As Peter Kiefer pointed out on Insider, the rigid office hierarchies of the Mad Men era have been replaced by open floor plans and a more casual egalitarianism.

Strict adherence to corporate titles is now often frowned upon, and in some instances replaced by whimsical stand-ins. For example, service technicians at Apple retail stores are known as “geniuses” and receptionists at Houghton Mifflin became “directors of first impressions.”

This new culture is supposed to make it easier to exchange ideas and bring more fun to the workplace. But it can also confuse people’s understanding of relationships, most notably with the higher-ups.

But TikTok user Sophia has recently uploaded a video that serves as a grim reminder of the age-old lesson: your boss is not your friend.

More info: TikTok

After spending two years with the company, Sophia handed in her 2 weeks’ notice

Image credits: sophiazp5

However, her bosses, who she respected, weren’t exactly happy to learn about her decision

@sophiazp5 #corporatehorrorstories #corporate #corporatetiktok #2weeksnotice #greatresignation ♬ Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift

They wanted her to make it a 6 weeks’ notice instead

Image credits: sophiazp5

Sophia really tried to keep it professional

Image credits: sophiazp5

But the CEO and COO started blatantly insulting her

Image credits: LinkedIn Sales Solutions (not the actual photo)

Eventually, they organized an impromptu staff meeting

Image credits: sophiazp5

And pushed fake narratives about her to everyone

Image credits: Chris Montgomery (not the actual photo)

Image credits: sophiazp5

Image credits: sophiazp5

Bill George, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School and former CEO of medical technology company Medtronic, has spent two decades studying leadership failures in the workplace. Hwe told CNBC Make It that bosses are doomed the moment they lose sight of their “true north,” referring to their deeply held beliefs, values and purpose as leaders.

Those traits help guide people to make good decisions and lead effectively. “[They’re] what makes you authentic, and people naturally want to follow authentic leaders,” George explained.

According to him, losing your sight of your values has nothing to do with how smart you are. It happens when you get distracted by extrinsic motivations like money, fame and power — all at the expense of your moral compass.

In their new book, ‘True North: Leading Authentically in Today’s Workplace, Emerging Leader Edition,’ George and co-author Zach Clayton identify five different archetypes of bosses that you never want to become or work for: imposters, rationalizers, glory seekers, loners, and shooting stars.

Judging from Sophia’s TikTok, her CEO and COO likely belong to the first category.

George said that imposters fight relentlessly to get to the top of organizations, but once they’re there, they have no idea how to effectively lead because they lack a sense of self-awareness.

These bosses don’t have an accurate depiction of their own character, actions or feelings — and they struggle to recognize how other people see them. And that’s a problem because self-awareness helps you understand what’s going right and wrong in your leadership. It shows you how your actions may be helping or hurting employees, and what you can improve to lead them more effectively.

These two also weren’t able to take a pause and look at the situation from a different perspective. They kept escalating, appeasing their childish pride, nad fabricated a problem where there was none.

Facing high economic uncertainty, Sophia (and everyone else who seeks to recession-proof their career), should know which fields to prioritize when looking for a new job. Luckily, the team at ELVTR, an online education platform, put together the top 5 professions that, according to them, are in high demand, with each paying up to around $100,000 a year:

Product Management

In a world driven by technology, there’s no shortage of innovation or demand for talent in the IT sector, but companies aren’t just seeking technologists. They also require those with product management skills to ensure the success of their products. According to Glassdoor, there are 17,725 current openings in the product management field.

IT product managers can expect a respectable salary and opportunities to progress. Offering a pathway into the lucrative tech industry that doesn’t require the ability to code, more and more career-seekers are looking to follow in the footsteps of former product managers such as Susan Wojcicki and Sundar Pichai.

Average salary, Glassdoor: $96,496 per year

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Management

According to LinkedIn, the number of ‘head of diversity’ professionals has more than doubled since 2015, with companies such as Electronic Arts, Deloitte and Amazon among those hiring. Shown to boost productivity, employee retention and morale, and with 75% of job seekers evaluating a company’s diversity when considering a job offer, investment in DEI management positions will only increase.

By mastering skills such as communication, issue identification and conflict management, candidates can secure a career in this growing field. Besides offering a lucrative career choice, such roles are perfect for those hoping to leave a positive mark on our workplaces and society.

Average salary, Glassdoor: $89,804 per year

Game Production

The gaming industry grew by 26% between 2019 and 2021 and will continue on this trajectory despite the recession, according to PwC, as consumers seek low-cost entertainment.

With gaming a favorite hobby among young consumers, this ranks as the most desirable industry among job-seekers, with new professionals seeking a career doing what they love most. To beat the competition, candidates will need to master scarcely available skills. This is not just an opportunity for those with coding knowledge and experience. To meet demand, the industry will need to recruit a diverse range of skills — from UX/UI to sound engineering, programming to script writing.

Average salary, Glassdoor: $87,024 per year

Creative Direction

With sector job prospects projected to grow 11% this decade, faster than the US job market average, there is an evident need for art direction skills. A decline is unlikely despite the economic situation, as people continue to seek entertainment during tough times and businesses increase their advertising efforts to maintain recognition and loyalty.

Opposing the ‘starving artist’ stereotype, art direction roles enable creative types to showcase their creativity with the guarantee of reward.

Average salary, Glassdoor: $72,694 per year

Data Analysis

With an ever-growing amount of data available to businesses, professionals with the analysis skills to transform this into valuable insight are in high demand. According to LinkedIn, data science vacancies have been growing by 37% annually in the US.

With roles spread across almost all industries, those competent in data analysis have the freedom to pick a role and sector that appeals to them, such as banking, healthcare, retail or tech. Also requiring above-average computer literacy and mathematical skills, this is by no means an easy profession, but the rewards are equal to the requirements with even entry-level analysts commanding above-average salaries.

Average salary, Glassdoor: $63,731 per year

Roman Peskin, co-founder and CEO of ELVTR, told Bored Panda in a statement that, “Following decades of wage stagnation, our workforce is finally seeking more. Close to a quarter of employees are considering their options and scrambling to expand their expertize. But so too are thousands of others. ‘Skills inflation’ hits, the supply of candidates increases and the number of available roles plummets. Ultimately, mastering mass market skills are unlikely to improve a job seeker’s prospects. Instead, employees should focus on acquiring skills that are less common among today’s workforce, yet no less valuable and desirable to employers.”

People were absolutely appalled by the way Sophia was treated

Games

View all games

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!