Rejected Or Selected

Our brand new Anonymous Confessions bi-weekly show is now live as Simon flies solo while Deany flies back to Australia on business.This one is a real "treat" as we explore a tale of a toxic workplace that would make even some of the most toxic bosses cringe.Getting yelled and at cursed at? AwesomeBoss leaves the door open and yells on the phone? AwesomePaper everywhere and a fax machine in the corner gathering dust? It's just Awesome!Want to contribute to our Anonymous Confessions? Easy!If you have an eye-watering tale of toxicity, a job search woe, or a candidate horror experience, then we want to hear it!Get onto our Anonymous Confessions form today and your story might make a future episode https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeX7N26yGo6qpRGlSPAQJXsWfdMSFyRMZZJEDSqYvTUdUxz2w/viewform

Nobody takes a job expecting it to wreck them. You start out keen, you tell your mates you have landed somewhere great, and then somewhere between month three and month eighteen you notice you are dreading Monday on a Sunday afternoon.In this episode, Simon and Deany break down the red flags of a toxic workplace, from the ones hiding in the job ad to the ones that only show up in your own behaviour. Why, "we're like a family here", should make you nervous. Why the good people always leave in clusters. Why a mindfulness app is not a staffing strategy. And why exit interviews get conducted, recorded, and quietly composted.We also get into the research. MIT Sloan Management Review found that a toxic corporate culture was roughly ten times more important than compensation in predicting why people quit, with pay ranking only sixteenth on the list. Closer to home, managing psychosocial risk has been a legal duty for WA employers since December 2022, which means your workplace culture is a safety issue, not just a vibe.Then we open up about our own experiences, the moments the scales fell off, and the things we told ourselves in order to stay.Also, here's a link to the MIT Sloane Management Review about the "Great Resignation", it's an intriguing read - https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/toxic-culture-is-driving-the-great-resignation/

We're going back to our roots in Episode 16 with a return to job search woes! Have you ever been told you were too qualified for a role, or did your feedback describe how you'd likely be a flight risk after 12-18 months? Well, that's happened to our Co-host Deany on more than one occasion. What does it actually mean in 2026 to be overqualified for a role, but you want to career pivot or try something in your field that's a little bit different?This week, Simon and Deany explore some of the most awkward and messy parts of the job search and provide some clear advice as to how you can navigate through them.Anonymous Confessions:Would you like to "spill the tea", so to speak, about something that's happened in your workplace?Do you have a hiring horror story or HR mishap that would be a great share?Then join go to our Anonymous Confessions form and let us know! If it's really good, your story might feature in an upcoming episode of Rejected or Selected 🎧Rejected or Selected Podcast: Anonymous Confessions

The Purple Circle - a very unique West Aussie way of describing the exclusive inner circle, the inner sanctum, when the boy's club joins forces with the mean girls, sprinkle in a few former school bullies, and voila, you have the makings of a group that will bring your career to a screeching halt.In this week's episode, Deany and Simon explore the origins of this term and the industries and organisations it has infiltrated, plus how to spot if your workplace has one and just what to do about it.We also have this week's Anonymous Confession and Simon discusses his new solo podcast venture.Important Note: We discussed some topics and touched on themes that may upset some people. These concerned mental health and well-being, so please remember to reach out if you need help:Lifeline 13 11 14Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36If you'd like to contribute to our Anonymous Confessions and feature in an upcoming episode, check out the form right here 🎧Rejected or Selected Podcast: Anonymous Confessions

This week Deany and Simon take a very deep dive into the past few years of Big 4 consulting scandals inside Australia. AI hallucinations, whistleblowers, sketchy emails and fabricated reports that cost nearly half a million dollars.Also, this episode introduces our brand-new Anonymous Confessions segment and Deany announces her resignation and upcoming job search.If you'd like to contribute to our Anonymous Confessions segment, you can find the form right here 🎧Rejected or Selected Podcast: Anonymous Confessions