I am two weeks into a new job and I am miserable.

Anonymous

May 17,2022 at 8:43PM UTC

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I am two weeks into a new job and I am miserable. I sensed red flags during the interview but took the job out of desperation because I was unemployed. I am to the point where I am seriously considering quitting. How would I handle this short stint in future job interviews? I know I could keep it off my resume, but what if I stay at my current job until I find something? Even if I keep it off my resume, won’t conversations in interviews touch on what you are doing now? I was previously in an extremely toxic, micromanaging environment for four years and I cannot exaggerate the physical and mental health toll that experience took on me. This job is triggering those feelings and I don’t think I can put myself through that again.

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AnonymousMay 17,2022 at 9:03PM UTC
This is the original poster. I’m mid senior career level if that provides any context (not entry level).
April MastrolucaMay 21,2022 at 1:20PM UTC
I’d leave now, start searching, and leave it off (if you were already unemployed it would only add a month). Or if you include it, say the job wasn’t what you were told and it wasn’t a good fit. A future employer might be familiar with the problems there and can empathize with you.
Your mental health is worth more than they are paying you.
Barb HansenMay 18,2022 at 1:09AM UTC
I took a desperation job during the 2008 economic downturn. I had been working as a mind-numbingly boring contractor at a large telecom company when a full-time position came up.
Red flags appeared during my interview but after six months of contractor work, I was thankful for a full-time job. How bad could be it?
Oh my goodness, the job was horrible.
-Women staff were crying in the halls, and three left in the short time that i have there.
-C-Suite make fun of everyone (asking me if I understood how subtraction worked),
-the CEO quoted bible scriptures to explain why the sales and product delivery team should screw over clients (which lead to horrible customer feedback).
-The woman who hired me as her replacement reached out to me about six months after to apologize that she wasn't honest about how horrible the company was.
About one month into the job there was a me-sized hole in the front door of that office.
Do I list that company on my resume? No
Do I ever want my name attached to that company? No
If anyone asks about a gap in my resume, I explain that the contractor role ended and I had a few months off before I got another job.
JC LindquistMay 19,2022 at 12:51PM UTC
If you can afford to leave the company, resign. If you are already seeing red flags it will only get worse. I was in a similar situation recently and I held on for 8 months and I ended up burned out and questioning my abilities.
It’s such a short amount of time you do not need to include it on your resume.
Trust yourself and listen to your gut, it knows!
Good luck, I am sad to hear you are having a terrible experience.
Michelle ChanMay 21,2022 at 12:38PM UTC
Be honest to yourself, your current employer and your future employer, Talk to your current employer if you plan to stay while looking for another job. Leave if it affects your mental health. Your future employer would be appreciative of your honestly and hire the true you not the you who acts in the interview. It is also important for you to interview the future employer while they are interviewing you, don’t take the job when you know well job satisfaction is not available. Don’t make emotional decision just because you are desperate. You will find a good job eventually. Good luck!
AnonymousMay 21,2022 at 12:44PM UTC
I wouldn’t discus it with them if you plan to hang on while you continue your job search. They’d likely walk you, and if you need the income, I’d keep your head down and keep looking. No need to add it on a resume or talk about it. You already have a gap in your employment, it just may show a bit longer. You explain how you worked on bettering yourself, took classes, or something similar in nature.
Candace LepreeMay 21,2022 at 1:07PM UTC
So this was my experience. 3rd day in I knew it wasn’t for me and it affected my mental health. I kept the job on my resume and explained in interviews it wasn’t a good fit and what I was looking for. When it was off my resume I didn’t get as many interviews hit with it yes. It didn’t affect my chances of giving the job. After being there for 5 months I got a job offer and will be starting in a few days. Keep it but just explain in a non negative way why you leaving - meaning do not bash the company.
Suzanna LouisaMay 21,2022 at 1:13PM UTC
Well, if you quit you will not be eligible for unemployment, if you received it. Yes, keep it off your resume. Perhaps go to temporary and part-time jobs?
AnonymousMay 21,2022 at 1:44PM UTC
In my situation, I was less than 90 days in a role and I was miserable, I kept the position on my resume as it was in my field and when interviewed spoke on location, commute but never anything about the toxic culture. In all that has transpired with the pandemic, there seems to be more empathy for when it’s not a good job fit. If you can stay until you find another position try that or as suggested contact local staffing agencies to inquire about job assignments, it’s more important that you’re okay!
Ari TabakMay 21,2022 at 2:02PM UTC
First off, congrats on doing an incredible job at trusting your intuition and asking for help.
Mental (and physical) health are top priority! I remember having my first panic attack at a job I got shortly after college. I ended up quitting after three weeks. I was completely mortified and felt like a failure, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I ended up becoming friends with a girl at the company within those three weeks. (She was my maid of honor at my wedding!) She introduced me to one of her friends who ended up hiring me at my next job which was one of the best decisions of my life and catapulted me into my tech career. Trust your gut. It's typically right. Good luck!!
Joanna PoeMay 21,2022 at 2:16PM UTC
Been there, started looking immediately, and found something after 6 months. That short-run job didn't go on most resumes, because it didn't have any relevant experience to the areas I was looking. If asked, I'd say I was working in x field and it wasn't a particularly good fit. Nobody seems to care.
Jacqueline CutlerMay 21,2022 at 2:17PM UTC
I would leave and take whatever other jobs you need to keep yourself going while looking for a position in your field. Twice I've hung onto jobs that made me miserable and had bosses who were loathsome. With some time to reflect, I wish I had left each much sooner than I had. Your physical, emotional, and mental health is far more important.
JYJMay 21,2022 at 2:45PM UTC
If you quit, you can't get unemployment while you continue your search. Does knowing that this will be short lived help your stress level? I would focus on my search and not the current environment. Your mental health is everything, do you have access to counseling?
If you do choose to leave, don't put it on your resume nor bring it up in conversations. Future interviewers won't know about it so it won't come up then either. What have you been doing? Searching for your next amazing opportunity!
AnonymousMay 21,2022 at 4:20PM UTC
Agree with this response and for what you've been doing you could share that you've been learning (whatever it is at your new job without sharing that you're working at said awful company.
AnonymousMay 21,2022 at 2:47PM UTC
It's also possible to request to be "let go" (say, unsatisfactory performance, or that it's a "bad fit") *and* ask that you be eligible for unemployment benefits.
HannahMay 21,2022 at 2:51PM UTC
Hmmm, this is a very sad story.
Well the question I would ask you first is this, when you quit, will it put constraints on your finances? If you don't get a job offer now and then, will it affect you? If all of this is yes, then prepare and leave. At least give yourself some time, to secure yourself and leave. if all these questions doesn't affect you, and you're ready to go, what are you waiting for? I wish you well
Julie Chatman, MBA, CISMMay 21,2022 at 4:21PM UTC
I read an article that said cut bait quickly and leave it off your resume.
sorry you are experiencing this.
Crystal HowellMay 22,2022 at 3:34AM UTC
Your overall health is important for you and your family. Nowadays, people are not putting short term employment on resumes. And explaining the gap as career break searching for the right company culture and position.
Good luck
shaz1972May 23,2022 at 11:53AM UTC
honestly, in my opinion if it was two weeks. I would completely remove it from my resume.
Maura-Lynne RossMay 24,2022 at 1:26AM UTC
I'm in the same position, except 3mo in. If you can afford to leave, split and run.... wishing you good fortune ?