After months of unemployment, it finally happened – you got a new job! You worked your butt off for this one, so you’ve decided to enjoy it… which unfortunately is a lot harder than you anticipated.
When you got the interview you were so excited that you spent all of your energy selling yourself to the company and not really thinking about whether the position was something that you wanted. And now that you’re there, things just don’t feel right. Maybe the work itself isn’t what you expected. Or you don’t fit in with your coworkers at all. Or your boss is incredibly difficult to deal with. Whatever the reason, you’re beginning to feel like this just isn’t the right job for you, and it’s causing you to have a bit of a mental freak-out.
Stop. Take a breath. Feel a little better? Just because a new job isn’t working out, it’s not the end of the world – and there are options available to you.
Talk to someone. This can be uncomfortable because you’re new, but if a job isn’t living up to your expectations or if you feel like you’re having difficulties in the position, it might be worth talking to your supervisor or an HR rep. You might discover that you arrived during a time when things are particularly crazy. Or that you are being given so few responsibilities right now because they wanted to ease you in rather than throwing you into the fire. Basically, by talking it out, you might have many of your fears – whatever they are – alleviated.
Ask yourself the “W”s. As in – why does this job feel wrong? What do I dislike about it? What did I think I was signing up for? What do I really want? At the very least, hopefully you won’t make the same mistake next time, and as an added bonus, you’ll be able to work out some good answers for when the person interviewing you for your next job asks why you left your last position so quickly.
Network now, not later. Even if you think your new position is the worst job in the world, others might feel differently. Talk to friends and acquaintances now, and make new connections while you are in a position where you may be able to help them instead of just begging for their help when you’re desperate for work. Sure, you want a better job, but you don’t need one, so use this time to build those bridges and really solidify what it is you do want.
You can (possibly) go home again. If you are switching from one job to another and realize without a doubt within a few days of starting your new position that it’s just not going to work for you, the first call you should make is to your old boss. As long as you left on good terms and no one new has been hired, you might be surprised how willing your old employer is to take you back. And even if your old position has been filled, a previous employer with whom you have a good relationship might be able to find you something more suited to your abilities – either at your old company or even somewhere else
