What To Do If You Hate Your Job After Three Months

Three months is a relatively short time to judge a job, but what if at this point the mere thought of Monday coming around makes you want to scream? Or worse, what if the job is bad but the position will make your CV shine? Should you tough it out or look for better solutions?

Making the decision

Although the role may turn heads on LinkedIn,sometimes you can immediately tell when things won’t work out, like when you:

-Feel bored
-Feel that your skills are not being put to use
-Don’t the same goals as your employer
-Feel exhausted all the time
-Cant recall the last time you laughed at work)

If you ticked some or most or all of these, then be confident that this is the time to move on to better things ahead.

After the decision

By now you should be well geared for a job hunt, and hopefully have a few interviews lined up.

Pay attention to their company culture and try to find a job that matches your own. Remember that a company will hire you based on your suitability to the team, but you get to decide on the job’s suitability to yourself.

The process

Stay professional and keep the resignation later diplomatic; hand it in in person, with plenty of notice, and unless contractually obligated don’t feel pressure to explain your decision.

If you want to take it one step further and assure relationships are not severed (especially if you might need a reference), create a short handover manual for your replacement (noting responsibilities, schedules, important contacts, etc).

Smaller companies are more understanding, but big companies may not take this as lightly. After all, they’ve basically wasted time, money and resources on a person who will not stay with them for the long run. If you are adamant about leaving, stick to it and grow thick skin, because you might be in for:

The exit interview

You might not be asked to take part in one, but if it does occur:

-Vent ahead of time. As much as you may want to give them a piece of your mind, refrain from doing so. Stay professional and don’t give them a reason to be thankful you left.
-Prepare as you would for a normal interview, but in reverse: frame your opinions and let them know this is best for your and the company, and do it in a way that will let them remember you positively
-Always keep your composure

Before your leave

Read the small print in your contract to make sure there are no nasty surprises or restrictions.

Unless you have savings that can keep you up on your feet for at least a couple of months, make sure you have another job lined up before you make the plunge and quit.

Don’t slack. Even if you’ve marked the day in your calendar, until then you are still an employer and expected to do your work.

Tie up loose ends: make sure clients know who to contact when you’re gone, inform any colleagues about remaining assignments, and just like they say in kindergarten, leave the place the way you want it to be found.

Remember

Choose your next job carefully, and don’t make a habit of quitting jobs too often. Prospective employers don’t care when you quit, but why, and if the reason is simply “the job didn’t suit me” it will most definitely raise some flags.

They want to hire somebody who will be able to assure them a long-term commitment and won’t consider you if they think you’ll probably leave them after a few months.

Inspiring Interns is a recruitment agency specialising in all the internships and graduate jobs London has to offer. Xiomara Meyer is a drama and creative writing graduate with an interest in psychology and the slightly bizarre.