Leaving a job less than a week in

LegacyUser

Hi,

I want to leave my job.
I did an interview for a certain job and I was offered a totally different job to the one I applied for. As it was a potential opportunity with an influential employer in my sector, I accepted it, although I had reservations.

Without going in to too much detail that might identify me, it is a nightmare. I work closely alongside another person who is a wagon, very intimidating and difficult to work with. The physical condition of the building I'm working in is atrocious, I have not yet been provided with the physical resources i require to effectively do my job, I'm told it will x and y items will be there tomorrow, I've asked several times for the items I require to do the job.

Financially I can take the hit and live off savings short term.
However, departing this influential employer will impact on my career long term.

I'm the type of person, I generally know straight away if I like something or not and if it is for me.

I am dreading going in to work in the morning.
Also, if I do decide to leave on Friday, what excuse do I give to try and limit the damage?

Mad_maxx

leave


trust me

your gut is correct

go

Airyfairy12

I agree with the previous post, leave!!

You could just say something vague like youre leaving due to personal reasons and that you cant go into further detail. You dont owe them an explanation.

zoobizoo

Unhappy2145 wrote: »

Hi,


However, departing this influential employer will impact on my career long term.

Also, if I do decide to leave on Friday, what excuse do I give to try and limit the damage?

Just don't put it down on your c.v. and no one will ever know.

I work in hospitality and you wouldn't believe the number of people who just walk out the door. Some people leave on their first day without finishing their shift... others don't even bother turning up the first day - they don't even bother contacting the place to say that they're not turning up.

You could say that you because you don't have X and Y that you can't do the job and are therefore leaving... but maybe, when X and Y turn up, things will get better.

As for the wagon, well, we've all worked along side such people - they can be in every work place.

ive been in this circumstance, i was gone thursday lunchtime and my only two regrets are waiting that long and worrying for too long afterwards that i had blown a big chance

go, stay gone, dont look back.

road_high

Usually I’d stick it out but the circumstances you describe are a very bad starting point. The fact you mention your close coworker as being a total wagon would be enough. If they’re not even pretending to put up a “nice” veneer as you start then that’s how they are and nothing will change this.
A job interview is as much about you sussing them out as the other way around. If not more actually

road_high

Try and get paid though for the few days you’ve put in though

angel eyes 2012

Before jumping the gun, is there any decent manager or Employee Assistance Officer you can speak to in confidence. Perhaps there is some flexibility in the organisation, in that they could move you to a better section with nicer colleagues even to get away from the wagon.

I hated my first placement in my sector, I was answering phone queries about trees and plants and I hadn't a clue about either. I gave it a week and by the Friday I told them either move me or I walk - they moved me and that was in 2003.

If it really is the sector for you, it could be worth investigating particularly in the context of the employment market, which will only get tougher in the coming months.

However, if it really is affecting your mental health, nothing is worth that and maybe finishing up is the best option. But do it on their terms, don't ever burn your bridges in a job, you never know who knows who.

SouthWesterly

Was in a job. Promised sun moon and stars. Had to have mediation in week 2 over the bosses antics.
She reneged on her promise within days.
Told her to do the job herself and walked out.
I never looked back.

Social welfare considered it a temp job when I told them what happened and got my money again from them

LegacyUser

Hi OP here

The lady I have to work closely with has a real issue with taking instructions and authority in general. The nature of what we do means that I am over her and her work is directed by me. I have worked with others in a similar role in the past and always got on really well. I'm in no way an authoritative person, I always say please and thank you etc.

She pulls bizarre faces and makes a fuss about any task she is asked to do (tasks related to her job description, nothing outlandish!), makes a big deal about it and looks really put out. The scary thing is when other colleagues are around (who are on similar level to myself in the organisation and senior to her), she is all sweetness and light, really positive and can't do enough to help me, this for me is a major warning sign and red flag.

On Friday she was totally different and was really helpful and positive. But I'm not sure if this is an act in front of other colleagues and when we are working alone again for a longer period of time, she will revert to type, as a result I am dreading Monday, as I don't know which side of her personality I will see!! Everyone else on the team sings her praises, so I would never be believed! I feel in one way I'm aswell to just leave!

The resources I need to do my job have still not arrived and my boss cut me very short when I politely queried when the items would arrive.

My boss and this organisation would be very closely linked with other future employers in my field, so leaving suddenly or quickly would be a major black mark against me finding a job in the future, the same few people sit on all the interview panels in my field of work in this area, which is were I am settled and will be trying to source work in the future .

antix80

Unhappy2145 wrote: »

The lady I have to work closely with has a real issue with taking instructions and authority in general. The nature of what we do means that I am over her and her work is directed by me.

You're describing my subordinate. She's insecure, rude, lazy and underqualified.

It was tough and there were times i was close to giving my employer an ultimatum-her or me.

Happy to say, I'm getting there. I peeled work away from her like automating data entry that she prioritised at the expense of ensuring her responsibilities were met.

She always had a meltdown if a pointed out her mistakes, and god forbid I actually tell her how to perform a task. So, in a managed way, i let her make the mistakes, let her panic, then agree a process for her to follow "going forward" .

She's being tamed. She'll never be particularly useful but at least she won't be disruptive and in the meantime i can focus on process improvement so i don't have to rely on her as much.

For you, id recommend you persevere and see it as an opportunity for personal development. Highlight the issue to your manager in a professional way and ensure you have your manager's support in how you intend to address the issue.
If your employer offers free counselling, avail. It will guide you through the rough patch.
She's only one person. There are managers who end up taking over a team of people like her. I don't like the term "resilience" as it reeks of victim-blaming, but in this case you might learn both resilience and problem solving.

If it doesn't work out, take the lessons you learned and move on.

B.A._Baracus

Best to leave if you don't like it.

If you are worried about what to say on the CV simply do not mention it. It never existed. So a future employer cannot ask what went on there during in an interview. Be very unwise to list a job you only did for a week. Too many awkward questions and even assumptions about yourself can arise.

As for the previous job you left to get this one - make any excuse.

- Got let go because of Corona.
- Got furloughed.
- Was asked to take a pay cut.
- You live with someone high risk of Corona and for the safety of them you decided to quit? You can sprinkle a dash of "a very challenging decision one has to make but an important one I feel was correct".
You can be creative.

Wanderer19

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Best to leave if you don't like it.
As for the previous job you left to get this one - make any excuse.

- Got let go because of Corona.
- Got furloughed.
- Was asked to take a pay cut.
- You live with someone high risk of Corona and for the safety of them you decided to quit? You can sprinkle a dash of "a very challenging decision one has to make but an important one I feel was correct".
You can be creative.

I wouldn't advise lying about why you left a previous job - a good company will find out when they check references.
Tell potential employers you left for another role but that fell through because of Covid, No need to tell them where. And I would omit this one from your CV, no one will be any the wiser - if someone does find out, be honest and say it wasn't a good fit, keep it simple.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

ive been in this circumstance, i was gone thursday lunchtime and my only two regrets are waiting that long and worrying for too long afterwards that i had blown a big chance

go, stay gone, dont look back.

I once started a job one Monday and an hour in I knew it was a major mistake. No health and Safety were observed, everyone shouted at each other in the office, the atmosphere was hostile and the toilets were only unlocked at break times. I went out to my car at lunchtime pretending I left my lunch in it and drove like Lewis Hamilton out the gate. I text the hiring manager to say I wasn't coming back and blocked all contact. No contract was signed so I didn't feel a bit bad. I laugh at it now, they got free labour for 5 hours! Id say recruitment is a revolving door in that place.

B.A._Baracus

Wanderer19 wrote: »

I wouldn't advise lying about why you left a previous job - a good company will find out when they check references.
Tell potential employers you left for another role but that fell through because of Covid, No need to tell them where. And I would omit this one from your CV, no one will be any the wiser - if someone does find out, be honest and say it wasn't a good fit, keep it simple.

An interesting spin.
But op would be asked to explain what exactly happened in an interview. Usually in the form on chit-chat.

Did he even start before they took back their offer?
Did he sign anything?
How did it happen? Where you finishing up on the Friday then told on Monday morning that sorry etc after signing something?
How come you didnt ask for your old job back? (This one can be explained as bit of an awkward one)

If you are telling a lie you have to expand on it if someone asks. Which someone likely would in an interview. Even if it was just in passing. You want to give a concise answer that will move the interview along quickly to other things.

Wanderer19

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

An interesting spin.

If you are telling a lie you have to expand on it if someone asks. Which someone likely would in an interview. .

Which is exactly why I don't advise lying. Obviously the op can say that the company he went to was absolutely awful, so he walked out after a week, but bad mouthing a company you've spent a week in doesn't look good for you either. At the very least it makes you look a bit picky., Sometimes telling the absolute truth is not the right thing to do either

B.A._Baracus

Wanderer19 wrote: »

Which is exactly why I don't advise lying. Obviously the op can say that the company he went to was absolutely awful, so he walked out after a week, but bad mouthing a company you've spent a week in doesn't look good for you either. At the very least it makes you look a bit picky., Sometimes telling the absolute truth is not the right thing to do either

I'm sorry but your reply seems to be all over the place.
Are you confusing my replies with another user?

I said create an excuse. But then you reply back to me saying how one shouldn't lie but then proceed to tell your own lie with what the op should say (that he should say the new job didn't work out to covid - is that not a lie too? )

Now you quote me again saying how you advise that op shouldn't lie. I'm very confused to be honest. It's like you are coming off as very inconsistent in your advice.
You said the op should say he left his previous job due to that job not working out due to covid. Ok cool. As I say an interesting spin.
But then you say omit this from his Cv and "none will be the wiser" - but what about any follow up questions in an interview? To which you decided to omit that yourself when quoting my last reply.

I don't get it my good man. You say don't lie. But then lie. When spit balling about any other Futher follow up questions that may arise in an interview - you ignore.

The op needs to have a gameplan. The last thing he would want is to come off as getting "fired" but trying to use the excuse of "ah sure the other job didn't work out to being Corona" - he won't even get to the checking references stage if the responses arent good.