Regretting career move, not sure how to move forward.

March 11, 2017 12:12 AM

I left my job after ~1.5 years on good terms, for a job in the same field but in a much different area of practice. I'm about six weeks in and it's going horribly. I'm miserable and I don't know how to proceed.

I know that starting a new job is tough and generally the advice is to give it some time. But I am absolutely miserable it a way I'm having serious trouble dealing with. I've discussed the situation extensively with my therapist and my family, and we all agree that I cannot stay in this position for several reasons. But I can't figure out the best way to proceed.

1. I left on good enough terms with my previous employer that they kept me on as a per diem employee, and have worked per diem shifts since leaving. I reached out to HR via e-mail about an opportunity to return full time four days ago but I haven't heard back. I'm not sure how long I should wait to hear back from them before reaching out. I feel like a week is a decent amount of time, but I'm not sure about how to follow up with them. If I don't get a response from HR in a week how should I follow up?

2. I feel like for my sanity I need to give notice to my current employer imminently. Of course I would much rather have another job lined up, but things are really bad. Trust me on this, and know that I've approached my supervisor to discuss but this not been successful and this is truly a desperate situation. I know that I can't rely on my previous employer taking me back - there is no guarantee there. I know I need to start the job search, but how do I update my resume? Do I update my resume to show when I went to a per diem status at my previous employer? Do I even bother to put this short job on my resume?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (5 answers total)

1) On the job you want to go back to, are you sure that HR the right contact? Should you reach out to your former boss or the the person keeping you on for per diem work? I feel like HR deals with the processes of hiring, but they are not the decision-makers. Someone would have to want to hire you again, right? But I'd follow up with a call if HR is the right contact - they may not know what to make of your email and it may require a conversation.

2) I would leave this job you're quitting off my resume and keep your last job on it. I would consider the per diem work just a continuation of your last job, but in a different capacity, and I wouldn't bother specifying. I would keep doing per diem work and list the job as "Date - present." In the interview process, then you could say you moved to per diem while you looked for a new challenge/opportunity whatever you want to say if it comes up. Maybe others will disagree, but that is what I'd do.

You're being rather vague on the details, so I don't know enough to offer any specific advice on this: But yes, I think you should stay at your current job while you look for a new job. I always say, if you hate your job, you're gonna quit anyway and they already have a negative opinion of you, then just stop trying and start updating your resume and job hunting while you're at work. You have nothing to lose by doing that. But if you quit your job and are trying to get a job without a job, it's gonna be much tougher on you. As long as you can keep doing the per diem work, you shouldn't have a suspicious gap on your resume, so maybe it's ok. I don't know what "per diem" work is, I assume freelance, but I'd make sure you can keep doing it. But I've stayed in jobs that I've been miserable at and I've always been able to make a jump from it, all while still collecting a paycheck and not making my resume look weird.
posted by AppleTurnover at 12:26 AM on March 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

You might need to take the unusual step of asking for your old job back in person. Email won't cut it. Hedge your bets and do some interviews. Don't even bother listing the new job.
posted by parmanparman at 12:28 AM on March 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

... how do I update my resume? Do I update my resume to show when I went to a per diem status at my previous employer? Do I even bother to put this short job on my resume?

Update your resume to include your per-diem work, showing you were working and were compensated for that period. Use the same company as the employer. I'm assuming you kept the same job title. To me, a 'full-time' widget maker and a 'per-diem' widget maker are one in the same, except for when they work.

Leave the newer job off your resume and proceed forward; it appears you would rather forget the whole ordeal. Six weeks isn't a significant amount of time to even document in terms of a resume.
posted by mountainblue at 6:53 AM on March 11, 2017

A person I work with did this recently. They took a new job, hated it, and negotiated a return (I believe with a better salary, but I don't know for sure); as long as you leave on really good terms it may be possible. At least where I have worked, your supervisor (or their boss, whomever has hiring authority) is going to be the right contact, not HR -- they do the paperwork, but the decision gets made separately.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:04 AM on March 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

This same scenario happened to me. I too negotiated a return with a better salary and stayed until it was truly time to leave.

But here's another idea... If you've ever thought about becoming a consultant in your field, this is as soft an entry as you'll ever see: a happy, guaranteed client. What if you negotiated some number of days per month, to assist in planning your financial future? What if you could also do some per diem work for the new firm, especially if the problems are the type that could be mitigated (or at least be made tolerable) by less contact with various people? If you go the consulting route, the variation between the two jobs would be valuable.
posted by carmicha at 1:17 PM on March 11, 2017