Just Keep Going

If you’ve ever feared being scammed or used by a job that sounded too good to be true, trust me, I’ve been there.

For the past decade, I've been working and building myself professionally, always with this lingering fear:

What if I end up in a toxic workplace? What if I get manipulated into something I didn’t sign up for?

I’ve always been careful, always cautious. But even with all that experience, something terrible recently happened, and I need to talk about it.

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The Offer That Seemed Like a Blessing

It all started with a job offer from a startup company. They wanted me to join as their Social Media Manager, which aligned perfectly with my skills and experience. The salary was high, unusually high for a startup, but I didn’t question it too much.

All I could think about was how this opportunity could help me settle my loans, finally give my mom the car she needed for her clinic appointments, and give me the financial breather I’ve been working so hard for.

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The Red Flags That I Ignored

Red Flag #1: A Sudden Change in Role

Just days before my reporting date, I got a call from the boss. Suddenly, I was being reassigned as a Digital Marketer. Not as glamorous, but the pay was the same, so I agreed.

The HR followed up with a message stating I’d be supporting the development of their digital product. Okay, fine.

Red Flag #2: Reporting on a Public Holiday

I was told to report in on a public holiday. No one showed up. No heads-up, no apology. The next day? Everyone acted like it was no big deal.

Red Flag #3: Sketchy Email Access

I asked for official emails to set up the company’s social media accounts. They kept asking me to use old emails from previous employees. Wait, what? This company was supposedly launched just a month ago.

Red Flag #4: Refusing to Listen

When the social accounts I created got flagged and banned, I explained what went wrong and what needed to be done. They didn’t care. They wanted results, not explanations.

Red Flag #5: From “Supporting” to “Doing Everything”

Two weeks in, the person originally hired to create the digital book got fired. Guess who was asked to take over? Yep, me. Despite repeatedly explaining that I’m not a writer, I was told to just try.

So I did.

I wrote the books, laid out marketing plans, and worked through stress and confusion only to be fired for incompetence.

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The Realization: It Was Never About Me

After they fired me, they started mass-hiring interns. That’s when it clicked. They wanted cheap labor to finish and run campaigns with the materials that I and the previous guy had already created.

I was used.

And when I was called into the boss’s office, HR sat there like a puppet, silent and useless. I reminded the boss that I was originally hired as a Social Media Manager. I never signed any contract officially stating my new job scope. I have written proof that my role was only to support the book creation, not to write the whole thing.

He looked at me and asked,

“Then why am I paying so much if you're only editing?”

To which I replied,

“Because you offered me that salary for a completely different role.”

And I left, telling him I’d be taking this up with the labour court.

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Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)

• If it sounds too good to be true, question it.

• A verbal agreement isn’t enough, get everything in writing.

• A job title matters, but job scope matters more.

• Know your rights as an employee.

• Red flags are not to be ignored. Ever.

I’m not someone who wallows in self-pity.

Shit happens.

You take the lesson, wipe your tears, and keep going.

If justice is meant to be served, it will be.

And if you're ever in doubt, feel free to DM me.

If you’re curious about which company this was, I’ll gladly share it privately.

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I share this not just for closure, but as a warning to anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation. Not all high-paying offers are blessings. Some are traps. Stay alert, ask questions, and always—always—know your worth.