You accepted what you believed would be a great new job. However, a month into it, you’re starting to doubt your decision. You’re performing completely different work than you were hired for and aren’t really sure who your supervisor is since three different people routinely give you conflicting instructions.
Does the above example sound familiar? Hopefully it doesn’t. But if it does or your new job otherwise isn’t going as planned, you may wonder whether it ever will. Should you wait for it to change, immediately head for the exit or try something else? Here’s what to do when your new job isn’t what you expected.
Give it a Chance
Generally, it’s best to give your new job a chance before giving up on it. For example, if you’re working two hours late each night and didn’t expect to do so, this might just be a temporary issue until staffing returns to normal levels. In such a case, you wouldn’t want to waste all the effort you put into landing this job by walking away and finding out it was just a minor issue.
Mention the Issue to Your Employer
“We could have easily fixed that. Why didn’t you say something about it before now?”
Imagine hearing this during your exit interview after mentioning why you’re leaving. You’d probably be upset with yourself for not giving the employer a chance to address the problem before you decided to leave. With this in mind, be sure to inform your supervisor or the appropriate person about the issue as she may be able to help improve the situation.
For example, suppose your commute is worse than you expected. While it seemed reasonable on interview day when you showed up at 11 a.m., you’ve found that the early morning traffic is awful and it’s not any better after work. While this may seem like a hopeless situation, your employer may be willing to offer different hours, for example, that allow you to dodge rush hour traffic.
Keep the Job for Now
If you decide that you must leave your new job, it’s generally better to wait until you find a new one before doing so. This would probably be a better option for your career and finances. Keep in mind that employers tend to view long stints of unemployment negatively and that you’ll still have bills coming in, so be sure to consider such factors before turning in your resignation notice.
That said, if you simply cannot stick around any longer, begin looking for a new job as quickly as possible. Make sure you’re financially prepared in case you go a while without work. Be sure to leave on the best possible terms, as well, as prospective employers may contact this company for a reference.
Leave this Job off Your Resume
If you resign from your new job, consider leaving it off your resume as including it could waste valuable resume space. Hopefully your next one will last a lot longer and be something you’re eager to brag about on your resume and during job interviews!
