Gem Care Advisor

Our insights and tips for job seekers and employers.

New Job is not what you expected

Is Your New Job Not What You Expected? This Is What You Can Do About It

A new job is a huge deal—congrats! Most people spend more of their working hours at work than anywhere else, so it’s important to be happy in your job. If your new job isn’t what you expected, it can be kind of alarming. Will you adjust? Or should you quit to find something that’s a better fit? Job-hopping doesn’t look good on a resume, but if the job is wrong for you, it might not be worth it to stick around. Here’s what you can do if you find your new job isn’t what you expected.

Weight the pros and cons

Make a list of the pros and cons of your current job and see which side you land on. Consider where your priorities lie and how those align with either the pros or cons. But if the cons outweigh the pros, don’t quit just yet—it could still be the perfect job! You might need to wait it out. Keep reading for more tips.

Identify your hang-ups

Figure out precisely what your issues are with your job. It might conflict with your values, you might not fit into the company culture, you might feel under-qualified to perform the job, or it might not help you advance your career. There’s not much you can do to change values or culture, but you can ask for more training to help you feel better prepared and more competent. If you’re worried about advancing your career, you can address that with your boss.

Get other perspectives

Chat with the people around you. Tell your concerns to your coworkers and ask for advice. They might have some insight into your role or what else is going on in the company. They might have had the same experience and can let you know whether their situation got better with time.

Talk to your boss

As you get other perspectives, don’t forget to meet with your boss. Let them know your concerns and ask whether there’s anything you can do to address them. They might be able to coach you through the adjustment period and initiate some changes on the management level that might help improve your situation. If things don’t improve in a reasonable amount of time, meet with your boss again and let them know that you’re considering leaving.

Try it for six months

Six months is a pretty decent trial period. It allows you to settle in and demonstrate your value and abilities. It shows future employers that you at least tried it out, and something didn’t work out. But if there’s something unethical or criminal going on—racism, harassment, embezzlement—get out sooner.

Get in touch with Gem Care

For more tips on how Gem Care can coach you through the adjustment period in a new job, contact our team!

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