I’m genuinely struggling with this, so please don’t make fun of me. I wasn’t sure whether to post here, but I felt that posting on a certain Q&A site would just invite ridicule, so I decided to ask here instead.

I’m Chikuwa, a male member. If you’re simply losing your job because your contract is ending, it may just be bad luck. But if you’re being made to leave under circumstances close to dismissal, you may have serious issues with either your abilities or your personality. The only way to find out is to ask people who have worked with you for their honest advice. For now, try your best to get that feedback. By the way, someone who comes to work with a fever of 40°C would make an extremely bad impression on me. They might infect others with the flu, so anyone who does that is irresponsible and foolish.

I’m in Seattle. First of all, staying warm and keeping the air moist are important if you want to avoid catching colds. Wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off, and always carry an extra layer with you. Are you putting up with being too hot or too cold? Air conditioning is cheap. Outside of summer, sleep with a humidifier running. I’ve been sleeping with tape over my mouth and wearing a mask at night for the past 10 years. I leave the AC on 24/7, and I haven’t had a cold in years. Instead of becoming a full-time employee, why not try becoming a business owner? Whether it’s retail arbitrage or reselling, even if you inconvenience the people around you, making money means you win. If you’re a woman who can get accepted by Universe, you can also win at life by deceiving a generous (well-paying) papa and getting him to shower you with money. If you absolutely want to make a living as a full-time employee, I guess you need some exceptional skill that nobody can beat.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here as well. Thank you for your question. I never expected to see a question like this here, but since you took the trouble to ask, I’ll give you a serious answer—although I’m going to be pretty strict. > I go to work even with a 40°C fever. Were you born in the Showa era? That was considered normal back then, but I can’t help wondering whether that way of thinking is appropriate nowadays. That said, you specifically said “until I’m granted paid leave,” which seems to mean you’ll start taking time off as soon as you’re eligible for paid leave. First of all, someone with a 40°C fever probably can’t do much meaningful work, and they’re likely to make mistakes. Naturally, if mistakes occur, people will see them as someone who makes a lot of mistakes. Also, once you have paid leave, it sounds like you plan to call in sick on the day whenever you have a fever. But suddenly taking the day off causes trouble for the people around you. If you let them know in advance, they can make arrangements, but if you suddenly take the day off that morning, they can’t prepare. Since you’re sick, I don’t think the company will complain, and the people around you probably won’t say anything either. Even so, the fact remains that you’re inconveniencing them. But your question doesn’t mention anything about that. So I can’t help wondering whether you’re the kind of person who insists on their own rights but doesn’t consider the inconvenience they cause others. To put it another way, you also come across as someone who frequently develops high fevers. Maybe you simply left that part out because this was a question, but if things haven’t gone well for you up to now, I feel that this attitude may be part of the problem. > How can I become a permanent employee? I’m seriously worried about this. Why not start by getting in shape? If you build more muscle than other people, your whole world might change. You might be thinking, “What does muscle have to do with getting hired?” But I’m not specifically talking about muscle. I just think it’s important to start doing something and achieve some kind of result. It doesn’t have to be working out. If you often develop 40°C fevers, getting in shape might help you become less prone to catching colds. Of course, surfing, snowboarding, or scuba diving would be fine too. I feel like it would be good to start by trying something. Things that seem unrelated at first can sometimes actually be connected.

I’m BB7, a male member. Could it be that you’re putting your effort in the wrong direction? If your efforts aren’t being recognized no matter how hard you try, maybe you’re working hard at something that simply isn’t suited to you. Success is largely a matter of luck. Talent and effort play a part, but so does being fortunate with your surroundings or happening to catch the right trend at the right time. That’s about the extent of it. If you start thinking you succeeded purely because of your own hard work, it won’t lead to anything good.

I’m Basil, a male member. I think the reason your efforts aren’t being appreciated, despite trying hard, is that you rely on strangers—people who don’t know anything about you—for serious advice. Also, the fact that you ask questions here shows a bit of a naturally clueless side.