Have any of you actually come across your own job while searching for a better job?

24 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 7:01AM UTC

   I just want to say I am sorry you are experiencing this. I too am working under a hostile manager who enjoys making me feel like my job is threatened. I have been doing my best to keep my head down and just do what is asked of me. It may or may not be your job in the listing but your senses are already heightened. HR is not our friend. However, I have been advised by people to document everything in case of wrongful termination. Many people believe their manager title makes them a slave master.

2. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 2:05PM UTC

   So true. My manager has been here over 25 years so they do whatever they want with no consequences.

3. MelissaFebruary 14,2026 at 1:26PM UTC

   Can you ask for a transfer?

4. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 2:01PM UTC

   Ha ha sometimes I wish with the state of our country but we are the only plant in the US. All the others speak their native language. Unfortunately we dont have a plant in the UK.

5. Monica LewisFebruary 16,2026 at 2:46PM UTC

   I have to respond to this thread within a thread. Just like the main poster, I continuously asked for help numerous times and when I felt I was getting overwhelmed and wanted to leave, I put in a transfer to go to our sister site and was told I would be able to go leave. Not long after that, I received a raise. About a week later I was wrote up for not doing enough work even though I had asked for help on multiple occasions. A few weeks after that, my department hired 3 CRCs, and a data entry specialist and I was let go after the we all came back from the new year break. I found another position but this was definitely a learning lesson for me.

6. MelissaFebruary 16,2026 at 9:17PM UTC

   Oh dear. Sorry you were subjected to that chaos, Monica. Though it sounds like optics and rigamarole were out of your control, what would you have done differently? Do you think if you wrote up business case for more resources that would have helped take the excessive load off you? It sounds like someone wrote up justifications, if they hired additional people. And someone saw your value to give you a raise.

7. Barbara MastroddiFebruary 14,2026 at 1:39PM UTC

   Document, document, document, and keep looking. Even if I didn't suspect that my job was being posted, the scenario you describe would make me want to leave. Also remember that HR is not your friend. This sounds like a very toxic work culture.

8. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 1:41PM UTC

   How long ago were you hired? Does the application go through Indeed or a third-party site? A lot of job sites scrape listings and post things that are months out of date.

9. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 1:58PM UTC

   I have been there 18 months.That is a possibility. My plant is in an area full of other plants. Im assuming it could be a different one. They all seem to have the same positions.

10. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 2:54PM UTC

    It might be another company or it might be that your current company is expanding and needs two people in similar roles, but when you already find the workplace toxic, it sounds like a great time to vigorously apply to other companies to be proactive. Network, let former co-workers, friends, family, etc. know that you are looking so you can get a new, better job ASAP.

11. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 3:04PM UTC

    This actually happened to a former colleague of mine. He worked in the same department, and one day, he happened to be browsing the company website and discovered that they were looking for someone for his shift at his pay. He believed he was doing a good job and was understandably concerned. He was told not to worry about it, and shortly thereafter he was let go.

    Sometimes we can do the best job we can, and despite our efforts, we can be dismissed without so much as a “thank you for your service”.

12. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 1:56PM UTC

    This is horrible. How awful for him.

13. Cynthia NellFebruary 14,2026 at 7:34PM UTC

    Instead of torturing yourself with the "what if" which can literally make you lose sleep--I would go DIRECTLY to HR with a print out of the position and ask them face-to-face!

    The speculation that is making you paranoid is very unhealthy to your mental health and may start to affect your job performance.

    Before setting the appointment with HR, document all of your accomplishments and any "above and beyond" work you have done, including any positive performance reviews and any recognition you have received by leadership. And, most importantly, hopefully you have documented all of the complaints (in writing) you have made against your boss, this way, you will have proof of a possible retaliatory, wrongful termination.

    That being said, there is still a possibility that this is NOT your job that is posted, and once HR confirms this--you will be able to have peace of mind. But, in the meantime, don't stop your job search since this definitely sounds like a toxic workplace environment!

14. AnonymousFebruary 15,2026 at 1:56PM UTC

    I would STRONGLY recommend you NOT do this. You have described a hostile work environment, and HR is not your friend. The fact that you saw the posting demonstrates to them that you are looking at other positions. Confronting them is simply going to increase tensions--and it likely won't give you any real answers. They can still lie to you and say it isn't your position. They can still fire you. Focus on doing a good job and making as few waves as possible while you seek alternative employment as quickly as possible.

15. AnonymousFebruary 15,2026 at 2:54PM UTC

    I agree. Going to HR can do more damage. Naming the hostile work environment makes the targeted employee a legal threat to the company, and it is HR's job to protect the company.

16. AnonymousFebruary 15,2026 at 1:49PM UTC

    Recently I found out that my job was adding another position to the same job I have. It could be the same case, although it would be good business practice for your employer to tell you they are expanding and need to add another position to help you with the job. If this is the case, there is nothing for you to worry about. If this is not the case, join a Job Seekers Network and get help to find a new job. Don’t be comfortable.

17. AnonymousFebruary 15,2026 at 5:44PM UTC

    First things first. If you truly think this is YOUR own job, send a resume with a different name and email to the posting using a new email address and make it so they just have to call you. Use a google voice number if you need to to filter out if it is your own job. If it is then obviously you need to be looking. Have you considered making a complaint to the EEOC about hostile workplace? Or other issues? As for the HR person, I suspect as part of her job she does need to terminate people but she is just the facilitator and not the decisionmaker in this and I cannot imagine she enjoys firing people. It's always blaming HR when you don't get them to respond the way you want when you make a complaint. Since you know the company has issues focus on getting out and not on the mean folks there no matter their role. Toxic workplaces suit no one and clearly you need out.

18. Jos WallerFebruary 18,2026 at 6:55PM UTC

    Please don't do this, you would be committing fraud. Just go and consult a lawyer!

19. AnonymousFebruary 15,2026 at 6:24PM UTC

    Yes, this happened to me after my boss put the moves on me and I politely declined. I started to look for other jobs after he did that, and lo and behold, I saw my job posted. I'm so sorry you're going through this.

20. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 1:48PM UTC

    That still happens? How horrible and uncomfortable. I would leave too.

21. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 6:12PM UTC

    It was earlier in my career, and thankfully, it only happened that one time, but I do find blatant sexism is something that still exists....

22. Dr. Patty GrossFebruary 15,2026 at 10:23PM UTC

    Since you work in manufacturing, and assuming the job description is the same, is it possible they are expanding the team and looking to add people to your department? Also, these types of jobs often have high turnover (especially if the word is out about how toxic the place is), so they try to keep a pipeline of applicants, even if they aren't actively hiring. Just be careful, keep your head down and do your job, and keep looking.

23. Christina ConnollyFebruary 17,2026 at 3:45PM UTC

    Yup, been there, it is not good. I rode the elevator up to the office with a colleague from another department, who said, "Hey, my friend applied for that role on your team (HR)." I blanked, there were literally 4 members of our team, but bluffed and said, "oh great, tell her good luck." Went to my office, quickly looked at our internal postings site (that would have been too easy), looked at the team's shared mailbox (where applications are sent) and found applications for a role that had only been listed on one, very specific job site. I followed the link to the posting and read my exact job description plus a bunch of adult education/training responsibilities, my company was listed. I probably should have sat quietly and just prepared to go myself, but I didn't. The day after the team had a budget meeting for the next year's programming, directly outside my office door, that I'd prepped numbers for but was not invited to the meeting, I could not let her continue believing I was stupid. So I sent a message, with a link to the job posting, pointing out the responsibility overlap and asked if we needed to have a discussion, then I left for a week of vacation. The day I returned, I heard my role was being eliminated, they needed a training specialist, hoped I'd stay until they found someone, etc. I said 3 weeks, she asked for 6, and I agreed (but should have left at 3 weeks). I suffered the indignity of training the new person and introducing her around the small company too. I left everything wrapped up as neatly with a bow as I could (because I am me and no one is knocking me out of my integrity). Imagine my surprise when 3 months later, that person was fired. And a few months after that her replacement was fired. Then the director was fired. And the Board removed the top guy for embezzlement. Which is all to say, I was doing a great job, but the new boss had determined she needed skill & experience I didn't have (and was not interested in acquiring), and that was that. While I would have appreciated the professional courtesies of directness and not behaving so shadily (as an HR person working at a church), it was not to be. It stung, I won't hide that from you. You are not being paranoid. Move quietly to get ready to go, just in case, revamp the resume and LinkedIn, start looking at roles that appeal to you and applying. If the worst does not come to pass, so be it, but it's a heck of a lot better to be moving forward than being caught flat-footed and unprepared.

24. AnonymousFebruary 22,2026 at 5:54PM UTC

    In the event that it is your job that is posted and they are getting ready to terminate you, please start documenting everything preferably on your home computer about the hostile work environment with specifics such as dates, times, people involved, etc.; and especially make sure to include anything that relates specifically to you. As this protects you in the event that you are terminated, as you can then use it against them to file for a wrongful termination complaint with the EEOC, in the event that it gets that far. Also, if you can don't let anyone else know that you are currently looking for another position, as this can potentially be used against you by management. I was also initially denied my unemployment benefits because my former employer told the unemployment department in my state that I had been fired for cause, which I was able to prove was untrue because I had everything well documented and my former employer had only attempted this route after I had filed a wrongful termination claim against them with the EEOC. I had my unemployment and all of my back pay within less than 48 business hours of filing my appeal with unemployment. Which proves keeping excellent records in cases like this are very important.

    I'm speaking from personal experience, as I was wrongfully terminated due to being disabled from my last traditional job. I eventually received an out of court settlement from my last traditional employer, which I used to pay off a few small bills and to start my own small business that allows me to work 100% from home and set my own schedule and it also gives me the full decision making capacity to decide who I want to take on as a client, too.

    Trust your gut, I'm glad that I did in my case. Start documenting and keep it in a spot that is not accessible to your employer!