Twentysomething: Why it’s smart to quit a job after just two weeks of work
This is a guest post from Jamie Varon. She’s 23 years old. Her blog is called intersected.
Not too long ago, I started a new job, in which I moved my self from point A (college town) to point B (Bay Area). This was supposed to be my career launch. It took me about two weeks to admit to myself that I was unhappy. So I quit.
I had the security of knowing I could go back to my parents’ house to live. (Which, by the way, is such a good idea that 65% of new grads do it.) Here are five reasons why I am sure it was a smart decision to quit my job after just two weeks:
1. Your job performance will be terrible if you hate your job.
If you hate your job from the beginning, then you will never fully dedicate yourself. In fact, you’ll resent both the company and yourself for staying at a job that you knew you didn’t like early on.
I get it: You have this desire to prove to yourself that you are capable of sticking it out. Or you’re worried that this makes you a complete failure and you have given up. So what? You learn from your failure. You learn from that mistake. You’ll end up quitting at some point soon, so why draw it out?
2. You’ll have more respect for yourself if you respond to your needs.
Once I admitted to myself that I hated my job, I worried that if I didn’t quit this job immediately, even if I had no backup plan, that I would be setting myself up to allow negative situations into my life. If you know that going to your job will make you stressed, unhappy, and angry, every single day, then continuing to go is being disrespectful to your well-being. The more you continue to disregard your own feelings, the further away you get from happiness.
When we’re in our twenties we need to learn about who we are and what we like, so that we can find a work life we are passionate about. Staying in a job you hate doesn’t help.
3. You’ll prove your commitment to passion and engagement at work.
Quitting that job after two weeks is actually one of my proudest moments. I think it shows that I have integrity and passion. I understand the fact that productivity comes more easily in the face of happiness. Quitting quickly is showing impatience for a meaningful work life. Everyone should be impatient for that.
Also, people who switching jobs regularly makes people more engaged in their work. This makes sense. If you stay in a job for a long stretch of time, your learning curve goes down and things do not feel as new and stimulating.
4. You’ll do the company a favor.
If you stay unhappy at a job and then quit after, say, six months, the company will probably never know that you had hated your stint there. When you quit a job after two weeks, the company will notice and question what they had done to push you away so quickly. (A smart company, at least.)
Employees at, Apple, for example, produce the best products in the world because they are passionate about the company’s mission. You are not helping the company by staying at a position you hate when someone else may be better suited for it who will, no doubt, excel, while you are just getting by. Do the company a favor and quit so they can reevaluate their training, that position, and their hiring strategy, so the next person doesn’t want to jump ship after a week.
5. You’ll set yourself up for success.
High performing employees in companies like GE, Proctor & Gamble and UBS all get to rotate through a wide range of jobs at the beginning of their career. This is because job-hopping is a great way to build skills early in one’s career. We should all have that chance. There are no rules that say you need to stay at a job that is not teaching you enough.
And there are no rules that say how long it takes a person to know a job is not right. But there is a rule for who succeeds and who doesn’t: People who have self-confidence, respect, good teamwork instincts, and a sense of when it’s time to cut their losses; these are the people who succeed. That’s why high-performers leave bad jobs after just two weeks at work.
This is a guest post from Jamie Varon. She’s 23 years old. Her blog is called intersected.
Interesting post that is probably diminshed by the age and experience of the author. It’s surprising to me to see the level of hostility posted by others in reply; none of you can or should adequately pass judgment on someone in this regard. Each situaiton is unique to that person, and their version of sucess, ethical conduct, etc.
Personally, I don’t feel any need to be loyal to a new employer. They provide something – a positon, resources, and a committment to providing the role with the resources, leadership and management required to allow the person to be successful in that role. The person provides skills, experience, education and a committment to show up, do the work, be professional, be coachable and manageable, etc.
When one party doesn’t delivery – the model breaks, and so does the contract that binds the party together. If you don’t pay your attorney, they drop you. If you don’t pay your electricity, they cut off your power. If your employer made claims that they are clearly not capable of producing, then why prolong the inevtitable? The quicker and sooner that you can get out and back to something that puts you on track for learning, growth and mutual success – the better off you will be.
Two possible variations of identification emerge: experience-based, and gut-instinct based.
It takes a lot of experience to be able to spot deficiencies within a new employment situation right away.
On the other hand, your intincts protect you for precisely this reason: you don’t have the experience necessary to pinpoint the problem, but it makes you uncomfortable enough to know it’s not for you.
Ever apply that to a potential date or suitor? You betcha. Most of us have relied on either experience through observation, or through classic gut instinct (that person’s trouble…). happens all the time. Why second guess that in employment, which is just a different application of the same skills.
Poster’s experience isn’t there, but their gut instinct is just as good. Not a good fit is perfectly acceptable. People forget that the employees actually have an equal voice in the relationship. I’ve seen my fair share of employers who think that as soon as you’re hired that they own you and you have no choice. It’s always a shock to them when they find out that people have to be fed, watered, cared for and managed – just like kids, except they get paid to produce the work. Only a fool treats their employees like mushrooms, or thinks that if they misrepreent themselves that there ‘s nothing that the employee can do about it. Wrong. So Wrong.
Pro Tip: If you leave a job after a short stint for these reasons, you’re better off not even listing them on your resume. There’s nothing illegal or unethical about that either. The first couple of months in particular are a time where you should be thrilled with your new position and your boss. If the work is not as described and the company is not prepared to support the role you thought you accepted, and your boss is not capable of putting together a plan to tresolve that immediately to your satisfaction, then you should do something about it.
The absolute worst thing that you can do once you’ve identified a bad situation is to not do something about resolviong it yourself.
Not supportive of the bashers here. You folks clearly have your priorities mixed up. People work for money, and the opportunity for career education and development, recognition and success, not loyalty. Loyalty comes after the company makes its investments, and all of those are certainly not short-term.
I like this article alot, I have taken a few jiobs over the past year or so and realized that once in the corporate culture of these companies that these jobs were not for me. Mostly the jobs and companies were lacking any real sincere purpose. I felt they were in-genuine. And I did not want any part of being associated with a corp that was in-genuine. Basically a company that was seeling to sell, and really cared little for its clients. I quit. It has been 3 or 4 positions in the past year or so ………. thx for the article. I know I am a better person for quiting these companies jobs. Thomas Gillis nonprofit founder http://www.AlcoholicShare.org
This is why many employer’s don’t hire twentysomething’s.
I just started a job as a waiter. Today starts my second week. So far I’m behind in college and even failed an exam horribly. Even days I dont work, I’m depressed to know that I work the next day. Day in and day out I’m confused, angy, saddened… Is it right for me to quit after say another 2 weeks, bringing me to 3 total? Another thing that gets me is I can’t get the menu into memory. All dishes look the same to me so each order, I have to ask what it is.
I am very glad to have come across this post coz I myself is undergoing similar experience in a foreign country. I am filled with doubt to make the decision to quit after 3 months-stint coz it might look bad in my resume but as said, I would rather leave a job that makes me feel dreadful and unhappy everyday.
But unfortunately, most companies wouldn’t hire someone that changes job as they assume such person isn’t strong or patient to stay on the job. But to have such perception is kinda unfair to all workers coz I do not personally think that all workers should stick to their jobs for at least a year just to prove that we are not a job hoppers. I find those ridiculous and inconsiderate. To have your worker to change job abruptly, means there is something wrong with the company itself. But of course we can’t put the blame on the company itself just that both parties should figure things out and solve the problems amicably.
Anyway, i wish all of us could find a job that is satisfying and of course, that is bearable for us to stay on the job for a longer period of time. I hope all of us can learn from our mistakes and improve ourselves for our next career path.
I too just started a new job in another department of the company I currently worked for. It’s a position that I have been waiting for since finishing college as it is an entry level one that is directly related to what I went to school for. Two big reasons why I got the job was because I was already a long time employee and the referral of my former boss who is a well respected and long time executive in charge of another department in the company. After staring my new position, I was miserable for the first few days as I felt so lost and useless as to what I should be doing and wanted to quit after a week. However, I don’t have the guts to quit until I stick it out through the probation period. I enjoyed reading this because now, I don’t have to feel guilty thinking of wanting to quit in such a short period of time at a new job. As much as I would like to walk out on my first week, I know I would be burning many bridges if I choose to do that.
I know this post is a little old, but it caught my attention. I’m 25 myself, and was a little disappointed by this post. The writer and I are in the same generation, and I feel that it’s attitudes like this that give ours and younger generations a bad reputation for being lazy, entitled brats.
Beyond her hating her job, her reasoning is vague for leaving what I would assume isn’t a minimum wage job since she said it was “launching her career.” Like someone wrote below, didn’t you know what kind of industry/position you were getting into before you accepted the offer? Since you were nonchalant about leaving a job without a job lined up, I find it hard to believe that this was a desperate attempt to find work or that this was the first job that came along.
First of all, when you go through an interview process at a company, it can take weeks. The company has to sift through multiple resumes, set up interviews – sometimes conducting multiple interviews – all while they are likely losing productivity in this position because either the person whose position they are attempting to fill has already left or other employees are trying to pick up the slack. So I disagree with you that this is a “favor” for the company. When you quit within two weeks of being hired, all you are doing is setting the company back a couple more weeks while they resume the search for someone who actually wants employment.
Second, as someone who is working her second job since college, about to start her third, I completely understand the need to find a place of employment where you can build your career. I also understand this desire/dream that colleges sell our generation, convincing us that we must love and be passionate about our careers. I can guarantee that our grandparents, and probably many of our generation’s parents have worked their entire lives in jobs that they may like or tolerate, but maybe not be passionate about. Why? Because they had to. The fact of the matter is, not everyone loves their job, but when you have bills to pay or have mouths to feed, you are going to suck it up and make money however you can.
(Note: For anyone who wants to criticize my above statement by saying I’ve skipped from job to job, I will say this: My first job I worked for 2 years. I lived at home, and decided it was time to move out on my own. My second – I have been here for 1.5 years, but due to the hostility in the workplace, I’ve decided leaving was the best and healthiest option.) But let me also say this – as someone who couldn’t find a full-time job until 6 months after graduating college, my honest opinion to a recent graduate is best summed up by the phrase “beggars can’t be choosers.” Sure, I see nothing wrong with recent grads moving back home with mom and dad, but to quit a job because “you didn’t like it,” is a poor excuse. To any recent grad who has the same outlook, I say it’s time to grow up!
eat poop
I am also planning to quit my position I was working for the recruitment company Hays as a resourcer which I loved but I wanted to make more money and greedily instead of biding my time and wait for a promotion.
I jumped ships to a new company as a consultant, the only thing is the company had just recently expanded out to my region which I thought would be a great opportunity but for a better job title I’ve ended up taking a pay cut lower than the national average for a recruitment consultant and lower than my last position. Longer hours compiling administrative records and databases which I was told was already set up. So instead of having the opportunity to sell and make money I’ve actually stepped back.
To make matters worse my manager seems to think my job description is to make them coffee every five minutes. The company has also lied about the additional benefits they said I would get straight away but unsuspecting costs I now have to wait months before I benefit. Which in my opinion is false advertising on the job description.
So quitting a job after 2 weeks can be justified. I’ve been in my position for nearly two months but what worries me is other companies not giving me the opportunity as my cv has so many recent changes. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
You should never quit a job that pays you. If you are bored, dissatisfied, stressed, overworked, or neglected then you really do not have it that bad. Just stick it out and smile every day that you are employed. Work is something that should be celebrated and cherished. Quitters lack morals and integrity in my eyes.
Your an idiot.. maybe in an economy where if you get a job u have to kiss feet to keep it.. F*ck u u fa*got
Flogging a dead horse possibly, but I am going thru a similar situation, having spent 8 months at a job and now realising that it probably isn’t something i see myself doing for a sustained period of time. However, I am fraught with guilt since the organisation did spend considerable funds in training the first few months, while I am grateful for all of that and I understand the company is not at fault here, I just don’t think I can do this. This is not my area of interest, although in good faith I did start out without any negative preconceptions. I am not going to pass a moralistic, all encompassing, generation x v/s y kind of judgement here, but the times they are a changing, people now have more choices, have more wants. Oragnisations are adjusting to these needs, many of them are, those who aren’t will always face attrition. But yes, 2 weeks may be a little unfair to the organisation, look at it this way, the first 2 weeks, heck the first 2 months i absolutely loved my job and didn’t think i would quit for another 20 years, so it can work both ways. The thing to do is give it your best shot and understand that when you start working, you don’t get too many second chances unless you are extremely lucky, you cannot have a checkered resume, which does not mean you stay at a job that makes you unhappy, but think carefully about what you are going to do next…
I agree with you. I was looking online for a web site or something to help me understand what happened to me on Saturday. I can see I’m not the only one and am glad. I really liked what someone said. That there must be something up with the company when they want to hire you on the spot. Here’s my little story. I went to pick up application. The supervisor asked, well, if you’re working full time, why do you need a full time job? I said , well, I’m single & with economy, it’s hard. Once I pay off my car payment, I’ll get good. She said scarcasticly, what do you have a BMW? I was like, what? I said ok, well, not that it’s any of your business, I am paying off my car payment which is included in my bankruptcy. She said oh my. How does one have that happen. I STUPIDLY told her credit cards. So I go into the whole schmeel of that. I left there and my head was spinning. Why did I tell her all that?!! It was none of her business!! Ok, so I get a call from her 3 days later saying she would like me to start training this coming weekend. Someone else would be calling me to get criminal background, finger prints, etc.. I knew I was good with that because I work at airport. This job would be for the Catholic Church. My friend that works there whom I heard about this job through called me to say he seen I was scheduled 3/17. He said his wife will be training me. I said well, No I go in Saturday. He then calls me back later to tell me, make sure you just go to work do your job and leave. I was like, what? He said don’t get involved with the office politics. The gossip there is really bad. I was like, oh ok. Puzzled. It must be really bad for him to call me just to say that. Ok, so I get them Saturday at 7:45 am. The gift shop opens at 8:00 am. No one is there. I call friend. He says, go to the back. I drive there. No one is there. I go back to the side. I’m standing outside and saying God, is this where I should be? I feel as though this is not for me. 7:58am 3 cars go by and park in the back. I stay where I am and figure I’ll let the girl let me in when she opens the door. She opens it and I say I’m here to start training. Oh, you have to go to the back. I’m like, ookkk. I thought to myself, I’m here now,just let me in. I drive to the back. I go towards the building. There are like 6 doors. Is the girl there to show me the way? Nope. I go through one set of doors and I see the back of the gift shop. The 2 girls are in there laughing. I go in. Hello, I’m here for the training. One girl said, who’s training you today? I said I don’t know. Did Judy tell you? She said no, did Judy tell you? I said no. I said this is strange. I feel like I’m in the twighlight zone. The other girl said well that’s Judy for you. No communication what so ever. I said you know what, this odd. I have a strange feeling about this and this is not meant to be. I said tell Judy I am no longer interested. I left. I told my friend that works there why are they arriving so late? He agrees. They are too relaxed there.
So in this case. I agree. I truly beleive it was not meant to be for me to work there. God was giving me way too many signs. Maybe there is another place I need to be.
I didn’t feel that badly because the one lady never called me to get background check, nothing. Sure, I work at airport, but they still need to do the back ground check before allowing me to go there.
There’s a middle path between quitting after two weeks and deciding to stay in a job you hate forever – it’s called staying at your current job while at the same time looking for a new one. By doing this, you gain work experience and skills, earn money, and build your resume, and you don’t have to live with your parents. You can be self-sufficient and maybe have a social life. In your off time, you apply to new jobs. When you get one, then you quit.
I don’t see how quitting outright and looking for a job from while living with your parents is a better plan. I agree with all of the high-falutin’ reasons for quitting and finding a better job. I would just go about it differently.
This is what people who have to pay bills and who refuse to move back in with parents unless it is absolutely necessary do.
Wow, what a video it is! Actually good quality video, the lesson given in this video is actually informative.
This post starts off well and I was almost convinced until she said “high performers quit their jobs after two weeks”. This is nonsense and it’s designed by the author to validate her own inability to commit to something and make others who actually want to work hard and perfect skill, fill somehow under-achieving. I get the impression this was her first job, in which case, it is hardly rare to change jobs frequently. When you first enter the job market, that’s what it’s about … finding your feet. I wait for the day when she’s found her feet and feels she’s on her way, put in a few years into something she loves, until something in her life changes and then she’s forces to make a REALLY SERIOUS career decision.
Sure. Let’s also quit on marriage and divorce after 2 weeks too. Lol. This thinking is why there is more turnover and why the divorce rate is so high. It’s all relative. We’re essentially enabling people to quit on things quick. Our parents didn’t do this because they were taught to persevere. Quiting wasn’t an option…especially after two weeks. Learning experiences happen when you’re put through the fire, accept a challenge and conquer it. Just a Gen XYer’s 2 cents.
Two weeks is definitely not enough time. I am 27 and I have worked some god-awful jobs but I at least tried my best to make them work and stuck them out for at least 6 months to a year.
The boss in my last job was a bullying prick who underpaid and insulted his staff. He also lied to me in the job interview about my role, training and even pay. He also bordered on committing illegal, certainly unethical practices. I even stuck with that job for a year trying to make changes to the work place and improve matters, sometimes working large amounts of unpaid overtime. Unfortunately he was a stupid bullying jock who was never going to change and I had to quit to keep my sanity and avoid potentially getting sued by clients.
Seriously, you need to get a clue Jamie. No one owes you a living. I had to move back in with my parents but it wasn’t a light decision.
First of all, I agree with you that it is not good to do something you absolutely hate for a living, however your expectations might be (I know nothing about you) a little too high. Most people don’t like their first job. It’s important to employers to show that you can stick there. I work in HR/Safety. It’s my job to hire people for our firm. To be quite honest, I don’t hire people right out of school for that exact reason, a lot of them end up quitting right away. I need to see a job history that shows that you can suck it out for a little while. I would make sure you find somewhere you’re willing to give a fare shake in your next job. Another job hop could be catastrophic to your resume. You should look at your first job as a stepping stone and opportunity to prove to employers that you’re dependable.
Remember, you got your college degree to make yourself more marketable to employers. Now you have to do the next thing. Find somewhere and stick it out! Its the final and most important check mark to your marketability to employers. Unless you are lucky and have some amazing connections.
Take it from someone who hires people. I don’t hire job hoppers.
I appreciate Jamie’s honesty and am a little surprised at all of the negative feedback that it has generated. Sometimes you need to go with your gut feeling and know when a job just isn’t right for you. It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or an uncommitted worker. Life is too short to be unhappy. I am 33 years old and have left many jobs after a short period of time because I knew they were not a good fit. I have also had jobs for several years and even won an award a few years ago at a job. I recently quit a job at a small company after only a few days because because the women that hired me (and who I worked closely with) turned out to be mean and like to talk about other workers and customers behind their backs. When I interviewed I was told that the person I was replacing “just wasn’t working out”. He was the one who trained me and he was such a nice guy. They talked down to him and gave him such a hard time in front of me and acted like they were firing him, but he really gave his 2 weeks notice after working there for 3 months; I can see why. If the work environment is clearly hostile, then it is not worth working at the job. These commenters here should not be putting anyone down when they do not know the specific situation. It’s not always the employee’s fault. If a job has a high turnover rate, then there is clearly something wrong with the company. You may want to think twice about accepting a job when the person interviewing you states that the person you will be replacing “isn’t working out”. I’ve learned my lesson to really pay attention and analyze the situation I will be going into before accepting a position. Someone made a good point about being suspicious of a company that needs you to start right away. This was the case with my last position.
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I personally think life is too damn short to waste it at a place you hate. If your working their 40 hours a week or more and hate it, you will be one miserable s.o.b. I get money is money, but I’ve seen people stay at jobs they hate, the either become a horrible person to be around, or lose their willingness to do what makes them happy.
I am 24 years old and I just quit my job today. This blog is very intregeing.. This job made me feel like I was going nowhere in life and now even without a backup plan I am doing better than I was before.. I will keep quitting until I find the perfect position and even then excel from there. Thank You! This is excellent information and should be shared with all people in their teens-30’s
“I will NEVER be that irresponsible jerk who quits after ten days. What a disrespectful waste of company time and money.”
Give me a break! Do you think employers give a dam if they waste your time when they wait for the end of the day to come then fire you? At-Will Employers don’t give you the courtesy of 2 weeks or a month’s notice. They can immediately terminate you without reason. So when someone realizes a job is a bad fit for them they’re supposed to stick with it out of concern for the employer’s time and money? i don’t think so!
I am somewhat split with this post.
Like many have announced, it’s NOT the best thing to do. In my opinion, its not the best thing to do CONSTANTLY, but once in a while if the job is just really not for you then don’t stick around.
Jobs were somewhat scarce when this post was made. Nowadays, the economy isn’t perfect, but not terrible. Holding on to a job is somewhat necessary. Some advise on this:
1) Have a plan. If you know at week 2 that you hate it, immediately start applying elsewhere. At least you can have an income without a gap if you do this.
2) Be honest with yourself. Try to find out WHY you are leaving. A job is a job and unless it completely conflicts with you (in some spiritual, emotional, personal level) then it can be tolerable. Jobs are hard in the beginning because you are getting adjusted. If you give it time to adjust, you might feel better after you get your rhythm.
3) Research the jobs and company. Glassdoor.com is a great source of the people’s opinions within the companies. Sure, you might find a lot of negatives no matter what company it is, but look at what they complain about. If it’s tolerable, then go for it.
4) I hate to see these people saying this is completely unacceptable. I’m sorry to disagree, but life is too short to spend years of your life in a crappy ass job. Really, these people that say “stick to it” are the same ones regretting their life decisions when they get older and ask “why didn’t I do what I loved?” Make a decision to really PURSUE what you want. Go at it with all your strength and really stick to it.
In all, yes you will be responsible for somewhat wasting a company’s time if you leave after 2 weeks, but learn from this and make better decisions going forward. Yes, you will not know what a job is like until you’re in it, but you should somewhat go into a job knowing it wont be a paradise. Just do your best, think things through, pursue what you love and go at it full strength. Best of luck to you and I commend you for following your heart.
I am 28 and just quit a job paying 85k at a large company.
I quit the 2nd day – while I have regrets I knew the company wasn’t for me. They were shocked and offered to increase salary but that was the problem in the beginning, I just looked at the salary.
I felt out of desperation I took it, since my unemployment was running out.
I’m applying to jobs now the day after and realize there’s much competition but at least I’m happier…I do need money soon though.
It seems unwise to take career advice from a 23 year old.
The negative posts on here have probably never worked as an unloader at walmart dont quit keep working but apply at other jobs quit when you find a new one
Just a view from the “other” side….sometimes job hopping can cause you to never get the interview in the first place. In most companies, hiring is a lengthy process, and HR and management do not want to do it, only to have to do it again 2 weeks later. I know that situations vary, and it’s not a good idea to stay somewhere that makes you miserable…but it is something that employers look at.
I dont think in this instance she will be putting it on her resume. I think if you have worked there at least 3 months you should put it on but two weeks is just ridiculous and looks bad. Better get out now and find a job that you will be in for longer than 3-6 months.
I quitting my job after a week because i don’t want to waste my time or the employers. The job turned out to be totally different to what was described to me and within the space a fortnight employers still have the opportunity to call other people who interviewed and give them the role. Don’t waste a companies time. Additionally, if the role doesn’t equip you with skills that are transferable to your ultimate career goal then move on straight away, leave it off your resume and get stuck into the next role.
I either subscribed or posted something on this post after I graduated from college and hated my first job. I have been getting notifications from it ever since.
I’ll share my experience for those graduating now and pondering the question. I wanted to quit my job for all of the reasons everyone has mentioned here; wanted to do something better, it was boring, didn’t like corporate world, annoying co-workers at times, etc. etc.
But the single best decision of my life was to never quit, even those times that I ended up getting fired. Second best decision I made in my life was to never disregard other people’s advice / opinions, despite of how stupid or ridiculous it seemed or how much I disagreed with it. Those two decisions have shaped my life tremendously, and today I am far better off than I was when I graduated.
Summary: don’t quit! listen to other people’s advice, even if you don’t agree with it.
To clarify, quitting is different than SWITCHING jobs. Quitting implies you are not doing well and therefore for a lack of effort, giving up. Switching implies you have come to a conclusion with quality support behind your decision to move on!
It took 3 months to find out I hated my last job. It was a micromanaging director that I had to work for. I felt like I was in a prison and I developed several sicknesses including flus, bronchitis and cold. I was to sick to work. This was a sign that I had to quit its been months and I never been healthier.