I work in digital marketing doing social media for a large company.

18 Comments

1. Boby BryanFebruary 16,2026 at 7:34PM UTC

   Hi! I hear you—it sounds like you’re in a really tough spot, and it’s understandable to feel stuck. One thing that can sometimes help is exploring tools or approaches that make communication more structured and less dependent on speaking up in group settings. For example, learning a bit about how conversational AI can benefit call and email marketing gave me some ideas on how businesses are using technology to track and manage communications more fairly. It’s not a direct solution, but it can offer perspective on different ways to document your contributions and keep managers in the loop without having to “speak up” in stressful situations.

2. ErinFebruary 16,2026 at 7:43PM UTC

   The super negative comments are given because people feel really comfortable picking on women. However it would be better to educate yourself a little on how to provide confident communication.You should prepare notes and comments that contribute to the discussion, whether others agree with you the fact is it may be good that they have said they want to hear more from you. They need your views and thoughts and they should not have to ask you...get in there and speak up.

3. AnonymousFebruary 16,2026 at 8:51PM UTC

   A similar thing happened to me. I was getting really good performance reviews up until I got COVID and was really sick for about 3 weeks in August. We did billable hours and it was the only month where I didn't greatly exceed utilization target, but still met and even exceeded the target. But it didn't matter. Like you I was blindsided.

   Here is the truth: Companies, even the ones that seem nice, do not really care about employees. They care about money.

   To be honest I would leave. This behavior is unacceptable and outrageous. The tone policing aspect is gross as well. I can't imagine going through something that painful with such a horrible boss and apparently a bunch of tattle tale coworkers who still think this is the third grade. So sorry you are going through this, it's not fair and you don't deserve it.

4. AnonymousFebruary 17,2026 at 1:16PM UTC

   I am sorry you are going through this. RA may qualify you for special accommodations or even intermittent FMLA (depending how bad it can get). I would suggest consulting with an employment attorney if you are able to see what protections you may have with your condition. They might still fire you for a made up reason, but at least you would have leverage for severance.

5. AnonymousFebruary 17,2026 at 1:49PM UTC

   This situation has double edge. The most recommendable action to do is that you got to tell somebody about your fatigue. On the other hand, everybody has known you as a quiet person. This is like a marriage. The couple gets along with the problems or struggles that you have in the beginning of the marriage. After 20 years of marriage none of the members of the marriage can complain for issues that they have had since the beginning of the marriage. In your job, you have been quiet since the beginning when you started in your job. Nobody can complain for something that they have already seen before, because they accepted you the way you are.

6. Monisha WalkerFebruary 17,2026 at 3:24PM UTC

   Wow,

   I'm a introvert person but know how to be extrovert to get the job complete.

7. AnonymousFebruary 22,2026 at 9:21PM UTC

   ?

8. AnonymousFebruary 26,2026 at 1:42PM UTC

   I am the same - introvert who becomes an extrovert at work .Social media is considered a very interactive marketing practice . OP being introverted with a chronic condition in that setting is tough as they are used to them not saying anything.

9. GirlBossanova934974February 17,2026 at 4:40PM UTC

   3 things come right to mind. A) Are you currently doing the tasks that have been assigned to you? Are you meeting your goals/metrics? Leads, likes, engagement, and that of thing. If you are, then this is all about nothing. B) Your management team sounds like they just graduated from JUNIOR HIGH. You don't go walking into employee meetings talking about bad attitudes and then have nothing to add. NOT even Bush League. 3) If this place is not working out for you, then you should be looking somewhere else. There are a ton of social media jobs being advertised out there. If you are hitting your goals and expanding on them, then you have something to offer here. Tiktok, X, Reddit, Meta, IG are all wanted. If you work with Hubspot or Klaviyo or Salesforce Marketing Cloud, that just increases your value! I myself have worked with a lot of social media as a digital marketer. I am not sure how being an introvert or extrovert enables one to put together better social media campaigns. Have to know what part of the funnel you are in. Have to be able to put together compelling reels and that sort of thing.

10. Erika REYNOLDSFebruary 17,2026 at 4:53PM UTC

    Did you know that as a subservient worker, you are allowed to "tape/video/voice record" your superiors? This is legally permissible in many parts of Canada. They (those above your station) are not legally allowed to use any recordings of your voice unless they ask you so my point is, when/if you must have this type of conversation, record it.

11. AnonymousFebruary 17,2026 at 7:06PM UTC

    Get a doctors note immediately, and ask for your doctor to put into those notes the specifics about how your arthritic symptoms cause distress and can cause you to be very internally focused and withdrawn. Let them know that you need an accommodation for your situation and that you are generally also an introvert and prefer to remain kind of quiet but in 1-1 are more open. I would also be sure to put this all in writing and also send a copy to HR/legal. Don't let them intimidate you but you will have to control more of how you interact with others perhaps not as a ray of sunshine which is what they seem to want but as a restrained participating person on the team.

    Don't give up and be well!

12. AnonymousFebruary 19,2026 at 2:27PM UTC

    Yes this, not for them to here but remember about HIPPA, if there is rumblings around the could be consequences for them.

13. AnonymousFebruary 18,2026 at 3:52PM UTC

    When a manager says something was “noted by many” but doesn’t provide specific examples, it can leave you without a clear path to improve. A constructive way to respond would be:

    “I take feedback seriously and genuinely want to address any concerns about my performance or attitude. However, I haven’t received any direct feedback about this previously, so I’m unclear on what behaviors need to change. It would really help me if you could share specific examples or situations where there were concerns. Having concrete details will allow me to better understand the issue and make meaningful improvements. I’d also appreciate receiving specific feedback going forward so I can address things promptly.”

14. AnonymousFebruary 18,2026 at 4:11PM UTC

    Sounds like an impossibly confusing culture. Run!!

15. PaulinaFebruary 19,2026 at 1:25AM UTC

    Hi, thank you for sharing this. It sounds scary to receive this sort of vague feedback/criticism and not feel like you have a way out due to your single mom status. First of all, I want to validate that fear of survival… it’s an instinct that comes on strong when you become a mama. I feel you (and can really resonate with that set of emotions). What I’ve been trying to do lately is to do “emotional research”… I have come to find that with time, my soul just lets me know that certain situations just no longer work for me. No longer support me, or my vision for my future. So I take that as an internal research note that this situation is feeling done. With that being the case, it’s time to start looking for new opportunities. And finding them is not an overnight process, especially when you have kiddos to care for. So in situations like this, I do my best to remedy the situation (I saw some excellent notes in the comments here od things to try), while beginning my search. The thing I always repeat to myself is “there is a world of opportunities out there, and there’s life beyond xyz company (that I used to feel stuck at)”. You will find your next spot and it will give you a sense of empowerment and growth. I believe in you, and I believe in myself too. We got this.

16. Debbie Scheller HaroFebruary 19,2026 at 7:12PM UTC

    Another perspective here…Maybe you could lean into this vague feedback by asking to meet 1:1 weekly or every other week with your manager to discuss the work you’ve been focusing on, make sure your priorities align with theirs, and surface any challenges you’re facing. You can ask if there has been any specific feedback on your performance for that week and address it head on.

    Consider applying for FMLA. On the days that your RA flares, you can take time off without the risk of losing your job.

    Sometimes it’s necessary to manage your boss. If you can convey that you’re taking their feedback seriously and showing that you are invested in the work, it could make a big difference.

17. AnonymousFebruary 22,2026 at 9:19PM UTC

    Great advice, Debbie!

18. Ne VajnoAugust 28,2026 at 2:11PM UTC
    Working in digital marketing has made me realize how much the field depends on testing and adapting rather than following one fixed formula. Campaigns can perform differently even when the audience and budget seem similar, so looking at the actual data is important. I also think it helps to understand the basics of different channels instead of focusing only on one platform. For example, learning how online advertising platforms work can give marketers a better idea of how targeting, placements, and audience behavior affect results. There is also a creative side to the job that I enjoy, because good marketing usually requires both analytical thinking and an understanding of what people genuinely respond to.