The last thing you want to do after finally getting hired is to quit your new job! But sometimes it’s just the wrong fit.  

The interview process likely wasn’t easy and certainly wasn’t quick. Remember, during the interview process you put our best face forward – you and the company interviewing you. Maybe you were desperate, or the company was desperate. I like to tell my clients that once you’re offered a job it will be amazing, but that is not always the case. 

There are subtle signs your new job is not working out. It’s possible some of these were obvious during the interview but you simply dismissed them. If you go home from your first day on the job feeling uneasy, it’s only going to get worse. 

Here are seven signs a new job is not working out. 

• You don’t receive a warm welcome. You showed up on your first day to a cold reception. You want the job, so you dismiss the coolness of your coworkers. As time goes on, it doesn’t get better. There are office clicks and politics that affect the workplace. Soon you notice most coworkers don’t get along with each other, the office is a rotating rumor mill, and you definitely cannot be yourself.  You find you just want to keep quiet, work as quickly as possible, and go home. 

• The day-to-day job is not in sync with the job description. This happens a lot. HR writes up job descriptions that hiring managers accept. Only the reality is that the job description doesn’t match the day-to-day requirements of the job. If you enjoy working at the company and get along well with your coworkers, speak to your manager about the inconsistencies in the job description and your day-to-day duties. It could be that there is an explanation and you’ll soon be doing what you were hired to do. However, if things don’t change, it is a clear sign that anything else you’re being told isn’t completely on the up and up. 

• There is no consistency to your workday. No consistency in your day can feel like a lot of things including being overwhelmed, bored, and constantly confused. This is a sign that the company is disorganized or lacks clear leadership. Your manager doesn’t know how to utilize you for the skills you bring to the role.  

• There is no opportunity for growth. During the interview, you were promised growth opportunities. But after your first month, you realize that’s not the case. It could be that your employer really liked what you offered and wanted to bring you on board, or that the position needed to be filled. More often than not, it’s a sign that the company does not have a clear growth path, or that the company’s health is failing. 

• You have an overwhelmingly negative feeling about work. If you cannot find any joy in what you do, the job is not a good fit. You may be experiencing feelings of sarcasm, grouchiness, or lethargy. You don’t really care what’s assigned to you. You’ve lost your passion for the job and the company. That negativity will carry over outside of the workplace and have negative effects on your health. 

• You’re not empowered. We want to feel like we’re making a difference. But some companies don’t or won’t allow their employees to feel empowered. If you don’t feel empowered to act, whether that is to solve a customer’s complaint or launch a new product, it is a sign that there is not strong leadership within the company. Leaders know how to delegate and empower their employees to get work accomplished.  

• Your gut is telling you to run! You know that gut feeling you get when you walk in the office – the one that is telling to turn around and go home? You should listen to it. You know yourself better than anyone. Your gut is telling you things are only going to get worse if you don’t make a change.  

If you’re like any one of my clients, you don’t want to get back out there. But staying in a job that isn’t right will cost you. If you recognize any of these signs your new job is not working out, do yourself a favor and quit. You could miss out on the best opportunity of your life if you don’t.

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