PTO denied but I’m not coming into work anyway

My family has a trip planned that will require me take off 1.5 days. I put in the request in March for this June trip and initially without looking at the PTO calendar my boss said “sure that should work”. My entire family got the time approved and booked the trip. She then told me too many people (2 people) in the company region are off that day, but since our store has been particularly slow lately she might be able to make it work but she wouldn’t know until a week before. So I held out hope until this week and she told me there’s no way for it to work. By the way, I’m an overachieving employee that bends over backward any chance I get to help the company. This family vacation is already booked. My family and I discussed it and we think I should just tell her “I won’t be in these days. We talk about a work/life balance all the time and this is it. When it comes between work or time with family, family will always win. I am willing to accept whatever disciplinary action is appropriate, but I will not be coming into work those days.”

Thoughts?

PTO denied but I’m not coming into work anyway

My family has a trip planned that will require me take off 1.5 days. I put in the request in March for this June trip and initially without looking at the PTO calendar my boss said “sure that should work”. My entire family got the time approved and booked the trip. She then told me too many people (2 people) in the company region are off that day, but since our store has been particularly slow lately she might be able to make it work but she wouldn’t know until a week before. So I held out hope until this week and she told me there’s no way for i...

Just found out everyone running the company I have an interview with are Scientologists. I’m guessing that’s not a coincidence?

I’ve been looking forward to this interview and desperately need a job but just found out all the main players are Scientologists. The position advertised is open bc the previous employee is headed to LA to devote themselves to the “cause”. This has all been relayed to me through third parties. Nothing in their mission statement strikes me as a red flag but this is bad, right?

**Update: I canceled the interview

Just found out everyone running the company I have an interview with are Scientologists. I’m guessing that’s not a coincidence?

I’ve been looking forward to this interview and desperately need a job but just found out all the main players are Scientologists. The position advertised is open bc the previous employee is headed to LA to devote themselves to the “cause”. This has all been relayed to me through third parties. Nothing in their mission statement strikes me as a red flag but this is bad, right?

**Update: I canceled the interview

Blue collar jobs always say their hiring, but aren’t willing to train someone with no experience

I’m 25, and wasted my previous years working BS fastfood/retail jobs. I’m trying to start a career in the blue collar field, but every time I mention I have no experience. They never hire me.

Blue collar jobs always say their hiring, but aren’t willing to train someone with no experience

I’m 25, and wasted my previous years working BS fastfood/retail jobs. I’m trying to start a career in the blue collar field, but every time I mention I have no experience. They never hire me.

My interviewer is 1 hour late. Should I just leave?

I have a job interview and arrived on time. His staff told me he is running late, so I have been sitting alone in a back room for an hour.

Should I stay, try to reschedule, or just leave? Because this feels very unprofessional.

I’m 22, haven’t had many interviews before. Is this normal?

Update: just had the interview, this guy doesn’t apologize for being late, just tells me “thanks for waiting”.

He didn’t mention a single thing about the job, my pay, or even what I’d be doing. Then offers me the job immediately. I said no and left.

My interviewer is 1 hour late. Should I just leave?

I have a job interview and arrived on time. His staff told me he is running late, so I have been sitting alone in a back room for an hour.

Should I stay, try to reschedule, or just leave? Because this feels very unprofessional....

I found a remote job in 2 months using AI tools and a 3-stage preparation process

I was laid off a few months ago (together with almost half the people in my company). I was a little bit in panic mode by then. During the first 2-3 months I applied to literally every single PM job offer I saw but I didn’t even pass the second interview. Then a friend explained to me the 3-stage process she used to find her job. She also recommended a few AI tools that ended up being very useful.

After 2 months of following her guidelines, I was offered 2 positions! 1 of them with a higher salary than the one I had in my previous company (ironically I took the other one, but for different reasons).

I learned that finding a new job is a job in itself. You improve with practice and by failing. So the 3-stage process is designed to iterate fast. In every stage, I focused on “Mastering that stage only” and improving on 1 metric:

**Stage 1 Iterate my Resume**

My main focus in this stage was to improve the conversion rate of my resume. The metric I used was the % of responses I received. I kept refining and tweaking my resume until I achieved a solid ratio. I started with less than a 5% response rate (from *resume sent* to *first interview scheduled*).

In a shell I did this:

* Adapt my resume for every position (I used a few tools, mostly kickresume explained below).

* When describing my previous experience, rephrase it using the exact key words used in the job offer. A lot of companies use software to filter resumes, so if they don’t find certain keywords, you are automatically rejected.

* Create a cover letter “template” and leave some paragraphs to modify depending on each company.

* I created a notion page with a more detailed resume, with links to previous projects and a lot of details about me. I added this when asked for a “Website URL” (asked in many offers).

Once I started getting first interviews with HR managers or hiring managers (1st interview), I shifted my attention to preparing and improving my interview skills.

**Stage 2 First interviews (usually with HR)**

In this stage, I aimed to increase the number of second interviews or technical exercises I was offered. This was a critical step in progressing further in the hiring process. I made sure to thoroughly prepare for these initial interviews, showcasing my skills and experiences effectively and I used a few tools (below) to practice my interviews.

You’ll be asked the same questions again and again in these interviews with HR. With Otter you can transcript the meetings. So I created a document with "Hard Questions in Job Interviews" as a quick reference during interviews. I have the answers written there for all the typical questions. If you do online meetings, you can keep the doc open on your second screen 😛

**3 Use case (or technical exercise)**

My metric here was the number of job offers I received. This stage varies a lot depending on your role. I was applying for Product Manager, in case you are also applying for this role let me know and I can give you some examples of exercises I prepared in advance

​

Here are the tools that played a significant role in that process:

**1 ChatGPT - Turned into a job interview trainer**

You start by training ChatGPT on your resume. You can use this prompt:

>As ChatGPT, you’ll be participating in an interview simulation for the position of Product Manager at \_\_\_\_. I’ll provide you with your Resume in an upcoming message. Following that, you’ll receive the interview questions along with guidelines on how to respond.

​

Then you copy&Paste your CV on ChatGPT. And you give it this new prompt:

>The focus of this interview will be on your soft skills. When answering questions be clear and concise, using everyday language. Create convincing responses that an interviewer would appreciate even if they are fictional. However, ensure that your answers align with the experiences mentioned in your resume.

Then ask ChatGPT the interview questions you may get and it will be generating perfect responses to any question.

​

**2 kickresume.com**

Use it to improve your resume. You can do several things with it. Start your resume from scratch or modify one, create your cover letter with AI (it uses ChatGPT on the backend), or ask for feedback on your resume. I still needed to do a lot of manual changes in the version it creates but it is a great start. For cover letters, which can be quite a hassle to customize for each job application, it was a real-time-saver. Another option is Rezi, I haven’t tried it yet but it looks promising.

​

**3 Wave.ai**

It provided a written conversation with a real human coach, utilizing AI to offer guidance and assistance. The coaching sessions helped me develop habits for finding the right jobs and mentally preparing for interviews. I used it a lot in stage 2. I would go to Wave with the answers I replied on every interview and they would help me improve them with feedback. Ultimately, they also helped me negotiate the offers. I’m so bad at facing conflict and asking for a higher salary, that my first instinct when I was offered the first job was to say OMG OF COURSE. I was able to raise the salary a bit and also the stock options they gave to me.

​

**4 Otter.ai**

You can use it during your online meetings to take notes. During job interviews, it is not only important the content of your answer, but also how your answer is structured. And the only way to improve this is by practicing. With this tool, I could review the questions asked and my responses, allowing me to refine and better structure my answers. Write down your answers and then use ChatGPT to improve them and structure them in a way that is easier to understand!

​

**5 Interview Warmup (from Google)**

Similar use to the first one with ChatGPT but in this case they ask you the questions. It simulates a real interview and gives you personalized feedback based on your responses. It can help you identify areas where you need to improve. Also, by practicing with these tools, I felt more confident and prepared for those higher-stakes real interviews.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Any other tool I should add?

I found a remote job in 2 months using AI tools and a 3-stage preparation process

I was laid off a few months ago (together with almost half the people in my company). I was a little bit in panic mode by then. During the first 2-3 months I applied to literally every single PM job offer I saw but I didn’t even pass the second interview. Then a friend explained to me the 3-stage process she used to find her job. She also recommended a few AI tools that ended up being very useful.

After 2 months of following her guidelines, I was offered 2 positions! 1 of them with a higher salary than the one...

Getting a job online is fucking impossible

I've been looking for a better job since the start of this year on places like indeed and zip recruiter, specifically for remote jobs that involve writing or marketing (I'm an English major with a few years of freelance content writer experience). Every time I apply to a half decent posting though, the applicant numbers are through the fucking roof! Hundreds of not thousands of applicants per job posting. Following up is damn near impossible (not that companies even seem to put in the effort to respond anyways). How the hell am I supposed to get a job doing this? I have next to no chance with every attempt despite being perfectly qualified. Like am I being crazy or has anyone else experienced this?

Getting a job online is fucking impossible

I've been looking for a better job since the start of this year on places like indeed and zip recruiter, specifically for remote jobs that involve writing or marketing (I'm an English major with a few years of freelance content writer experience). Every time I apply to a half decent posting though, the applicant numbers are through the fucking roof! Hundreds of not thousands of applicants per job posting. Following up is damn near impossible (not that companies even seem to put in the effort to respond anyways). How the hell am I supposed t...

Since when did having *any* bachelor degree become the base standard for entry level positions?

Every. Single. Job.

Could be sticking labels on boxes in a rat infested warehouse.

• Educated to Bachelor degree level

???

For entry level positions… literally run of the mill administrative positions. To send emails they want you to have a marketing degree ?

What in the flying fu*k is going on.

Am I supposed to just cease to exist or take on 50K+ debt to never earn enough to pay it off but earn just enough to have it deducted from my pay every month???? Whilst the bar raises every year??? And so does the interest.

It was Age 16 level qualifications then Age 18. Now graduate level… next they’ll want you to have lectured for 10 years in finance at Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge, interned across 5 major global players and prevented economic disasters to input numbers on a fu*king spreadsheet.

Who’s writing up these person specifications? God?!!?!?!!!

Since when did having *any* bachelor degree become the base standard for entry level positions?

Every. Single. Job.

Could be sticking labels on boxes in a rat infested warehouse....

I hate researching a company for interviews and pretending like I'm so enthusiastic about what they do when 9 times out of 10 I couldn't care less.

Anyone else? Or do I just have a particularly bad attitude?

EDIT - Wow, I didn't expect my petty little complaint to get so many upvotes. I guess many of you found this relatable.

To those of you saying "why don't you only apply to companies you are passionate about?" I'm a GenXer, my generation has a good work ethic but mostly sees employment as a transactional relationship. It's extremely rare that I'm going to be passionate about any major corporation. They're not passionate about me, they'll lay my ass off in a heartbeat if it increases shareholder value.

I hate researching a company for interviews and pretending like I'm so enthusiastic about what they do when 9 times out of 10 I couldn't care less.

Anyone else? Or do I just have a particularly bad attitude?

EDIT - Wow, I didn't expect my petty little complaint to get so many upvotes. I guess many of you found this relatable....

Do companies just not understand the job market these days?

I just had the absolute worst interview with a CEO and I'm mortified. I expected to be asked about myself, my background, what I could bring to the company: instead I was shamed and asked about why I'm out of college for a year with no job. Why my internship didn't hire me. What my issue is and if I'm not trying hard enough. I'm absolutely crushed. I had amazing conversations with the previous three people I talked to, who were super interested in my art and what I could do.

Do they not understand it's people like them that cause this? If someone gave me a chance I wouldn't be in this situation with a resume gap. I've applied to over 400 places, made it to the final interview dozens of times, been flown out once and even got a job offer. I've been absolutely busting my ass and doing everything in my power. And to have a freaking CEO tear that all to the ground hurts so, so much. He didn't even give me a chance to explain myself or my skills, instead just said how he doesn't know if I can handle moving away from home and having a full-time job since I've lived with my parents for a year. As if I want to. I'm a freaking ADULT and I've been doing everything in my power to get a full-time job, it's all I want. I had a list of like 14 questions prepared and after I asked the first one he just was like "okay well thanks we have a lot of other good candidates bye"

Sorry for the rant. I'm just so completely crushed. I've never had an interview go by so quickly and so rudely that I'm actually thinking of talking to the HM. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Do companies just not understand the job market these days?

I just had the absolute worst interview with a CEO and I'm mortified. I expected to be asked about myself, my background, what I could bring to the company: instead I was shamed and asked about why I'm out of college for a year with no job. Why my internship didn't hire me. What my issue is and if I'm not trying hard enough. I'm absolutely crushed. I had amazing conversations with the previous three people I talked to, who were super interested in my art and what I could do.

Do they not understand it's...

The real problem with job hunting in the US is that employers REFUSE to pay livable wages.

It's ridiculous. I'm currently in contact with a recruiter who said they would send my resumes out to companies and get back to me if any want to interview me. Well, I got some jobs back.

Results:

Texas: An $18-$20/hr office admin job (no thanks)

Also Texas: A purchasing agent job for $20/hr (also no thanks)

Indianapolis: An inside sales position offering $40k-$45k depending on experience.

All of these jobs prefer having Japanese/English bilingual skills ON TOP OF the skills required to perform the jobs... for a measly $20/hr. No matter how bad I want to get out of the dumpsterfire that is Idaho right now I'm not going to pack up and leave only to end up in the exact same situation I'm currently in, and likely end up worse off. It makes no sense.

This is not the first time this has happened with recruiters. All I ask for is a livable wage. Doesn't happen. I'm not moving half-way across the country for $20/hr. It'd be cheaper to get a basic English teaching job in Japan and I'd save more money given the CoL over there too.

I don't know why I try with recruiters anymore. I think I'm done job shopping in the US and am honestly just going to go back to Japan at this point. At least over there I can actually save money on even $30k/year...

The real problem with job hunting in the US is that employers REFUSE to pay livable wages.

It's ridiculous. I'm currently in contact with a recruiter who said they would send my resumes out to companies and get back to me if any want to interview me. Well, I got some jobs back.

Results:...

First office job, this is depressing

I just sit in a desk for 8 hours, creating value for a company making my bosses and shareholders rich, I watch the clock numerous times a day, feel trapped in the matrix or the system, feel like I accomplish nothing and I get to nowhere, How can people survive this? Doing this 5 days a week for 30-40 years? there’s a way to overcome this ? Without antidepressants

First office job, this is depressing

I just sit in a desk for 8 hours, creating value for a company making my bosses and shareholders rich, I watch the clock numerous times a day, feel trapped in the matrix or the system, feel like I accomplish nothing and I get to nowhere, How can people survive this? Doing this 5 days a week for 30-40 years? there’s a way to overcome this ? Without antidepressants

Boss begged me for a raise... a lesson for future bosses

I know it's not common, but I have a fantastic job and I love who I work for and what I do. I'm content for the most part. I began my job in June 2021 with a salary of $38,500/year, and the boss was very clear that he was paying me for the work I did, not the time I was there. I was nervous about taking a job without being able to fulfill its requirements - I have a disabled child, so time would be needed for their doctor's appointments, sick days, etc... I made it clear that my kids came first. He agreed to the accommodation. So, I worked, and hoped that when emergencies came along, he would remember our agreement.

Not only has he done so in the last two years, but he's been phenomenal about it. If I have to go, he says he'll see me tomorrow. He praises the work I do; he tells me that this business would shut down without me. He gives me large bonuses in appreciation of my work. When I asked for a day off to take my kids to an amusement park last summer, he didn't even blink AND gave me $500 to spend on my kids and have a good time. I found an error in his taxes from the accountant which, when corrected, changed his return from owing close to $40,000 to receiving a refund. He told me to add on to my paycheck $1,500 in thanks for my due diligence. Stuff like that.

In return, I felt super guilty about ever asking for a raise. The previous OM's very much took advantage of his generous nature. In my area, the average experienced OM probably makes $55k/year. And my boss, being a wonderful guy, understands that it's better to keep experienced staff than to lose them over a raise. (He's marched into my office, asked me how much one of our employees made, and then tells me to bump it up another $2/hour because he can't afford to lose their expertise.)

Seeing the way the other OM's took advantage of him really affected me. It wasn't my guilt to bear, but it still did. He's a small business, and he pays all of his staff very well. I'm not struggling financially (my husband makes phenomenal money), so anytime he brought up giving me a raise, I would push him off. He started last year, when I had been here a year, and I've been able to push him off for another full year. I considered all the time he gives me for my children as compensation enough. Mind you, I did have some slight jealousy when I saw how much he paid the previous OM in comparison to what I make, and knowing their work ethics were terrible. Do I think they were overpaid? AB-SO-LUTE-LY. But knowing what he was WILLING to pay has always been an internal conflict with me. Nor was it easy to define my worth. Many people have no problem asking for a raise, but I did. I very rarely work a full 40-hour week, but I always get paid for it. Finding a job like this is very hard to begin with, but I found the gold standard and knowing I could have both a career and take care of my kids with zero retribution is really invaluable to me.

Now, two years later, he sat me down and demanded from me a number for a raise. DEMANDED. Wasn't leaving the office until it was settled. He said he couldn't afford to lose me (no chance I was even considering leaving) and we settled on a $55,000 salary, what is an average in this area. He said the office was immaculate, the best it's ever been, I give him no drama or grief which is a bonus in itself, and if I ever became unhappy to just talk to him to find a solution because he wasn't about to let me go anywhere else.

I'm posting this, not to brag or anything like that. I'm posting it to show future bosses that this, THIS, is what a good boss looks and acts like. This is a boss who:

A) Recognizes my hard work and praises it

B) Understands my home life, and works to accommodate it

C) Ensures that the lines of communication stay open between us

So much more, but there's the gist. Perhaps people will roast me for something in this post, but from an employee's perspective... be this boss. And I'll be the employee that works 10x harder for you.

Boss begged me for a raise... a lesson for future bosses

I know it's not common, but I have a fantastic job and I love who I work for and what I do. I'm content for the most part. I began my job in June 2021 with a salary of $38,500/year, and the boss was very clear that he was paying me for the work I did, not the time I was there. I was nervous about taking a job without being able to fulfill its requirements - I have a disabled child, so time would be needed for their doctor's appointments, sick days, etc... I made it clear that my kids came first. He agreed to the accom...

Why is it so difficult to make over $65,000 in the US?

It’s insanely difficult to make money, I can barely fathom the competence, stress tolerance, and intelligence required for some of these $150,000+ jobs when it’s nearly impossible to even make $65,000.

How do people do it?

Why is it so difficult to make over $65,000 in the US?

It’s insanely difficult to make money, I can barely fathom the competence, stress tolerance, and intelligence required for some of these $150,000+ jobs when it’s nearly impossible to even make $65,000.

How do people do it?

I love my 9-5 office job

My job isn't extravagant and the pay isn't great but after working in retail for 10 years I love working in an office.

I have my own cubicle to myself, I don't have managers hovering over me and micromanaging me all day. I have a set schedule every week which makes it so much easier to plan things. I know I'll have Saturday Sunday off every week and I never have to close again. I can go to the bathroom whenever I want for as long as I want, I can have coffee at my desk, or I can eat snacks at my desk. I can wear cute clothes to work instead of a uniform.

I know a lot of people hate the standard 9-5 job but I just wanted to give a different perspective. I feel like after working in retail for so long it really makes me appreciate it so much more.

I love my 9-5 office job

My job isn't extravagant and the pay isn't great but after working in retail for 10 years I love working in an office.

I have my own cubicle to myself, I don't have managers hovering over me and micromanaging me all day. I have a set schedule every week which makes it so much easier to plan things. I know I'll have Saturday Sunday off every week and I never have to close again. I can go to the bathroom whenever I want for as long as I want, I can have coffee at my desk, or I can eat snacks at my desk. I can wear cute clothes to work instead of a u...

Why do employers force you to work in office all week for a job that can easily be done at home?

I work as a digital marketer and I have to work Monday-Friday, 9-5 in office. Yesterday I was sick, and since our boss is away and the second in command was out, I was allowed to work from home. The difference in quality of life is incredible. I signed into Canva on my computer, pulled up the company software and image database, logged into my email, and boom I was set for the day.

I worked a flawless day from the comfort of my own home. I was able to run to Petco to grab some supplies for my pets, run to get some lunch without feeling rushed, and eat peacefully in my kitchen instead of surrounded by phones ringing and customers walking around. Today I'm back in office surrounded by my annoying coworkers, having to deal with all their nonstop talking, loud sounds, pointless questions, and coffee making. I've been here for 50 minutes and I'm already way more miserable.

And it just begs the question, why do employers force employees who can easily do their job at home to come into the office all week? Seems nonsensical.

Why do employers force you to work in office all week for a job that can easily be done at home?

I work as a digital marketer and I have to work Monday-Friday, 9-5 in office. Yesterday I was sick, and since our boss is away and the second in command was out, I was allowed to work from home. The difference in quality of life is incredible. I signed into Canva on my computer, pulled up the company software and image database, logged into my email, and boom I was set for the day.

I worked a flawless day from the comfort of my own home. I was able to run to Petco to grab some supplies for my pet...

"Unlimited" or "Flexible" PTO policies suck if your teammates never take time off.

Rant - I started a job about 10 months ago with a "flexible" PTO policy. Essentially, I have unlimited time off, to use at my discretion, up to 2 weeks at a time. I understand the other arguments against these open-PTO policies but something else has become abundantly clear to me having been with this job for about a year now.

​

The problem is, my immediate teammates (there are 5 of us) NEVER take time off. So what ends up happening is, I am the "slacker" of the team. I do not hesitate to take a random Friday off if work is slow, and I plan to take whole weeks off for various trips and vacations coming up this summer and fall. All in all, I will probably take 4 weeks of total PTO this year.

​

I get my work done on time and am generally well-liked with the company and team, but I feel like an ass because in comparison to the rest of my teammates, I take a lot of time off. I want to be there for my team and pick up some of their work when they take their own time off, but they (as mentioned above) rarely or never take time off, so I have yet been able to prove my ability to be a good teammate. I speak with folks from other departments and they regularly take time off, sharing fun stories about the trips they've taken and the places they've seen - yet another thing I do not get to share with my team because they are too caught up working to speak about anything else besides work.

​

/end rant. I am not necessarily looking for any advice here, maybe just some affirmations or similar stories from other people with PTO policies like this. This too could also be used as a point of consideration for anyone weighing the pros/cons of 2 jobs with different PTO policies, I guess.

"Unlimited" or "Flexible" PTO policies suck if your teammates never take time off.

Rant - I started a job about 10 months ago with a "flexible" PTO policy. Essentially, I have unlimited time off, to use at my discretion, up to 2 weeks at a time. I understand the other arguments against these open-PTO policies but something else has become abundantly clear to me having been with this job for about a year now.

​...

Does anyone else hate the typical 9-5 M-F schedule or is it just me?

Just started a 9-5 and now I remember why I dislike it so much - I have to take PTO just to go to the doctor or do anything that would require you during normal business hours. However, a M-TH 4x10 schedule would be much less of a problem for me. I know a lot of people work the 9-5 M-F and I am also curious as to why I personally dislike it so much whereas other people probably love it.

Does anyone else hate the typical 9-5 M-F schedule or is it just me?

Just started a 9-5 and now I remember why I dislike it so much - I have to take PTO just to go to the doctor or do anything that would require you during normal business hours. However, a M-TH 4x10 schedule would be much less of a problem for me. I know a lot of people work the 9-5 M-F and I am also curious as to why I personally dislike it so much whereas other people probably love it.

I’ve stopped caring at my admin assistant job after 4 years. I don’t recognize myself anymore and it’s scary.

I used to respond to all emails. Complete every task by its deadline. Work late into the night to do so. Now I find myself doing the 9 to 5 and not caring about what doesn’t get done during that time

Supervisors know I am overwhelmed. Im no longer fussed by deadlines.

I feel like something broke in me and Im a totally different work/person. I used to care so much. Im so done.

Is this normal? A sign of burnout?

I’ve stopped caring at my admin assistant job after 4 years. I don’t recognize myself anymore and it’s scary.

I used to respond to all emails. Complete every task by its deadline. Work late into the night to do so. Now I find myself doing the 9 to 5 and not caring about what doesn’t get done during that time

Supervisors know I am overwhelmed. Im no longer fussed by deadlines....

Do new hires not understand how to negotiate??

I’m in charge of hiring engineers for my division. We made an offer last week with an exchange that went something like this:

1. Us: Great interview, team likes you. How about a base salary of 112k plus benefits?

2. Them: oh jeez that sounds good but I was really hoping for 120k.

3. Us: how about 116k and when you get your license (should be within a 12 months or less) automatic 5k bump?

4. Them: sounds great

5. I prep offer, get it approved and sent out the next day.

6. Them: hey I was thinking I’d rather have 121k.

That isn’t how you negotiate! The key time to negotiate was before we had settled on a number- coming back higher after that just irritates everyone involved. Or am I off base?

Do new hires not understand how to negotiate??

I’m in charge of hiring engineers for my division. We made an offer last week with an exchange that went something like this:

1. Us: Great interview, team likes you. How about a base salary of 112k plus benefits?...

I was offered a job while attending a conference my current employer paid for. Not sure how to approach the topic with my boss because I want to maintain a good relationship.

My current job is phenomenal. I love the people. It is pretty stress free. And they have been very good to me. The only drawback is the pay. A few weeks ago they let me attend a conference that I asked to attend and paid for everything.

While at the conference, I was approached by a friend from a different company who told me that he wanted to connect me with someone who had some questions on the work that I had done at my current job. I interpreted this as him wanting to ask questions about specific projects I have worked on for advice as that is very common in my field.

In reality, he was interested in hiring me for a new branch of a pretty well established consulting firm as a project manager. I haven't been looking for a job but this one is pretty hard to ignore. It would result in a substantial raise as well as allow me to work from home, which is something I have been very interested in.

He said he would call me in a few days and send me the job description by email.

While interested I have no idea how to approach this with my current job. I feel like it would probably rub them the wrong way if they found out they paid me to go to a conference to get poached. It would also be a VERY bad time for me to leave. We have a two person department and one of them is new and we are in the middle of a few large projects that I'm pretty instrumental for. I would feel horrible doing that not only to my staff but also my boss as well. Like I said, this place has been great to me so I just want to do right by them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I was offered a job while attending a conference my current employer paid for. Not sure how to approach the topic with my boss because I want to maintain a good relationship.

My current job is phenomenal. I love the people. It is pretty stress free. And they have been very good to me. The only drawback is the pay. A few weeks ago they let me attend a conference that I asked to attend and paid for everything.

While at the conference, I was approached by a friend from a different company who told me that he wanted to connect me with someone who had some questions on the work that I had done a...