In partnership with
Everything has been so shiny on the professional networking platforms. This is when I start doubting myself and wondering if I even belong here. I told you I’m first generation corporate worker and so when things around me start to look unfamiliar, I panic. As a new business owner, things on certain professional social platforms are starting to look too shiny. Business owners trying to sell retreats for thousands of dollars, CEOS bragging about getting rid of HR departments all together (somebody tag me when the lawsuits come in), some recruiters with archaic practices upset that candidates aren’t taking cold calls (I haven’t accepted an unknown caller since 2019), lots of product selling…I don’t know. It’s started to feel strange.
Today’s newsletter comes to you thanks to I Hate It Here! Seriously one of my favorite newsletters and probably the reason I moved to beehiiv for my newsletter efforts. You don’t have to be alone and guarded in HR. You have permission to hate it here too.
The best HR advice comes from people who’ve been in the trenches.
That’s what this newsletter delivers.
I Hate it Here is your insider’s guide to surviving and thriving in HR, from someone who’s been there. It’s not about theory or buzzwords — it’s about practical, real-world advice for navigating everything from tricky managers to messy policies.
Every newsletter is written by Hebba Youssef — a Chief People Officer who’s seen it all and is here to share what actually works (and what doesn’t). We’re talking real talk, real strategies, and real support — all with a side of humor to keep you sane.
Because HR shouldn’t feel like a thankless job. And you shouldn’t feel alone in it.
Mike Peditto had a lovely post about what people don't see and it got me thinking, since sometimes content can be so overly promising or almost braggadocious.
Let me take you on a few memorable moments.
When I was in grade school walking to the corner store, I was being so nosy about what was happening across the street that I walked into a pole and adults laughed at me. It's actually funny.
When I was in high school I had a speech to give as the yearbook editor but they put me at the very end and everyone was already wild and checked out so nobody heard it.
I can't tell you how many times I have applied to the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship or the O'Neill Playwrights Conference only to be rejected. It's a game at this point.
Last night I said "metaphor" when I meant "slogan," a word mix-up thing I sometimes do and it's embarrassing since I am a writer.
I put together a survey for people who identify as women in the workplace and only got about 12 responses even after posting about it often.
I have a lot of content but my newsletter has 220 subscribers. And I am grateful for each one.
I had interviews for three jobs I really wanted this past year and didn't get them.
I once went rollerblading in Brooklyn and encountered a downhill unexpectedly and almost severely injured myself in front of an entire neighborhood.
I am sometimes entirely too trusting with people at the beginning of meeting and getting to know them, but I am working on it.
You see, these things don’t shame me. I find value in them and in sharing them. We are human. On this past Memorial Day, which finds its roots in Decoration Day, and on a day we remembered George Floyd, it’s good to remember that everyone is a person.
What are some embarrassments or failures you think made you who are you are?
Me, headwrapped and lipsticked, likely at the age of said rollerblade incident but still ok enough to make a poetry reading at Nuyorican Poets Cafe.
I was in the news!
My first CNBC Make It appearance in the article Should You Resign By Text, inspired by the FDA official who did just that. This topic inspired some generational debates on my LinkedIn and frankly the TLDR is that trust is broken in the workplace so I don’t look for companies to model the behavior I’m going to walk in. I don’t intentionally burn bridges because the world has a funny sense of humor. I only like to think of what my future self would appreciate.
Check out here and let me know what you think!
The Interview Arc solves most of your interview quality challenges
There’s no need to let your talent problems continue. Recruiters are busy recruiting but we can solve your training challenges to ensure you are getting the best candidate assessments you need to make your business stronger.
Take our free 2-minute assessment to see if your interview process needs help.
1
