After an exhaustive job search, you thought you finally found the perfect opportunity. The industry, company culture, and job responsibilities all aligned perfectly with what you wanted… or so it seemed. Now, after a short time on your new job, your expectations haven’t been met and you are starting to regret taking the offer. What should you do?
Determine if the job is salvageable
Your initial instinct may be to quit in haste, especially if you feel you were deceived in the hiring process. Before you quit, take two weeks to reflect on the elements of the job that differ from what you expected, or what you were promised. Is your role vastly different, or could you evolve into some of the positional duties in the job posting? If your disappointment is with an irritating boss, could it be that he is under inordinate pressure at the moment, and his attitude could change? If the environment seems frenetic, could it just be a busy time of year? Or are your issues with the new job likely to persist, like a commute that is longer than you anticipated, or low morale in your department?
Talk with your manager
Once you have taken two weeks to let your new job stress subside, it’s time to have a conversation with your manager. Send your boss a meeting request to discuss your role with the company. Bring the original job posting to the meeting, or your notes from what was discussed during the interview process. Contrast what you are actually doing in your role with the expectations that were set and allow your manager to provide reasons for the discrepancies. If she needs more prompting, let her know that you would like a clear understanding of what your position entails. If she is receptive, see if she is willing to bridge the gap with the job responsibilities that were most enticing to you when you accepted the offer.
Pursue your next opportunity
If you determine that the problems you have with your new role are likely to persist, then prepare to resume your job search, but don’t quit the job you do have. Finding a new job can take longer than you expect, and quitting will likely burn bridges and disqualify you for unemployment insurance.
If you selected your current position over another opportunity that now looks like the better choice in hindsight, find out if that position is still open. Send an email explaining that after accepting your new role, you have given the the other opportunity a lot of thought, and believe you would be most effective in that environment. If you receive an invitation for another interview, you will likely be asked why your current role isn’t working out. Be concise and honest, without being negative. Job opportunities, just like romantic partners, are all about compatibility.
If you will be starting from square one with your job search, be careful not to broadcast your interest in a new position on Facebook or LinkedIn, where your posts might be seen by your current employer. If you have only been on your new job for three weeks or less, don’t update your LinkedIn profile or your resume with your new employer. Instead, work with a staffing firm like Imprimis Group, use job search engines to find your next position, and consider writing “pain letters,” which explain how you can alleviate the problems a hiring manager is experiencing. We explained this approach in detail in a recent post every job hunter must read, entitled Job Hunters, Stop Writing Cover Letters and Start Writing “Pain Letters.”
We have some great resources on mastering LinkedIn, and we receive many letters from successful candidates thanking us for the advice we provided in these articles:
Get Hired by Raising Your Rank on LinkedIn
LinkedIn: Double the Power of Your Profile in Two Days
Top 3 Ways to Network on LinkedIn
How to Find the Best LinkedIn User Groups for Networking in Your Profession
Once you start interviewing, be even more diligent about researching companies and roles. Check Glassdoor for reviews from employees. Whatever disappointments you are dealing with in your current position—whether it’s job responsibilities, hours, or company culture—ask specific questions about these to more accurately assess your next opportunities.
Move forward, and don’t look back
Once you land your next position, we advise giving two weeks’ notice. However, if you feel you were deceived into your current position, and you are miserable in your role, it is justifiable to provide shorter notice. At this point, write a letter of resignation expressing your belief that it’s best for everyone if you move on from a position that doesn’t seem to be in line with your expectations from the interview process.
If you leave within four to six weeks of taking the job, the employment gap won’t be significant, and may not even be noticeable on your resume. In this case, leave the position off of your resume and LinkedIn profile, move forward, and don’t look back. Remember, even the most successful people have temporary setbacks in their careers, and you successfully minimized yours.