Sometimes what looks good from afar can be very different up close. For a new job, it’s virtually impossible to know for sure what it’s like until you’re actually doing it. So many variables can influence your experience, including co-workers, your boss, the company culture, and most of all your day-to-day tasks.
It’s not uncommon to find yourself in a job that’s not what you had imagined. Even with the best intentions, we can misjudge or even glamorize a situation. But don’t automatically assume that it’s time to hand in your resignation. Before you do anything rash, take a minute to carefully assess why you’re unhappy. Sometimes a situation can be salvaged if you approach it the right way.
Be Patient
Both you and your employer have spent a lot of time and effort in this process. The least you can do is give it a reasonable try before throwing in the towel. It’s completely normal to experience growing pains in any new situation. If you ever changed schools when you were a kid, you may recall hating everybody and everything about the new school until you got used to it.
A new job can be a lot like a new school. Everybody and everything can seem odd and unappealing until they become familiar. Give yourself a chance to get used to the new surroundings, practices and personalities of the job before you decide it’s not for you.
Remember that any future employers will question why you chose to leave on such short notice. You’ll have much more credibility if you can demonstrate that you gave it a good shot – at least a year – than if you left after a couple of months.
Be Proactive
Your employer hired you, so obviously they want it to work out as much as you do. There are myriad reasons you could be dissatisfied with the job, including a misunderstanding of your role, your job tasks, your workload or your team. Rather than ignore these things, it’s best to air your concerns with management. Just remember to stay positive and avoid putting them on the defensive.
For instance, if you feel as if you’re lacking the proper resources to do the job, advocate from the position of having the company’s best interests in mind and offer viable solutions for the problem.
If your concern, however, is your boss, try to get feedback from your co-workers. Is this a personality you can learn to adjust to and (preferably) grow from? How did the last person in your position do? Knowing these things can provide invaluable insight.
If You’re Miserable
Of course, there are times when no amount of patience or flexibility is going to change how much you hate the job. If possible, try and stay at the new position until you have a new one. Most employers prefer hiring employed workers over unemployed ones. If you like the company, but don’t mesh with your boss, you might even consider exploring other open positions in the organization.
And as always, things like verbal and emotional abuse and sexual harassment are never acceptable in any situation. In this case go to somebody in human resources or even higher up in the company and asked to be transferred immediately. Even if you don’t want to stay at the company, it buys you some time to look for something else.
And don’t feel guilty if you truly gave it your best shot. Try to learn from it and move on.
