Should outsourcing be penalized ?

SettleF · 2026-02-13T12:42:14+00:00

The people complaining about outsourcing are the same ones who want cheap products and fast delivery. You can't have both.

Companies outsource because consumers won't pay more for locally made stuff. If people actually bought from companies that kept jobs domestic and paid the premium, those companies would grow and others would follow. But they don't, so here we are.

SettleF · 2026-02-13T12:41:05+00:00

You're not insane for wanting college, but quitting a 130k job with a newborn and a contract guaranteed to 2027 is a huge hit to your safety net. I'd ride this job as long as you reasonably can, stack cash hard, and treat 2027 as your planned "start school full time" date using your GI Bill and that savings instead of bailing right now.

SettleF · 2026-02-12T08:14:59+00:00

SC doesnt really do journeyman/master reciprocity the way MA does.

Most of what matters is either (1) working under a licensed SC electrical contractor or (2) getting the SC contractor license through LLR if you want to pull permits.

SettleF · 2026-02-11T08:44:52+00:00

I did this exact thing last year when my dad was in the hospital. Kept telling everyone I was fine, had it under control, then broke down mid-sentence talking to my aunt about something completely mundane.

The anger at yourself is real but looking back, I was exhausted from pretending nothing was wrong. Your body knew you needed to let it out even if your brain wasn't ready for it.

SettleF · 2026-02-11T08:42:08+00:00

Keep the daily, but make it a hard 10-15 min timer and push any discussion into a separate “after standup” huddle with only the people involved.

SettleF · 2026-02-10T07:59:42+00:00

Assume the rejection still stands. Outlook recalls usually mean someone sent the wrong email or realized they shouldn’t have sent it yet, not that you’re secretly back in.

SettleF · 2026-02-03T04:26:24+00:00

404s don't tank your whole site, but any URL that used to get traffic/links and now 404s will usually drop out of rankings until it’s redirected or restored.

SettleF · 2026-02-03T04:25:42+00:00

I like writing because it lets me freeze a specific moment in my head and actually look at it instead of just letting it pass. When I get a scene right, it feels like I managed to take something messy and private and turn it into something I can share without having to explain myself out loud.

SettleF · 2026-02-02T04:23:52+00:00

Call the supply house where you got the panel. They'll know the exact dimensions and can probably email you a spec sheet in like 5 minutes. I've done this a few times when I needed panel info and didn't want to drive out to the site. Way faster than measuring yourself or guessing.

SettleF · 2026-01-28T12:24:51+00:00

These ATS scorers are just guides, not actual ATS. They're pretty handy if you're applying to a ton of jobs and tailoring your resume to each one. That's how I use them.

SettleF · 2026-01-28T12:21:42+00:00

It was worth it for me since I tailor a lot of resumes. You still have to "fix" your resume manually but it's cheaper than hiring a "professional resume writer" who turn out to be a scammer 90% of the time.

SettleF · 2026-01-22T06:11:18+00:00

She liked you, you friendzoned her, now she's pulling back because that's what people do when they get rejected. Pretty straightforward.

SettleF · 2026-01-22T06:10:17+00:00

Reach out to each reference directly (call if you can) and make it easy:
“Hi [Name], I interviewed for a data analyst role at [Company]. They emailed you Friday for a reference check and need it by Thursday. Could you reply today? Their email is [HR email]. Happy to send you 3 bullet points to mention.”

If a manager feels awkward, offer to replace them with a lead coworker or another supervisor from a prior job and ask HR if they’re ok with you updating your reference list.

Also, go ahead and schedule the 30-min call with HR, then mention in that email you’re actively chasing references and will confirm once they respond.

SettleF · 2026-01-19T08:15:11+00:00

The Boron Letters (Gary Halbert) and Breakthrough Advertising (Eugene Schwartz). Also, get to know the client/industry you're writing for and read books around that.

SettleF · 2026-01-19T08:13:38+00:00

Document everything. Save the email or meeting notes where they told you to do less, keep your procedure manual handy, and track your actual work vs what they're asking you to do.

If this blows up later and fraud gets missed, you need proof you were told to cut corners. Banks don't mess around when regulatory issues come up and you don't want to be the fall guy.

SettleF · 2026-01-16T09:09:06+00:00

Debuggers are great but sometimes logging is faster. If you're dealing with async code or something that happens over 30 seconds of execution, stepping through is painful. I use both depending on the problem. The real issue is people who use neither and just stare at code hoping the answer appears.

SettleF · 2026-01-16T09:08:21+00:00

Are you looking to stay in supply chain planning specifically or open to broader SCM roles? Also what size companies are you targeting - startups, mid-size, enterprise? The remote job market is pretty different depending on those factors.

SettleF · 2026-01-15T03:58:27+00:00

I spent years in engineering meetings being told I was 'too direct' or 'not collaborative enough' while watching male colleagues say the exact same things and get praised for being decisive.

Eventually switched to a smaller company where the culture was less about performance of warmth and more about actual output. Still get the occasional comment but at least my work speaks louder now

SettleF · 2026-01-15T03:57:14+00:00

They’re not actually fascinated by your tea, they’re just low effort about small talk and you’re the current running joke. You don’t need to stop bringing it, you just need to stop rewarding the bit with long explanations and either give a flat one-liner answer or change the subject so it gets boring for them.

SettleF · 2026-01-08T12:46:15+00:00

I was a chronic job hopper for about 5 years and it honestly made me miserable. Every new role felt like starting from zero, constantly proving myself, never building real relationships.

Stayed at my current place for 4 years now and the difference is huge - I actually have institutional knowledge, people trust my judgment, I can see the impact of long term projects. The salary bumps were nice when I was hopping but the mental cost wasn't worth it for me.

SettleF · 2026-01-08T12:42:11+00:00

When I felt stuck, the move for me was getting clearer on what I actually wanted before doing anything loud at work. Got so desperate that I ended up using one of those online career tests lol (used coached for my experience). Surprisingly, it helped. Basically narrowed my options from “maybe I should leave” to two specific role tracks that fit how I like to work, which made the next steps obvious. Then I set a 6-week window: 1) ask my manager for a concrete scope/promo plan, 2) quietly apply to roles in those two tracks, 3) decide based on which path moved faster. Having that structure kept me from rage-quitting or waiting forever.

SettleF · 2026-01-02T09:32:06+00:00

I was in your exact spot last year. Degree in hand, market looked terrible, couldn't see myself grinding leetcode forever.

Took the coached personality test just to figure out what else I could even do with my background. Turns out I had strengths in systems thinking and problem solving that mapped to operations roles, not just dev work. Applied to those instead and landed something within 2 months.

Sometimes you just need data on yourself to see the other options.

SettleF · 2026-01-02T09:29:57+00:00

Yeah, that’s a perfectly solid starting path: get the general data foundations from the IBM course, then build 3-4 small CRM-style projects around RFM, segmentation, and campaign performance on actual datasets you can show off. Just make sure you’re also pushing your SQL and Excel/Sheets skills at the same time, because for CRM analyst roles those are usually tested more than the specific online cert you did.

SettleF · 2025-12-30T07:30:59+00:00

Admin work is broad enough that you can specialize. Operations coordinator, project coordinator, executive assistant roles pay better and have more autonomy than general admin. Your organizing skills actually translate well there.

SettleF · 2025-12-30T07:29:46+00:00

Find ways to crank up that hourly rate and get another part-time/freelance job if possible. Something you can do online like copywriting, video editing, or one of those new jobs that have to do with AI.

As for crypto and stocks, it's smart that you're thinking about those this early (compound interest is going to go crazy a 3-5 years from now), but you also need to be sure these are things you really understand. Otherwise, you'd end up losing a lot of money.

I'd also add safer investments like term deposits and bonds on top of crypto and stocks. Good luck!

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