Over the past 2 years or so, millions of working Americans quit their jobs for greener pastures. Some took new jobs, others dropped out, retired, started a new business, while many worked remotely from their homes. Research is now showing that more than 70% of workers who have changed jobs regret the move. In fact, 80% of millennials said that it was OK to leave a new job in six months.
So, what are the costs and causes of making a bad decision? The costs are easy to assess. When a business loses a new employee within 6 months, the cost is in time, effort and productivity which can be substantial. The individual, on the other hand, disrupts their career plan, loses continuity, and if they’re not careful may find themselves looking for another job two or three times in a row. That means no income between jobs.
Here are a few causes:
- Making a career decision to move after only telephone or zoom interviews, is courting disaster. During the pandemic. interviewing remotely was the norm. However, it has caused a hyper churn of turnover.
- The job description you read about and the job you started are different. This can be caused by a miscommunication, a misunderstanding or outright misrepresentation.
- There may be unrealistic expectations by the company or new employee. It’s easy for a recruiter to paint a picture of quick advancements or compensation
- The questions a candidate asks are the wrong ones or not enough time is given for the candidate to obtain a level of specificity that is needed for a decision
- Not understanding the actual culture of the organization may affect your performance. If you don’t fit the culture, you won’t last long.
Here are some steps to take to avoid taking a job too quickly:
- Read the position description carefully and ask pointed questions about performance. Make sure your understanding of what’s written comes close to reality
- Ask about performance expectations in 6 and 12 months after you take the job. If you understand the expectations, then you can gauge your ability to do the job well
- If you’re a finalist candidate and receive an offer, request a Zoom meeting with your peers, or someone who currently has the same or similar job
- Talk to the HR person about turnover, management style and organizational stability. Find out if there may be a major change once you’re on board, because if there is a cutback or merger, the last one in is usually the first one out.
- If, after a week or so, you definitely know the new job isn’t going to work, call your past boss and ask if your old job is still open. That’s assuming you left on a positive note.
Research the organization and ask the right questions to help you assess whether changing to a new organization is the right decision.
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