Ask HN: What to do when having second thoughts about a new job?

7 points by walterclifford 4 years ago | 9 comments

After being with my previous company for about ten years I recently started a new job, it's only been a month but I am already feeling I made the wrong decision. I don't regret leaving my old one, but I do wish I continued searching for something I'd be happier with. The problem is none of the companies I really wanted to work for were interested in me (I'm terrible at leetcode-type problems and seems the companies I'm most attracted to are also the ones that favor those the most) and so this new company was far from my first choice but it was a good offer from a place that cared more about my practical experience over my (in)ability to regurgitate and apply algorithms I haven't had a need to use since college.

I've always gotten much enjoyment out of my work and so this dread-of-working I'm experiencing presently is entirely new to me, it's particularly concerning how quickly into the new job it occurred. What are my best courses of action here? I've come up with a few options but there may be better alternatives that escape me:

* try and transfer to a different team within the company to see if things are better on a different one * stick it out for a reasonable amount of time (a year?) and start looking for something new * start looking for a new job now (though I imagine it'll be a gigantic red flag to most employers if I'm looking for something so soon after starting this one) * be open with my manager about the situation and see if she has a solution

mikewarot 4 years ago |

You can always move to another job in a while, but unless you're actually being harmed, I'd suggest keeping a journal, paying attention to what things bother you, and then figuring out why they do so. This is a learning opportunity, so you'll make a better choice next time.

When I was a system admin, I was happy to do anything they asked, as it all paid my salary... heck, I'd sweep floors and clean toilets for that pay, but was never asked. I did to data entry a few times, and found it fun.

sloaken 4 years ago |

I would start looking now.

But I would also address the issue of your criteria for a job. The part that concerns me is: 'none of the companies I really wanted to work for were interested in me'. What did those companies have that made you want to work for them?

You need to define what work culture you need, what opportunities you want (i.e. is a job with no growth sufficient), how much money you want or need. I typically put a monetary aspect to each, so I can make a quantitative decisions, and not convinced by a slick HR person.

Definitely, start looking. But start a=by quantifying your need, you might find your current company can fulfill it with a minor adjustment.

walterclifford 4 years ago | |

> is a job with no growth sufficient

More than sufficient, it would be ideal. I have no desire to become a tech lead or architect or manager - I love being a software engineer and that's what I want to spend my time doing, not sitting in meetings all day.

I certainly don't expect to spend 100% of my time writing code, I've been doing this long enough I fully understand and am okay with the various other aspects of being a developer, especially a senior one - I'm just not interested in getting any "promotion" that results in me spending even less, or no, time coding. A big part of the problem is I spent a decade working on shipped product (i.e. not a service) and now work on a service and (like many service-focused jobs) in addition to being developers our team is also responsible for the ops/infra running the service and for me personally I don't find much interest in working with that area.

muzani 4 years ago |

I've taken jobs that I regret immediately. You don't have to put it on your resume if it's a few weeks. The dread was always justified. People do end up in shitty companies because they have to pay the bills, and a lot if employers understand that.

I would not recommend sticking with it a year though. I've done that. You can't do good work at a company you don't feel good at, and chances are everyone else feels the same. It's likely your career can move backwards and you'll be in a worse spot than leaving now.

Also the job market is still hot and you might want to look before it cools down.

I personally don't like leetcode problems either, and a lot of companies don't use that method anymore. Feel free to email me your resume if you're still searching.

tacostakohashi 4 years ago |

The best strategic move is to grind your leetcode/algos/whatever else stopped you from getting your preferred roles and apply again / move ASAP, hopefully within 6 months or so, and hopefully only hold this job for a short enough period that you can drop it from your resume down the track.

It's easier to explain to a hiring firm that you made a mistake, realized immediately and want to move on, rather than leaving after a year or two when it starts to look like job hopping / lack of commitment.

Alternatively, stay for 2-3 years and do the studying at a leisurely pace. Just try to avoid a 1-2 year tenure, that's a bad look.

codingdave 4 years ago |

> be open with my manager about the situation and see if she has a solution

Yes. This is definitely the first move. If she isn't helpful, then move on to more drastic paths, but you have nothing to lose by sharing your thoughts at this point.

walterclifford 4 years ago | |

> you have nothing to lose by sharing your thoughts at this point

My concern is she may be unhappy to hear someone that she just hired a little over a month ago isn't working out and then if the company has layoffs in the near-future I'm the first she's going to pick to let go.

Granted it might seem odd to worry about losing a job I want to leave anyway, but I'd prefer searching for a job while I still have one instead of while being unemployed.

codingdave 4 years ago | | |

Or she could be unhappy to hear about the problems and take action to fix it.

Ultimately, it is your choice, but I've found that my best jobs are the ones with healthy, open communications with my boss. This seems like a perfect opportunity to find out if that is what you have or not.

muzani 4 years ago | | |

More often than not, I hear managers pissed off that someone didn't bring up a problem as soon as they saw it.

It depends on the personality though. Some are continually improving and want more data. Some have too much on their hands and don't want more. To be safe, if you bring a problem, you should also bring along a solution.