At Firstcall Recruitment, we place a whole host of individuals into employment each year. Whilst there are genuine situations where it is a true miss-match between business and employee, naturally, it’s disappointing to hear when this hasn’t worked out.
What we are noticing is people pulling the trigger to resign from a new job, particularly whilst still within their probation period, usually at around 3 – 6 months. Of course, each individual is well within their right to leave, and reasons will vary, but we can’t help but be curious as to why this may be.
Feeling uneasy, overwhelmed, and uncertain about your future at the company is, believe it or not, part and parcel of starting at a new company. If you’re new to a job, you might have been feeling a few of the ways noted below, and whilst it can be challenging, we would strongly advise maximising on the full probation and working with your new employer to make it a success.
Onboarding and feeling welcome
Before all else, a warm welcome and meeting your co-workers is key in feeling comfortable at your new job. These types of onboarding activities will depend on several factors company to company, every office has a different dynamic. Likewise, every manager will have a different approach to new staff, training, and development. Feeling like the newbie doesn’t last forever, remain positive, engaged, and build relationships with your co-workers where you can, to settle your anxieties.
Imposter syndrome
Sense of belonging comes over time; if you’ve been out of work for a long time, moved industries / roles, or are generally apprehensive about starting in a new workplace, it’s easy to let nerves get the better of you. You secured the job for a reason, have faith in your skills and appreciate that you will build ability to tackle tasks over time. Leaving your current job due to feeling undeserving will be a temporary fix. Don’t self-sabotage, focus on your strengths and take criticism as a chance to improve your quality of work rather than taking it as a personal affront.
Overwhelmed or unhappy
New environments mean new emotions, stresses, and responsibilities. Adjusting to the pace and workload can be overwhelming, let alone when trying to make a good impression and remembering names and faces. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself – prioritise your tasks and take it day by day.
On the flip side of this is the possibility of feeling underwhelmed or having too little to do with your new role and you’re missing the excitement factor. Remember you should hopefully be eased into the company culture; over time you will have more responsibility, become more independent and feel more comfortable team building, networking and socialising with colleagues.
If you can’t shift the feeling that this role isn’t right for you, specifically during your probation period, ask yourself a few questions:
- Realistically, what timescale do you feel is appropriate to fully settle into a new job?
- Are you maximising your resources? What strategies have you taken to combat these uncertainties – have you spoken to HR, your hiring manager, or the relevant people to assist in your integration?
- Is an early resignation the easy way out?
Understandably, not all placements will be a good fit for all, and we would never encourage anyone to stay in a workplace that feels toxic. However, it’s important to recognise that every job will come with both work-based and personal challenges to overcome – it’s how you tackle these challenges that will be the building blocks for your career.
We do look to provide support and guidance to those in need as it’s an investment from the employer to bring the person on and likewise an investment of the individuals time. Often applying a new approach to gauging a true indication of fit can resolve the issues at hand, especially when all parties are invested in things working out.
