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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/2ndstreet11 on 2024-09-08 22:47:49+00:00.

A month ago, I landed what seemed like a dream job: Project Manager at a cutting-edge tech startup. The salary was excellent, the perks were top-notch, and the role sounded perfect. However, despite my excitement, I had a nagging feeling that something was off.

I ignored it and signed the offer. When I started, the red flags quickly became impossible to ignore. The first major issue hit during my third week. I was tasked with leading a critical product launch that was supposed to be a showcase for the company. The deadline was tight, but I was assured everything was on track.

As the launch date approached, it became clear that the project was in disarray. Key deliverables were missing, the development team was uncooperative, and the marketing materials were still incomplete. I discovered that the timelines had been unrealistic from the start, and the initial plans had been hastily put together without proper input from the teams involved.

To make matters worse, I was left to clean up a mess created by a lack of communication and poor planning. The day before the launch, I had to pull an all-nighter to address last-minute issues and fix errors. The launch itself was a disaster: the product had multiple bugs, the marketing materials were outdated, and customer feedback was overwhelmingly negative. The fallout was swift, with clients expressing frustration and the company’s reputation taking a hit.

Looking back, I should have noticed the warning signs earlier—like the chaotic onboarding process, inconsistent answers from team members during my interviews, and the lack of structured project plans. I ignored my gut feeling that something wasn’t right and ended up in a role that was far more stressful and disorganized than I anticipated.

TL;DR: Ignored gut feelings and accepted a Project Manager role at a tech startup, only to face a disastrous product launch due to poor planning and lack of communication. Always listen to your instincts and thoroughly vet opportunities before jumping in.