A career coach on TikTok offers advice to anyone considering telling their boss they’re unhappy at work: Don’t do it.
In a video posted on March 5, Dilara Casey (@totally_employable) advises against admitting unhappiness to your boss, especially if the reason for your dissatisfaction is poor management.
Casey starts her video off by saying, “If your boss asks you if you’re unhappy, do not say yes. Even if you’re unhappy, don’t tell them that you’re unhappy.”
She goes on to explain that many bosses get promoted because they’re good individual workers, but lack the necessary leadership qualities to handle such feedback effectively.
“Too many times, I have seen this backfire with clients of mine where their boss has asked them if they’re unhappy, and the client says, ‘Yes, I’m unhappy, I am looking for you to do XYZ for me.’ And if that boss doesn’t have great training… they feel personally attacked,” she remarks.
@totally_employable Should you tell your boss you’re unhappy? #careeradviceontiktok #careeradvice #careertiktok #fyp #jobadvice #companyculture #workthisway ♬ original sound – DilaraCasey
Casey continues, “They’re not going to change their style, they’re not going to change their way. They’re gonna change the problem, which, in their perspective, is you.”
According to the career coach, if you’re unhappy with your boss the best course of action might be going to HR instead. “Get it documented, get it put on paper, with a third party in your organization, like HR, and tell them why you’re struggling and where you’re seeing challenges.”
The video has since gone viral, racking up over 419,100 views. In the comments, some users agreed with Casey, sharing stories of how their honesty ended up getting them fired.
“CEO realized I was unhappy and I admitted it. They partially fixed the problem but felt like I had a target on my back. Tried to get another job but couldn’t. Got laid off. Never ever be honest,” one user wrote.
Another user shared a similar experience. They wrote, “I disclose how unhappy I was and I also make it seen in the annual survey. Result = I got laid off.”
Others suggested being truthful to HR won’t yield better results either. One commenter said, “Don’t share with your boss or HR. If you’re unhappy, just quietly look for a new job and leave.”
“Never be honest, always blindside them and leave,” a second wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dilara Casey via TikTok comment.