Quitting your job is not the easiest thing to do, whether this is due to unforeseen or maybe even unpleasant circumstances. According to research, 31% of employees quit their job within the first six months of employment. And one of the top five reasons why people leave is because their overall experience of the work ends up not being what they expected.
So what pushes someone to quit just after the first month? Shouldn’t you rather stick it out a few more months? Perhaps things will get better in the long run…
Well, here are some of the red flags I ignored and why I ended up quitting my job.
I was in a period where my work contract with a certain company had just ended. Being excited to take on a new opportunity, I went straight into job hunting mode. After two weeks I received a phone call from a certain lady who had started her own business a couple of years ago. She was looking for someone to help her build an online marketing platform. We ended up having a nice chat, so she invited me to come for an interview.
A few days later I was on my way to the job interview. Upon arriving at the address, the first thing I thought was “That’s strange, this is a residential area”. I took the risk, rang the bell and lo and behold it was her happily inviting me to come inside. I know what you’re thinking…
Why did she never mention the interview was at her house? Or perhaps, why did you enter a stranger’s house?!
After a long conversation about the work environment, since she was running her business from home, I went on and decided to just accept her job offer.
A job from… not from heaven
The first week was already a disaster. Besides having quite some difficulties adjusting to my new work environment, we also seemed to have a lot of disagreements.
I could work on a project the whole day, come to work the next day with all my work deleted or redone. My new boss had a need to control every single detail, so there was no room for my own input or ideas. She would often say “but it’s my company”, well then why did she hire me?
After realising that there wasn’t going to be an opportunity for me to learn, grow and be creative, I decided, after a month, it was time to quit my job.
Here are a few common mistakes I made which you should definitely avoid:
Mistake #1 Not being specific about the kind of job (environment) you want
It’s important you have a clear picture of what you are looking for in a job. What would you like to do? How would you like to execute your work? And how does your ideal job description look like? Not only is this necessary when it comes to the job role, but also when it comes to other important factors that influence your work such as:
- Your work environment
- The informal or formal work culture
- An open and learning environment
- Your boss/manager
Mistake #2 Not knowing the importance of conducting company research
Be intentional about finding out whether the organisation is the right fit for you. In order to form an honest opinion about the company, you’ll need to spend time conducting thorough company research. What do they say about their business and most importantly, what do others say about them? With free company review websites like Glassdoor, you can easily find out the experiences of former employees.
Mistake #3 Being too desperate because you need a job
Most of the times we settle for a job thinking that once we get in we can maybe change the things we initially feel uncomfortable about. However, in order to avoid picking the wrong job, you might need to be strategic about this. What kind of job will lead you to achieve your goal? Also, when choosing a job it’s actually okay to be picky. No matter how desperate you think you are… You are not!
Think about it…. Before an employer hires you, they consider whether your experience is beneficial for the growth of their business. However, do you ever consider whether the company is beneficial for your own personal growth? Having the right job is not a one-way street. It’s not all about you impressing the employers, they need to impress you too.
Mistake #4 Not being aware of empty work promises
Ending up in a not so pleasant job situation could probably be quite equivalent to being in a bad relationship. Have you ever found yourself fighting for things you were promised before taking on the job role? Yep, those are empty work promises.
Truth is, some employers can actually be desperate too. And in order to get you to join their team, they might be quick to make promises they can’t keep. Never assume anything. Always make sure you ask. And If it looks and feels too good to be true, chances are it probably is.
Mistake #5 Ignoring your instincts
Maybe this should have been the first point because your gut instinct will always guide you to make the right decisions. If you feel that there’s something off about a job, the company or employer, don’t ignore those feelings. Also, the company and job role might actually be exactly what you’re looking for. But if for some reason it just doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it – Trust your instincts.
