Honestly, this situation has turned into a somewhat strange chapter in my career.

At Company A, where I currently work, I was making 68k a year in my role. My raise was 5%, and honestly, I felt like I had been standing still for a while.

Company B offered me 78k a year for a job very similar to what I do now. I showed the offer to my current employer, and they countered with 86k a year.

About three weeks after that, I got an offer for 108k a year from another company, for a more technical project/engineering role, and I can say that this is a big step forward for my career growth.

The awkward part is that my current employer probably wouldn't have made a counteroffer to Company B if they didn't genuinely see my value and place in their organization. They also addressed the basic things I had brought up: clearer growth paths, better pay, and more flexibility to work from home. I appreciate that, and I don't think they acted badly at all.

But the offer from the third company feels too big to turn down.

I'm looking for advice on how to handle this without burning any bridges. The management team at my current employer are genuinely good people. They tried hard to keep me once I had an offer to leave, and in general they tried to do right by me and my career when they could.

I'm planning to bring this up with them at the end of this week. How can I make the situation less awkward, and make the next two weeks as comfortable as possible for both me and them?

Thanks

Since January Ive applied for 40+ roles and almost half didn't even acknowledge the application.

Interviews feel more competitive than ever, recruiters are overloaded, and every job post seems to amass 300 applicants within hours.

Its hard to stay consistent without letting the process wreck my confidence.

Biggest things I hear people say,

• tailoring CV's for each role
• apply early
• networking instead of “easy apply” spam
• taking breaks before burnout hits - which I hate because when I'm on a break I feel guilty for not doing more, when I know I should be taking a break! Its a vicious circle.

Anyone else finding the market unusually brutal right now, or is it just me?

Would be great if you could share what you did differently that actually made the all important difference?

(...and congratulations on your new job!)

Honestly, I can't stand the idea of having a job. I'm reliable and I work hard because I need the paycheck to live, but I feel like it's an endless cycle of boredom and repetition, and that my mind is slowly being worn down. I find myself looking at the clock, waiting for the shift to end so I can feel human again.

I hate being stuck in a place I never wanted to be in, doing work I don't care about, surrounded by people I wouldn't choose to spend time with if I had any real choice.

All the time, I wish there were another way I could live. Like having a place to live, a car, food, and basic stability... But without spending most of my life trapped in this routine.

Not so long ago it was a job searchers market, but now I am feeling the employers are by far more ruthless. Their biggest crime IMO, Ghosting. If you are being ghosted remember it's not about you, it's about the employer. I applied for a senior role in Jan, screening phone call done, first interview with Commercial Director and HR done, second interview with MD, Commercial manager and HR conducted in a crowded lounge area (for a senior role!?) done.

Follow up emails sent. Even sent a 30/60/90 day plan as supplemental info to support my application. no acknowledgement of receipt. This takes us up to April, where I knew I was in the final pick... I chased beginning of May to be told, oh sorry the MD offered someone else last week.

No feed back, no acknowledgement. When I secure my next role I may craft an email to their MD - their process was outrageous.

I sincerely hope you do not experience that level of frustration.

Genuine question because I’ve realized most people don’t even find jobs the “normal” way anymore.

Some get referred by random mutuals, some find openings through Telegram or WhatsApp groups, some spam apply everywhere, and somehow a few people always know those lesser-known apps or websites that actually work better than the mainstream ones.

What’s funny is the best results I’ve seen lately usually don’t come from the platforms everyone keeps talking about constantly.

Feels like after a point, people quietly figure out their own system and never share it 😭

So yeah, curious what genuinely worked for you guys recently. Could be an app, a trick, a strategy, literally anything.

Example... (Not Real Life!)

A Summarised Delivery

• Aim for 60-90 seconds. Past 90s and you have lost the room, clarity equals confidence.
• Pace your delivery: calm, not rushed. Confidence comes from preparation, not memorisation.
• Mirror the JD's exact phrasing in the Future section. If the role description says 'activation', say 'activation' not 'sign-up rate'.
• Optional powerful close: end by inviting them to dig deeper. It turns the interview into a conversation and signals seniority.

Pitfalls To Avoid

• Don't open with where you grew up or your degree from years ago. Biography signals you don't know what they are really asking.
• Don't list job titles chronologically. The Past section is a curated narrative, not a CV recap.
• Don't list responsibilities like 'I managed a team of five'. List achievements: 'I cut churn by 23% in two quarters'.
• Don't skip the Future bridge. This is the most common reason candidates sound directionless.
• Don't ramble. If you're past 90 seconds, you're losing the room, even with great content.

Hope this helps, Good Luck! 🤞

What are you struggling with most in your job search right now?

Hey everyone:

I wanted to get the opinion of people who are working and have experience, because honestly I keep going back and changing my mind on this.

I work in accounting, and recently a recruiter reached out to me about a senior director role at a large, well-known company with a good reputation.

The base salary would be about 95k higher, and with quarterly bonuses the total increase would come to around 120k. I'm currently making 90k, with smaller bonuses from time to time.

I'm 41 years old and have a family of five. I'm heavily involved in my kids' activities and weekend sports, so that's the part that's making me hesitate. On paper, this is an excellent opportunity, and honestly my current company won't be able to come close to that number in the near future.

The commute would be about 70 minutes each way by train. In theory I could drive, but the train seems like the less stressful option, and I might be able to get through some emails or reading on the way there and back.

I'd really appreciate hearing how others might think about this, especially anyone who has made a similar move before.

Thanks in advance!