‘And just like that, the tables have completely turned’: Underpaid and overworked employee lands a unicorn job offer and resigns from their current role, boss loses it

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Sep 24, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

Sometimes, it takes losing something to realize how much you needed it. This doesn't only happen with objects like your can opener, or a plunger when you move into a new apartment. Employers will often mistreat their employees and lowball them because they believe they can. Well the employee who shared this success story shows us that you don't need to stay in a job that under-appreciates and underpays you forever. This reads like a fairytale.

Though the job market might prevent you from seeking other roles, it can't hurt to casually browse job boards if you find yourself in a predicament like this employee who is in an executive assistant role. These types of roles are already fast-paced and overwhelming, so receiving an underwhelming financial payout at the expense of your daily suffering seems a bit masochistic. But that's just it—higher-ups rely on the desperation of others so they can get away with dishing out the bare minimum. Not today.

A unicorn job offer falls into this employee's hands at the right place and right time, so they immediately resign. Instead of understanding, their boss throws a fit—and expects the employee to stay for longer than they anticipated. Thanks, but no thanks…

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • Cheezburger Image 10557263872
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "I just submitted my resignation. My manager lost it."

    Look, I finally submitted my resignation a few days ago, and guys, my manager's reaction was something else.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I've been working as an executive assistant at this medium-sized company for about 30 months now.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • It's just me and my supervisor in the office, and the rest of the people are the logistics team, their supervisor, and the manager.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • The warehouse side is known for constant turnover - people just disappear, or they get completely ghosted.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • For years, I've been drowning in work, stressed, severely underpaid, and constantly overworked.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I talked to my supervisor, pushing them to hire another admin.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • At the beginning of last summer, they promised me they would hire someone new.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • From last fall until this summer, I requested about a dozen vacation days, and only one was approved.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • Forget about me taking any time off when my boss is traveling (or even the weeks immediately before or after).
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • She has two long vacations planned this season - one for three weeks and the other for two and a half weeks - which means I'm literally chained to my desk for the entire summer.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • My requests for a raise? They were completely shut down.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • They've interviewed about a dozen candidates for this second admin position they can't seem to fill recently, and they say about each one that they are 'too desperate for the job.'
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • Seriously? After a few good interviews elsewhere, I found a fantastic new job.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • It comes with a respectable 45% raise, an extra 5 days of PTO, a much stronger and more affordable benefits plan, and best of all, the few vacation days I had requested for this summer (which my current job immediately denied) were already approved there.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • It was a no-brainer.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I told my boss | was leaving a few days ago.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • RESIGNATION
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • She was visibly very upset.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • She said she was completely surprised, couldn't speak, and was stammering things like, 'I thought you were happy here, why? Just tell me why?'
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I simply apologized and explained that it was a significant financial opportunity.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • She then practically ordered me to get out of her sight.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • A few minutes later, she stomped back to my desk and said I *must* stay for an extra five weeks until they find and train my replacement.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I politely but firmly told her that wasn't possible.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • Her response? 'No, you *must* stay.'
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • And just like that, the tables have completely turned.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • I now see exactly how much they depend on me, and conversely, how little I need them.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • It's a very satisfying feeling to know that their crappy treatment of me all this time won't diminish this feeling one bit.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091
  • Just wanted to share this sweet moment of victory with you all.
    via Outrageous-Iron1091

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

workplace-stories jobs employee toxic-workplace job work memes bad jobs work new job reddit story horrible-management employees not my job overworked-employees workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread job interview entitled people toxic-work-environment
Scroll Down For The Next Article