Career coach's 'Dinner Table Test' is a simple way to determine if you need a new job
It can be a real wake-up call.
Can you pass the "Dinner Table Test"?
When we do the same job every day, sometimes it can be hard to put things into perspective. We can become accustomed to high-stress levels or too easily accepting of a day-to-day grind that isn’t very fulfilling.
Career coach Madeline Mann has shared a simple test on TikTok that helps people understand whether they are in the right job or should start looking for greener pastures. She calls it the “Dinner Table Test.”
Mann is the creator of Self-Made Millennial whose coaching program has helped thousands of people land roles at major companies such as Netflix, Google, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, NBC Universal, Amazon and more.
She shared the test in a video that has over 9,000 views.
Here’s a test to know if it’s time to change jobs. It’s called the Dinner Table Test, did your job pass?
@selfmademillennial Here’s a test to know if it’s time to change jobs. It’s called the Dinner Table Test, did your job pass? Make sure to follow for more career tips! #jobsearch #careercoach #careeradvice #business #jobmarket #jobtips #businesstips
“When you sit around the dinner table with your loved ones or hypothetically imagine yourself doing so, and your loved ones ask you how your day was at work, for the majority of those meals, would you be effusive about your day?” Mann asked. “Or, would you typically say something negative?”
Note that she says the “majority” of those meals. Because everyone is entitled to have the occasional bad day at work. However, if every day is a bad day, then you’ve definitely failed the test.
If most of the time you are excited to share the highlights of your day, then you’ve passed the test. That could mean sharing why you enjoyed spending time with your time with coworkers, the joy that comes with working on an engaging product, or feeling satisfied that the work you did was valued or helped others.
But if the first things that crop up are the clients who give you headaches or the boss who keeps piling more work on your desk than you can handle—it's time to think about getting a new gig. “If the majority of things you say about your job around the dinner table are negative, it’s time to revise your resume and find a new job,” Mann explained.
Mann’s test is sure to resonate with younger workers, MIllennials and Gen Zers, who seem to have a different philosophy towards work than older generations. Younger workers place a high priority on having a healthy life-work balance and want jobs that are more than just a paycheck.
They also can develop an unrealistic idea of what to expect from work after watching other people’s social media feeds where all they share are the positive aspects of their jobs.
Younger generations are also unafraid to look for new opportunities. They know more than anyone that the job market is turbulent and there’s nothing wrong with being on a constant job search.
“These generations are used to economic turmoil and the roller coaster conditions of the labor market,” Andrew Seaman, managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, told CNBC. “A lot of younger workers understand that their jobs aren’t secure, and they might have to find a new one tomorrow — that kind of attitude can breed confidence in a person, because they’re prepared for the worst outcome.”
She shared the test in a video that has over 9,000 views.
[Video]
“When you sit around the dinner table with your loved ones or hypothetically imagine yourself doing so, and your loved ones ask you how your day was at work, for the majority of those meals, would you be effusive about your day?” Mann asked. “Or, would you typically say something negative?”
Note that she says the “majority” of those meals. Because everyone is entitled to have the occasional bad day at work. However, if every day is a bad day, then you’ve definitely failed the test.
If most of the time you are excited to share the highlights of your day, then you’ve passed the test. That could mean sharing why you enjoyed spending time with your time with coworkers, the joy that comes with working on an engaging product, or feeling satisfied that the work you did was valued or helped others.
But if the first things that crop up are the clients who give you headaches or the boss who keeps piling more work on your desk than you can handle—it's time to think about getting a new gig. “If the majority of things you say about your job around the dinner table are negative, it’s time to revise your resume and find a new job,” Mann explained.
Mann’s test is sure to resonate with younger workers, MIllennials and Gen Zers, who seem to have a different philosophy towards work than older generations. Younger workers place a high priority on having a healthy life-work balance and want jobs that are more than just a paycheck.
They also can develop an unrealistic idea of what to expect from work after watching other people’s social media feeds where all they share are the positive aspects of their jobs.
Younger generations are also unafraid to look for new opportunities. They know more than anyone that the job market is turbulent and there’s nothing wrong with being on a constant job search.
“These generations are used to economic turmoil and the roller coaster conditions of the labor market,” Andrew Seaman, managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, told CNBC. “A lot of younger workers understand that their jobs aren’t secure, and they might have to find a new one tomorrow — that kind of attitude can breed confidence in a person, because they’re prepared for the worst outcome.”
- Woman explains how 'finding your way through' a new job involves ... ›
- Daughter tweets that her laid-off dad wants a job at Costco. It got all the way to the CEO. ›
- Laid off dad gets a new job after handing out hundreds of resumes to strangers on the street ›
- Doorbell camera captures little boy's adorable rant about his mom's nightly chicken dinners - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."