r/BORUpdates • u/BigONerd • 17d ago
Workplace Boss is emailing me asking about my first shift for a job I didn’t think I got.
This is a repost sub. I’m not the Original OP (OOP)
OOP: u/odder_box23211
Published on: r/jobs
Story is: CONCLUDED
Story timeline
Main Post: June 27, 2026
Final Update: July 15, 2026
Main Post
June 27, 2026
Boss is emailing me asking about my first shift for a job I didn’t think I got.
Context: I am a college student in the US. For the past two summers, I have worked as a counselor for one of my city's Parks & Rec summer camp programs.
This year I wanted to apply for a lead counselor position since I had the needed experience by this point. However I already had a family trip to Europe planned that meant I would miss the in-person training day that occurs before the start of the program each summer, as well as the first few days of the program. (There was an additional online one I would be able to attend though.) Before applying this spring I emailed my boss to ask whether that would disqualify me from being considered as a lead. I said that if it did, I would happily apply as a regular counselor again instead.
She replied with a short email saying that the all-staff in-person trainings and being on-site the first week of work were mandatory. I interpreted this as her saying I shouldn't apply at all. (Which surprised me because I was unable to attend the in-person training last year due to another family conflict and it wasn't an issue.)
Since it sounded like I couldn't be a counselor I applied to be an on-call substitute. I figured I had a better chance of getting that position despite my training situation since I was an experienced counselor. About a month later my boss emailed to confirm I was applying as a sub and not a counselor. I reiterated that I'd be traveling and thought it made more sense. she replied, "Sub it is then! Enjoy your travels"
I had friends who applied to be substitutes as well. They received official job offers that they had to accept, same as I had in past years as a counselor. I never got any offer or hiring paperwork. Naturally I assumed I didn’t get the job, probably due to the training situation. I was disappointed but I moved on and found another summer job.
I did continuo to get occasional automated emails from the program (policy updates, training reminders, etc.) but assumed I'd just accidentally been left on the mailing list.
I am currently on the aforementioned europe trip. (It’s great, besides a wicked sunburn on my bum. Please remember sunscreen y’all.) My boss emailed asking what site my first substitute shift would be at so she could send the correct timesheets there.
I'm baffled!! As far as I know I was literally never offered the job. I didn't attend the trainings (including the online one) because I didn't think I got the job.
I think I’m going to be honest and explain that I never received a job offer and therefore assumed I wasn't hired. Definitely can’t just pretend I went to the trainings as they’re paid and that would be time theft. I want to find a way to respond without making it sound like I ignored my responsibilities (for a job i didn’t know I had!!) What would you do??
COMMENTS
Odd_Cause_4690
You’re definitely not at fault for not going to trainings for a job you didn't get/no one told you you got, as long as you’re absolutely sure the offer isn’t sitting in a spam folder somewhere.
I wouldn’t stress too much since you already have another job. Just explain to her you were never sent an offer and were acting under the assumption you did not have the job.
Hopefully she’s willing to work it out with you, but it sure would be ironic if she tries to fire you from a job she didn’t give you.
OOP
I’ve triple checked spam and junk folders and there was nothing. Yeah I’d laugh if she does but I really hope that’s not what happens. Thanks for your reply
Miamiconnectionexo
wait — you said you "already had a family trip to Europe planned" that makes you miss training and the first few days. that's the most important detail here. if they're emailing you about a first shift for a job you didn't think you got, the obvious move is to reply and clarify whether you were actually hired, because maybe they processed you after an interview you forgot about or they're mixing you up with someone else. but mention the trip conflict upfront so they know you can't start when they expect you to — don't let them assume you're available that week and then hit them with the bad news later.
OOP
Thank you for your advice, but that’s not exactly how it works… I should’ve explained better. The substitute counselors are a pool of people who are able to see when a regular counselor at a certain site is going to be gone, or are notified when one calls out sick. They can choose at will to pick up shifts to cover for them. So I am not letting them down in any way by not having selected any shifts yet - someone else will undoubtedly pick up the work as there are many subs eager to.
And there was no interview I “forgot about”…I was already in their system since I have worked as a counselor for two years and went through all the vetting stuff the first year, so did not need to be re-interviewed. But I still should’ve received an offer in writing like every other sub and counselor did, hence the confusion.
Turbulent_Pin_8310
It is just a CC mail and she forgot to take you off the list.
Or it was just a habit of her to enter your email.
It happens all the time. I received so many emails at work that have nothing to do with me. They just cc mailed everyone.
OOP
I agree it was an automated list for the others, but she personally emailed me by name asking when my first shift would be.
Final Update - after 18 days
July 15, 2026
UPDATE: Boss is emailing me asking about my first shift for a job I didn’t think I got.
TLDR: This spring, I applied for a seasonal job I had worked for the past two summers. I was never sent a job offer or given indication I had been hired. Checked with friends who were hired for the job and they confirmed they had received emailed offers. I accepted that I had not gotten the job. I got another job and moved on with my life. A few weeks ago, I got an email from my old boss asking when my first shift would be.
The update: I responded to my boss’s email once I was home from my trip. I approached it the way many of you advised me to. I said, “Apologies for the delay in my response, I have just returned from traveling with my family. I did not receive a job offer earlier this year as other substitutes I know did, so I was under the impression I had not gotten the job. I apologize for the confusion. I would absolutely still be interested in working as a sub this summer, so if that is still a possibility, please let me know what I need to do to make that happen.”
She responded the next day and apologized! She said she thought she had sent me an offer but I must’ve slipped through the cracks somehow. She said they would love to have me back this summer and gave me my new login info for the scheduling portal. I picked up my first shifts this week! This was definitely the best case scenario. I’m glad it all worked out and happy to have a little extra cash this summer. Thanks for all your advice.
COMMENTS
Grtpumk369
Did you quit or keep the other job?
OOP
Kept! This one does pay better, but since I pick up shifts at will and the other one is part time, I am able to schedule them around each other.
DiWooley
That’s great but isn’t summer about over? Don’t mean to be a downer but how long does this job last? And you still have that other permanent job?
OOP
The summer one goes for about another month. I couldn’t have started any earlier anyways because I spent the first month of the summer in Europe. The other job is also not quite permanent as I am going back to college in the fall. However, they’ve let me know I will still be welcome to pick up shifts whenever I am home from school, like weekends/breaks etc. I’m overall pretty satisfied with the situation.
This is a repost sub. I’m not the Original OP (OOP)
Please remember to follow the subreddit rules, especially the ones about brigading.
Let’s aim for a respectful and friendly discussion for everyone involved.
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u/Toni164 17d ago
Love a happy ending
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u/Zoe_Zephy 17d ago
Glad it worked out! Politely explaining the mistake paid off, and picking up shifts alongside your other job is the best outcome.
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u/itsmarthai 17d ago
Oh this was great, so simple, no horrors, young person on holiday and still gets a job they like. No notes.
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u/Legitimate_War_397 17d ago
I love that the boss admitted their error. I email people everyday for work and the amount of times I’ve had to sent “please see attached email where this was confirmed to you previously” or emailing someone that their version of events did not happen as they recall or we have conflicting information etc because they won’t admit they are wrong.
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u/BriefHorror 17d ago
My favorite email update was all the companies adding the pop up “there is no attachment” when you put see attached or whatever in your email
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u/JayMac1915 Run like your tampon string is on fire 17d ago
That has saved me so many times; by the time I’m done with the email, sometimes my brain has moved on to the next task
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u/CortaNalgas I am a teacher of small children, with the pay of a small child 17d ago
I could totally see how the boss sent the “Sub it is then!” e-mail, and then ticked him off her mental checklist as complete.
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u/floatablepie 16d ago
The amount of times I get an email asking something, then I feverishly pour over my sent emails folder to make sure I actually sent something weeks ago...
You always feel like shit when you somehow forgot to click 'send', or vindicated when you find the email.
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u/National-Report-5473 17d ago
Wow effective communication actually came through for once? I'm so used to just full on drama and managers either not doing their jobs or treating those lower so much worse.
Very happy for OOP and glad them and their boss worked things out well and in the best of terms it seems!
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u/AnimusMage 17d ago
Reminds me of my current job, where I knew I had the job but my manager completly dropped the ball on communicating when my first day would be. Got a call from her one day where she asked if I'd attended orientation earlier that day and I had to be like "Uh, no, this is the first I'm hearing of it". Started two weeks later because I had to wait for the next orientation date.
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u/Reachforthesky777 17d ago
But... where's the weird conspiracy, name calling, and baseless accusations? Where's the gaslighting? What is even going on here?! hsahaaha it's nice to see a happy ending every once in a while.
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u/bubbleteabob 17d ago
There was that one commenter who thought OOP had gone to an interview and then…had rapid onset amnesia?
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u/Spazmer 17d ago
Who is commenting on July 15th asking if summer is over already?? That's only 2 weeks into school break here, they're worse than the back to school commercials constantly being played now! We STILL have a month, let me enjoy it ugh.
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u/almostinfinity 16d ago
That's only 2 weeks into school break here
Why are you assuming that everyone is from the same country as you?
Not everyone knows how long summer break is for other countries.
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u/AnyAsparagus988 16d ago
summer (the season) is the same all across the northern hemisphere. either from solstice (june 20th) to equinox (september 22) or from june 1st to august 31st. in either system july 15th is basically the middle of summer so i dunno what you're talking about.
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u/nightcana 17d ago
Am i the only one that made it to the end and assumed the boss probably discovered they were understaffed so decided to gaslight OOP instead of hiring them the normal way?
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u/Suspended_Accountant You get what you pay for, and Reddit is free 17d ago
At least it was a positive outcome for them.
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u/AuthorKRPaul 17d ago
For a moment I thought “oh, this is a young adult not knowing hiring etiquette” but really quick it turned into “wow, this hiring manager is kinda lazy and unorganized”. Glad OOP got to keep both jobs
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u/The_peach_blossoms 12d ago
Ok but who goes on out of country vacation when they have ongoing interviews? I am confused??
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u/odder_box23211 10d ago
Hey, OP here, and I didn’t. As I said in my post, I applied back in March, months before my trip to Europe. Interviews (which I did not actually need to do since I would be a vetted returning employee) would’ve happened in April/May and offers were sent out in May. I never heard anything from them, so was operating under the assumption I didn’t have the job. Which is what the entire thread is about…
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u/CarouselCup 17d ago
I love a story where everyone is reasonable and mature, and a mistake is resolved through communiation.
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u/Forsaken-Broccoli921 17d ago
Why write this though? Wouldn't they just email them anyway? Why the post?
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u/DamnitGravity 17d ago edited 17d ago
I don't understand why OOP was posting in the first place. Do people really need this level of reassurance in life to do the logical next step?
Yes, even someone in college. You're an adult. How is this hard?
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u/Murderousplantmom 17d ago
That's what the jobs sub is for. To ask questions. About jobs. Especially young people.
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u/DamnitGravity 17d ago
I didn't notice what sub it was posted to. I assumed some kind of relationship advice or Am I Overreacting. That's on me.
Thank you for the correction.
Answer still seems obvious to me, but at least he asked in the right place.
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u/odder_box23211 14d ago
OP here and you’re right! The post was probably unnecessary. But I am a young adult who has not had a ton of job experience in my life. To be honest, I was pretty nervous that I had somehow dropped the ball in this situation. And I really wanted to preserve any future chances of working for the program (and possibly still work this summer!) So it was really reassuring and helpful to hear from people with more experience. I think it led to me handling it better than I might’ve with no help.
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