What to Do When Your New Job Is a Disappointment

Beginning a new job can be thrilling, nerve-racking and in many cases, a bit frightening. Unfortunately, it can also be discouraging.

From being asked to work too many hours, to a lack of proper training, to working a job that doesn’t appear to be anything like the one you signed up for, there are a number of reasons you might find a new employment situation to be a serious disappointment.

However, that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. By taking a proactive approach to the situation, you may find out that your new job isn’t all that bad.

Keep calm

Often, the difficulties and stresses of a new job are only compounded by a negative and panicked mindset. The first thing you need do is calm down and keep an open mind. Maybe things aren’t as bad as you think they are. Perhaps, the company is going through a busy time of the year, or it is temporarily short-staffed.

A good exercise to figure out just how bad things are is to draw up a document listing what you had expected and compare that to the reality. This document can show where your current pain points are, and that allows you to have a smart strategy going forward.

Talk with your boss

Keeping talent is a problem these days, and your manager probably doesn’t want you to quit, leaving them short-staffed. By speaking with your manager regarding your concerns, you can come to a mutually beneficial solution.

After considering your particular pain points, tell your supervisor which parts of the job are not what you were expecting and ask if you can to talk about how to bring the reality of the job a bit closer to those expectations. If your boss isn’t receptive to your disappointment, speak with human resources.

Going to human resources

Unlike a supervisor, who may be focused on hitting production goals or sales targets, a human resources worker understands how important talent retention is and how to address concerns of workers who may be disappointed with their job.

Also, human resources may be able to offer you solutions that a department supervisor cannot. For instance, if unexpected long hours are getting in the way of raising your children, inquire about a flexible work solution.

Deciding if this is the wrong job

Sometimes, a job just might not be right for you at the time. Maybe there was a communication breakdown regarding expectations. Or, perhaps the company doesn’t realize the structural problems it has regarding worker relations.

If you try to address your concerns in a professional and reasonable manner, but find nothing can be done – it might be time to move on.

At Career Concepts, we support our workers who may find a job isn’t what they thought it would be. We also provide opportunities to those who are looking for something new. If you are currently looking to take the next step on your career path, please contact our team today.