I'm planning to apply for a new job after only four months at my current one

Hey duders,

I've spoke about this elsewhere (On the Album Club Discord infact), and got some really good advice, but I'm eager to see what you guys think of this concept.

I've been at my current job for about...four months now. It started off okay, but it's quickly gone downhill fast. I'm a receptionist. I like being a receptionist. It's interesting, there's a lot to do, and I like the job.

But that's where it ends. If it was just coming in and doing the job, I think it'd be fine. But it's all the shit around it that makes it problematic.

I work really unsociable hours. I'm either working insanely early, or insanely late. So I'm either up at 6am, or home at 9pm. I specifically moved across the country to be with my partner, so the fact that I'm barely ever spending time with her makes me question why I'm even doing this job. By the time I get home at night, and we have dinner, it's time for bed, and that's multiple days a week. On top of this, I'm expected to be working Saturdays too coming up, which means even less time together.

The pay is absolutely terrible. I barely make over minimum wage, and I work really hard. The new job I have my eyes on pays an extra almost four thousand pounds a year, which would really make a difference in my day to day life.

My manager, while she can be nice, can also be a real dragon too. The problem is that the other person I work on the reception with is her best friend outside of work, so I feel like she's bulletproof in the office. Everytime there's a problem, it always feels like it's me taking the blame, and the other person can't be at fault, because they're such good friend outside of work. I try really hard to do a good job, but I feel I'm always doing something wrong. A lot of the time, the things I get pulled up on are really stupid too, and feel totally unfair.

I like the job, but the people are different. They say one thing to your face, then behind your back they're complaning about you to management, and that's not a healthy conducive work environment to feeling mentally healthy.

I feel bad that I'm looking to job hop after only four months, but I just can't stand it anymore. I dread going in every day, because of all the above reasons. I feel bad about going, but I know that nowadays, people jump ship all the time to do a better job, and I need to learn to adapt to this new style of work. Thing is, the new place I want to apply to seems excellent, and I could see a long fruitful career there.

What do you guys think? What would you do in my position?

There is absolutely no reason to feel bad about leaving. With how much of your life you are going to spend working, the bare minimum should be that a job isn't terrible, and it sounds like this one is currently failing at doing that. The reality is that the situation is only going to get worse for you overall, both in your mental health and potentially your relationships. My wife was in the same situation and trying to tough it out for company loyalty is not the way to go.

Look for something else, and if asked about why you left after only a few months, it's ok to be honest and say that the work environment wasn't the best.

Apply for the job. Do not talk crap or get baited into badmouthing your current position during the interview process, that's a red flag for many potential employers and something that hiring managers will be attentive to regarding short tenure at a position.

Practice giving an answer about how the work was a good fit but the unpredictable schedule was not. You had moved for your partner and were happy to find quick employment, but you're looking for a position with a schedule that better matches your home life so you can make the most of your time (assuming that's true of this position, i.e. it has a stable schedule). You can absolutely say that you thought that this position would work great, but it turns out that you couldn't make the schedule work.

People change jobs for all sorts of reasons, especially if they involve relocating, just make sure that you navigate around potential concerns. One way to do this is to redirect questions about your current firm to describe your enthusiasm for the new position rather than focus on the fit/environment of the old. Don't dodge, per se, but the schedule deal should be sufficient to explain.

I was in a fairly similar situation recently. I got hired as a paid intern for a company 6 months ago, but started to hate the job, the pay, the hours & the work from home life. So, I started looking for a new gig, two months ago. I just hit my 6 month mark at the current gig this past Friday, and they offered me a full time role, which I ended up turning down, which ended my employment with them right then and there.

I decided to make the plunge because I realized that I spend way too much time working to not be happy with my work life. And it prevented me from being more helpful around the house, meaning my partner was being heavily relied upon to do household chores like cleaning, groceries and laundry, meaning my home life was always starting to be strained some. So, I 100% back your decision to find something else. I'm not sure where you are, but there is a ridiculous amount of unemployed folks in the US, so I am sure the business will have no problem finding someone to replace you. You should have no problem finding somewhere that values you and where you value the work you are doing. You deserve more.

I agree with Enthalpy. Don't get baited into talking about any drama at your old job. Just stick to the issue about the work hours and it not working out based on your personal life. More importantly, only talk about it if the interviewer ask about it. Never freely offer information that could make you look like a bad hire. If asked about your old job, give a positive answer about the place and then explain how it was not their fault you decided to look for another place of employment. As long as you weren't fired, they can only take your word for it. The key to any interview is to give off a positive vibe to the interviewer. And people hop jobs all the time when they realize its not a good fit for various reasons, its okay.

@noboners: Two quick thoughts. The OP mentioned the currency being pounds, so they're in the UK. Second, the unemployment rate in the US is the lowest it has been since 1969.

@sombre: I hope you applied. The worst case scenario is that you aren't hired, which just puts you in the same boat you currently are. The best case is a better job. Your job won't improve by doing nothing.

@ginormous76: Whoops, missed that mention of currency! And yeah I should have been more specific with my unemployment mentions. I know unemployment is low, but there are still plenty of unemployed people looking for employment opportunities depending where you live. I was more trying to just say the employer probably won't have a problem finding someone to hire.

If it sucks hit da bricks!

You owe nothing to your employer aside from doing the job you are paid to do, and working the notice period you agreed to when you signed the contract.

If they aren't what you expected, there's nothing wrong with looking for another job. Four months is long enough to see the writing on the wall, and it sounds like it's written in plain English on those walls. Nepotism is a killer, especially if a situation is resolved either by you, or the person whom benefits from nepotism; You'll always be handed the shit end of the stick.

Be prepared to answer "Why are you leaving your current role?" with some level of honesty and tact in the interview for your next one, they will want to know that they can be sure you'll stay there as long as your issues with your current role are resolved by the new role.

Always do what's best for you and you have a number of worthwhile reasons why you'd want to leave and why the current situation is not sustainable or healthy for you. As long as you are able to explain why this job didn't work out and why this new job would be a better fit, you're all good there.