I just took a job. Should I continue looking for a better one?
October 13, 2010 12:47 PM Subscribe
I just took a job. Should I continue looking for a better one?
I just took a job and it starts soon. The job is OK but not great. It has good pay/benefits and some part may be interesting, but in general jobs at this employer have a strong reputation of being really boring. Also, I'm not sure if I want to go into the field the job is in or not, but if I did, I would pick a different sub-field. I think I could get something better if I took more time, but I didn't want to decline this job and live to regret it, as I am unemployed right now.
My preferred job-hunting method is networking. Can I reasonably continue to look for jobs through networking, even though I have just taken a job? If so, how do I avoid looking bad for taking a job I am not planning on staying at? Can I avoid this getting back to my place of work? Or should I just forget it and stay at the job I just got for a year before looking again?
Specifically, I am going to a networking event soon. Should I tell people I am looking for a job? If so, should I mention that I just took a job?
I just took a job and it starts soon. The job is OK but not great. It has good pay/benefits and some part may be interesting, but in general jobs at this employer have a strong reputation of being really boring. Also, I'm not sure if I want to go into the field the job is in or not, but if I did, I would pick a different sub-field. I think I could get something better if I took more time, but I didn't want to decline this job and live to regret it, as I am unemployed right now.
My preferred job-hunting method is networking. Can I reasonably continue to look for jobs through networking, even though I have just taken a job? If so, how do I avoid looking bad for taking a job I am not planning on staying at? Can I avoid this getting back to my place of work? Or should I just forget it and stay at the job I just got for a year before looking again?
Specifically, I am going to a networking event soon. Should I tell people I am looking for a job? If so, should I mention that I just took a job?
how do I avoid looking bad for taking a job I am not planning on staying at?
I think that it's generally assumed that you've got to eat and take care of yourself -- lots of people are accepting less than ideal jobs right now out of necessity, and I doubt you are ever going to face backlash for continuing to weigh your options even though you have the bare necessities covered. Keep looking, you can have nothing but good to say about where you are now and still give people the impression that you have your eyes set higher.
The idea that one ought to ethically "stay at your current job for a year" out of gratitude for the expenses they incurred in hiring you is ridiculous.
posted by hermitosis at 1:14 PM on October 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
I think that it's generally assumed that you've got to eat and take care of yourself -- lots of people are accepting less than ideal jobs right now out of necessity, and I doubt you are ever going to face backlash for continuing to weigh your options even though you have the bare necessities covered. Keep looking, you can have nothing but good to say about where you are now and still give people the impression that you have your eyes set higher.
The idea that one ought to ethically "stay at your current job for a year" out of gratitude for the expenses they incurred in hiring you is ridiculous.
posted by hermitosis at 1:14 PM on October 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
In your specific circumstances (unemployed in a poor labour market), you had no real option but to take the job you were offered. I don't think this binds you to your job beyond the notice period specified in your contract. Further, I think the circumstances are easily explainable to any prospective employer. You chose to take a job, any job, rather than wait around for the perfect one.
I would say there's no ethical or practical reason to stop looking.
posted by Jakey at 1:16 PM on October 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would say there's no ethical or practical reason to stop looking.
posted by Jakey at 1:16 PM on October 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I took a lackluster job for a company I didn't like because I had no other option. I worked hard, stayed positive, got promoted, then managed to leverage my position to a job with an entirely different company.
I say you stick it out and make yourself stand out. Good things will come.
posted by tacodave at 1:22 PM on October 13, 2010
I say you stick it out and make yourself stand out. Good things will come.
posted by tacodave at 1:22 PM on October 13, 2010
hermitosis, clearly you've never had a major project screwed up (and important funding deadlines missed) by someone who took a long-term position, one requiring extensive training, knowing that they'd quit in just months.
posted by halogen at 1:27 PM on October 13, 2010
posted by halogen at 1:27 PM on October 13, 2010
Your question is sort of moot. You should rarely tell people you're looking for a job. The only "ask" you should be making is for guidance and counsel. ("What do you think I should be doing?" "How did you get from where you were to where you are?") This avoids all kind of conflicts.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 1:51 PM on October 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by RJ Reynolds at 1:51 PM on October 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
halogen: "by someone who took a long-term position, one requiring extensive training, knowing that they'd quit in just months."
If the OP was that critical to success, good management would have signed them to a contract. Turnover is simply the risk of hiring recent graduates / otherwise under recruited people and designing the process to avoid an efficient market clearing process.
I'd attend the networking session but maybe not declare job seeking intent just yet; just having a professional network can be helpful on the job. Plus, it's helpful to know whether you'd get along with coworkers or not before applying / accepting. It's going to be hard to avoid more overt methods from getting back to your boss at some point -- I applied for a job once and while the application asked whether it was okay to contact my boss, I said no but they did contact my references with the employer before inviting me to an interview, which is a problem secrecy-wise.
My approach is to permanently advertise my services and let the requests come my way instead, and to set up watches on the HR pages for a few interesting places to work. I just got an interesting invitation via MeFi, for example.
posted by pwnguin at 2:04 PM on October 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
If the OP was that critical to success, good management would have signed them to a contract. Turnover is simply the risk of hiring recent graduates / otherwise under recruited people and designing the process to avoid an efficient market clearing process.
I'd attend the networking session but maybe not declare job seeking intent just yet; just having a professional network can be helpful on the job. Plus, it's helpful to know whether you'd get along with coworkers or not before applying / accepting. It's going to be hard to avoid more overt methods from getting back to your boss at some point -- I applied for a job once and while the application asked whether it was okay to contact my boss, I said no but they did contact my references with the employer before inviting me to an interview, which is a problem secrecy-wise.
My approach is to permanently advertise my services and let the requests come my way instead, and to set up watches on the HR pages for a few interesting places to work. I just got an interesting invitation via MeFi, for example.
posted by pwnguin at 2:04 PM on October 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
I think you're going to have to be circumspect in the social circles that overlap with the job you just took. Unless it's a field with a known high turnover, some people won't take the fact that you're already restless well and it'll erode your credibility and standing . But I do think you might get away with saying something like "I just took job X, and I'm going to be giving it my best while I'm there, but I sure wish I'd found something in Y, and someday I'd really like to do Y^2 for people" ... something that gives people a chance to speak up about opportunities they might be aware of without giving the impression that you consider your current job something to dispose of as soon as possible.
As for whether it's OK to look for another job at all... there's often some tension between doing what's important to you and being considerate towards other people's interests. This is one of those situations. It's professional, kind, and good karma to try and balance that. Do good work and try to avoid leaving people in the lurch.
That said, it's ultimately your life, and unless there's some kind of agreement up front that you'll be there for a given period of time and you'll be doing serious damage by leaving, I'm not sure you should worry much about handing in the traditional two weeks notice if an important opportunity presents itself. Even if there is an agreement up front, it's good to remember that we abolished slavery 150 years ago, and you can often work something else agreeable out, but this doesn't sound like that situation.
It's also worth noting that a lot of employers consider the first 90 days a trial period, both for you and the organization. I don't know how common it is to part ways inside that period, but I suspect it's far from unheard of.
posted by weston at 2:15 PM on October 13, 2010
As for whether it's OK to look for another job at all... there's often some tension between doing what's important to you and being considerate towards other people's interests. This is one of those situations. It's professional, kind, and good karma to try and balance that. Do good work and try to avoid leaving people in the lurch.
That said, it's ultimately your life, and unless there's some kind of agreement up front that you'll be there for a given period of time and you'll be doing serious damage by leaving, I'm not sure you should worry much about handing in the traditional two weeks notice if an important opportunity presents itself. Even if there is an agreement up front, it's good to remember that we abolished slavery 150 years ago, and you can often work something else agreeable out, but this doesn't sound like that situation.
It's also worth noting that a lot of employers consider the first 90 days a trial period, both for you and the organization. I don't know how common it is to part ways inside that period, but I suspect it's far from unheard of.
posted by weston at 2:15 PM on October 13, 2010
Of course you shouldn't tell people you're looking when you've just accepted a position. Hello.
I was where you are 20 years ago. I had just moved to a new city and needed a job. When I was hired at pretty much entry-level, I thought, this will be brief. But I gave it my best when I was on my employer's clock. A year later, my supervisor left and I was promoted. Two years after that, I was promoted again, and a few years after that, when my ceo left, I applied for her job and got it. That was 1998, and for some reason they keep renewing my contract.
I know you don't say that you expect to phone it in when you start your new gig. But, just in case that's crossed your mind, don't do it. Giving your best is not only personally satisfying, especially if you're being fairly compensated for the effort, it positions you for a better place.
Networking is fine. Everyone does it. Just don't trash your employer or, to be more specific, don't talk about your new employer's drawbacks. Nobody wants to hear it. Talk about what you have accomplished, about the positive difference you are making and how exciting and fulfilling that is. (Fake it 'til you make it, if you have to.)
In short, close no doors, burn no bridges, give your best.
And good luck to you.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:15 PM on October 13, 2010
I was where you are 20 years ago. I had just moved to a new city and needed a job. When I was hired at pretty much entry-level, I thought, this will be brief. But I gave it my best when I was on my employer's clock. A year later, my supervisor left and I was promoted. Two years after that, I was promoted again, and a few years after that, when my ceo left, I applied for her job and got it. That was 1998, and for some reason they keep renewing my contract.
I know you don't say that you expect to phone it in when you start your new gig. But, just in case that's crossed your mind, don't do it. Giving your best is not only personally satisfying, especially if you're being fairly compensated for the effort, it positions you for a better place.
Networking is fine. Everyone does it. Just don't trash your employer or, to be more specific, don't talk about your new employer's drawbacks. Nobody wants to hear it. Talk about what you have accomplished, about the positive difference you are making and how exciting and fulfilling that is. (Fake it 'til you make it, if you have to.)
In short, close no doors, burn no bridges, give your best.
And good luck to you.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:15 PM on October 13, 2010
You don't owe any company anything without a signed employment contract. They would not hesitate to cut you for any reason or no reason at all, never forget that at will employment is never on your side, because no company will forget. So its fine to keep looking, just don't mention that you just started a job, and certianly don't trash your new employer, even if its just saying theyre boring when everyone in the field already knows that. Go to the networking event if you want to, try talking to people about the industry in general and not that you just took a job (or really anything other than work, most everyone hates networking).
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:34 AM on October 14, 2010
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:34 AM on October 14, 2010
hermitosis, clearly you've never had a major project screwed up (and important funding deadlines missed) by someone who took a long-term position, one requiring extensive training, knowing that they'd quit in just months.
Those are the risks a company incurs in hiring human beings to do its work, and if it can't afford to absorb those kinds of risks then it probably oughtn't be in business at all, least of all presenting itself as a stable source of income to investors or employees.
posted by hermitosis at 8:06 AM on October 14, 2010
Those are the risks a company incurs in hiring human beings to do its work, and if it can't afford to absorb those kinds of risks then it probably oughtn't be in business at all, least of all presenting itself as a stable source of income to investors or employees.
posted by hermitosis at 8:06 AM on October 14, 2010
halogen: "by someone who took a long-term position, one requiring extensive training, knowing that they'd quit in just months."
You know this just happened in my company...I really applaud the guy that left, right before he did we became close friends and told me the following.
If they wanted me to stay they would give me:
1) More Money (because they knew he earned more before)
2) If they are not going to give me more money they will give me less responsibilities (in order to match the discounted rate)
3) Give me more responsibilities but pay accordingly.
Obviously is an employer's market. They are hiring people with 10 years of experience to earn half of what they were making before instead of hiring someone with 5 years for which the pay would be appropriate. They are being extremely picky and they are being extremely ridiculous about only bringing in people who are several levels above what they actually need..why should they be offended when their star leaves to someone who could do a better job recognizing what they have?
posted by The1andonly at 9:03 AM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
You know this just happened in my company...I really applaud the guy that left, right before he did we became close friends and told me the following.
If they wanted me to stay they would give me:
1) More Money (because they knew he earned more before)
2) If they are not going to give me more money they will give me less responsibilities (in order to match the discounted rate)
3) Give me more responsibilities but pay accordingly.
Obviously is an employer's market. They are hiring people with 10 years of experience to earn half of what they were making before instead of hiring someone with 5 years for which the pay would be appropriate. They are being extremely picky and they are being extremely ridiculous about only bringing in people who are several levels above what they actually need..why should they be offended when their star leaves to someone who could do a better job recognizing what they have?
posted by The1andonly at 9:03 AM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
No, do not reveal that as it will make you look incredibly flaky, assuming that you are not a barrista or a cashier. If you'd ever been involved in the process of hiring a new employee, you'd know just how many resources and how much effort it takes, and I bet that you'd never sign up for a position you never planned to stick to in the first place.
The ethical thing to do here is to stay at your current job for at least a year unless it becomes unearable (no, of course you shouldn't stay at a job that makes you miserable, but you should have never accepted that in the first place).
posted by halogen at 12:57 PM on October 13, 2010