A few weeks ago, we had a student email WayUp to ask about her next career move.
“I just realized I’m not committed to a job I signed up for. What should I do?”
We’ve all been there.
You were so excited to get hired and kill it at your new role, but things didn’t quite work out the way you had planned.
Maybe your coworkers have gotten under your skin, or maybe you’ve learned you don’t really care about what you’re doing.
"Life is short," you think. "Why not just quit?"
If things have gotten really bad, then yes. It’s important to start thinking about your exit strategy.
But at the same time, you have to play devil’s advocate and consider if making a move is the right move.
If you’re thinking about calling it quits, here are three questions you should ask yourself first:
1. Have I made enough of an impact?
Employers will raise their eyebrows when they find a quick transition from an old job to a new one on your résumé.
With the right approach, this can be explained, but what can’t be explained is a lack of results.
It’s best to stay put if you haven’t been at the company long enough to have a “big win,” whether that involves recruiting more users than any other employee, taking on extra shifts to support customers’ needs or writing the highest-performing article of the month.
Wherever you apply next, employers will have some tough questions for you. So be forward-thinking.
Companies will be far less likely to doubt you if they see measurable results.
2. Am I still learning new things?
Maybe expectations are high at your new workplace, and you feel like you can’t live up to them.
Maybe it feels like you’re being set up for failure instead of success.
As hard as each day may be, if you’re still being challenged and surprising yourself with how much you can take on, it’s not time to call it quits.
It’s so important to know what you’re able to accomplish, and the only way to do that is to accept each responsibility that comes your way.
Even if your role isn’t quite the right fit, you can learn a few transferrable skills that will help your career down the line.
If this position is putting you out of your comfort zone, it can strengthen you instead of break you.
Take it as a chance to learn something new. It never hurts to have a new skill in the workforce.
3. Do you know what you want to do next?
Part of the advantage in applying to an internship or job is getting to figure out what you like and don’t like in a career.
But running away from a job or internship without a game plan is not beneficial to your happiness.
There’s always the possibility you’ll end up in another position, where you’re just as unsatisfied as you are now.
Chrissy Allen, a buyer at women’s fashion brand Milly, was convinced it was time for her to leave the fashion industry.
She consulted a mentor who cautioned her to never jump away from a challenge or issue.
“You should feel compelled to jump toward something,” she was told.
Take some time for yourself to figure out your passions before you make a move.
Seek guidance from your friends, professors, career services and even WayUp. We’re happy to help with all your career questions.
Deciding whether to stay or go is a tough process that can have a lot of consequences either way.
Make sure you've put a lot of thought into it.
If you do decide to quit, remember that WayUp is here for you.
This article was written by Kema Christian-Taylor for WayUp.
