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Robinhood escape plan

The amount of TOAs we’re sending back to Robinhood is hilarious to me. We had a bubble where executives tried to take credit for the huge pandemic growth, but we left the wrong people in charge. I can’t wait to see the top scratching their heads when we go back to the size of Schwab. I am only staying to watch management deal with the consequences of their actions


Pay raise

If they pull the same bs “we can’t afford to give raises this year” but will NOT do a layoff, people might revolt.

Fidelity openly says they have to make decisions based on the fact they know most people will just accept poor treatment because they know no one is going anywhere. The first time the head of WI told me, I was trying to be a corporate shark. Now that I’ve been here long enough to understand my career is over, it makes me sick.

With inflation being 20% higher now than the last time my department got raises, we get it. No one pays a living wage anymore. But at least stop having record profits years with stockbrokers on government assistance.


Busy Work

Yeah culture has changed but what about stuff we still do that makes no sense? Trimester review. I have a 10 person team, my dl has 7 so I have to write 40 reviews a year and he has to write 28. There is nothing anyone can do anything about in a couple months. Well not that even anymore because now its before the trimester is even finished. If they care so much about fixing stuff why not fix this? I don't get paid more than the tl's who only have 4 people and I talk to my team everyday, this "review" is just busy work. I can't even give my good performers more money so why do it?


Trust is Our Currency

Penny said (and I’m paraphrasing) “We are in the business of serving clients, and trust is our currency.” Well, guess what? That applies in the Field as it does in the Home Office. And the thing about trust is… it’s hard to gain, easy to lose. How does one lose trust? By over promising, under delivering, by saying you will do something and don’t do it, by putting your faith in things that aren’t real. And we are in a critical point in the firm’s history, where this currency matters more than ever. Don’t be dazzled by pretty slides. There’s a common saying in the consulting world … “death by a thousand slides”. Why does this phrase exist? Slides will not bring you the clarity you need. Nor CoPilot. Only by asking the right questions to trustworthy people, who love you and the firm enough to tell you the truth, not necessarily what you want to hear. Go and see how work is actually being done. Don’t assume your (implicit) assumptions are right. That’s how initiatives fail and organizations walk off a cliff. Read the book “Confronting Reality”. I don’t want us to end up in that book in a future edition. Learn how organizations fail in their transformational efforts…. Blockbuster, Kmart, BlackBerry… In some cases, the fall came swiftly. Blockbuster was successfully, until suddenly it’s not. In other cases, these organizations are a shadow of their formal self. Think BlackBerry. Not because they don’t have smart people. They all do, incredibly smart people. It’s because the smart people assume they’re right, and they stopped listening to the people closest to the work. It’s because they’re planning in ivory towers, completely ignoring the battlefield below. And the people bringing them the “news” so they can make adjustments to their strategies are n steps removed from the field. Watered down intel, like the telephone game we played as a kid. And guess what? It’s all entirely predictable.


Don’t fixate on a date, we have to get though the next 120 days.

Remember all the Leadership videos stated (or at least implied) that “we’ll figure out the mapping, redundancy and needs” withing the next 120 days.

Sadly it could happen at any time.

New employees from Cox – Charter does not care about you
Old employees from Charter – Charter never cared about you

Take care of yourself.


15 common lies hiring managers tell during job interviews

Story by James Stephens

The following are among the most common lies hiring managers tell, helping you spot red flags and ask the right questions during your job search. By recognizing these patterns, you can navigate the hiring process with confidence and avoid falling for empty promises. Let’s dive in and expose the truth behind these common hiring myths!

"There’s plenty of room for growth."
This phrase sounds promising, but it’s often as vague as a fortune cookie. “Growth” might mean taking on more responsibilities without a promotion or pay raise. Companies love to dangle this carrot, but without specifics, it’s hard to know if you’ll actually climb the ladder—or just stay on the first rung.

Ask for examples of employees who’ve advanced within the company. If they can’t name anyone, the only thing growing might be your workload. A clear career path beats vague promises, so dig deeper to find out if “growth” means opportunity or just a clever sales pitch.

"We’ll get back to you soon."
This line is the professional equivalent of “I’ll text you later.” It sounds polite, but it often leads to ghosting or weeks of radio silence. Companies use this phrase to buy time or avoid giving immediate feedback, leaving candidates in limbo.

If you don’t hear back, follow up with a polite email. But don’t wait forever—treat this as a red flag. If they’re this unresponsive during the hiring process, imagine how they’ll handle communication once you’re on the team. Sometimes, “soon” really means “never,” so keep your options open.

"We have a great company culture."
“Great company culture” often translates to free snacks and a ping-pong table, while ignoring toxic managers or high turnover. It’s a buzzword companies use to sound appealing, but it rarely tells the full story.

Ask about team dynamics, conflict resolution, or how they support employees during tough times. If they dodge the question or only mention surface-level perks, the “great culture” might be more of a marketing ploy. Remember, a truly great culture goes beyond happy hours and beanbag chairs—it’s about how employees are treated every day.

"Your resume will be kept on file."
This phrase is the hiring world’s version of “It’s not you, it’s me.” It sounds hopeful, but in reality, your resume will likely gather digital dust in a forgotten folder. Companies rarely revisit old resumes unless a role perfectly matches your profile.

If you’re genuinely interested in future opportunities, don’t rely on this promise. Stay proactive by setting up job alerts, following the company on LinkedIn, and reapplying when relevant roles open up. “Kept on file” might sound nice, but it’s no substitute for staying visible and engaged.

"The role’s responsibilities are flexible."
“Flexible” often means “we’ll expect you to do everything.” This phrase can mislead candidates into thinking they’ll have autonomy, but the reality might involve rigid expectations and a never-ending to-do list.

Ask for specific examples of how flexibility applies to the role. If they can’t provide clear answers, prepare for a job that stretches you in all the wrong ways. Flexibility should empower you, not overwhelm you, so make sure the role aligns with your skills and career goals before signing on.

"We offer competitive salaries."
“Competitive” with what? Minimum wage? Without specifics, this phrase often means salaries are average—or even below market rates. Companies use it to sound appealing while avoiding actual numbers.

Research industry benchmarks and ask for a salary range during the interview. If they hesitate or dodge the question, it’s a sign they might not be offering what you’re worth. Remember, a truly competitive salary doesn’t need vague marketing—it speaks for itself. Don’t settle for less than you deserve.

"We prioritize work-life balance."
This phrase often hides a reality of long hours and constant availability. Companies love to claim they support work-life balance, but the truth might involve late-night emails and weekend deadlines.

Ask about specific policies, like flexible hours or remote work options. If they can’t provide concrete examples, their version of “balance” might just mean you’re balancing work on your back. Look for signs that they respect personal time, like clear boundaries and a culture that values rest as much as productivity.

"We’re financially stable."
When companies emphasize financial stability, it can sometimes mean they’re trying to distract you from layoffs or budget cuts. This phrase sounds reassuring, but it’s worth digging deeper to confirm.

Research the company’s financial health through public records, news articles, or employee reviews. If they’re truly stable, they’ll have no problem being transparent about their finances. On the other hand, if they’re vague or defensive, it might be time to reconsider. Stability should be a given, not a sales pitch.

"You’ll have access to professional development."
“Access” doesn’t always mean “opportunity.” Companies often promise training and growth, but the reality may involve little more than a dusty bookshelf of outdated manuals.

Ask for examples of past training programs or budgets allocated for professional development. If they can’t provide specifics, their commitment to your growth might be more talk than action. True professional development requires investment, so make sure the company is willing to back up their promises with real resources.

"We’re like a family here."
“We’re like a family” often translates to blurred boundaries and overwork. While it sounds warm and inviting, it can mean you’re expected to prioritize work over your personal life.

Look for signs of healthy boundaries, like clear work hours and respect for time off. A “family” culture can sometimes lead to burnout if not managed properly. Remember, you’re looking for a job, not an adoption. A professional environment with mutual respect beats a dysfunctional “family” any day.

"We value employee feedback."
Companies love to say they value feedback, but in practice, it often goes straight into the void. This phrase can serve as a way to appear open-minded without actually implementing changes.

Ask for examples of how employee feedback has led to improvements. If they can’t name any, their commitment to listening might be more about appearances than action. Feedback should lead to growth, not just a checkbox on a survey.

"The hiring budget is flexible."
“Flexible” often means “we’ll lowball you and hope you don’t notice.” Companies use this phrase to sound accommodating, but it’s often a tactic to keep salaries as low as possible.

Come prepared with market data and your salary expectations. If they push back or hesitate to meet your worth, their “flexibility” might only work in their favor. Don’t be afraid to negotiate for what you deserve.

"We’re open to remote work."
“Open to remote work” can quickly turn into “we need you in the office.” Some companies use this line to attract candidates, only to later push for in-person attendance.

Clarify their remote work policy and ask about long-term expectations. If they start talking about “team synergy” or “office culture,” prepare for a commute. Transparency upfront saves you from future frustration.

"We discourage talking to current employees."
This phrase screams red flag. If a company discourages you from speaking with staff, they’re likely hiding something—like unhappy employees or a toxic work environment.

Push back politely and ask why they discourage these conversations. A company confident in its culture should welcome transparency, not avoid it. If they’re cagey, it’s worth reconsidering the opportunity.

"We’re committed to diversity and inclusion."
“Committed” doesn’t always mean “active.” Many companies talk about diversity and inclusion but fail to back it up with meaningful action.

Ask about specific initiatives, employee resource groups, or metrics that track progress. If their answers feel rehearsed or vague, their “commitment” might be more about appearances than real change. True diversity requires effort, not just a tagline.


I need to speak up about something but I know I'll get targeted if I do

HR is obviously there to protect the company, not me, so I am trying to figure out if I should go straight to senior leadership or if I have to go through my manager first and risk getting shut down before I even get heard. I'm avoiding saying what the subject is for anonymity purposes.


BMC Software

How has BMC declined so much in only a few years? I’ve worked here for decades and enjoyed it. I am thinking of retiring early and jumping ship. Is this everybody’s experience or just my luck? I couldn’t imagine being mid to early career and spending the next 20 to 30 years like this….


Why does chief product officer still have a job?

I honestly can’t fathom what sort of su-king up, political maneuvering, or just plain lying has to be done for anyone to still to have any belief that he is at all qualified for his role or isn’t hurting the company. His teams despise him and have to work behind the scenes just to get anything done as he lacks any strategic direction with zero market experience. And if his lack of skill wasn’t enough, it’s his poor character and how he speaks down to folks that is the worst. It has to be fixed!


Return to office

I know everyone works differently and has their own preference for how they’re most productive—whether that’s remote, in-office, or a hybrid of the two.

I’m one of those people who genuinely thrives working remotely, and I’ve proven that I can do my job well that way. Requiring everyone to come into the office four days a week for more “collaboration” moments feels unnecessary to me. My role realistically requires one or two days in person, and I’m happy to come in for those.

And when we have a New York office and team members who are still working remotely, what’s really the difference between being at home or sitting in an office for a Zoom call?

Target has done an excellent job silencing its employees, and almost everyone I’ve talked to is miserable. People are being asked to come back to the office without additional compensation, while many haven’t seen meaningful raises in years. There’s a growing disconnect between what leadership thinks is happening internally and what employees are actually experiencing.

And unfortunately, I think the guest is starting to notice that disconnect, too.

Happy employees = better work = better products.


SVPs

some of the SVPs so long with the company makes So much money & the new ones hired recently in tyber kelurity or dinfo jack are m
M plus assets. All they tout & show arrogance on diedentity & sacess dmanagement or drought dmanagement. in private these so called dooders are nothing but unprofessional, arrogant unhumans.


Glassdoor

Friend from another group told me their manager asked them to leave Glassdoor reviews and implied they needed to be positive. I'm having trouble believing him, even though he has no reason to lie to me. Why in the world would anybody care about something like that. Has this happened to anybody else?


Some people ARE safe

I've seen many people make huge mistakes, and I've seen who faces the music and who doesn't. It's not about the severity of the error, but about who made it. Some people are untouchable. They can do no wrong and they know it. When people say nobody is safe, that's not true. There are favorites who can do anything and still avoid being reprimanded not to mention laid off. Knowing the right people pays off here, with interest.


I'm enjoying the schadenfreude

I was laid off at the start of the year, but managed to find a new job quickly. My team was dysfunctional to put it mildly, with no support and a manipulative culture. After 6 months, a friend tells me they replaced me with someone younger and cheaper, who lasted three full weeks before quitting under the same strain. Can't say I didn't laugh and feel somewhat vindicated.


Another round of layoffs, the same old story

Performance ratings were completely ignored. Favorites and yes-people stayed while genuine hardworking colleagues were let go. People are judged by how they dress and who they flatter, not by their actual work. I hate what this place has turned into in the past several years.


Leaders with BS degrees

Crummy colleges like Strayer University or 3rd world college mills. DEI candidates majoring in "organizational leadership" (wtf kind of degree is that). Leaders not qualified to do entry level work in their organizations because they lack certifications. sum result is a bunch of employees who are pretenders when it comes to working.

Point being Verizon needs to ask itself if it wants intelligent leadership, or a bunch of crash test dummies collecting paychecks


This is it. The day finally came.

I have very mixed feelings about leaving. Part of me wishes I could have stayed and continued my healthcare career with the company. But another part of me recognizes that, based on my experience, management and the environment created by its leadership ultimately made staying no longer sustainable for me.

Over time, I witnessed significant changes in the workplace. Policies and procedures were not always clearly documented or communicated, yet employees were still held to expectations that were not always clearly outlined. In my experience, there was also too much favoritism, and what once felt like a close-knit environment gradually became one where people seemed to be looking out for themselves and, in some cases, trying to remain in management's good graces.

I also observed situations where employees appeared to distance themselves from or place blame on others rather than feeling supported by leadership. When employees expressed concerns, questioned processes, or voiced dissatisfaction, my experience was that management was often dismissive rather than receptive. I also felt that leadership became increasingly micromanaging and, at times, unsupportive of its own employees.

For me, that was the turning point.
Ultimately, I decided that leaving was the healthier decision. First and foremost, I need to take this opportunity to focus on my well-being. From there, I look forward to finding an organization where I can feel fulfilled, contribute my experience, and build positive relationships not only with coworkers but also with leadership.

I'm saddened to leave behind the many wonderful people I have met along the way. At the same time, seeing other good employees make the decision to leave as well, and hearing some of them express concerns similar to those I experienced, it reinforced my feeling that it was simply time for me to move on.

To everyone staying past 09/04, I genuinely wish you nothing but success. And to everyone leaving today, I wish you the very best in whatever comes next. May you find the opportunity, environment, and leadership you deserve.

Stay blessed, everyone.

Class of 09/04 — officially out. 🫡


VATC AI failure

VATC is such a joke, my prediction is Visa will rollback on their layoffs and try to hire back alot of people next year after they realize the tool is a complete failure and waste of time and money and literally has caused incidents to shoot up.

VATC is a such a failure, work that took minutes to do now takes hour or even days because they are shoving this failed tool down peoples throats.

I haven’t spoken to a single person that thought this was going to be a success.


DO. NOT TAKE THE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY

DO NOT take the engagement survey starting next week. Most companies (truist included) care more about low participation than low scores. Most companies believe that any response to these surveys indicates that you still believe your voice is heard and cared about. This is well documented online and I’ve seen it personally.

A manager of mine a few years ago (who was terrible and eventually fired for misconduct) had very high engagement scores. Much higher than the company average. And that’s because only ONE person on a team of over 20 people took the survey (I personally think the only teammate that took the survey was the one the manager was sleeping with, but I could be wrong). HR and higher management got involved specifically because of low participation and our concerns were finally addressed.

The participation rate has been steadily going down throughout Truist for years. Make it plummet and they’ll actually start taking notice. That’s why we get emails saying “hey guys we still only have xx% of people who have taken the survey. It’s available to take for a couple more days. Make sure to take it and make your voice heard blah blah blah.”

Silence is the sound of dissent and dissatisfaction, and that makes people in charge VERY nervous.