Leaving a job after a very short amount of time…

37 Comments

1. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 3:17PM UTC

   Ugh. This is brutal. I'm sorry this environment is turning out to be so toxic. Can you afford to leave without anything lined up? If this is yes, then peace the **** out. If no, well there is certainly incentive to start looking. Is there some PT work you can find until you find something more permanent? Don't worry about the gap in your resume.. it's only a few months and can be explained in many ways. It's not ok that your father is unwell and you can't see him. Family is so important. Good luck!

2. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 4:02PM UTC

   If I had any savings left I would leave in a heartbeat… covid ate through them sadly.
   I wasn’t able to work due to no childcare. I’ve been looking. I hope it’ll come to something soon…

3. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 1:15PM UTC

   Similar thing happened to me! I was aggressively recruited by CEO who I knew and the minute I started asking for what he promised (like cell phone reimbursement, for a phone I used for work), he became an a-hole.

   I stuck it out bc I thought it might get better, bc I was embarrassed to think of leaving so quickly). They didn’t train me, toxic environment; miserable people and weren’t even “nice”.

   My Dad who lives across the country was also going through some major health issues, which required me to go see him.

   Two weeks after I returned, they called me in and fired me. While shocked, because there was no warning & never talk of anything I was doing wrong, I woke up the next day SO relieved that I would never have to deal with them again.

   Fortunately, while no severance, they did give me benefits for three mos and unemployment, and I started a new job within 2 mos. (nobody even asked why I left or about the gap!).

   My advice is if you can’t afford to resign, start putting your resume out, but family first: see your Dad, take care of your kids-they are what counts! At the end of the day, worst case, they fire you, you get unemployment and “time off” to be w your family! Good Luck!! It WILL work out in the end!!

4. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 3:21PM UTC

   I'm also 3 months into a new job and it's horrible, pondering whether I should leave or not but so many things are at stake, like my work visa and not having an offer just yet. I'll probably wait til I find something else, but I think your situation is extreme. No one should be treated like that

5. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 4:00PM UTC

   I’m really sorry.
   :-( I hope things get better for you soon! It’s so stressful when your workplace is toxic isn’t it?

6. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 3:52PM UTC

   Would it be possible to go back to your last job since you had good relations with the company? Would they be open to it or would it be too awkward?

7. AnonymousApril 26,2022 at 3:59PM UTC

   I helped them train my replacement.
   Plus the pay was extremely low…

8. Anne KrookApril 26,2022 at 4:38PM UTC

   If I were you, I would start looking immediately but not resign unless you can't avoid it. It is not hard to explain to a prospective employer that your current employer has not lived up to the promises they made when they hired you. and if you do need to leave, the same explanation works for why you are out of work after a short time.

9. Meagan MosherApril 26,2022 at 5:14PM UTC

   I stuck it out at a job that I absolutely hated and knew wasn't for me almost immediately. I couldn't go back to my previous position as they had already hired someone to replace me. I would start looking immediately and explain that you know this is not a good fit. Employers are already less likely to look at the time at a position right now. And, jobs are everywhere!! Go for it and find the right fit for you!!

10. AnonymousApril 27,2022 at 1:50AM UTC

    You've described a series of very unfortunate events. Since you're so early in your tenure, you have no credibility and no basis for your work product quality.

    While you were recruited from you previous role, and your boss was nice...no one cares. All the employer sees is an instant liability, irregular attendance and someone who has more crises than fathomable.

    I know this assessment is harsh and my hope is that you take immediate action to look for something else. I applaud your level of self awareness to recognize that there is a problem and this move wasn't what you thought it would be. Commit to aggressively look for a new position, hold yourself accountable to apply for 3 or 5 positions a week. Let them fire you because they'll likely give you a few weeks of pay, or cover your health insurance premiums for a month or two.

    Best of luck in your next steps.

11. AnonymousApril 27,2022 at 4:44AM UTC

    I'm confused....."you haven't been allowed..." what?

    You need to really consider you next move and while you look, take family leave to care for your family. Take pto when you need to and document your understanding of the offer of flexibility when you accepted the job. Reiterate your understanding when alerting your company to time off.

    Read your employee hand book and familiarize yourself with your state employment laws.

    Put everything in writing. Everything.

12. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 12:51PM UTC

    In your next role, I would try to have your flexibility requests in writing so you can refer back to them if situations arise.

13. AnonymousApril 27,2022 at 12:36PM UTC

    Quit ASAP!!!

    your emotional mental and physical health will suffer long-term and your employer will still complain and have issues with others!!!
    GO and don’t look back.

14. AnonymousApril 27,2022 at 4:19PM UTC

    Don't quit a job until you have one, but please do start looking ASAP. Companies don't really look at month gaps, only yearly ones. Get out of there, they don't deserve your greatness!

15. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 12:18PM UTC

    You don't always have to follow that rule. Weigh your options and evaluate your resources at hand. If you are the sole breadwinner in your household, then perhaps start job hunting, but it does sound like you already have your hands full. And regarding gaps, there are articles all over the place that state that since Covid, gaps are being overlooked.

16. Orlagh CostelloApril 27,2022 at 4:21PM UTC

    If it's only 2 months, why even bother putting it on your CV?

17. Liz PerryApril 27,2022 at 7:54PM UTC

    Run, run, run. It's not worth your mental health. Don't even bother putting it on your CV.

18. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 2:15AM UTC

    Resign — this position is not a good fit for you at this point in your life.

    As for the short tenure at the new job, keep it off your resume.

    If your financial circumstances permit it, you might benefit from taking a few months off to attend to your personal and family needs.

19. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 12:15PM UTC

    Leave. You can look for a better fit when you are away from that and have more time, and some of these personal concerns have perhaps resolved. You are allowed to have a life.

    I will bet that they sit around and gripe about you behind your back because you've suddenly become dispensable to them. It already sounds like you are being horribly bullied to your face, If you were to stay, this will not suddenly disappear, this will be a miserable situation for you for a long while to come. Bail now on your own terms and regroup. The fresh start will be amazing.

20. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 12:49PM UTC

    This is also a lesson that high pay isn’t the only part of your “worth.” Everyone wants and deserves a fair salary but mental health and respect are “worth” a lot too.

21. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 12:59PM UTC

    I'm sorry you've experienced this. I'm in a similar boat but without the personal commitments you describe being disrespected. I wanted a new role, looked for a good while, excitedly took one that paid me a market rate over what I had which was below. And now I find the opportunity was a bit of a sham and the company will not live up to its pitch.

    My question to those who say "leave a short job off the resume," how do you suggest handling the inconsistency with LinkedIn at the moment? If I apply with a resume that leaves off my job of one month, what of the LinkedIn profile that includes the new role (which would be very odd to exclude, since my new colleagues are connected there)?

22. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 1:34PM UTC

    FWIW, I am a hiring manager at an employer with great work-life balance (but not great pay). If I asked you about your employment gap or short-term at the company and you told the truth (the job didn't give you the flexibility you needed to care for my family), I wouldn't hold that against you when considering you for hire. In some ways, you could use this as a "sorting hat" -- employers who will be a good fit for you, that offer that flexibility, wouldn't think less of you for that honesty.

23. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 2:25PM UTC

    What I'm about to say will be unpopular but it sounds like this isn't working for the employer, either.

    I hired a woman in my last position that also had a series of health issues, family crises, child care problems...you name it, she had it! Her first week included food poisoning and a daycare issue (for her nephew).

    This pattern continued week after week: flat tire, her dog had to go to the vet, she didn't like driving in heavy rain and wanted to leave the office early. We bent over backwards for this woman, to accommodate all of these issues. But her chronic absences and workday disruptions prevented her from being trained properly and actually delivering a substantive work product.

    Since she was so new, there was no trust and we continued to shoulder most of her work. Ultimately, we restructured the position and she was let go.

    The situation that you describe is a two-way street. You were hired to perform a service and in turn, your employer pays you for that work product. Given your newness to the role and these extraordinary requests, it seems difficult to maintain balance. And at some point, both sides will have to fish or cut bait.

    From your side, you're looking for these accommodations but you have no track record with the employer so they don't trust your ability to do the work...or feel confident that you're putting in a full work week as part of your employment contract. From their side, you're unreliable because of the childcare issues, your father's heart attack, your ovarian condition that requires blood work, and you're complaining about a commute. How long do you reasonably expect the employer to give the green light on these accommodations? And frankly, this is grossly unfair to your colleagues. These optics are difficult for your colleagues to see. I'd be pissed if it looked like special arrangements were being made for a single employee...without these courtesies being extended to the team.

    This relationship on coming to an end, do you best to secure a new position and take this opportunity to apply some self awareness and how you'd avoid this situation in the future.

    As another person said, maybe its time to consider a short term leave of absence from the workforce until these health and family issues are resolved.

24. AnonymousApril 30,2022 at 4:01PM UTC

    While you inserted points as if to support the employee, your view is mostly in support of the employer. It seems your view is colored by your new hire experience - which it shouldn't be.

    Perhaps the most surprising line in all that you wrote was:

    "take this opportunity to apply some self awareness and how you'd avoid this situation in the future."

    If you could, kindly state how can she or anyone else "avoid" situations like this - a parent getting a heart attack, a mandatory doctor's appointment at a specific time of the month, situations that will arise with special needs kids, etc?

    The OP stated the company agreed to offer flexibility for challenges she was very specific about, yet you asked:

    You asked "How long do you reasonably expect the employer to give the green light on these accommodations?"

    The answer is as long as it takes - since she stated she asked for the accommodations before taking the role. With apecial needs kids - that is a long-term situation. It is never going to go away in 2- 6 months. Ever.

    Additionally, if the company had agreed to remote work as the OP stated, any reasonable person would be complaining about an hour's commute with tolls! Furthermore, if she was doing remote work - the 2-hour commute would be "productive time."

    Finally, the fact that she was recruited for the position means there is some track record of what she can do... not with this employer yet, but that's how life rolls sometimes.

    Oftentimes there are obstacles at the very beginning of starting a new job that makes it seem like it will not work out... for both sides. Some people just do not excercise patience to find out just how beneficial such "rough start" employment can be.

25. AnonymousMay 1,2022 at 1:37AM UTC

    I can't believe that with all the personal crises this poster has detailed, you're choosing to focus on the needs of the employer. Sheesh! And is it really "grossly unfair" to her new team to have to split a little extra work between them while she has to deal with catastrophes?

26. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistApril 28,2022 at 3:18PM UTC

    Fire that resume up and get cracking. There's no reason to stay. Just say "it wasn't the right fit" if asked.

    If you read this site at all, you will know you're not the only one who as found themselves in this situation.

27. Kathy SternerApril 28,2022 at 3:35PM UTC

    Start looking for a new role but don't put this one on your CV. If it becomes unbearable and you can afford it, resign and put your efforts into finding a new role. You also might want to contact your old employer and talk to your former leader. Although they were upset, they may understand your desire for change, at the time, and offer you a position.

    You are not alone. As a recruiter, I have encountered others having gone through similar situations.

28. Karen GongawareApril 28,2022 at 4:14PM UTC

    What does your employment contract state in terms of working from home, flex hours, and so forth? Never take a job without a contract and really read it! And just don't list them on your resume if you quit.

29. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 4:49PM UTC

    Someone else posted a similar situation, but was leaving. Some people suggested leaving the job off it it's under 6 months, others suggest saying it was a "short term" position.

    1 person suggested this article: https://fairygodboss.com/articles/ive-changed-industries-4-times--if-youre-unsure-about-your-career-change-heres-what-to-do-next

    I'm not sure how to link to other posts, but the "title" is: "I started a new job 2 months ago and knew within a month it was a mistake" if you wanted to see how others responded. It was posted anonymously.

    Best of luck!

30. Alicia "Allie" MacomApril 28,2022 at 5:35PM UTC

    RESIGN NOW! You have a family illness issue you need to attend to. Why even put the position on your CV?

31. AnonymousApril 28,2022 at 5:42PM UTC

    While there is definitely expectation of more flexibility in general now, I accepted a job with lower pay in the past specifically in return for more flexibility to handle extraordinary family responsibilities (special-needs child). I was very blunt when I agreed to the position, explained the flexibility I had at my current job and why. She said she couldn't offer me that same level of flexibility, but proposed an alternate plan and pointed out that I would get much more leave than I was getting at my current employer to fill in the gaps. It worked out and I'm still with the company 16 years later. It also provided a blueprint for how to handle my own staff later. Thankful for the compassion she demonstrated, but it's not feasible for every position and even when feasible, doesn't work well in every setting. I would find what you are describing as a little extreme, and would not be thrilled about paying a premium wage for an unavailable staff member.

32. Liz MilneApril 29,2022 at 12:05AM UTC

    Call a meeting and lay out all the things you were promised vs what you have been getting.

    Then, see what they say. If they continue to go back on the flexibility, the home-working and so on, put in your notice. (Or, if you need the income, say you'll try make it work and spend every spare moment looking for something else!)

    And if it was me, I wouldn't ask or wait for 'permission' I would just go and spend time with my dad...

33. Barbara Tetreau GrottingApril 29,2022 at 4:34AM UTC

    Run!

34. AnonymousApril 29,2022 at 6:42PM UTC

    In the future, make sure to get the flexibility you need written into your offer letter. It's one thing when you have a conversation on an interview, especially to HR vs when you actually work for a direct manager who may not have agreed to the flexibility you need.

35. AnonymousMay 1,2022 at 1:21AM UTC

    Leave immediately - PLEASE!!!

    That comment about your father's heart attack should be reason enough. The fact that they WON'T let you go see him is downright disgusting. Not to mention subjecting you to having to explain a deeply personal female issue to your male boss (spoiler alert - it's none of his business!)

    So sorry to hear you're having to go through this. Just get of there - never mind about the short stint. Five years from now, it won't matter what you put on your resume. But it will matter whether or not you saw your father in his hour of need. You'll get another job. But lost time that you could have spent with your family you will never get back.

36. Balanced124557May 2,2022 at 2:15AM UTC

    RUN... it will not get any better

37. Kelly LeaveryMay 4,2022 at 3:37AM UTC

    Get out cut your lisses