Dear EverMore: Spooky Career Stories
Updated: Oct 9
Dear Readers & Listeners,
Episode 5 is about the inane, weird, and horrifying things that happen at work.
Here’s a snippet of some of the characters we meet:
The Vampire
Yes, a literal vampire that bit a coworker. I had a total deja vu moment recalling this story about the summer intern who bit several coworkers before being fired.
The Puppeteer
A former employee brings their emotional support toucan to the office in a bid to get their job back.
The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Navigating a duplicitous manager who pretended to have a conversation for one purpose only to use the information against their team member.
The Doppelgängers
We have not one but two stories of recruiters mixing up candidates named Courtney. And yes, one of them is my own story about slowly realizing during an interview that I was not who they thought I was.
The stories range from carelessness to malicious intent — but two themes stood out:
Just have the hard conversation
Withholding info, neglecting to share expectations, or avoiding tough feedback almost always means you’re delaying a more hurtful conversation.
Not having the hard conversations led to a career setback for one individual who worked toward a specific promotion that unexpectedly went to someone else.
They still don’t have the context to understand why. Those scenarios induce a level of confusion that can make one feel crazy.
The perils of being early in your career
We noticed in the stories we received that the majority started with early in my career. It highlighted that when you’re new to a career, role, or company there’s not a playbook for how to handle certain scenarios.
We’re not taught how to navigate corporate politics and their stewards.
Over time you get numb or jaded to it, normalize it, or hopefully — just feel more equipped to handle awkward or difficult situations with care.
These stories came from folks 10, 20, and 30 years into their careers; they stick around because our horror stories become what shapes us and how we grow.
Reflection
What career story would you leave in a Haunted House?
EverMore
If you’ve ever felt that you don’t know how to handle the horrors around you or maybe you’re ready to heal from past wounds or perhaps you just need to know how to be the "final girl" — That’s what EverMore is here for.
xoxo,
Courtney @ EverMore
Dear EverMore is a new podcast hosted by Courtney Branson & Kelsey Peterson. It explores how work shapes our humanity, identity, and futures. Season one features diary-esque confessions, guest speakers, and career advice plucked from their collective three decades in HR, hiring, and leadership.
