I reached out to Empower Work because I’d hit a breaking point. I’d been dealing with a bunch of issues in my workplace for over a year including a demeaning, bullying manager. I took every action I could think of to try to change things for the better, but nothing helped.

Pregnant and unsure how that would impact my job search, I decided to stick it out. But when I returned from unpaid leave, it was worse.

You got your first tech job at a hot start up, or scored that internship at a big tech company. Congrats!! You’re probably feeling excited, proud, and maybe a little bit nervous, anxious, or scared. That’s totally normal.

Starting a career in a new industry can be hard, especially the tech industry where the rules seem to be different from other conventional companies and careers. These experiences can be even more isolating if you feel like you don’t look, feel, or think like everyone else.

Take this quiz from Empower Work to find out if your job aligns with your values, and how to connect with a trained peer counselor to handle any work issues that might arise.

At Empower Work, we’re focused on creating more positive, supportive pathways at work.

One of my favorite podcasts, NPR Politics, has a segment called “Can’t let it go” where they discuss a story they can’t stop thinking about. For me this week, it’s the new Pixar short that’s been making the rounds, directed by Kristen Lester and produced by Gillian Libbert-Duncan. It depicts Purl, a vivacious ball of yarn, trying to fit in at a toxic, male-dominated office, aptly named B.R.O. Capital.

Olivia Bland went through a mentally and emotionally exhausting, not to mention likely manipulative and abusive, interview where the CEO “tore [her] and [her] writing to shreds” and caused her to “cry at the bus stop,” only to receive notification the next day that she actually got the job.

Almost everyone has had bad interview. Sometimes it could be regret about the way you answered a particular question, or perhaps you felt a little unprepared or nervous. Other times it could feel like something deeper was off, signaling a misalignment in values, expectations, or something else.

Here are some strategies on what to do if you’ve had a bad interview.