So this just happened today. I left a job of 5 years for an opportunity parallel to what I was doing, but closer to my home.

36 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 15,2025 at 6:28PM UTC

   I am so sorry you are going through this. The job market is not good right now, and these stories are becoming more common. You just can't let it get you down too much. It may not feel like it right now, but 5 years from now this will be over and you will have moved on with life. You are important and you will find something better. Is there any chance you can go back to the previous employer?

2. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 1:19AM UTC

   I am not sure if they would want me back, but I left for a reason. It sucks that I summonded up the courage to finally leave after 5 years, just for this to happen.

3. AnonymousSeptember 15,2025 at 6:41PM UTC

   I would speak with a labor attorney because this was extremely careless on their part and there are obligations they took on when they offered you the job. There is "at-will" and there is sloppy and irresponsible.

4. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 1:15PM UTC

   Do you know what the laws are in CO? My son started a full time job and was let go within a month Is there a probation period ? I thought there would be a little more security with a university job with benefits and they had an onboarding plan and checklist which was never used

5. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 12:30PM UTC

   This happened to my son. He moved from WI to Denver mid July and worked for about a month and was let go for the same reason. He’s 25 and most of the women there were in their 40s. He didn’t have a job there so needed a job. I’m wondering why they hired him and his boss knew that he moved a long ways. I saw a nice onboarding packet and checklist that was never completed and should have been! Sorry for you and for him and wishing you the best

6. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 12:32PM UTC

   I would reach out to an Employment attorney for a consult.

   This is a game that employers are playing now since the economy and jobs sectors are not doing well and you may have been damaged by their actions. It’s worth a conversation

7. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 12:41PM UTC

   I'm sorry - that's pretty crappy (and that is an understatement). California is one of the most employee-friendly states so make sure that you know what you may or may not be entitled to (I'm not in California but once upon a time worked for a company that had offices in California and was amazed at the differences). Is there any possible way you can return to your former job you left for this one?

8. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 12:48PM UTC

   Is it possible to talk to your previous job and see if you could go back? Where I work we've had some people find jobs closer to home that didn't work out and we brought them back in. If you left with no hard feelings and it was just because it was an easier commute, perhaps a return to your former position might be in order?

9. GirlBossanova934974September 16,2025 at 1:04PM UTC

   Very good idea!

10. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 1:14PM UTC

    I have rehired employees who left for another opportunity I hired them the first time, so why wouldn’t I rehire them if I had the need for their skill set? It never hurts to ask. And if not for your exact old job, maybe for something similar

11. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 6:48PM UTC

    Yeah just in the past year or so we've brought a bunch of people who were basically given to another company when we sold off their division. They were a great fit then and we were able to bring them back into new positons.

    I can think of at least three people who came back to the company, some after longer breaks with other jobs, some who came back after just a few weeks. Businesses generally understand it's not personal when someone leaves.

    On the flip side many years ago I temped for a place. On my first day there the previous person I was replacing until they hired a full time person was there begging for her job back. But she had burned her bridges HARD and they told her no thanks.

12. surfnwriteSeptember 16,2025 at 12:49PM UTC

    I'm sorry that happened to you. It almost sounds like the "good fit" reason was a pretext, that maybe there was some other reason, i.e., financial reasons, realized they couldn't afford to bring someone on?

13. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 6:32PM UTC

    Yes. I wondered if that was the reason. It is a new location they opened. I think they realized they weren’t ready for that expense.

14. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 12:52PM UTC

    Oh boy. I have been there. You’re in California, so there is literally nothing you can do. That “cultural fit” clause is a free ticket for any kind of discrimination you can think of. Or it enables internal politics to thrive—I was once laid off after a week because the big boss was looking to fire the manager who hired me and was creating a reason for her firing—I (as a contractor) was merely collateral damage. You can consult with an employment attorney if you want, but they are expensive and almost always lose if you don’t have a solid paper trail of evidence of discrimination. That “culture fit” is a catch-all for ageism, racism, sexism, political/relious views that don’t align with the majority, health concerns, vaccine status, anything you can think of. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I can’t. Just know that you probably have missed a bullet. Places that do that are usually hornet’s nests.

15. dotsydoSeptember 17,2025 at 4:35PM UTC

    100%

16. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 1:56PM UTC

    Consult with an employment attorney. The majority do not charge for the initial consultation as they want to see if you have a case. Employment at will does not mean they get to make things up. It's worth knowing what your rights are. I would also contact the EEOC to make a report.

17. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 2:50PM UTC

    I did talk to one and as expected, they said I did not have a case.

18. AnonymousSeptember 19,2025 at 12:30AM UTC

    Get a 2nd opinion.

19. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 3:07PM UTC

    I have had this happen as well. I left a steady position to go to what I thought was my dream job. Within a month I was let go and told that I "wasn't a good fit". I was in my late twenties in an office of mostly women in their 40's and 50's. Gossip was RAMPANT through the office, as was bullying . I kept my head down and just did my job. I refused to participate in the "gossip" and bullying and I guess that was off-putting to the more senior employees (who were the ring leaders of both). I was asked repeatedly if I thought I was "too good" for everyone when all I was trying to do was my job and keep from not offending anyone. I was told on my 29th day that they felt I was not a "good fit" and quite honestly I was somewhat relieved as it was by far and away one of the most toxic work environments I had ever encountered.

    I know it is hard to see it now, but this will be a blessing in the long run. As far as contacting an employment attorney or the EEOC goes, you would really need to have some kind of iron-clad employment agreement that somehow guaranteed your employment for a set amount of time and you would need a paper trail of egregious behavior on thier part. I know that in the state I am in an employment attorney will not even take a case unless you have filed a claim with the EEOC and they have found that you have a claim, which is a long process, so I would not necessarily count on that.

    Best of luck to you!

20. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 2:49PM UTC

    Thank you.

21. AnonymousOctober 6,2025 at 1:50AM UTC

    That is horrendous. Wow. Toxic work environments are awful

22. Lisa McCartneySeptember 16,2025 at 3:38PM UTC

    Can you go back to your previous employer, or has that bridge been burned? They might understand that 7 days is not enough time to judge. I get the drive, that would be a hard pill to swallow ~ but it is quick and you know the work.

23. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 2:48PM UTC

    I did not burn any bridges. And yes it is a tough pill to swallow. I was ready to leave. I will try to find something else before going back there. It was not just the company, but also the location of the office and some of the staff. It's a long story how I landed where I did. I appreciate the opportunities the company gave me, but the changes they have made was wearing me down mentally and physically.

24. Lisa McCartneySeptember 18,2025 at 7:22PM UTC

    I totally understand that too. Good Luck!

25. AnonymousSeptember 16,2025 at 3:53PM UTC

    Clearly that employer has not figured out how to properly onboard someone new. I'm sorry you had to go through that, best option is to think about contacting your old company and letting them know you decided to leave after you got there. See it there is a chance to come back and if not get strong references to your work from there and keep moving forward.

26. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 12:54PM UTC

    Did you have any uncomfortable exchanges with any of your colleagues within that 7 days?

27. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 2:40PM UTC

    No

28. ElizabethSeptember 17,2025 at 1:23PM UTC

    If it was a personality clash you weren't made aware of, that would be awful. Sometimes people just make judgements and there's nothing you can do. Been there! There's always the possibility that someone had other ideas about what to do with the position, etc. and wanted a different internal hire or bring someone in they know, it happens. But it was most likely a simple issue they didn't want to get into that early that you had no chance to correct. I'm sorry.

29. Emily PhelanSeptember 17,2025 at 1:28PM UTC

    If you left your previous position on good terms, it might be worth reaching out to see if they'd re-hire you. They may have backfilled your position, or you may not be interested, but that was my first thought. Super crappy what was done to you, though.

30. AnonymousSeptember 17,2025 at 2:43PM UTC

    I know that is in the first thought of many people, but I was shocked you asked that. No matter what my beliefs, I would not condone what happened.

31. Lisa NellisSeptember 17,2025 at 2:50PM UTC

    Excuse me? On your first comment.

32. BarbaraSeptember 17,2025 at 4:33PM UTC

    Well that’s a total DRAG! Ewww. You just never know about companies until you are actually working there. Get yourself on unemployment asap. Definitely call your old boss and take him her to lunch and ask for guidance even if it doesn’t result in your old job at least you keep that connection. Right now we need all the REAL connections. Don’t spend another minute fussing about what YOU did wrong. Not a fit is an accurate representation. You do not fit with a company that is unable to commit to a new hire. Good luck!

33. surfnwriteSeptember 17,2025 at 4:53PM UTC

    Why would your mind even go there to suspect that?

34. Celena BartonSeptember 18,2025 at 12:31PM UTC

    Seven days is not enough! I think that they had another candidate that they preferred. Either they were still interviewing when they hired you or their top choice had their top choice fall through. I’m so sorry this happened to you! Totally egregious on their part.

35. AnonymousSeptember 18,2025 at 12:57PM UTC

    O my 7 days you suppose to be in a training phase during that time, no loyalty what's so ever. Sorry that happen to you put yourself back out there to find something to take care of you until you get what you want..

36. AnonymousSeptember 18,2025 at 6:09PM UTC

    I had this issue with the HR Director at a full time job I had last year. I gotten sick but the HR Director refused to pay my sick leave. But then then HR Director kept saying a number of things about me.

    Someone filed an EEOC complaint against the HR director.

    The HR director winded up leaving after I got forced out of the company.