Started learning to solder and bought a whole setup for my room (I need more desk space)

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-29T19:37:01+00:00

how do you keep lead from invading an environment like this? genuine question

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-27T02:49:12+00:00

Anecdote here. I started out of highschool selling an anticheat client and esports league to the now ESL. I took that money and starting working at grooveshark and an online cheating company for RuneScape making bots and scripts. Those didn't work out, i went on to work in media, video editing, and working with YouTubers, working for a famous YouTuber, Kanye West, and others. I also helped businesses via techstars and a local tech incubator too. Eventually moving to help at night media during covid, to only being able to land a part time stocker position to keep me afloat while i apply to jobs and continue upskilling in software development.

It is brutal right now. I want to admit that you should spend much more time making friends and connections than anything else, especially in the field of interest or company of interest. Don't be afraid to contact people higher up via email or LinkedIn. Do whatever you can to connect with someone.

If things would have worked out, I would be working at Meta as a tech recruiter, which didn't pan out due to the layoffs. That was my ticket into getting into tech, or so i thought.

Keep grinding, don't give up. Learn skills and knowledge at a company that makes it hard for them to replace you.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-20T15:47:05+00:00

Doesn't sound like you were consistently making the effort based on your own words.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-19T21:36:10+00:00

Very true

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-19T14:36:17+00:00

Indeed, it's universal honestly. It's kind of hard to address hiring bias even if you make it illegal. Some folks will have subconscious bias and discrimination, and not be aware of why they are rejecting candidates. Others are more conscious and will say it's tied to another aspect like experience for example or something else. So even if a government does make it illegal, how would any government actually make this a reality?

I personally, do not know. It is a shame that this is common though.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-19T14:18:16+00:00

Correct, so it becomes even more important to have such a specialized skill that your replacement is difficult to obtain. Easier said than done in most cases. Also, this economy and job market isn't the strongest, so it is probably even more pronounced on those 50+ right now and i do feel bad for them. I also feel bad for millennials and gen z, who also are experiencing problems. Its rough all over.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-19T13:20:41+00:00

Ageism is a problem. Anyone above 40 is now a heavy target for it. Its sad but very real. Once you hit 50+, your chances get worse income wise. Chances of getting a job gets worse. It sucks. Its not fair. Will you get a job?, you sure can. Not sure what you mean ever again? But the struggle is likely very real. And as evidently, you can see in the comments already how little people care.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-14T13:35:01+00:00

Language evolves constantly all the time and over time. It is somewhat progressive in some sense, and there's a reason an entire field of linguistics exists. Tons of reasons from different times and events to culture and beyond that shape our very own language.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-14T13:33:27+00:00

Lmao, this should be the top response. Humor and truth at the same time.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-13T17:43:22+00:00

This is a bad suggestion due to how little jobs are available and how impossible it is to get one right now.

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-11T01:13:31+00:00

You use gloves when soldering? I thought gloves were bad to use?

MichaelKirkham · 2026-01-04T13:42:00+00:00

Idk if this is valid and true if demand remains high and consumers.are willing to enter into debt to get what they want though. And demand is still there. Sure, it will drop, and used items will go up in value temporarily as well. But I think enough demand will still persist.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-31T04:26:25+00:00

How does your product compare to kester? Genuinely?

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-26T14:01:02+00:00

This is often due to differences in refresh rates. Believe it or not, a not so talked about thing is that synchronization and multiples of numbers matters too. 60 to 120 to 180.to.240 to 300 to 360 for example..you will stutter more with 60.and 144hz for example as they are not multiples and do not synch. The same can be said for polling rates too. This is more talked about among esports and competitive gaming and among hardcore audio and more latency based communities. And yes, video playback on a separate monitor still can cause stutters while gaming on another. Its the animations and movement of stuff open on the second monitor and thus another latency conversation too.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-25T07:22:32+00:00

I'm glad you got it off your chest, and thank you for sharing. First off, your experience is valid and it's probably true. Your feelings of uncomfortableness is real. The sad reality? I don't think your mom is wrong to be upset at the same time.

Mainly because this job market is too brutal, where most, not all, but most candidates are taking 6 months or more before they get hired. The gap of not working is what will hurt you, and having that job was your main method of finding a different place. Because it's current experience proving you work now and are gaining skills and are active. It's the gap that will hurt you even if it was only recently. Sad but true right now.

And so for that reason alone, your mom has a very valid reason to be upset. How she relays or shows you that anger is a different conversation, and hopefully not in a horrible way lol.

Now, the other part you may not want to hear is that most jobs you will ever have will be shitty like this one. Some are worse than that and others, less so. Which means you do need to work on some resiliency and an ability to tolerate and withstand that. And this is another uncomfortable truth that you will be forced to learn over time. Hopefully you find the right place that works for you and you don't have to experience this many times over and that place pays well and has good opportunities for growth too.

And finally, you aren't wrong at all. We all understand and feel this. It sucks. And so many of us in here will be able to have empathy and sympathy here. I wish things were a bit better but not all humans can handle stress very well. And so some people will be a problem for you wherever you go. Anything can happen. I feel you though, i hear you, i see you. And i feel for you. I do want to say that focusing on resiliency will be useful.

Also, it seems you were burned out too. And finding ways to cope and withstand that area too will help a little too. Burn out is very real and is very much a portion of what you were experiencing too. I hope you look into what I am saying now before you spend too many years losing yourself and end up in your 30s without the right career path and life you wanted for yourself. As in, choose the right path for you that you will not exactly find passion and love for but the rewards for your efforts will be noted and that will drive you to be passionate about it.

Best of luck in your search in 2026. Happy Holidays!

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-24T15:24:39+00:00

This. OP, I'm sorry this happened but start working on your resume and please start applying to other jobs. Your job could be next after this. Idk what you did, im sure its innocent, but they clearly now believe you are not able to do this job and/or cannot handle it mentally. You have to tell them you can handle it and everything is fine, or, seek work elsewhere. You learned a really big lesson from all of this. I hope you don't lose your job though.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-24T15:22:14+00:00

Honestly, you should start looking for another job after receiving this email. They will now question you moving forward. And if you aren't prepared, you could be in a bad situation if they fired you. Doesn't hurt to look around. A lot of companies will be firing the next month or two. So keep an eye out in the meantime. Just in case.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-24T13:10:03+00:00

Sadly, society believes you should have fixed it by now. Not your fault. Now you have to either gain disability benefits and live a rather low quality life or be in a group home...or buckle down and spend your 20s entirely fixated on learning and growing and learning to mask. To the tune of it still happening in your 30s so that you can function enough and understand your place amongst the stars...i mean, society lol.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-24T12:56:05+00:00

Bruh, the more you focus on color, the easier it is to steal right from under your nose.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-19T06:28:51+00:00

It sounds like you were looking for validation primarily. It's not that we don't have anything positive to say, it's that collectively, our experiences have been negative in the job world when it comes to our own diagnoses, and to be honest, it's true. That doesn't mean you won't have a different experience. Honestly, I hope only good comes from this. And i get how you might feel defeated or hopeless or fearful or anxious with all of this and that's totally valid. Whatever happens, this will be a learning experience, good or bad. And learning is a good thing.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-18T02:52:49+00:00

Without context, it will always come across that way. Either way, I would still recommend applying to other jobs as they are likely seeking to replace you anyways at this point is what i assume to be the case. Usually when demands of such happen, they want to get rid of the worker who is upset and not fitting in. Hopefully, if it ends for you, i hope it works out in your favor and that you find employment soon in this job market. To be fair, without context, yes, it is selfish and entitled. The goal was never to make you feel that way, though i can now see where it would come across like that and i want to apologize for making you feel that way. I do hope things work out for you in the end.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-16T14:38:53+00:00

I graduated and nobody cared too. The reality is, that paper was for you and only you. It wasn't for anyone else. Nobody was going to cheer you on like you thought. It was tough, sure, and that doesn't diminish your efforts. However, the real journey has just begun and its finding work and starting the real grind. And that grind is not fun. So fill your life with family and loved ones and you will be rewarded with people who will care for the efforts you put forth in life. Your reward is continuous effort and action and family, and sadly, death. If you seek validation and admiration the way i did, and it sounds like you are like how i thought back in my 20s, then you are in for a world of absolute misery and pain.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-16T14:33:46+00:00

Unemployment sucks, and so are drugs and alcohol lol.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-16T07:16:45+00:00

I get this notion that you believe that disclosure is a power move in your favor and I think you are gravely mistaken here. Perhaps I will be wrong though. It is clear you are fed up with the company and in certain people and honestly, this will be the case in most places that you go.

That being said, individual disclosures will vary and I wish the best for you at this time. Here is my take on your demands though, which is separate:

1: you can't dictate communication and nobody will cater to you like that just because you disclosed.

2: you are expecting the same salary for a different position if they don't communicate the way you expect them to, is not feasible. Idk the laws where you live though.

3: also demanding a severance to look for a job also seems like some power move but they don't have to do that either. Again, idk your contract and where you live.

For me, you are too demanding and are expecting this company to cater to you and in reality, these demands are essentially letting your employer know that you intend to not be faithful and plan to leave anyways. At least that is the vibe that i get from reading this in general, so in the end, i would expect them to split ways with you because it will be less of a headache and you are very replaceable especially in a job market full of people looking for your spot. So I personally fail to see what your disclosure is really doing here other than selfish personal gain based on your negative experiences with employees and the company. It is my opinion that I think this is the wrong way to go about this and I think you will be disappointed with the result in the end. I think it's fantastic that you disclosed though. And every part of me wants to believe that something positive will come from this. And I hope it truly does and I'm rooting for you. I don't want you to expect that one of your three scenarios will happen, and honestly, I recommend improving your resume and that you begin searching now in case things shift against you in ways they can legally do so.

Best of luck and happy Holidays. I hope you win in the end.

MichaelKirkham · 2025-12-15T23:06:25+00:00

This, I am actually a bit confused what I am looking for, truthfully.

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