New Job Isn’t What You Expected?
Have you gotten an exciting job offer only to find the job is NOTHING like what you'd been promised? You're not happy about it?
Dana found herself cleaning up her predecessor’s disastrous mess and working 70-hour weeks, with no end in sight
.
. Bill got hired to be a software instructor, but instead found himself spending most of his time troubleshooting tedious PC issues.
Sam’s new boss wanted him to deceive customers by making false claims about their products’ capabilities.
Joanna was stunned to find herself excluded from management team meetings.
So what do you do?
Some situations can’t be fixed and you need to start looking for a different job, but many times, there are alternatives to quitting.
1) Give the job time.
The first six weeks often involve formal or informal training and orientation, and the boss may be gradually working you into the organization. It may not be a reliable indicator of how the job will be. Allow three months or so to see how things take shape.
If the job isn’t working after that, talking to the boss can resolve many issues. Express your concerns and requests in terms of the company’s interest.
- Dana might negotiate for an assistant or two, pointing out that she couldn’t consistently be effective working such punishing hours, and she would be prone to making expensive mistakes. If she gets sick, the company will suffer. Given Dana’s situation, she should talk to the boss pronto--not wait for three months to go by.
- Bill might make a detailed log of how he is spending his time and compare that with the job description. He could say that since he spends so much time using his left-handed skills, the company isn’t making good use of his talents.
- Sam might point out that once he loses credibility with a customer, it is often nearly impossible to recover. Inflating claims could cost the company a lot of business in the long term.
- Joanna might show that her projects would suffer without the access to these meetings.
How might you avoid getting into these situations in the future?
1) Ask questions.
First, ask questions of yourself: what do you really want in a job? Then, ask questions of the interviewer to find if the job is right for you. For example, you might ask about the boss’s management style to see if it fits your work style, the number of hours in a typical work week, and what the company culture is like. Granted, the responses you get may not always be truthful, but many times, your questions can alert you to conflicts and unworkable situations.
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2) Request to speak with/spend time with prospective co-workers.
After receiving the job offer, Maryann requested a conversation with a current employee. The boss referred her to Sally, who quickly told Maryann bluntly, “This is a horrible place to work!”
Most co-workers won’t be as forthcoming with negative information as Sally was, partly because they may fear being overheard. However, through careful questioning and observation, you can learn a lot. Notice their level of enthusiasm, “between the lines” remarks, and facial expressions. You might even request to spend a few hours on the job before you accept the offer.
3) Observe the parking lot.
If you can, drive past the company parking lot and notice how many people are still working at 7:00 p.m. or coming to work on Saturday.
4) Ask for a written job description.
Before accepting the job, have the employer put your specific responsibilities in writing.
You’ll never know what the job will be like until you actually work there, but it pays to do your due diligence so you can be reasonably sure it’s a good move.
Aug 14, 2016 by
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