Dear Experts, I got asked to go to a baseball game next Tuesday after the long weekend. I totally forgot to ask for the day off. I was going to just call in sick, HOWEVER, my friend just told me she heard about someone who was seen on TV at a game after he called in sick and got fired. Now I'm worried. What should I do? I paid for the ticket and it wasn't cheap - so I really want to go. But, I can't risk losing my job either. How can I fix this? Our Twitter Advice Project (T.A.P.) is no longer an active campaign. To find an answer to the above question, please use the "Search" box in the right-hand column of this website.

Are you terrified of screwing up a job interview? Does the thought of writing a cover letter horrify you? Are you scared to network with others? What do you even say, anyway? If you're struggling to overcome your job search fears, this live event is for you.
We get it. Looking for work can be scary, especially if you’ve been at it for a long time and haven’t gotten any results.
Understanding which fears are getting in the way and how to overcome them will make all the difference. Sometimes you might not be aware of which obstacle is getting in the way of your goals. If you want to overcome these fears once and for all, we invite you to join us!
In this training, you’ll learn how to:
- Utilize strategies for coping with your job search fears
- Be confident in your job search—from writing your resume to networking
- Face your fears and move forward
Join our CEO, J.T. O'Donnell, and Director of Training Development & Coaching, Christina Burgio, for this live event on Wednesday, October 5th at 12 pm ET.
CAN'T ATTEND LIVE? That's okay. You'll have access to the recording and the workbook after the session!
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It's taking longer to get hired, folks. This is according to an article on LinkedIn showing that the U.S. Department of Labor has reported that over 800,000 unemployed workers went from taking three and a half months to find a job to over six months. That's up 36% since April of 2022.
So, why is it taking longer to get hired?
Why It's Taking Longer To Get Hired
@j.t.odonnell It's Taking Longer To Get Hired, Here's Why... #hired#careertok#jobtok#careeradvice#jobsearch#linkedin#jobtips#joblife#job#career♬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell
Reason #1
The first reason why it's taking longer to get hired is the talent market is flooded. In the second half of 2022, in the tech sector, more people got laid off than during the entirety of the Great Recession of 2008. And the layoffs keep coming. Google just announced more layoffs. So, due to all of these layoffs, there's a lot of top talent flooding the market right now—professionals who have desirable, in-demand skill sets and experience.
Reason #2
If you are unemployed for a while, either voluntarily or involuntarily (you quit or got fired), it's going to be harder for you to get a job now because companies are going to question why you've been out of work so long. This is definitely a factor in why it's taking longer for you to get hired. Is it right or fair? No, but it's the reality. There's a stigma surrounding it. Companies are going to hire the people that are employed or just recently let go in a public layoff first before they look at the candidates who've been unemployed for a month or two.
So, what can you do to speed up your job search?
Here are some simple tips to follow:
- Customize your resume for each position you apply for
- Write a disruptive cover letter
- Identify your "dream companies" and add them to your interview bucket list
- Build and utilize your professional network
- Prepare for job interviews by conducting mock interviews with friends
Need more help with your job search?
I'd love it if you signed up for Work It Daily's Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all of your career questions in our next live event!
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Look, I'm just going to say it. Not everybody should work for themselves. Right now, there's this huge craze about working independently, being self-employed, being your own boss. So much of this came out of the pandemic because people realized they wanted to have control over their careers and not be at the mercy of their employers' needs. But if you're looking to take control of your career, becoming self-employed is not always the best solution.
Still, there are many benefits to being self-employed. Let's take a look at those benefits before I dive into how you can take control of your career without having to quit your job and take on self-employment.
Benefits Of Being Self-Employed
Self-employment isn't for everyone, but if it's right for you, you'll likely reap these benefits:
- Independence - No boss, no problem! As a freelancer or independent contractor, you won't have to answer to anybody but yourself and your customers.
- Control - Being self-employed is a great way to regain control of your career. You get to control your pay rates/salary, the jobs/projects you work on, and when you sit down at the computer and get the work done.
- Flexibility - Life is unpredictable. If work-life balance and flexibility are important to you, you'll likely enjoy one of the best benefits of being self-employed: having the ability to structure your workday how you want to.
- Satisfaction - When you're a freelancer or independent contractor, you can pick and choose which jobs you take, eliminating the work you don't find inspiring or meaningful so you can focus on the work that does inspire you and align with your passions.
- Freedom - You're free from the "golden handcuffs" that have held you hostage in your career up to this point.
As you can see, there are many benefits of being self-employed. Self-employment has a lot to offer professionals who are self-disciplined, responsible, good at time management, and self-motivated. If this sounds like you, and you're willing to give up traditional employment for the chance to be more in control of your career, why not give self-employment a try?
The decision to embark on self-employment is not always that easy...
Working For Yourself Gives You More Control (But Is That Right For You?)
@j.t.odonnell Not everyone should work for themselves... #workplacerenegade#learnontiktok#careeradvice#joblife#jobsearch#careeradvice#careertiktok#careers#jobs @j.t.odonnell ♬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell
Twenty years ago, it was all about getting a corporate job. You didn't hear a lot about entrepreneurship back then, but nowadays everyone is talking about it. It almost feels like if you aren't self-employed or own your own business, or if you don't at least have the desire to do those things, there's something wrong with you.
Not true.
A lot of people were not built for self-employment. But they also don't want to go back to the traditional work environment where the employer is at the top and they're at the bottom wearing golden handcuffs and feeling like they have no control over their career or future. And I get that. I think that's why 40 million people quit their jobs in 2021—because they're frustrated. But not all of those 40 million people should be their own boss.
So, what do you do?
You Can Take Control Of Your Career Without Becoming Self-Employed
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Well, for the last 20 years, I have been teaching people how to become "Workplace Renegades." A Workplace Renegade is an anti-employer. They're about empowering themselves so that they can build a decent relationship with their employer. They want to work with the employer, not for them. They want trust and respect. They want to attract the opportunities that are best for them. And it still means working a full-time job with benefits—that structure that a lot of people need. In return, you're giving the employer what they need.
But you need to understand one thing...
There are seven rules to becoming a Workplace Renegade that will enable you to get a full-time job that gives you the trust and respect you want and deserve so that you don't have to become self-employed to have control over your career.
How To Become A Workplace Renegade & Take Control Of Your Career
If you would like to learn what those seven rules are, check out my new book Awakening Your Inner Workplace Renegade: 7 New Rules for Transforming Your Career & Finding Your Professional Purpose.
In this book, you’ll learn:
- The seven new rules for career success
- Why the old rules for career success are outdated
- How to awaken your inner Workplace Renegade so you can finally find the career success you want and deserve
Buy the book and start awakening your inner Workplace Renegade today!
I promise you the seven new rules will change your mindset completely so that you can get those jobs that you want and deserve and finally take control of your career—without having to become self-employed.
P.S. If you're serious about taking control of your career, I'd love it if you signed up for Work It Daily's Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all of your career questions in our next live event!
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