A few weeks into your new job and you’re already dragging your feet on the way to work. You just can’t come to terms with working at this organization and have a sinking feeling whenever you think of a work day. Is It OK to just quit, or do you have to stick it out?
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It’s perfectly natural to compare your new job and company to your old one, even if things are going well. In the process of doing so, however, many employees fail to see what the new organization has to offer. If you have given it time, and feel that you are just not able to work well with your team, are overburdened with work, are struggling to connect with the boss, or are just not happy in your new role, here’s what you can do.
Isolate the problem: Think about what, if anything, changed since you took the job. It is normal to be overwhelmed when you are inundated with new data, policies, new work expectations; these are a part of being new to the role and to the organization and will soon pass as you get accustomed to the role. So try to focus on what it is that is really bothering you. Is the work culture too stifling for your liking? Is your manager difficult to work with? Are you overworked? Is the job profile you had applied for different from what you are doing? If it’s a problem that can be addressed, try focusing on finding a solution for that.
Work out possible solutions: You could set time up with your manager to discuss the problem. If the scope or description of your job is changed, can it be re-evaluated? Consider if a discussion with your hiring manager can address any of your concerns. If this is not the case and if you strongly believe that your feeling for quitting the job is beyond the newness factor, and will be detrimental to your personal happiness and professional success, you may be right in quitting. As Peter Vogt writes on Monster, “By quitting an ill-fitting job sooner rather than later, you’ll probably preserve your psychological, emotional, and even physical health. And in some cases, you could argue that you’ll save the employer’s psychological, emotional, and fiscal health as well, especially in the long run.”
So how do you handle the next steps?
- Set an in-person meeting with your manager and have an honest discussion with him/her on what’s working well and what’s not. Since your manager has also invested a considerable amount of time and energy in hiring you, the manager will be able to address any of your concerns within his/her control. It is courteous and professional to have the discussion in person rather than on email, phone or worse – disappearing without notice.
- Offer to stay on till they are able to find a replacement. There are a lot of things that go into hiring the right candidate. By leaving just as your team is ready to settle down, you’ve presented a new complication. Even if they don’t take you up on the offer, you’re not completely burning all bridges.
- If you left your previous role in your old organization on friendly terms, it also helps to reach out to your old manager to see if you can have your job back if the role isn’t filled.
- Learn from your experience. If you have to get back to the job-search process, then take a lesson from your mistakes. Something has gone wrong in your own evaluation process when you decided to join the company. If it is something that can be assessed during the interview process, pay attention to it. Ask many clarifying questions, and if feasible, request to go on office tours and meet your new team, before you accept your next job to ensure your concerns are addressed.
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