Real Talk: When Is Too Soon to Quit Your First Job?

Choosing to stay at or leave your current company can be a difficult decision, especially if you are questioning whether you've been with the organization for long enough. Leaving a company too soon after starting can look bad on your resume, especially to other employers who value company loyalty. But staying at a place for too long when your mental health is being sacrificed or your overall purpose at the company is in question can be just as dangerous One FGB'er reached out to the Community to ask for advice on this very decision: should she leave her company after only being there a little over a year?

Several other FGB women responded, offering advice and personal stories similar to that of the original poster.

Marina Weber reached out to ask about the poster's growth at the company.

Weber responded once more after this interaction, saying, “What I did was do an 'introspective review.' What did I learn? Have I stopped learning? What about my contributions? How are my contributions aiding everyone around me? Etc. At the conclusion of my own personal review was that I opted to leave the company for another company. I wish you the best of luck and let me know how things run!”

A second FGB’er offered her advice:

We agree. Culture is very important to workplace happiness. If you are not feeling happy with the overall workplace environment, maybe it is time to move on. But if you are simply bored and itching for a change, look for opportunities within your same company. Or talk to your manager and ask about taking on new challenges or responsibilities. It is possible you may be feeling bored because you are not feeling challenged enough. But if you are really looking to leave, spend your free time looking for and applying to positions for which you are qualified. The job search can take some time, so at least you are not completely unhappy at your current position and can take your time looking for new opportunities.  

And a third FGB woman responded to the initial post. 

It is perfectly normal to go through periods of indifference involving your job. The poster, however, did say she is happy at her job; she is just craving a change and feels her growth has become more stagnant than upward. It is important to feel as though you are constantly learning and growing at your position. And while feeling challenged can be frustrating at times, it keeps things interesting. And it shows you that you can continue to learn at your job.

As we mentioned before, it is important to a lot of employers that a potential hire will offer company loyalty. With that being said, leaving only one job after just a year and leaving several of your last jobs after one year look very different on a resume. You will most likely be given the chance to explain why you left your last job after a short amount of time, which you can attribute to the legitimate reasons mentioned in this post, like not feeling challenged enough, the overall company environment and more. 

It is also important to evaluate one’s financial standings before leaving a position. We recommend having another job lined up before exiting your current company, in case the job search takes longer than anticipated. And because the OP said she is not miserable at her position but simply looking for something new. 

For all other career questions, reach out to the Fairygodboss Community to receive advice from FGB women everywhere. 

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