You started a new job that you thought you were going to love but, within a few short months, you’re starting to hate it. Although no one wants to be in that position, it’s particularly difficult as a new employee. If you quit, you could lose them as a reference because you haven’t been there long enough for them to recoup the cost of hiring and training you and that usually makes them more than a little upset. If you stay, you’ll continue to be stressed out and your on-the-job performance will suffer as a result. So what do you?
Start with some soul searching. Why do you feel like you hate your job? Has something changed recently or is the job just different from what you thought it would be when you signed on? Sometimes, a few bad experiences can make you feel as though there’s nothing worth salvaging when in reality there are still many aspects of the job that you love. There’s also a chance that something happening in your personal life could be impacting how you feel about work. Once you identify the things you’re not happy with and the scale of their magnitude, you can then determine whether or not those things can change.
Talk things over with a few colleagues outside of the organization and other close friends—people you trust who will look at things from an outsider’s perspective and give you honest feedback. Don’t use this as an opportunity to sound off about your boss, the company, and everything else under the sun. Instead, see it as a chance to get at the heart of why you’re feeling this way.
Finally, talk to your boss. There’s always a possibility that he or she would be more than happy to address whatever’s bothering you. For example, if you feel like you need additional training or that your job isn’t exactly what you’d expected, your boss could provide the resources and support you need to be successful. Or, if unable to modify your current role, he or she might be willing to help facilitate a transfer to another department or division within the company. If you don’t talk things over, you’ll never know if there could have been a way for you to stay with the organization.
Before you throw in the towel, figure out if there’s anything about the job that’s worth saving. And, if you ultimately decide to go, make sure you leave on good terms. After all, nobody likes a bad breakup—especially employers.
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