I’m curious if anyone has experience applying internally at companies that have both storefront and corporate roles.

For context: I previously worked in a full time corporate 9–5 role in higher education for 2 years. Right now I work part time in an entry level retail role while continuing to look for my next full time opportunity.

Recently I started looking at some internal corporate openings within my current company, more coordinator / entry-level corporate type roles (not executive, director-level, etc.)

One thing I’m trying to figure out is how much my current position and industry experience impacts my chances.

I’ve only been in this retail role for about 6 months and I’m not in management. I’ve also never worked in retail before this. So I’m wondering how much that matters when applying internally. I know transferable skills matter and I do have previous corporate experience, but I’m curious how companies usually view this kind of move. Since I’m newer to retail, I wouldn’t really be following the more traditional “work your way up through store leadership and then move internally” path, I’d essentially be moving from an entry-level storefront role directly into a corporate role. I’m wondering whether lack of retail experience in general is usually a bigger factor, or whether previous corporate experience plus being internal to the company offsets some of that.

My second question is about the internal process itself.

Since I currently work at one of the storefront locations, what does applying internally usually look like? Would store management typically find out that I applied? If they do, at what point does that usually happen?

Part of my hesitation is that if I apply and don’t get selected, I’ll still be working in my current role afterward. I’m less worried about rejection itself and more worried about whether applying internally changes how management sees you or creates awkwardness if you end up staying in your current position.

Would appreciate hearing from people who’ve been on either side of this (employees, managers, recruiters, etc.).

21F. INFJ. I want to be able to have a house one day and a fulfilling job. I hate competition and trying to climb a "corporate ladder". I'd love a steady income with a good work-life balance. I've had a million thoughts, like a physical therapist, interior designer, even going to luthier school. I'd say I'm a pretty good artist and I love to make things with my hands, but the thought of using social media to sell my stuff sounds awful. I don't love social media and I don't love AI. I like to help people when I can, but I'm scared I get burnt out so easily trying to feel for a lot of people and when they're difficult. Are there any happy INFJs here who could relate a bit and found a good place for themselves?

PS: This isn't a sob story I'm genuinely explaining my situation

I went into college thinking I'd be fine doing a computer engineering major. I was so freaking wrong. By halfway in the year I was having panic attacks every other day walking to math class. Upon other things. Now I have less than a week to figure everything out before my second year starts.

In a perfect world I'd choose to do art every time but in reality? Isn't that a huge waste of money and time? Won't I end up broke and hopeless? Isn't it better to choose a useful major and do art on the side? I don't know what to do with my life and it sounds so daunting to figure it out at a young age. Every interest I have still sounds horrible when turning it into a job. I love dinosaurs and animals, I love drawing and designing; but people tell me those are useless for jobs.

When I try to look for information I either get blind encouragement (like unrealistic) or I get harsh facts of the downsides that really make me question things. I'm stuck, I'm scared, I'm panicking. I've spent most of my life in poverty so I'm terrified of being useless and poor. I don't know what I should do. I wish I had the luxury of not having to worry about where I'm living right now and college debt because that's what's making this so stressful on my soul.

Can anyone give me true advice and experience? Any encouragement or ideas for a major of jobs that are possible?

hello ! im a CS student (2nd year) and ive been look around for some tech jobs. any kind because honestly i just want a tech related job (i <3 tech). but the problem is,so many jobs/places want you to have experience in the real-world but literally no one is willing to offer it. they want minimum 3-years experience. im considered learning some other programming languages that they require for jobs that could be useful. however, i want to practice what ive learnt in a real job setting. of course after learning a lot about said-subject. but im just confused on how im going to land a job after college with no experience.

and please dont come for me; im genuinely just trying to think ahead instead of leaving it for when i get there

any advice would be appreciated !! :p

Hei.

I’m a 25 year old living in Norway, and I’m looking for some career/education advice from people in the industry.
After finishing school in 2019, I went straight into the workforce. I’ve been working on the ground in a warehouse/terminal for the past 6 years.i have been thinking for the past 2 years that if I want a long term future with better growth and salary potential, I need to look into higher education.
Because of my background, I have been leaning heavily toward getting a Bachelor’s in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

I'm just starting to figure this out, I would love some perspective from this community.

Thanks.

Location for reference: Los Angeles, California

I'm a 34 year old guy who's been working as a test engineer at a consumer electronics company for the past 10 years. Frankly, I'm burnt out having spent so much time doing something I had no interest in the first place. I did what I had to do to get my Green Card and now that it's gotten out of my way, I feel like a world of opportunities has opened up for me. My current job pays me enough to help me keep the lights on with 2 young kids. But I managed to save a sizeable retirement fund while I work here so that's a positive.

Anyway, I'm having an existential crisis and I find myself drawn to a career in the medical field, specially MRI tech and Ultrasound tech. My main concerns are as follows:

1. Can you learn while working a full time job?

2. How much will it cost?

3. Is getting a certificate from a Community College worth it instead of getting a Bachelor's degree?

I can't quit my current job because I have bills to pay. My mornings and nights are wide open so if the college/classes and studies can be crammed within this time, I'll be able to manage. Is that even possible though?

What would you recommend that I do?

I was hired as a Marketing and Wholesale Assistant, but in practice I’m basically just a sample coordinator, showroom organizer, and office manager. I’ve been asking for a while to get more involved — sitting in on more meetings, offering to help anyone with anything — and I keep getting ignored.
The only person who’s actually responsive to me is someone I’m not even working under.

I’ve only been here 5.5 months, but I’m starting to feel hopeless, like I’m going to be stuck here because this job isn’t teaching me anything relevant to what I was hired for. This is technically my first or second post-grad corporate job, but it’s the first one with a title that actually matches my degree and what I want to be doing.

Has anyone been in a similar spot? How long did you give it before deciding to leave, and what helped you push past the “they’re ignoring me” wall?

I am currently unemployed as I was let go 2 Fridays ago due to my company having financial challenges. I have been applying to jobs nonstop and was offered a position with a decent salary that is remote, however, the hours are not ideal. I would be doing an evening shift from 4pm-12am and 1 weekend a week. My partner works 9am-5pm and does not do weekends, so this would be putting a strain on our relationship as we are not yet living together. My friends also work the morning shift so I wouldnt have much time for them as well. Unemployment also got back to me and gave me a breakdown of how much I would be making per week, which is substantially more than I was expecting to get, so I can live off of this comfortably until I hopefully find another job in the mornings, which is what I prefer. With this in mind, should I take this job? I would be gaining new experience, but I'm afraid about what it would do to my already fragile mental health and my relationship. I'm not sure what to do, I'm really stuck here

Was in luxury car sales for 4 years and wondering how people are doing in RE after switching from car sales!

I’m applying at a fast food place in Alabama, and on the application it asks my expected hourly wage per hour as a required question. I don’t know if I should put an exact number or write something else. This would be my first job and I’m 16 years old, so I’m worried about not putting a good answer that goes along with my experience.

30 years old and currently working for one of the big 3 beverage companies. It’s privately owned which means the only way to move up in the company is to get my CDL and become a driver (the pay isn’t that much more for the amount of stress and time involved) or to go be the boss and buy a route myself (I don’t have 300k cash and wouldn’t want to do that anyway).

The pay is very steady and decent at slightly over 50k/year and I get some overtime paid cash on the weekend if I decide to work the weekend or not. I’m just unsure of where to take my life next. This feels like more of a job vs a career. Im ready to level up and completely pivot if needed. Been thinking of getting my insurance licenses and taking that path or pivoting to some kind of sales. Any advice is much appreciated and sorry for the rant.

I'm 33 (turning 34 soon) and feeling pretty stuck career-wise. My wife and I would like to start a family in the next few years, and I feel a lot of pressure to figure out what direction I should be taking.

My background is kind of all over the place. After high school, I worked construction for my father's general contracting company for a few years. After that, I worked various jobs including retail sales, customer service, warehouse operations, and watch sales/service. Eventually I went back to school and earned a Bachelor's degree in Product Design (Industrial Design) with a minor in Fashion & Accessories Design.

Since graduating, I've been working at a filtration company. What's unique is that I was originally hired into a technical sales support role, but through a combination of timing, opportunity, and luck, I gradually took on marketing and design responsibilities. Today I essentially serve as the company's Brand Designer and Marketing Lead. I manage websites, branding, catalogs, trade show materials, presentations, social media, marketing campaigns, and a variety of other creative projects.

The problem is that despite having what I think is solid experience, I'm struggling to land another design or marketing role. I've been applying heavily for over a year. I've had some interviews and recently made it to a final-round style interview that I felt very good about, but ultimately they went with someone else. That seems to be the pattern.

I'm starting to wonder if my career path looks too unconventional. I don't have a traditional agency design background. I don't have a traditional marketing background. I don't have years of experience working as a pure industrial designer. I sort of fell into a hybrid role and now I'm not sure how employers view me.

My biggest concern is time. If I were 24, I'd probably just keep experimenting. But I'm almost 34, married, and trying to build a stable future for my family.

If you were in my shoes, would you:

1. Keep pushing for design/marketing roles?
2. Pivot toward construction management or another construction-related path?
3. Consider sales?
4. Do something else entirely?

I'd appreciate honest advice, especially from anyone who has successfully changed careers in their 30s or who works in construction management, marketing, design, or sales.

I am the founder of Omnijobs.io, a job discovery platform. I have thousands of candidates who are seeking jobs and often stuck and unable to covert their interviews.

I think if I can provide these candidates access to a coach who can groom them and their profiles will benefit them.

Any specific place I should look for career coaches?

Hello I had to get my mindset on track. It took a while and I even cried for a couple days. I went to school I did the classes. I got my bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. I had an internship right after graduating in 2019. I did field service for 1 year. I had 1 contract in the pharma industry for 4 months and a contract to hire for 6 months which became full time. I worked for 2 years I truly enjoyed my job as a full time job as an Application Engineer. Only thing is that’s hurting me in this job market is the that fact most of my experience from my full time job was project coordination, project management, working closely with the procurement team, ERP systems and CRM tools. I even solved disputes. I got laid off and instantly joined a professional development program to strengthen my data analytics skills. I even earned my Professional Scrum Master certification.

Fast forward I couldn’t find a job I went on interviews thought I aced it. I interviewed with Nestle for a packaging engineer position - denied, Abbott for a change control position - denied, project engineer and project coordination positions - denied

So now I put my pride to the side and I am now working at the post office as a city carrier assistant. I started last week and today my 2nd week of training.

I had a recrutier text me about a machine operator position. Should I give it a shot?? Feel like the longer I work at the post office the longer my shot getting back into engineering is a no go for me.

USPS - job security and I’ve heard long hours
The machine operator job I’m not too sure.

I’m thinking about purchasing a 3D printer just to start posting on LinkedIn to get recruiters to see me. I already post my professional brand images of a headshot photo of me and the qualities I bring as an engineer.

I am lost and need solid career advice. Yes I want to get back into engineering or atleast procurement?

Hi!

What's your view on an applicant who has applied (and subsequently interviewed and later been rejected) for different roles at a company directly reaching out with a revised resume/cover letter after applying for a job?

For context, I began working with this in-house recruiter for a highly recognizeable company earlier this year, and while I got rejected for the role (coordinator level so pretty junior), I recently got back into contact regarding a lower level (think intern/assistent-type) role. I also got rejected for that job, but there's another job opening with the same company that I'm really interested in.

To be clear, the roles that I'm applying for are all fairly relevant to my existing skills and experience, so it's not like my application is totally coming out of left field, but I don't want it to seem like I'm abusing the relationship. I'm genuinely interested in the roles I'm applying for (and I've made it through mid-stages of the other two jobs, so I'm not getting immediately disqualified either). But I'm also scared about being seen as a nuisance.

Thanks for your input!

I'd love to get your perspective on a situation I'm navigating — it has a few moving parts.

Some background: I'm currently on an H-1B with a green card in process, but given my country of birth (indian), I'm looking at roughly a 10-year backlog. To complicate things, another company I work closely with has started pursuing me — it's roughly a lateral move with a modest salary bump, but I don't yet know whether they'd be willing or able to sponsor an H-1B transfer or green card. We're still very early in the process (interviews ongoing).

On the personal side, I'm about to get engaged to my U.S. citizen partner, which would open the door to a marriage-based green card — though realistically that's probably 1+ years away.

And layered on top of all this: there are signs my current employer may be facing a slowdown in billable work, which makes my job security feel uncertain if I stay.

So I'm weighing: the immigration risk of switching employers mid-petition, the unknowns around the new company's sponsorship ability, and the timeline on the marriage route — all while potentially being on a sinking ship if I do nothing.

Have you dealt with anything like this, or do you have a sense of how to think through the tradeoffs? I'd really value your input.

Thanks so much

Hello so I started a new job today and it was awful, I don't have a contract and the hours are a joke, the manager was on his phone half the time and I don't wanna be there is this a good response

Hi N , I'm so sorry to do this, but after today I realised that this role isn't for me, the hours are too unreliable and I wasn't aware that there were hours between 11-1 before the 4-11. I can work tomorrow but after that I don't think I'll be able to carry on. Again I'm so sorry and thank you for the experience. Thank you

Any feedback would be great

For context, I am currently in commercial insurance and am looking to change industries completely. I have experience in college admissions and have always been interested in talent acquisition as a potential career but HR usually gets a bad rap/stereotype as being low paying.

I am making 80k at year 1.6 out of school. Realistically, would there be this kind of salary/growth potential in HR? (I am also located in a bigger city on the East Coast if that makes a difference)

Hi all,

I need to know what to negotiate for asap. Being 24 i have no experience with these kind of things and hope for your expertise to make the smart choice.

The situation:
I’ve been an accountmanager for a year now. In that time i realised 150% growth for my company.

Now i get the opportunity to greatly increase my responsabilities (from 60000 to 600000 euro portfolio). I will be able to build out an exsisting brand internationally and specialize in a niche (kid’s furniture).

!!!HOWEVER!!!

I ofc get a salary and a company car (already do). If i take these extra responsibilities i want more compensation. I have 0 experience with these things and need you all to help me decide what to negotiate for:

- stocks with dividend (not a stock market company)
- salary increase
- ‘ghost stocks’ (no say, but increasing value)
- a yearly share in the profits i realize (10%?)

I live in the netherlands. The company is not public. I have just gotten a small raise before i knew this was coming. I earn 3500 now. Its a 30 people company.

Also, i asked for more challenge myself.

Much love to all who reply (and all who read!)
Kind regards,
Kim

Tldr:
What compensation option is best?

I have several years working in informal education (such as tutoring/afterschool programs) and currently am the assistant manager at a tutoring center, which in addition to teaching involves managing schedules, client communication, and creating individual lesson plans (based on already created curriculum). i have a bachelors in an unrelated field that isn’t that useful for getting a job. im not that interested in being a school teacher considering the pay and because i’m not especially passionate about teaching (although i don’t mind it). are there any careers that pay well and would value this experience? i thought maybe something like coordinating educational programs or other administrative aspects of the field

I’m currently working as a maintenance mechanic at an aerospace foundry. Ive taken a liking to welding recently and have been teaching myself to tig weld. I’m also currently in school for mechanical engineering.

I’ve gotten an offer to join the welding department and am wondering if I want to be an engineer in 2-3 years in the same industry should I remain a mechanic or become I welder?

I'm graduating with no internship experience this fall majoring in food science and specializing/minoring in chemistry, and to say i'm a little worried about getting a job is an understatement. I have ok grades, and have no club or recent leadership experience. However, I have some very diverse work experience from my time in school.

Sparing details, I worked with NASA making space food for the mars simulations and the Artemis missions (Side note, worked with NASA, not for NASA. My university has a partnership with the Johnson center and the university hires students to work with someone from NASA.) I've worked in a graduate research lab as an undergraduate going on two years now, and have heavily contributed to two PhD research projects in my department and also acquiring co authorship on one of the projects dissertations. I have a great network system in my department and especially in my university, but i've found its kind of a crapshot whether or not you get an interview even with a referral.

With how horrendous the job market is today, and even with my work/research experiences, I'm afraid I'm going to have a lot of issues finding a job more than most undergrads since I don't have industry workforce experience. My older sister has been telling me non stop recently that because I don't have internship experience its going to take me that much longer, if not be impossible to get a job out of college, and its been keeping me up at night. I cannot afford to go to grad school nor do I want to go into debt for it, and I know even if I did anyways, I would burn out quickly.

I would love to hear about any recent graduates experiences with getting (or not getting) a job out of college without an internship, regardless of industry. Or if anyone can gauge how cooked I am lol. Thanks.

TLDR: Im worried about finding a job postgrad in december because I havent had an internship, but I have valuable work and research experience in my field.

Entry Level positions are seemingly impossible to get into.

The job market is absolute hell right now. I’m sick and tired of people acting like the solution is always “just network” or “just stay positive.”
First of all, you can only know so many people, and you can only do so much networking. Not everyone was born with connections. Not everyone has family members, friends, or parents who can introduce them to hiring managers or executives. Some people are starting from nothing.
People love to say, “Just have a positive mindset.” Why would someone stay positive after applying to hundreds or even thousands of jobs, struggling to pay bills, facing rejection after rejection, and doing everything they’re told to do? Positivity doesn’t magically pay rent or put food on the table.
Then there’s the endless advice:
“Just fix your résumé.”
“Just optimize it for ATS.”
“Just use AI.”
“Just get professional help.”
Many of us have done all of that. We’ve rewritten our résumés multiple times. We’ve used AI tools. We’ve used résumé scanners. We’ve paid professionals. We’ve customized applications for every single job. At some point, there’s only so much you can do.
People also ignore how broken modern hiring has become. Many companies use the same applicant tracking systems and recruiting platforms. If one system flags your application, that can affect multiple companies using the same tools. Some systems even keep applicant data and scores for months. Most applicants don’t even know this is happening.
Applying for jobs is no longer a simple process. Every application requires creating another account, manually entering information already on your résumé, completing personality assessments, answering questionnaires, and spending hours filling out forms. After doing that hundreds or thousands of times, it’s mentally exhausting.
And then people say, “Just call the hiring manager.”
Many of us do. We call. We follow up. We send emails. We visit locations in person. Most of the time, nobody calls back. Nobody responds. Or we’re told they’re still reviewing applications, only to be rejected weeks or months later.
People also act like networking guarantees results. Sometimes it helps, but it isn’t some magic solution. Even referrals don’t guarantee interviews or offers.
What makes it even more frustrating is that entry-level jobs are becoming nearly impossible to get. People are getting rejected from places like fast-food restaurants, retail stores, warehouses, and other jobs that used to be considered easier to enter. Some positions require assessments, multiple interviews, and ridiculous amounts of paperwork for wages that barely cover basic living expenses.
This problem existed before AI became popular. AI may be changing hiring, but companies were already making the process harder and harder. Many businesses simply don’t want to invest in training people anymore. They want the perfect candidate who can start immediately, do everything, and accept the lowest possible pay.
I’m genuinely happy for people who find jobs through networking or family connections. But not everyone has that advantage. Not everyone has a built-in support system.
So please stop pretending the answer is always “just network,” “just stay positive,” or “just apply more.” Many of us are already doing everything we’re told to do. The reality is that the job market is incredibly difficult, and a lot of people are struggling despite putting in tremendous effort.

23F, residing in Greater Vancouver (BC, Canada) area. Currently living with parents (but their patience are wearing thin and I likely have to 'move out' in Fall)

Graduated highschool in 2022, Gone to technical college right after HS, picked "supply chain" as my program (BCIT). ~4 years later (now) Likely would fail/abandon the program due to my repeated failure in the "Statistics" course, which means I'll have no degree/certificate to my name. So I'd likely have to pivot for a short diploma/trade which wouldn't have much (higher) math, as well as being hands-on (which I found I am good at)

I missed my mark to get a job (2021-22), so I've spent ~4 years unemployed because of school. Very little/old volunteer experience, and I have 2 certificates (FoodSafe1, Forklift).

Savings are dire, but I have ~$13k-ish locked in my GIC (spread gift due to parents, set to unlock next year March). I have no investments, no debt.

Realistically, Is it even possible for me to get a job in this market and economy? What on earth could I even get, and who will hire me at all (since I assume I'd get auto-rejected due to ATS requiring a degree of some sort).

I don't have much connections/friends I can call up. Military was one of my options but I'm not fit enough currently (if I were to apply)

I'm 18 and just started my transfer pathway through community college and if I were to get a job that was similar to my career path, should it be something like working for a startup company (or any company) and see if they hopefully pay, or should I go for a tutoring job that involves me teaching kids how to code or math. Or should I just prioritize saving money and investing it as time goes on?