Ethan Cole


Career development 19h
I’m finishing college and going to lots of job interviews right now. I want to find a place where I’ll actually enjoy working. But my parents are trying to get me a job through their friends. I don’t want that, because I’ll feel like I owe them and their friends too. I want to achieve things on my own. Some people say I’m just being young and should accept the help. But I don’t feel comfortable... with that.
What would you do in my situation? Thanks

 more
1   

  • Maryam Adekunle

    1h

    I was in this situation few months ago, I didn't want help from some certain people for some reasons. I later had to succumb and submit all they asked... me to, kept on pushing for jobs and horning to ace interviews, eventually, I got the opportunity I needed myself.
    My advise will be to do the same, run on both sides since it costs nothing, whichever one comes and that aligns, then you take. You might not even have to stay on the job forever, greater opportunities lies ahead.      more

  • Keisha Perry

    4h

    Take the job get some experience and then you can leave and go elsewhere. It’s hard to find a job without having actually worked a job. If someone... is helping you then it’s ok accept the help. It might be a bit stressful at first but get your bearings, learn as much as you can and be a good employee so that when you do leave no one can say you didn’t serve well.  more

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Career development

 2d

I've applied to 1,000 jobs since earning my master's and am still unemployed. I'm frustrated because I thought I did everything right.


I'm frustrated because I thought I did everything right, but I'm now focusing on freelancing.

For most of my life, I believed in a very specific formula: work hard in school, build a strong résumé, study abroad, learn languages, get a master's degree, and be globally aware.

I studied journalism and media, and I leaned into storytelling early on. I spent time abroad multiple times in Rome,... Florence, Kuwait, and Scotland. I learned how to navigate new cultures, new systems, and new expectations. I became fluent in spaces that were not designed for a first-generation student like me.

After graduating, I went on to earn my master's degree in international affairs as part of the inaugural cohort at John Cabot University in Rome (again). I focused on global justice, human rights, and representation. I contributed to research on the gig economy, attended UN conferences both in Italy and Azerbaijan, and built what I thought was a strong, competitive profile.

I completed my MA degree early, believing I had done everything right. But I still can't find a job.

Since graduating, I've applied to over 1,000 jobs.

That includes roles in Rome with UN agencies, NGOs, and humanitarian organizations. It also includes jobs across the US -- in-person, hybrid, and remote roles. I applied to communications positions, research roles, media jobs, and anything that aligned with my background in storytelling and global affairs.

I tailored résumés. I wrote cover letters that took hours. I researched organizations, memorized their missions, reached out to every connection, and prepared for interviews like they were exams.

Out of all those applications, I've gotten 15 interviews. Only two of those moved me to a second round. Less than five of the roles I interviewed for were actually filled.

For the rest, I watched the same job postings reappear weeks or months later. Were those even real positions?

It started to feel like I wasn't competing for jobs. I was competing for the possibility of a job.

Rejection is one thing. Uncertainty is another.

When you don't get a job, you can usually point to something. Maybe someone had more experience. Maybe you didn't interview well. Maybe the role just wasn't the right fit.

But what do you do when there's no outcome at all? When positions stay open indefinitely. When companies repost roles without hiring. When you make it through multiple steps and still hear nothing back.

It creates this constant loop in your mind. You start questioning everything: your degree, your experience, and the choices you made.

I did everything I was told would make me employable. Yet, I've never felt more unsure about where I stand.

At some point, I had to shift my focus from waiting to building.

During undergrad, I spent four years working in publicity and creative marketing. That became the one thing I could return to when the job market kept shutting me out.

Now, I freelance as a creative director and marketing professional. I design campaigns, create visual content, and work with clients to build cohesive brand identities. I've worked on everything from social media strategy to email marketing to photoshoots to editorial visuals.

It's not stable or the full-time role I desire for myself. But it's something I built myself.

Freelancing has taught me how to trust my skills in a different way. It's shown me that I don't need permission to create meaningful work.

Still, there's a difference between surviving and feeling secure. I'm still trying to figure out how to bridge that gap.

For a long time, I was chasing stability as it was defined for me: a full time job, steady paycheck, and clear title. But not having that has pushed me to ask a different question. What kind of work do I actually want to be doing?

The answer keeps bringing me back to storytelling.

I want to be a creative director who focuses on telling BIPOC stories with care and accuracy. I want to create media that doesn't flatten people into stereotypes or reduce cultures into trends. I want to build projects that feel honest, layered, and intentional.

That's the work I've been drawn to for years. It's also the work I kept putting off because I thought I needed something more "stable" first.

Now, I'm starting to see that maybe the path I was following was never designed to lead me there.

I don't have a clean ending to this story.

I'm still applying for jobs while freelancing, and trying to make sense of a system that feels unpredictable and, at times, impossible to navigate.

But I also know this: the effort I've put in hasn't been wasted. It just didn't lead me where I expected. Maybe that means I have to build something different instead. more
4   

  • Tara Neavins

    12h

    Perseverance pays off. Keep at it. Horrible job market right now. Way to be creative and to believe in yourself. If not tried already, you might... consider applying to the Foreign Service. more

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

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Maria Peres


Career development 3d
I work as a waitress in a small restaurant. When another waitress job opened, I suggested hiring my 19-year-old daughter. She needs a part-time job while studying. But the manager said no. He thinks we might be dishonest and cheat him. I don’t understand how we could do that or why it’s a problem when my daughter works with me. Can you explain?

  • Sheila Milburn

    17h

    Its understandable. Even without theft or collusion.
    If you need leave due to a family emergency chances are she'll need off also. If one of you... gets fired. Will the other quit. If one gets the flu does the other get it. There are too many chances of double absences. Family vacations, events, etc could lead to staffing problems.  more

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

Load more...

Career development

 18h

Musk's Resume Purge: Three Bullets to Land a Tesla Chip Job


Elon Musk just upended the job application game. No résumés. No cover letters. Just three bullet points proving you've cracked tough technical nuts. That's the ticket for his latest Tesla push: restarting the Dojo3 AI supercomputer project with a fresh chip design team. In a direct X post, Musk laid it out plain: send those bullets to his personal email if you want in. Fortune broke the story... first, noting how this fits Musk's long disdain for paper credentials.

Crafting a polished résumé takes hours. Interviewers grill you on those bullet-point feats anyway. Why bother? Musk's call echoes that logic. He's done it before -- at X, he demanded five accomplishment bullets from staff during his efficiency purge. Fail to reply? Resignation accepted. Now, for Dojo3's AI5 chips, it's three targeted zingers on your hardest solves. Tesla needs brains to power its autonomous driving empire. Dojo crunches the video data feeding Full Self-Driving. Some gigs there pay up to $318,000. Boom. High stakes.

But this isn't new for Musk. Resumes fool him -- or used to. He calls it the 'pixie dust' trap: spotting Apple or Google on a CV and assuming instant brilliance. 'I've fallen prey,' he admits. In a podcast with Stripe's John Collison and Dwarkesh Patel, Musk laid bare his rule: 'Generally, what I tell people -- I tell myself, aspirationally -- is, don't look at the résumé. Just believe your interaction. The résumé may seem very impressive...but if the conversation after 20 minutes is not 'Wow,' you should believe the conversation, not the paper.' Entrepreneur captured the exchange, highlighting Musk's pivot to 'evidence of exceptional ability.' One wild achievement? Better than none. Three? Hire signal.

Trustworthiness counts too. Drive. Goodness of heart. Musk once shortchanged that last one. No more. 'Talent and drive and trustworthiness. I think goodness of heart is important. I've underweighted that at one point,' he said in a clip shared widely on X by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley. Domain smarts? Trainable. Core traits? Baked in. That's the Musk filter fueling SpaceX rockets and Tesla bots.

Industry pros nod along. 'AI is killing the résumé,' says Dr. John Sullivan, hiring guru once dubbed Fast Company's 'Michael Jordan of recruiting.' AI spits out flawless CVs, dodging spell-check traps and ATS bots. Recruiters drown in perfection. No edge. 'There's just no correlation between a great résumé and being good on the job,' Sullivan told Fortune. Stars skip updates -- they're too busy crushing real work.

Skills-first hiring surges. Nearly 70% of employers now probe abilities over sheepskins, per NACE data cited in IntelliSource's 2026 trends report. TestGorilla's 2023 survey -- still benchmark -- showed 73% of firms testing skills, up from 56%. By 2026, it's mainstream. IBM drops degree mandates for cyber roles. Google eyes portfolios, coding chops. Tech giants chase AI talent amid a crunch; entry-level postings tank 73%, per Ravio. Musk leads. His teams demand proof, not promises.

Critics point fingers. Tesla postings still list degrees for autopilot engineers -- MS or PhD preferred. SpaceX? Aerospace bachelor's often required. One X user called it out: philosophy for show, filters for real. Fair. Musk preaches first principles. But federal export laws lock SpaceX to U.S. citizens. No global free-for-all. Still, his method snags outliers. Misfits who build rockets from scratch.

And it works. Tesla scales AI fleets. SpaceX lands boosters. xAI builds Grok. Resumes? Mere noise. Conversations reveal the spark. Bullets prove the fire. In a world of AI-cloned applications, Musk cuts through. Three lines. Your shot. more

Career development

 18h

Sunday Trials: How Crosby's CEO Turned the Weekend into a Hiring Edge Amid AI Résumé Chaos


Ryan Daniels expected pushback. Candidates bristling at the idea of showing up on Sunday for a job audition. Instead, relief. Many job seekers at his startup Crosby welcomed the chance to skip burning vacation days on interviews.

Crosby, a hybrid startup-law firm delivering basic legal services to other startups, faces the same headaches as everyone else. AI tools now pump out polished résumés... and even mock interview answers. Standard chats no longer cut it. Employers demand proof. Enter work trials -- real tasks that reveal if someone can actually deliver.

Daniels, Crosby's founder and CEO, shifted to Sunday sessions for business roles. Panel interviews with the executive team. Followed by lunch or dinner. Executives already log hours on weekends anyway. Their calendars stay open. Candidates get a full view: team dynamics, culture, the works. Business Insider captured Daniels's take: "We've been pretty dogmatic about hiring the best people and questioning everything."

For software engineers, it's hands-on. Dropped into live projects. Code alongside tools like assistants. No hypotheticals. Just output. This weeds out the fakers fast.

The Rise of Work Trials in Tech Hiring

It's not just Crosby. Startups across sectors ditch old scripts. Foxglove, building data software for robotics, runs paid trials. Ellis Neder, now head of design, flew to San Francisco over a long weekend. Days off work. Worth it for the fit. Harvey, the legal tech giant valued at $3 billion last year -- wait, $11 billion per reports -- hands out Google Docs problem sets. Real work, simulated or not.

Andrew Chen, a16z partner, spotted the pattern on X. Startups swap résumés for week-long in-office stints. Or three-day weekends. "The best signal for whether someone can do the job is watching them actually do the job," he posted. Took HR a century to circle back to apprenticeships.

But cracks show. Unpaid trials spark backlash. One X user called a week-long, full-output demand "unpaid labor, rebranded." Gen Z walks away. They spot the trap: Normalize free work now, lose ground later. Paid options like Foxglove's fare better. Crosby keeps it trial-length, Sunday-timed. No full weeks unpaid.

Crosby bends for candidates. Sundays free them from PTO dilemmas. Daniels noted the response: "When the company started offering Sundays as an option, a lot of people were just like, That would be a huge relief." Vibe checks over meals seal it. "If people vibe with the team, we never lose them. If they don't, it's a good lesson for all of us."

Balancing Act: Gains Versus Gripes in Trial Hiring

Trials shine bright. They cut through AI noise. Spot true talent. Let candidates test-drive too. Retention jumps when fits align early. Crosby holds onto those who click.

Yet burdens linger. Travel. Time. Not everyone swings Sundays. Employed folks still juggle. Broader X chatter echoes this. Bosses texting "URGENT" on rest days. Employees pushed to reply -- or risk the "not committed" label. One poster nailed it: Settle early on dignity, negotiate it away forever.

Trends build. A Startup Fortune piece today echoes Business Insider. Calls Crosby's move a direct response to trial proliferation. Legal tech feels it hard -- AI floods the field.

Daniels questions norms relentlessly. Sundays work for now. As AI evolves, expect more tweaks. Employers chase signals. Candidates guard time. The hiring wars heat up. Startups like Crosby lead the charge, turning weekends into proving grounds.

Proof over promises. That's the new bar. more

Career development

 19h

Elon Musk Eliminates Résumés, Prefers These 3 Key Bullet Points


Elon Musk has introduced a significant shift in the hiring process for his AI5 chip design team at Tesla. He is moving away from traditional résumés and cover letters, asking candidates to provide only three concise bullet points detailing the toughest technical problems they have solved. This approach aligns with Musk's ongoing emphasis on practicality and results over formal... documentation.

Changes in Hiring Practices

In a post on January X, Musk announced the opening for applicants as Tesla restarts its AI supercomputer project, Dojo. He stated that candidates need only submit their three problem-solving bullet points. This focus on direct skills rather than conventional credentials is a notable trend in Musk's leadership style.

Context of Musk's Strategy

Musk previously implemented similar tactics during his tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency. He required government employees to email five bullet points summarizing their recent accomplishments, indicating that non-compliance would be interpreted as resignation. This direct and unorthodox method was also utilized when he led X (formerly Twitter).

The Role of AI in Hiring

The rise of artificial intelligence has transformed the application landscape. AI has made résumés increasingly homogeneous, complicating the recruitment process. Dr. John Sullivan, a prominent hiring expert, notes that the standardization brought about by AI exacerbates the challenges recruiters face. With every résumé being polished to perfection, distinguishing candidates has become more difficult.

* Approximately 75% of companies now use skills-based assessments in hiring.

* This is up from 56% the previous year, indicating a clear trend towards skills over traditional metrics.

* Musk's approach reflects a broader shift towards skills-based hiring that better assesses candidate capabilities.

Insights from Hiring Experts

Experts like Dr. Sullivan emphasize that there is little correlation between an impressive résumé and actual job performance. Many top employees tend to have minimal updates to their career materials due to their focus on high-level work. The reliance on traditional résumés may have significantly hindered the recruitment of top talent.

As the job market evolves, Elon Musk's move to simplify applications showcases a forward-thinking approach. His preference for direct communication is reshaping the paradigm of talent acquisition at companies like Tesla. more

Career development

 22h

Elon Musk Ditches Résumés for Skills in Tesla's AI Team Hiring


Musk shakes up hiring -- again

Elon Musk is scrapping résumés and cover letters for his AI5 chip team at Tesla, favoring applicants who provide three bullet points on tough technical problems they've solved. This aligns with the shift towards skills‑based hiring, with 75% of companies adopting similar assessments. The trend highlights AI's role in making traditional résumés obsolete.

Career development

 1d

Elon Musk bans résumés and cover letters in hiring for his chip team. These are the 3 bullet points he's looking for instead | Fortune


It takes hours for some people to craft a résumé and cover letter, listing past experience and accomplishments on a sheet of paper -- details your interviewer is likely to ask you to explain face-to-face anyway. That redundant, time-consuming process has forced many to ditch the career materials, and Elon Musk is leading the charge.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is now asking anyone who wants to join... his AI5 chip design team to nix the conventional cover letter and résumé in favor of just three short bullet points.

In a January X post Musk said he was looking for applicants to join Tesla as it restarts work on the AI supercomputer project Dojo3. To be considered, all applicants have to do is to submit "3 bullet points on the toughest technical problems you've solved," Musk wrote in the X post.

The move is characteristic of the CEO, who during his time at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, issued a directive asking government workers to email five bullet points of recent accomplishments amid a mass firing campaign that led to the termination of more than 250,000 federal employees. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," Musk said in an X post last February. Musk also brought that tactic to X (formerly Twitter) when he took over as the social media platform's CEO.

Musk also tends to opt for conversation over credentials. In a February interview with Stripe cofounder John Collison and tech podcaster Dwarkesh Patel during a joint episode of their podcasts, the tech CEO said "the résumé may seem very impressive," Musk said. "But if the conversation after 20 minutes is not 'Wow,' you should believe the conversation, not the paper."

While a résumé is still required to apply for most other jobs at Tesla in the U.S. -- with some positions even calling for an "evidence of excellence" statement -- Musk's unconventional request follows a growing trend in skills-based hiring. Almost three-quarters of companies are using skills-based assessments during the hiring process, according to a report from skills assessment platform TestGorilla's The State of Skills-Based Hiring 2023 report. Surveying 3,000 employees and employers from around the world, the results marked a sharp uptick from only 56% of companies employing skills-based assessments from the prior year.

AI has thrown fresh fire on that trend. According to hiring experts, AI has had a democratizing effect on the application process. Because of the technology, all résumés and cover letters look the same, spelling a hiring nightmare for recruiters who are left to emphasize other parts of the hiring process to differentiate among candidates.

"AI is killing the résumé and the résumé has been bad for a long time, but AI makes it so much worse," hiring expert Dr. John Sullivan, dubbed the "Michael Jordan of hiring" by Fast Company, told Fortune. "When every résumé is perfect, has no spelling errors, flaws of any kind, imagine how many you have to sort in order to determine who you're going to interview." Sullivan said AI allows applicants to perfect their résumé, adding keywords that bypass ATS résumé checkers and check for spelling and grammar errors which otherwise tend to disqualify candidates.

Sullivan said the résumé has been obsolete for quite some time, especially when it comes to finding top talent. "There's just no correlation between a great résumé and being good on the job," Sullivan said. From his time in recruiting, including work with Agilent Technologies and HP, he said it was actually the best employees who often had the worst résumés.

"Top-tier employees are often so busy performing high-level work that they don't have the time or the need to look for a job or update their career materials," Sullivan said. more

Career development

 1d

Orange County high school Artist of the Year 2026: Dance semifinalists


The following 16 students have been named semifinalists for the 2026 Judy Morr Award for Dance out of 107 nominees in dance for Artist of the Year.

Selected by a panel of arts educators, these students stood out for both technical ability and expressive range across performance videos, written statements and artistic résumés.

Students are placed into two divisions based on their level of... training, creating space for both emerging and highly experienced dancers. Division 1 includes those with five or more years of combined study, while Division 2 includes those earlier in their training. At least two Division 2 students are represented among the semifinalists.

In the next round, students will present their work live and interview with panels of professional artists and college faculty from across Southern California.

From this group, three finalists and one Artist of the Year in dance will be selected.

"Segerstrom Center for the Arts is honored to serve as naming sponsors for dance and theater for Orange County Artist of the Year," said Lisa Middleton, the center's vice president of marketing and communications. "As the largest performing arts center in Orange County, we know firsthand how essential the arts are to a vibrant community. We're committed to helping keep the arts alive and accessible for the next generation of artists, because when we invest in young talent, we invest in the cultural future of Orange County."

Finalists and Artists of the Year will be announced live at an awards celebration on May 13 at the Samueli Theatre on the campus of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The event will feature performances and presentations by the seven top students and is free to attend with a reservation.

To support Artist of the Year with a donation, visit: bit.ly/4ekUNMv. Donations are made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.

If you are interested in helping Artist of the Year grow by becoming a sponsor of this program, send an email to ocartistoftheyear@aoy.scng.com.

"I intend to pursue a career in the field of musical theater because, whether you are a performer, creator, educator or program director, musical theater offers endless ways to be creative and make a real impact. ... If I got the opportunity to work as a performer or creator, I would have the chance to create or step into different types of characters and connect with audiences directly. If I got the opportunity to work as a program director or educator, I would get to expose others to musical theater and help them grow artistically. Honestly, I can picture myself running a performing arts program and guiding young artists to discover and develop their artistic strengths. It inspires me to think about helping others fall in love with the performing arts the same way I did and I believe creating new artists in the world may be the best impact I can make."

Brianna Bedford, junior, Capistrano Valley High School

"The art comes from the passion, creativity, and self-expression put into it. It's not seeing a dance for example, and copying it to a T. It's taking that dance and making it yours. Adding your own personal spin on it because the dance is yours, describes you, and can be expressed so much more genuinely because it resonates with your mind."

"My work in dance has deeply influenced my singing and how I approach performance as a whole. Dance has taught me breath control, musicality, and body awareness, which directly impact how I sing and perform vocally. Being physically connected to the music helps me stay grounded and expressive when I'm singing. As a dancer, I've learned how to communicate emotion through movement, and that understanding carries over into my singing. I'm more aware of phrasing, dynamics, and storytelling because I've trained myself to listen closely to the music and respond to it physically."

"Being an artist means seeing the world through different lenses of possibilities and feeling compelled to grow, no matter the challenges one may encounter. Art is often seen as something subjective, but art is more than debating if it's subjective or not. It's a practice of noticing details, the small things that people typically overlook: the observation of someone's habit, the emotion shift from hearing tonalities, or one's presence when they enter a certain space. But artists have the ability to express that through different modes, whether audibly, visually, kinesthetically, or even cognitively, having the power of providing insights on life that cannot be shown with language alone."

"Artists are defiant. We reject the status quo, forging our own pathway. Artists are often met with disdain: people wonder why we choose such a 'fickle' and "unstable" field. However, an artist's innate defiance reaps the best art. Defying norms forces people to tap into a novel school of thought. I think of Igor Stravinsky's ballet "The Rite of Spring," a bizarre mess to the audience of the early 20th century, but a masterpiece to the 21st century generation of artists. Artists like Stravinsky make waves in society through their deviance."

Harper Hottinger, junior, San Juan Hills High School

"Dancing is like a therapy. When everything else is going wrong, I can turn to dance to express my emotions. I have never liked to seem vulnerable or weak and dance gives me the outlet to release all the hard without having to talk it through. Just like a painter would spend hours on creating a concept, studying, and painting, a dancer does all the same. We all spend tons of hours observing, taking class, preparing for performances. Dancers, painters, authors, etc. all are devoted and invested in the craft. It is so worth the commitment and hours because it brings out the best in everyone."

Arabella Kim, junior, Orange County School of the Arts

"My goal as an artist is to use the performing arts as a medium for storytelling and connection to people. I want to create and perform works that communicate not only movement, but also emotions and stories with the rest of the world. I believe that the performing arts have the power to bring people together and convey ideas that surpass language and cultural boundaries. ... As an artist, I aspire to share not only movement, but also emotion and experience. I want the audience to feel inspired, reflective, and connected."

"Being an artist means feeling a deep personal connection to the art you create or showcase. Being an artist does not mean that everyone needs to understand or agree with your work. Many artists connect their art to a personal story, emotion, or experience, and they choose to express it in ways that others may not understand. The individuality that each artist has is what makes art meaningful, because it allows artists to communicate feelings beyond words, even if the message is interpreted differently by each viewer."

"Beyond dance I have become deeply involved with the art of music itself. I have taken on singing, piano, and guitar in recent years. Dance has made me appreciate the gift of song and inspired me to use my creativity in creating music as well. I currently sing with my national award-winning show choir and I also have expanded my musical knowledge and began writing my own music."

"Dance taught me how to win, but more importantly it taught me how to lose. As an art form and a sport abundant in competition and comparison, dancing revealed to me that growth is not measured by placements and comments, but by resilience and persistence. Learning to get back up stronger after a loss and continue moving forward -- that's one lesson, if anything, that life consistently requires. Learning to process disappointment without losing motivation has shaped how I approach challenges beyond the studio. Whether it comes to academics, relationships, or personal goals, I have learned to approach setbacks as opportunities to become stronger rather than as failures."

Ella Smallwood, senior, San Juan Hills High School

"Being an artist means being able to express your emotions and feelings through your dance movements and sharing your story. I like to always challenge myself to stand out in my performances and make the audience notice me. I admire dancers who demand my attention so much that I can't take my eyes off them. I strive to perform like that. It takes a lot of time and effort to perfect my performances. Countless hours of work is necessary to make sure my piece looks clean and crisp. When I feel confident I can express my emotions better. Preparation is key."

"I aspire to be someone who creates art and teaches it as well. I love choreographing pieces and in the future I want to create as much art as I can and share my ideas to the community and beyond. I want to teach the younger generation my experiences and encourage them to make their own. I very specifically want to teach about originality and not trying to "fit in" a community. I want to spread my own messages on my own experiences within dance and support and teach young artists to explore their creative side and enjoy movement."

Anthony Terricciano, senior, Orange County School of the Arts

"As a Black and Asian person adopted by White parents, I grew up searching for a sense of belonging. That uncertainty deepened when my birth mother passed away during my sophomore year, and with her went answers only she could have given me. When the grief surfaced fully, dance became the place where I could process emotions my words could not hold. ... More recently, meeting other adopted dancers at an intensive shifted my view of self-identity; seeing it as something evolving instead of missing. This experience deepened my passion as it reminded me that dance is the one place where I feel whole."

"Being an artist means embracing vulnerability. Artists often reveal pieces of the creator that are not easily expressive by everyday conversations like fear, hope, joy, or uncertainty. By choosing to create, an artist accepts the first the risk of being misunderstood or judge, yet continues anyway. Such courage is central to what makes art powerful. When someone encounters a piece of art, they are not just seeing the final product but also witnessing a moment of honesty and compassion from another human being."

Ava Woinarowicz, senior, Santa Margarita Catholic High School

"Dance has shown me that artistry exists in both major events and quiet moments of practice and perseverance. Each time I enter the studio, I share a part of myself, whether learning new choreography, auditioning, or performing. This exposure, though daunting, is what gives art its power. I have learned that embracing discomfort and taking risks is central to true artistry. ... Ultimately, being an artist is a lifelong commitment to growth, self-expression, and passion. Dance has shaped my character, work ethic, and confidence."

Cynthia Zhang, junior, Orange County School of the Arts

"In my opinion, to be an artist is to utilize one's creativity to its fullest capacity as a way to understand, interpret, and respond to the world. An artist observes carefully, especially things that go unnoticed -- and transforms these observations into meaningful expressions. Through this process, art becomes a nonverbal language. A language that is used to communicate ideas and feelings that words alone cannot." more

Career development

 1d

Orange County high school Artist of the Year 2026: Theater semifinalists


From 220 nominees in theater, 16 students have been selected as Artist of the Year semifinalists for the 2026 Segerstrom Center for the Arts Award for Theater.

Chosen by a panel of arts educators, these students demonstrated strength in performance, interpretation and storytelling through audition materials, written responses and artistic résumés.

To ensure equitable access, students are placed... into two divisions based on their level of training. Division 1 includes those with more extensive experience, while Division 2 highlights students still developing their craft. At least two Division 2 students are included among the semifinalists.

Semifinalists advanced to live interviews, where they perform and engage in discussion with panels of theater professionals and college faculty.

From this group, three finalists and one Artist of the Year in theater will be named.

"Segerstrom Center for the Arts is honored to serve as naming sponsors for dance and theater for Orange County Artist of the Year," said Lisa Middleton, the center's vice president of marketing and communications. "As the largest performing arts center in Orange County, we know firsthand how essential the arts are to a vibrant community. We're committed to helping keep the arts alive and accessible for the next generation of artists, because when we invest in young talent, we invest in the cultural future of Orange County."

Finalists and Artists of the Year will be announced live at an awards celebration on May 13 at the Samueli Theatre on the campus of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The event will feature performances and presentations by the seven top students and is free to attend with a reservation.

To support Artist of the Year with a donation, visit: bit.ly/4ekUNMv. Donations are made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.

If you are interested in helping Artist of the Year grow by becoming a sponsor of this program, send an email to ocartistoftheyear@aoy.scng.com.

Nathan Andreas, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts

"Looking ahead, my goal as an artist is to build a life rooted in musical theater and storytelling. Performing has always been the way I understand myself and the world, and I want to continue growing as a performer who works with passion, discipline, and purpose. ... I know pursuing musical theater is not always seen as practical, and although my parents don't fully see this path the way I do, I believe deeply in the power of hard work. I know that if I continue to show up, put in the effort, and take risks, I can go far."

Isabella Bassett, senior, San Juan Hills High School

"I think that an artist is somebody who creates with passion. They create art that evokes emotion in people, and nobody can do quite what they do. I also think that with the rise of AI, artists have to be human and put feelings into their art. We see a lot of people nowadays claiming to be artists, because they typed a few words into a generator. What they're forgetting is that art isn't just about the end result, but also the process. Creating art and immersing yourself in it is a key component to being a true artist."

Maddie Dasilva, junior, Capistrano Valley High School

"I involve myself in nearly every aspect of theatre, driven not by obligation, but by a fiery curiosity that has been instilled in me from a young age. My hand is always the first to shoot up after a teacher's lecture, eager to deepen my knowledge of what it takes to create theatre that is authentic and meaningful. Improv classes were my first artistic pursuit beyond theatre; they sharpened my instincts while allowing me to fully surrender control to them. My tendency to overthink my performances dwindled, replaced by a trust in my ability that allowed me to find truth in spontaneity."

Maria Espinosa Ventura, junior, Tesoro High School

"Moving from one place to another for a big chunk of my life made me shy as a kid. I struggled to speak up around my peers and only muttered words here and there. However, anytime I was given the opportunity to perform, whether it was a speech or a poem, my shaky hand would immediately go up. In those moments, something inside of me always shifted. I felt like myself, but louder and braver, as if I had just stepped outside of my own shell. Watching people around me react to this version of myself was surprising, but what mattered more was how I felt internally. Performing became a quiet superpower, a space where I could find confidence, use my voice, and exist simply without being defined by my shyness."

Shylan Fernandez, junior, San Juan Hills High School

"My job on this earth is not to make big choices with small impacts on the world, but the opposite. I want to use my gift and my art to make people see the world in a different way. I always envisioned my career and my art to make people feel instead of, 'oh she was a good singer' or 'she was pretty good.' I want people to feel immense emotion through my art. I want to dream bigger than big. I want to be able to travel the world and show my gift to people who don't know theirs. I want little girls to say to their parents, 'I wanna do that' after seeing me perform."

"My life motto is to live life to the absolute fullest. To me, that means diving into experiences and embracing the highs, the lows, and everything in between. With each new character and story, I get to enter another world and pour myself into it. My goal is for audiences to live through my art and invite them to live a little more fully outside the screen or performing arts theater. One thing about me is that I am not perfect. In fact, I am nowhere near perfect. I am human and multilayered, and I am real. I intend to show the good, the bad, and the in-between of a person through my acting."

Benjamin Stephen Marshall, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts

"I want to be an actor. Truthfully, I know I will be an actor. Even if I never become some mega-rich Hollywood household name, I want to dedicate my life to acting. If I can have any impact on the world, I want to prove to everyone that you don't have to be famous to be a successful actor. I know many working actors who make a fine living for themselves while being able to do what they love the most, and I want to prove to everyone that acting is just as valid a career as being a doctor or a lawyer or any other more 'respectable' occupation."

"Ultimately, I aspire to build a life rooted in storytelling. I want my work to remind people of themselves. Theater has the power to create empathy, spark conversation, and offer moments of escape and connection, and I hope to be part of that impact. Whether performing in new works or established musicals, I want to tell stories that feel very human. With every piece of work that I study comes a truthful message, and in turn, I strive to progress and discover each lesson presented by the piece. A professional career in musical theater allows me to merge discipline with creativity and vulnerability with strength."

"I want to inspire others of my specific color and ethnic background to not fear their dreams, no matter how big they are, because everyone deserves a chance to feel the excitement and genuine rush of performing the way it is inspiring to me. I would absolutely love to be on Broadway and sing, act, and as previously stated, inspire. I love music with my whole soul, I am not myself without it. This is what I would love my future to be, a life full of excitement, love, passion, and hard work because those are the keys to living the best life in my opinion."

Madeleine Orozco, senior, Santa Margarita Catholic High School

"I hope to pursue a professional career as a Broadway performer in New York City. I want to create authentic, complex characters and tell stories that are going to have a lasting impact on humanity. Beyond performing, I envision opening my own performing arts studio that prioritizes accessibility and inclusion. To ensure opportunities for all, my studio will offer scholarships and programs for students who might not otherwise have access to training. My goal is to create a space where young artists can discover their voice, build confidence, and develop a passion for the performing arts. I know what it is like to be on the outside and I want to create an environment where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported."

ChloeLux Phan, senior, Orange County School of the Arts

"Film and television should remind the world why it is we turn to art when we feel lost. I want to pay homage to the human experience through my work, highlighting diversity, unification, and ambition. Reclaiming technology for its intended purpose: Connection. AI only wins if humanity grows to no longer value truth. We artists must stress what it is to feel truly touched, heard, and seen, so indelibly so that we'll never accept artificial intelligence as a true representation of our lives."

Michaela Rosen, senior, Capistrano Valley High School

"I view myself as a canvas. Some artists use a pen and paper, while I use makeup brushes and clothes. Being an artist means expressing yourself, and getting the message that is in your soul onto the material world. It means exploring the creativity and pushing the limits of what is expected in our current society. An artist thrives on pushing boundaries while staying true to their emotions."

Gavin Shams, senior, St. Margaret's Episcopal School

"I truly want what I do in the theater to be a big part of my future, and I want the art that I create to be something truly amazing that is able to connect others and make the arts accessible to countless people. For me as an artist and as a person, I can not think of a more magical place to create these experiences for others than at Disney. Disney has always been a huge part of my life, from me going to the parks for every birthday, or to me wanting to be the only one in the group to stay late to see the fireworks and light beams ignite the night sky. Disney has taught me so much through their incredible stories all throughout my life."

"I want to grow as an artist through work that challenges me to evolve both creatively and personally while allowing me to make meaningful connections with others. I hope to create theatre that explores human nature and shared experiences, focusing on emotions that are universal and deeply recognizable, because I believe this kind of work has the greatest impact on an audience. I want my work to remind people that they are not alone in what they feel and to create moments of honesty and reflection that linger beyond the performance."

Bianca Stratta, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts

"Being a part of theater is always an adventure. Not only do I go on fun journeys in character, but also in real life. It has made a way for me to meet and get to know many kinds of people, who share a passion for the arts. It has also strengthened my confidence. I love connecting with other people and sharing what is most important in my life with others. Theater has helped me embrace my confidence and curiosity in order to do so."

"I am most involved in theatre when I am working. My roles might be Set Designer and Stage Manager but I have never been good at just sitting back. I need to be moving, building, and solving problems with my hands. My breadth comes from my need to be useful. I cannot sit still; I design, I build, I strike, I manage, and I stay with the show from the first read-through to the final load-out." more

Anthony Macrostie
Career development 1mo
i was in a mental crisis last year December 14th and was going through depression and was gettig the help i need and does anyone have any advice for in the future for someone whos been through mental health crisis.
1   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • J real

    1mo

    Just the idea you recognized you are passed a negative situation you can say Been there done that don’t have go through that 😁

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Katya Damjan


Career development 1mo
I wanted to apply for a job at a small company near my home, but they set up an online interview. I said I could come to the office instead, but they said it had to be online.
Later they rejected me because my neighbors were doing repairs and there was noise during the interview. Is that normal? Or were they just looking for an excuse to reject me? Has this happened to anyone?
Thanks
4   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Sheila Milburn

    1mo

    They have to treat everyone the same. Allowing you to come in means they would have to offer that to others. It is their process. You were... mistakenly making it about you by: 1. not following the simplest direction, online. 2. Not moving to a better location to focus on the interview and avoid the noise. Managers look for subtle things to see if you will be compliant or difficult.  more

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Thomas Hastings


Career development 1mo
Hello everyone in the group! My trip to a construction site in Limassol (Cyprus), where I will work as a site supervisor, has been planned for a few months. Now it’s time for me to go.
To be honest, I’m a bit worried, even though it seems calm there now. Is anyone here from Limassol or nearby cities? Is everything okay there?
Thanks for your answers

3   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1mo

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

Load more...

Steward Tony Pacheco
Career development 1mo
Everyone thinks they are a "Head-Hunting Resume Guru". If they tell me that they have placed high valued rocket scientists as well as senior level I.T./I.S. professionals, all at F-100 businesses & top tier aerospace organizations, who have helped enhance those organizations’ success, I will surely follow their advice when given. Hey! Wait a minute "That's What I've Done".

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1mo

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

Meredith Mayo


Career development 1mo
There are five women in our department, but I always get all the difficult tasks. The others quickly tell the boss: “I don’t know how to do this” or “I’ve never done this before.” I usually can do it and figure it out.
But now I’m tired of it. If I start saying the same things, the boss probably won’t believe me. Can you give me advice on how to avoid difficult tasks sometimes and let others do... them too?
Thanks for any advice more
2   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Michelle Bolton

    1mo

    If you know that someone knows how to do a specific task, ask their opinion, "Hey, ___, I would really like to know your opinion on this. What do you... think? That project you did was great. Would you have any recommendations?" Some of these may help.
    A lot of times, we want to be of assistance to show off our skills. Just be careful that they are not on the negative side and try to cause you to fail. Be sure they are supportive. Speak softly and BREATHE........ DEEP BREATH IN............ SLOWLY RELEASE OUT...................     more

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Isabel Turner


Career development 1mo
My boss wants to take away my monthly bonus. She says I already make enough if I can afford flowers on my desk. But I just like having fresh flowers, they make me feel better at work, so I buy them.
It’s a sad situation. Are bonuses really not about how well you work, but about something like being jealous of flowers?

3   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Tree Moon

    1mo

    She's' going to keep it for herself or act like she's' saving money for the company. I dealt with this and I left the job. That's no way to treat... your workers. Perhaps she has a mental condition. more

    1
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Anonymous member


Career development 1mo
Hello .I am recent graduate in project management ,I also have a background in data analytics using QuickBooks,STATA and SPSS and have been a leader at a chistian union for a year.Getting a job has been quite difficult.Kindly can someone give me any recommendations on any job needed that fits this skills.Your will be very much appreciated.

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • justo collazo

    1mo

    Apply at Amazon you will appreciate it

    1

William Robinson


Career development 1mo
I had a job interview at a small company. The director said he was going to lunch and asked me to go with him. He bought me a coffee, we talked calmly and then he said I got the job and could start on Monday. I still don’t understand what the catch is. Or did I really just get lucky and find a job that easily?

9   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Benjamin Wambuyu

    4w

    Bruh just play along...embrace it.....you'll ask him after 1 year why he chose you

Load more...

Anonymous member


Career development 4w
Hi, I need some advice about hygiene at work. In our office WC there is liquid soap, but since many companies share the floor, it keeps disappearing- someone is taking it. I suggested bringing our own soap but that’s not very convenient. I also asked my boss to put a soap dispenser on the wall so no one can take it, but he said no.
This week, about half of our team got a stomach virus and I think... the reason is simple - people aren’t washing their hands.
How can we fix this problem? How is it done at your workplace? Thanks!

 more
1   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Steward Tony Pacheco

    4w


    Just bring your own soap. The owner is already being inconvenienced by an employed kleptomaniac.
    Sharing soap dispensers is also a contaminated hub... when used by multiple end users. Even hand sanitisers have been proven to have the opposite effect on body parts washed. Many carcinogens in their formulations​.

    Your boss is not responsible for your hygiene nor is he/she not aware of property being stolen. the price of doing business. Perp will be fired for integrity issues once caught in the act.     more

    1
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Career development

 4w

I Trusted My Friend to Help With My CV and Application -- But She Was At My Interview When I Walked In


The fluorescent lights in the waiting room hummed with a clinical, predatory energy that made the sweat behind my neck turn cold. I clutched my leather folder, my knuckles white, staring at the woman sitting directly across from me in the plush charcoal armchair. It was Leah.

She was wearing the power suit she'd bought last month, her hair lay in a sharp, professional bob, looking every bit the... corporate conqueror. My heart didn't just throb; it felt like it was trying to exit my chest through my throat.

"Leah?" I whispered, the name catching on the dry roof of my mouth. "What are you doing here?"

She didn't flinch. She didn't look guilty. Instead, she offered a thin, practised smile that didn't reach her eyes and adjusted the identical navy-blue company folder resting on her lap.

"Oh, Naomi! You applied for this, too?" she asked, her voice airy and casual, as if we were bumping into each other at a grocery store rather than at the one job interview that was supposed to save my life. "That's so funny. Small world, isn't it?"

"Funny?" I choked out, the air in the room suddenly feeling too thin to breathe. "You told me the role wasn't really your 'vibe' when I showed you the listing. You spent three days 'fixing' my CV for this exact position."

She leaned forward, the scent of her expensive, musky perfume hitting me like a physical blow -- a sharp contrast to the antiseptic smell of the office. "I just thought I'd throw my hat in the ring at the last minute, babes," she said, her tone hardening just a fraction. "May the best woman win, right?"

We had been inseparable since our first year at university.

Leah was the fire to my water. While I spent my nights in the library perfecting my syntax, she was out networking, building a bridge to the career she wanted. She landed a solid role at a marketing firm straight after graduation.

I, on the other hand, had spent the last eight months staring at the peeling paint on my apartment ceiling. The bills had started to feel like physical weights pressing down on my shoulders.

Every time my mother called from the village to ask how the job hunt was going, I felt a fresh wave of shame. "Don't worry, Naomi," Leah had told me over a plate of steaming tilapia last month.

"I'm going to see you win. Your brilliance just needs the right packaging." She held my hand across the table, her grip firm and reassuring.

"I've got the connections, and I know exactly what these HR managers are looking for," she'd insisted. "Just send me your drafts. I'll polish them until they shine." I felt a surge of genuine gratitude that brought tears to my eyes. "You'd really do that for me?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Of course," she laughed, waving away my thanks. "What are friends for if not to pull each other up?" I sent her my CV that night, feeling like a massive burden had been lifted.

I told her everything about the mid-sized firm I'd found. I told her about the salary, a figure that was significantly higher than what she was currently earning.

"It's a bit of a jump for you, isn't it?" she'd remarked, her eyes flickering over the job description on my phone. "But hey, if you think you can handle the pressure, go for it."

I trusted her completely because she was the one who already had her foot in the door of the world I was trying to enter. She was my mentor, my sister, and my safety net. Or so I thought.

The first red flag appeared a week before the application deadline. Leah had been "working" on my CV for five days, claiming she was too swamped at her own job to finish the edits.

"I need to submit it by Friday, Leah," I told her over the phone, pacing the narrow hallway of my flat. "The portal closes at midnight."

"Relax, Naomi," she snapped, her voice uncharacteristically sharp. "I'm making sure it's perfect. Do you want the job or not?" I went quiet, swallowed by the fear of offending the only person helping me.

When the document finally landed in my inbox on Thursday evening, I opened it with trembling fingers. As I scrolled through the pages, a cold knot began to form in the pit of my stomach.

She had removed my two-year stint at the regional consultancy -- the very place where I'd managed a team of six. "Why did you take out the consultancy lead role?" I texted her immediately.

"It makes you look overqualified and expensive," she messaged back seconds later. "Trust the process. I've rephrased your skills to make you seem more 'trainable'."

I looked at the laptop screen, bewildered. She had replaced my active, leadership-focused bullet points with passive, administrative language.

"It doesn't sound like me, Leah," I whispered to the empty room. I called her, hoping for clarity, but she didn't pick up.

A few minutes later, a voice note arrived. "Naomi, you're overthinking. I know these recruiters. They want someone who won't clash with the current manager."

I looked at my original draft -- full of achievements and high-level strategy. Then I looked at her version -- muted, simplified, and almost invisible.

The pressure of the deadline felt like a physical hand squeezing my throat. If I didn't submit this now, I'd lose the chance entirely.

If I ignored her advice and failed, I'd have no one to blame but myself. "She knows better," I whispered, trying to convince my pounding heart.

I uploaded her version of my life and hit 'submit'. The confirmation email felt less like a victory and more like a surrender.

Two days later, the invitation for an interview arrived. I was ecstatic, screaming into my pillow before calling Leah to share the news.

"That's great, bestie," she said, though her voice sounded strangely flat. "I told you my edits would work."

"I'm so nervous," I admitted. "Do you think I should brush up on the project management software they mentioned?" "Don't bother," she replied quickly. "They told me -- I mean, I heard -- they're moving away from that system."

I paused, the air suddenly still. "How did you hear that?"

"Just industry chatter, Naomi. Focus on being 'personable'. That's your strength." I sat on my bed after we hung up, the silence of the apartment feeling heavy and suspicious.

The light outside was fading into a bruised purple, casting long, distorted shadows across the floor. I felt like I was walking through a fog, unable to see the cliff edge until my foot was already hovering over the drop.

I decided to do a quick search on the company's recent LinkedIn posts. There, featured in a "Meet the Team" video from that morning, was the exact software she told me to ignore.

My heart gave a sickening thud. Why would she lie about something so small?

I shook it off, telling myself she was just misinformed. Friends don't sabotage friends.

I spent the next forty-eight hours rehearsing the "personable" answers she had coached me on. I wore the modest navy dress she suggested, even though I felt more powerful in my tailored blazer.

"You don't want to intimidate them," she'd warned. I walked into that office building feeling small, prepared to be the "trainable" girl she had created on paper.

Then the elevator doors opened. And there she was.

The receptionist called Leah's name first. She stood up with a grace that felt like a calculated insult, smoothing her skirt without looking back at me.

I sat in that chair for twenty minutes, the silence of the lobby ringing in my ears like a physical siren. Every time the heavy oak door opened, I expected to see her walk out with a look of shame.

Instead, when she finally emerged, she looked radiant. She caught my eye and gave a small, triumphant nod that made my stomach do a slow, sick flip.

"Good luck, Naomi," she whispered as she passed, her voice dripping with a pity that felt sharper than any blade. "They're looking for someone very... specific today."

When I finally walked into the boardroom, three panellists sat behind a glass table. I sat down, my hands trembling as I laid out my "diluted" CV in front of them.

"So, Naomi," the lead interviewer began, flipping through the pages with a bored expression. "Your profile seems a bit... entry-level for a role with this much responsibility."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "I've actually managed teams before," I said, my voice sounding thin and desperate in the large room.

"It's not listed here," he replied, pointing to the gap where Leah had deleted my consultancy experience. "We're looking for a leader, not someone we have to hand-hold through basic operations."

I looked down at the paper -- the paper Leah had "polished" for me. It was a map leading me directly into a dead end.

"I can explain those gaps," I started, but I could see their interest fading like a dying ember. They began asking technical questions about the very software Leah told me to ignore.

I tried to pivot, to show my personality as she'd coached me, but they weren't looking for a "friend." They were looking for the expert I had been before I let her touch my career.

The air in the room felt heavy, smelling of stale coffee and the ozone of high-end air conditioning. I realised then that I wasn't just fighting for a job; I was fighting the version of myself Leah had invented to ensure I'd fail.

The floor beneath my feet felt as though it had turned to water. I stumbled out of the interview room, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind me like a gavel.

Leah was still there, leaning against the glass windows of the lift lobby. She was silhouetted against the harsh afternoon sun, watching the city traffic crawl below.

"How did it go?" she asked, her back still turned. Her voice was steady, devoid of the nervous energy I was currently drowning in.

"They thought I was a junior, Leah," I said, my voice cracking as the humiliation finally broke through. "They literally laughed when I mentioned strategy. The edits you made -- they erased everything that made me a contender."

She turned around slowly. For the first time in ten years, the mask slipped completely. The warm, supportive sister-friend was gone. In her place stood a woman with eyes as cold and calculating as a high-frequency trader. There was no sympathy there; only a hard, metallic ambition.

"Maybe you just aren't ready for this level yet, Naomi," she said. Her tone was clinical. "I did you a favour, really. I kept you from overpromising and crashing out in the first month. You would have been out of your depth."

"You applied for it yourself," I whispered, the realisation hitting me with the force of a physical blow. I looked at the identical folder in her hand.

"You didn't just 'fix' my CV. You harvested it. You took the leadership highlights you deleted from mine and pasted them into yours, didn't you?"

She didn't even have the grace to flinch. She simply adjusted the strap of her designer handbag and looked at me as if I were a piece of outdated software.

"I saw the salary range on that listing, Naomi. It is double what I make now," she said flatly. "Why should I let you leapfrog over me? I've spent years networking while you were just... waiting. You haven't paid your dues."

The betrayal felt like a thick, oily slick in my throat. The soundscape of the office -- the ringing phones, the rhythmic tapping of keyboards -- suddenly muffled, as if I had been plunged underwater.

"You knew I was desperate," I gritted out, my eyes stinging. "You knew my landlord was calling every day. You used my vulnerability to scout a better deal for yourself."

"It's just business, babes," she said, her voice dropping to a low, cold hum as the lift doors chimed and slid open.

"Don't take it so personally. In this city, you're either the one holding the ladder or the one being stepped on." She stepped into the mirrored carriage, the doors closing on her calm, unbothered reflection.

I didn't cry on the bus ride home. The betrayal was too deep for tears; it felt more like a cold, clarifying frost.

I reached my apartment and sat in the dark for a long time, listening to the distant hum of traffic. My phone buzzed with a notification from her on social media.

"So proud of us for putting ourselves out there today! Lunch soon? x" I stared at the screen until the light dimmed and went black.

I didn't reply. I didn't demand an explanation; I already had. Instead, I went to my settings and clicked 'Block' on every platform we shared.

The silence that followed was the first bit of peace I'd felt in months. The next morning, I opened my laptop and pulled up my original, "overqualified" CV.

I restored every achievement, every leadership role, and every technical skill she had tried to bury. I realised that by trying to make myself "palatable" for her, I had made myself invisible to everyone else.

A week later, I saw a LinkedIn update from the company. The role was being re-advertised; neither of us had been "the right fit."

I felt a grim sense of satisfaction knowing her sabotage hadn't even bought her the prize she'd sold her soul for. I hit 'apply' again -- this time with the real version of me.

I haven't heard back yet, and the bills are still piling up on my kitchen counter. But the air in my apartment feels lighter, stripped of the toxic expectations of a "friend" who wanted me to stay small.

I used to think that loyalty was a debt you paid to people just because you'd known them a long time. I thought that a friend's success was my success, and I assumed they felt the same.

But I've learned that some people only want to see you do well as long as you aren't doing better than them. They will offer you a hand to help you up, only to ensure they can control how high you climb.

True friendship doesn't require you to shrink so the other person can feel tall. It doesn't ask you to hide your strengths to protect their fragile ego.

I am still looking for work, and the uncertainty is terrifying. But I would rather be unemployed and standing on my own two feet than successful and leaning on a snake.

I've reclaimed my voice and my history. And I've learned the hardest lesson of all: trust is a gift, but discernment is a survival skill.

If the person closest to you is the one holding the scissors, how can you ever expect to grow? more
2   

  • Kahutia Hernandez

    1d

    Hi there. How are you doing today. I just need a lil’ help connecting me to your school colleagues 🔴. I wanna assist them to crush their assignments... and get top grades ‘cause I’m solid in:

    Marketing
    Psychology
    Econometrics
    Social work
    Nursing/Health Sciences
    Engineering
    Business/Management
    English/Literature/Creative Writing

    You wanna hook me up with them so I can help ‘em soar with my assignment writing skills.

    Regards     more

  • Susan Basch

    4w

    As long as you feel yourself now, that is what counts.

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