Got a good job, and now everyone’s acting different

So, I recently landed a well-paying job at a well-known company, and while I’m proud of it, I didn’t expect how much it would change how people treat me. Honestly, it’s been kind of unsettling.

Relatives who barely acknowledged me before are suddenly acting like we’ve always been close. People who couldn’t be bothered to check in for years are now calling me, saying stuff like, “We’ve missed you so much!” or “You should visit more often!” It’s so obvious it’s because of my job. Where was all this energy before?

Then there’s the whole marriage proposal situation. Families that wouldn’t have looked my way before are now suddenly interested. It’s flattering on the surface, but deep down, it’s frustrating because I know their interest is in my job title—not in me as a person.

Even outside of family, I’ve noticed that people seem to take me more seriously now. They listen to my opinions differently or act a little cautious around me, as if my words carry more weight. But here’s the thing: I haven’t changed. I’m still the same person I was before this job—it’s just that my paycheck and job title look better now.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the attention is nice, but the hypocrisy really gets to me. It’s hard not to think, Why wasn’t I good enough before? Why does it take a shiny new job for people to suddenly value me?

I just needed to vent about it. Has anyone else gone through this kind of shift after landing a new job or hitting a major milestone? How do you deal with the frustration of knowing some people only value you for what you’ve achieved, not for who you are?