When you're faced with new-job regrets: Should you stay or go?
Expert says a quarter of recently hired workers deal with 'acceptance remorse,' Here's how to handle the situation.
from the August 6, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 4
"There is nothing to gain by staying in a position you regret taking, but there is a lot to lose," he says. "By trying to stick it out, it is likely that the individual's performance will decline and that his or her attitude will worsen, both of which could damage future job prospects." If things have not improved by the one-year anniversary, he adds, it is time to look for new opportunities.
Ten years ago, BJ Gallagher, a workplace consultant in Los Angeles, received a job offer from a high-profile company in Newport Beach, Calif. She says, "I let myself get seduced by all the superficial things – VP title, handsome boss, ocean view, gorgeous office. The people were nice, too, and it seemed like a good opportunity."
Yet she sensed that something wasn't right. On her first day, the CEO sent the entire management team a memo outlining his policy on work hours. He needed to know where each executive was at all times.
Ms. Gallagher realized she had made the wrong choice. She resigned the next day. Others in the company called her "The Two-Day Wonder."
"I didn't ask discerning questions about the job itself," she says. "I failed to ascertain the CEO's management style. I didn't check out their policies and procedures."
Noting that the Internet makes it easy to check a firm's reputation, MacKenzie says, "You have to peel back all the layers."
Companies can also help prospective employees avoid mistakes by clearly defining responsibilities and expectations, and explaining how they measure success, says Herb Greenberg, CEO of Caliper, a management consulting firm in Princeton, N.J.
Workplace specialists at Yahoo! HotJobs.com advise unhappy new employees not to panic. Resist the urge to make a dramatic decision or rush to judgment, they say. Instead, analyze why you feel you have been duped. They also suggest sharing concerns with supervisors and the human resources department.
Others warn against trying to assign blame when a job does not work out.
James Gardner of Aquent, a marketing staffing firm in Boston, reflects on the challenges employers and prospective workers both face in making successful alliances.
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