Should I keep this job?
August 2, 2019 9:38 AM Subscribe
I do not appear to be a very good fit for my current job. Looking for advice on how to move forward.
I was hoping this job (entry level, I have no prior experience) would lead to more opportunities in the same industry. But it turns out that so far, I am just... not that great at it. Speed and precision are factors. If I am precise, I am too slow, and if I speed up, I make mistakes. I am also expected to cross-sell.
So far feedback has focused primarily on how I am not meeting expectations. There seems to be a consensus that I have not become proficient as quickly as the average hire. Every time I feel like I am starting to improve, I am informed of some new blunder.
I believe that, given enough time, I can improve to where I would become efficient and up to speed. However that would take longer than average and there is no incentive (not that I expect it) for them to be patient.
My questions are,
Would you, based on the limited information given here, stick with this job and attempt to improve?
Or would you start looking for a new job, and if so, how would you explain your current, lackluster performance on your resume in a way that won't land your application in the trash?
I was hoping this job (entry level, I have no prior experience) would lead to more opportunities in the same industry. But it turns out that so far, I am just... not that great at it. Speed and precision are factors. If I am precise, I am too slow, and if I speed up, I make mistakes. I am also expected to cross-sell.
So far feedback has focused primarily on how I am not meeting expectations. There seems to be a consensus that I have not become proficient as quickly as the average hire. Every time I feel like I am starting to improve, I am informed of some new blunder.
I believe that, given enough time, I can improve to where I would become efficient and up to speed. However that would take longer than average and there is no incentive (not that I expect it) for them to be patient.
My questions are,
Would you, based on the limited information given here, stick with this job and attempt to improve?
Or would you start looking for a new job, and if so, how would you explain your current, lackluster performance on your resume in a way that won't land your application in the trash?
How long have you been at the job? If it's only a couple of months, I wouldn't put it on my resume at all. (And yeah, start looking for something new but also try to develop what skills you can where you are.)
posted by restless_nomad at 9:46 AM on August 2, 2019
posted by restless_nomad at 9:46 AM on August 2, 2019
Response by poster: I have been at this job for nine months.
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 9:49 AM on August 2, 2019
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 9:49 AM on August 2, 2019
I would suggest that you do your best at work, including soft stuff like arriving a little early each day, making checklists to help ensure you’re fulfilling all your responsibilities properly, dressing and grooming very neatly, and being respectful and appreciative with your coworkers.
And, most importantly, all the while, look hard for another job and move on as quickly as possible.
Not all jobs are a good fit and there’s no shame in it. The quicker you leave this job, the quicker you find a place that feels right and advances your career and fulfills your human need to feel success and confidence. Good luck!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 10:00 AM on August 2, 2019 [19 favorites]
And, most importantly, all the while, look hard for another job and move on as quickly as possible.
Not all jobs are a good fit and there’s no shame in it. The quicker you leave this job, the quicker you find a place that feels right and advances your career and fulfills your human need to feel success and confidence. Good luck!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 10:00 AM on August 2, 2019 [19 favorites]
nouvelle-personne makes a great point. The soft stuff will be extra important—people are much more likely to be forgiving of someone they like.
posted by radioamy at 10:01 AM on August 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by radioamy at 10:01 AM on August 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
I would start looking and interviewing now. You don't need to explain your lackluster performance on your resume, or in an interview.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:12 AM on August 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:12 AM on August 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you're consistently getting negative feedback for nine months, you need to look elsewhere. Try to be out of there before your one year review, sooner if possible. This is your third unhappy post about this position.
how would you explain your current, lackluster performance on your resume in a way that won't land your application in the trash?
You don't really need to. People try new industries and find that it doesn't work for them all the time. There's no shame in that. Don't beat yourself up about it, just try to figure out what parts of it were causing you the problems and avoid other positions with those same things in the future.
posted by Candleman at 10:42 AM on August 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
how would you explain your current, lackluster performance on your resume in a way that won't land your application in the trash?
You don't really need to. People try new industries and find that it doesn't work for them all the time. There's no shame in that. Don't beat yourself up about it, just try to figure out what parts of it were causing you the problems and avoid other positions with those same things in the future.
posted by Candleman at 10:42 AM on August 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
Don’t give up trying while you still are in that job. (Is there any chance you have ADHD? I do and have similar issues doing some tasks). Look to see if there are other jobs at the company that might be a better fit. And start looking for something better suited for your needs. If you explain at interviews that the job isn’t a great fit for your skillset, the reference will reflect that. Make sure you keep trying, show up on time, and go above and beyond whenever you can. This will give you a good work ethic reputation and reference.
Related: if you are able to share the nature of the job, someone here might be able to give you tips.
posted by Kalatraz at 11:12 AM on August 2, 2019
Related: if you are able to share the nature of the job, someone here might be able to give you tips.
posted by Kalatraz at 11:12 AM on August 2, 2019
You won't have to explain a lackluster performance, but you will need to have a reason you're moving on after nine months. I would go with (when asked in person, this doesn't belong on the reesume) "After seeing what career X was like I realized I needed to explore something new".
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:39 AM on August 2, 2019
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:39 AM on August 2, 2019
If it's an entry level type position, I think it's fine (in an interview, if asked) to say something like, "I've learned a lot at Company X, and now I'm looking for something that's more of a challenge/a better fit." Something like that.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:18 PM on August 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 12:18 PM on August 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: The job has pacing similar to food service.
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 12:30 PM on August 2, 2019
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 12:30 PM on August 2, 2019
Just to devil's advocate here, precision and speed are generally polarities. I don't know anything about the work you do, but it's unfair to expect an entry-level worker to resolve tensions between these opposing qualities. I've been in projects where this is demanded - the early days of webcasting comes to mind - and there was a need to be both quality-consistent and highly responsive in our delivery. Those of us with a bit more experience built checklists, templates, and expected SLAs for everything in the scope of our service. It freed up our brains to be more strategic about how we approached problems.
All this to say, you might not be as bad at this as you think. The example I mentioned taught me about "managing up" - you create the tools to improve the quality of your work, and leverage to create a career path into management. So much of the early tension on our project was management complaining about worker quality and improving hiring - what was really lacking was management experience with creating a service model. You might find you like the work better at an organization that provides more training.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 12:41 PM on August 2, 2019
All this to say, you might not be as bad at this as you think. The example I mentioned taught me about "managing up" - you create the tools to improve the quality of your work, and leverage to create a career path into management. So much of the early tension on our project was management complaining about worker quality and improving hiring - what was really lacking was management experience with creating a service model. You might find you like the work better at an organization that provides more training.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 12:41 PM on August 2, 2019
I actually had the opposite thought: Can you possibly get yourself to be let go? Like, allow your discontent to show up in your quality of work without *quite* letting it past the line of getting yourself fired for cause. That way you can get unemployment while you look for a new job. Life is too short to waste it away on jobs you hate (unless you are living in dire poverty and are responsible for supporting other people).
Bonus: This advice is serious as well as eponysterical for you.
posted by MiraK at 4:15 PM on August 2, 2019
Bonus: This advice is serious as well as eponysterical for you.
posted by MiraK at 4:15 PM on August 2, 2019
I am also expected to cross-sell.
To me, this suggests a strong possibility you are supposed to charm, cajole and manipulate customers into spending more money than they would otherwise, and I wouldn't be surprised if the real and ultimate source of the dissatisfaction with you is that you're not 'friendly' enough to generate this extra revenue, but your employers are reluctant to say this directly, because they don't want to admit what they really want from you.
If anything like that strikes you as true, I think you should look for a new job.
posted by jamjam at 6:58 PM on August 2, 2019
To me, this suggests a strong possibility you are supposed to charm, cajole and manipulate customers into spending more money than they would otherwise, and I wouldn't be surprised if the real and ultimate source of the dissatisfaction with you is that you're not 'friendly' enough to generate this extra revenue, but your employers are reluctant to say this directly, because they don't want to admit what they really want from you.
If anything like that strikes you as true, I think you should look for a new job.
posted by jamjam at 6:58 PM on August 2, 2019
But you don't answer the actual questions I'd be asking, and they're the same questions I'd be asking if I were you vs. if I were your manager.
1. Is this the job you like/want?
2. Is this a "never going to get better" thing or just a "slow learner" thing?'
People will put up with a lot for a long time from someone who's (a) the nicest person in the world, and (b) clealy trying their best. In fact, it's a thing that these people are heartbreaking to fire once it becomes painfully clear they just. can't. do it as hard as they try, and it's now 100x harder to do what needs to be done after all this time.
But if the answers to question 1 and 2 are "no" and "never", then buy yourself time, but get a new job asap because this isn't going to work out in the long run.
posted by ctmf at 1:34 PM on August 3, 2019
1. Is this the job you like/want?
2. Is this a "never going to get better" thing or just a "slow learner" thing?'
People will put up with a lot for a long time from someone who's (a) the nicest person in the world, and (b) clealy trying their best. In fact, it's a thing that these people are heartbreaking to fire once it becomes painfully clear they just. can't. do it as hard as they try, and it's now 100x harder to do what needs to be done after all this time.
But if the answers to question 1 and 2 are "no" and "never", then buy yourself time, but get a new job asap because this isn't going to work out in the long run.
posted by ctmf at 1:34 PM on August 3, 2019
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If at all possible, ask for a list of written feedback and desired outcomes so that you can measure and communicate progress against them.
posted by anderjen at 9:43 AM on August 2, 2019 [4 favorites]