Uh, Oh – I Made A Mistake And Just Took A Really Bad Job. What Do I Do?

You did it! You rolled up your sleeves, applied for a new job, and landed a sweet new gig!

On your first day, you arrive excited to tackle your news duties and start your new life. However, as the day progresses, you realize something at your new company is wrong. Very wrong, and by the time you’re pulling out of the parking lot, you reach the sobering conclusion that you have made a dire mistake by accepting this job.

In the days that follow, events at work confirm your worst fears. Your sweet new gig is toxic. Deadlines are impossible. Everybody’s angry all the time. Your co-workers look at you with a mix of sympathy and sadness typically reserved for the terminally ill and, when pressed, admit they have one foot out the door. It is clear the job is not a good fit for you, and the staff’s consensus is the company’s toxic work environment is institutionalized and not likely to improve any time soon. What do you do?

Relationships are complex, and your job is a relationship. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to what you should do, and there are no guarantees for the future. Only you can determine what is the best path forward. With that said, here are some factors to consider if your new job turns out to be a nightmare.

1.     Should you stay or should you go? This is your livelihood. You must be decisive because time is of the essence. If you leave a job in a few weeks or months, it will be but a minor blip on your resume. If you are in a toxic work situation and have the resources to jump, you should do it – and now is the time. In the current labor market, employees have the leverage, but the pendulum can swing the other way in an instant. Otherwise, you may spend an unhappy year becoming increasingly disengaged and risk termination, which is a more difficult professional story to tell, while risking a deep melancholy in the process.

2.     Can you stick it out until something comes up? If you do not have the resources to quit your job, you have to find a way to stick it out while searching for another position. Besides, it’s really not a myth that it’s easier to find a job when you’re already in one – employers tend to favor candidates who are currently employed. Use your job search to help you cope with whatever daily miseries you must endure. While you remain at your toxic job, identify areas of valuable professional and personal development that can help you down the road. Do your best work. Don’t slack off. Document your achievements for upcoming interviews. You cannot change the toxic environment, but you can focus on work that is potentially beneficial to you in the future.

3.     Do you have a second choice that is still an option? If you had multiple job offers during your search – or even just a positive interview experience that never came to fruition – you can revisit a company you turned down. You may get some slack and additional hurdles put in your way, but if this is an option, you should consider exploring it.

4.     Is the door still open at your previous company? If you left your last job on good terms with your employer (ALWAYS a good idea…), you may be able to return – if that is something you would want to do and they want you back. This option has risks; if you return to your old job after a brief stint at another one, you are locked in for a while, and leaving a second time would be disastrous for your professional reputation.

5.     Mount your search. When faced with difficult circumstances, there is a risk of paralysis rationalized as prudence and patience. It’s easier to “see where things go” than roll up your sleeves again and plunge back into a job search (especially when the last one ended in disaster). Resist the temptation to take half measures. Start immediately. Make time every day. Your dream job is out there. Go get it.

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.