big Rocks.
   Housing, Healthcare, Transportation, Insurance & Education are typically the most expensive components. Start here. Be relentless. remember that New car smell is the most expensive fragrance in the world and no one really cares about what kind of car you drive anyway (except for you) get a reliable, safe used vehicle. strive to pay cash for a car as it will force you to save & research. Same concept applies with the other big rocks. The amount you spend on where you sleep at night and keep your stuff should be minimal. This is true whether you rent or own, strive to own a decent home in a good neighborhood.

3. Max out your 401K, open a Roth and build a freedom fund.
   What to do with all the money you save? Buy a boat? (no!)
   First, build a cash cushion of at least 6 months of expenses, the good news is that the more you relentlessly drive down your expenditures, the lower this amount needs to be. Put this in a Money Market (many are yielding 4+ %
   Then, Max out your tex deferred retirment account. the target date funds are a great one-fund set it and forget it option. you could balance that with a 100% stock fund (US Equity Index) say 50/50 so you are tilted toward more growth, especially if you are young. There are 1,000 asset allocation strategies you will be bombarded with, this is a good middle of the road, reasonable, strategy. It is way more important to get started and be consistent (autpilot) than to get all the knobs perfectly right. Most people do way more damage that way, especially you smart ones. (Doctors are notoriously bad investors because they think they are smarter than everyone else)
   also start a Roth IRA and fund it as well (Roth is post-tax but has significant advantages)

4. The best things in life are free.
   National Parks, Conversations with Friends, gardening, reading a used book (the paper kind) long walks with the person you love most. Do the rocking chair test; imagine you are 80, sitting on the porch in your rocking chair and ask yourself what you would have done differently back then. I guarantee the make/model of car will not enter your mind even once.

TL/DR
Reduce expenses relentlessly, start with the big rocks.
embrace a mindset of "frugal is wonderful" because it leads to financial independence.
MAx out retirement funds (401k/IRA/Roth IRA) with a simple set and forget it Asset Allocation
100% Target Date Fund (based on your retirement year) or 50% Target Date Fund + 50% US Equity Index if you are more risk averse.
Build a 6 month war chest full of cash

Amazon's strict return-to-office policy is limiting its recruitment efforts. Amazon's AI reputation and pay structure also challenge its ability to attract talent.

NVIDIA's non-existent return-to-office policy vastly improves its recruitment efforts. NVIDIA's AI reputation and pay structure vastly improve its ability to attract talent.

Duh, there are other places!

3 month package, effective 30 days, US, not for performance reasons. Could you give me some advice?

WIthout doxxing myself, the gist of the story is that after a reorg, the incoming management are power grabbing shitstains that blatantly grabbed the work that was done, virtually demoted a few people by bringing in their own people (the demotion was by way of reduced responsibilities and effective sidelining). Some emails with leader(s) exist that can clearly be construed as retaliation for speaking up in the face of wrong plus witnesses. Though not all them might speak up fearing for their career at Citi but one or two definitely will. Power grab was repeated without repurcussions

I know HR is useless and will either protect and/or try to brush it under the carpet. Don't want to pursue outside legal options. What other inside resources exist? Obviously, the shitstains don't care about any consequences as they have gotten away with this before.

This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations

This is general information, not legal advice. Please consult a lawyer. Many employment lawyers will do a free consultation and only charge a fee if they win your case.

If you’re 40 or older and asked to sign a severance agreement that waives age discrimination claims, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) requires that you be given enough time to consider it — 21 days for individual separations and 45 days if it’s part of a group layoff. You must also have 7 days after signing to revoke your acceptance. In a group layoff, the company is additionally required to disclose the job titles and ages of employees selected and not selected in the same decisional unit, so you can evaluate whether older workers were disproportionately affected.

If you already accepted and are over 40 you still have 7 days to withdrawal. If the company does not allow for the required review period then you may still have the option for legal recourse.

Below is an email script to use to document important information to protect your rights.

If the company responds with “Please see the FAQs,” acknowledge that you are aware of the FAQs and would like a direct response to your situation in this email.

I acknowledge receipt of the separation notice effective [date]. Before I take any next steps, I would appreciate some clarification.

Specifically, could you please provide:

1.  Whether positions with my current title still exist at the company, or if the role is being eliminated entirely.
2.  An explanation of the criteria used in selecting me for separation.
3.  Any policies or documents that explain how severance eligibility is being handled.
4.  Information about how these decisions are being applied across my department or job group.
5.  Since the notice provides less than 45 days to consider the severance agreement, could you clarify why that timeframe was chosen?

I want to ensure I fully understand the process and my options. Thank you for helping provide this information so I can move forward thoughtfully.

Just getting through the day any way you can doesn’t mean you’re lazy. Constant stress and endless expectations grind you down until even simple tasks feel impossible. It’s the environment wearing you out, not your drive. If there’s a chance to step away or change paths, take it, your health and energy are worth protecting.

No matter how much effort you put in, this place sees you as replaceable. They’ll act supportive until something goes wrong, then you’re gone. Work takes time and energy away from the people and life that matter most, and your mental health suffers for it. Remember, your loyalty belongs to yourself first, not the company.

companies might smile, send emails, and say they care, but the second you cost them money, raise a pr concern, or even trip over some tiny clause in your endless contract, they’ll cut ties without blinking. it doesn’t take a mistake - if business turns bad, you and your coworkers can disappear overnight. that whole “we’re all family here” line? it’s marketing, not reality.

work already takes more of your time than the people you truly care about. it weighs heavier on your mental health than most parts of life. and in the end, if they need to, they will replace you.

so remember: employers are not friends, not family. they exchange money for your time and effort, nothing more. your part is to do the work, not sacrifice yourself.

here is our mantra:

• protect your time with family and friends
• protect your mental health from being drained by a job
• stand by your own values instead of bending to fit in
• don’t fall for hustle culture - it demands more than it gives

First of all, I have to preface this by saying I know the pain of being laid off. I had a dream job for going on five years, only to be laid off at the end of 2025. It su-ks. It hurts. You question yourself. Unfornuately, it is normal and no one is trully safe.

The best you can do is improve yourself. Don't get comfortable. Take one day at a time.

I'm relatively new at EJ and I definitely have mixed feelings knowing all of this. Keep your head up and don't question yourself.

Myself and the rest of my team (except one person, somehow) have been laid off. For those who remain, I offer the same advice I give people when dating – when someone shows you who they really are, listen to them.

Sell Suri? Buy more junk? Thoughts?

Stay Strong.

I have been there. Felt like giving up on everything.

I must've interviewed at 10+ companies in a span of 3 months. No interviews for the next month due to holiday season. I used to choke up when recruiters/HMs asked me why I wanted this role "I mean I just told you I got laid off? Do you want me to tell you details of my dwindling emergency fund?".

Eventually found a job. Everyone does. You will too.

What helped me stay mildly sane during that time:

1. Being honest with friends and family, neighbors, acquaintances. If they asked me how I am, I'd say I'm NOT ok. Tell them the truth, ask for referrals, recommendations. It was cathartic. I took the shame out of the layoff.

2. Good simple food habits (cut down on eating out completely except for spouse's birthday dinner), regular exercise

3. 8+ hours of sleep. Seems counter intuitive and I couldn't sleep well the first few weeks. Took melatonin on docs advice. Felt refreshed and ready to tackle the next day of endless scrolling of jobs

4. Having a reasonable interview prep schedule (I was a decent candidate but I knew cramming in 16 hours a day of prep was of no use). I probably spent about 8 hours a day, split equally between applying/resume updates and prep.

5. Talking to my support system every day - spouse, parents, friends.

Hope this helps someone. Do NOT lose hope.

#bepositive #moveforward #thrive #gold #advice

Some Layoff Advice

Saw this on GM's board, some may find it useful:

Prepare for Layoffs Checklist

Link: @WsOTLa9

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/WsOTLa9

How to cope with layoff anxiety – medical or psychological or cognitive coping strategies?

Link: @PvCpIIR

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/PvCpIIR

Advice if u were laid off

Link: @TGFrauz

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/TGFrauz

How to survive a layoff

Link: @Roz35Dw

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/Roz35Dw

Looking for job Checklist

Link: @WmiLMBG

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/WmiLMBG

Layoff Checklist

Link: @ScheGbT

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/ScheGbT

How to get laid off with a good package?

Link: @Nm8Km05

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/Nm8Km05

Here's the TOP TEN things you should do if you think you might get laid off this round:

Link: @JWzKTre

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/JWzKTre

#advice #layoffadvice