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 4 of 4
"We'd never marry someone after two or four hours of dating, yet we accept jobs and fire employees after the same amount of interviewing," he says.
To make the process easier, Aquent uses a try-before-you-hire model. It places candidates in companies for up to 90 days. During that time they receive a salary plus full health and 401(k) benefits. "If they don't work out, or decide the job is not right for them, they can gracefully move on," Mr. Gardner says.
Aon Corp. in Chicago takes another approach, offering employers realistic job previews for potential employees. It uses technology-based simulation to take a candidate through a day of work in a particular position.
When a job offer comes, employment experts advise applicants to take three to five days to consider it objectively. They suggest talking to friends and family about the position and seeking their opinion. They also caution against compromising on benefits and salary.
Jaffe, considerably wiser after her experience at the bank in New Hampshsire, says, "I always tell people they need to listen to their heart and hear any doubts that are in their head during the interview process. At an interview, do your best and be honest. When something doesn't sound right, trust your feeling about it. Maybe it isn't right."
Before you take that job ...
To avoid new-job regrets, BJ Gallagher, a workplace consultant, offers these tips before accepting a new position:
• Make a list of questions you want to ask during the interview process.
• Pay attention to the workplace and the people. Do they seem tense, or are they relaxed and friendly?
• Ask what happened to the person who had the job before you.
• Ask to interview some of the people you'll be working with – peers.
• Ask about your prospective boss's management style.
• Take notes during the interview.
• Notice how long it takes them to get back to you after the interview. Are they slow and bureaucratic or quick to decide?
• Do some research on the company. Read its annual report. Google the organization and see what has been written about them in the press.
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