BY Jasmin Ball
In the work world, there is nothing worse than being at a job for a few months and then finding yourself dreading going in; and whenever you do show up you just want to leave.
If you get knots in your stomach and can’t face going into work “tomorrow” more often than not, then this is a telltale sign that it’s not the right fit and it’s time to start looking for something new and better. No job is worth having these types of feelings. And the truth is it never just impacts just you. It also negatively impacts your work and strains relationships you have with friends and family.
If this is a situation you would like to avoid in the future, let’s reassess what went wrong and determine what you can start doing now to make things feel right. You can start by asking yourself the following question to gain clarity around what exactly makes you feel like it’s a bad fit in the first place.
Is it the work itself, the company culture, the management, or something else?
Identifying the root issue can help determine the best next step.
After you’ve determined what’s working and not working for you (and before accepting your next job offer), ask these questions in the interview process in order to avoid landing a bad-fit role to instead get one you’ll thrive in:
Why is the position open?
Where are the day-to-day responsibilities of the role?
What will your initial training look like?
How will you be supported in the new role?
How is success measured and what does it look like in this role?
What’s to be expected of you (if you were to take the position) in the first 30, 60, or 90 days?
How is work divided among the team?
What opportunities does the company offer for professional growth?
What are the other avenues for growth within the company?
How does the company support work life balance?
As you learn of their nuances and do your due diligence on the employer, company culture, and conduct your own background check on the organization, you can next ask yourself the following questions to get closer to determining if it’ll be a good match:
Does the job align with your long term career goals?
What will you be able to get out of the experience?
Does the position allow you to feel fulfilled in any way?
Does the work environment (according to current or past employees) check any or all of your boxes?
What is essential for you?
What are your priorities, and do they align with the priorities of the company?
Where are your deal breakers?
In the job hunting process, it can be easy to feel like the underdog when a lot is unknown, like if you’re making a good impression, if you’re standing out above competition, if you’re able to be compensated generously, and if it’s a company you’ll actually love.
However, there is something you can do during the hiring process toimprove your chances of landing a role you’ll thrive in, especially if you strike when the iron’s hot!
According to the Harvard Business Review, right after you receive a job offer you have more leverage to shape your job description and improve your salary and benefits package than you do in your first two years of employment. Essentially when a company makes you an offer, they’re proclaiming you to be “the one”, so it’s a critical moment in the job hunting process for you to be straightforward and think about the trade offs you’re willing to make in order to land a position that’s a better fit.
Use that golden moment to negotiate what matters most to you to be sure the next job you accept is one you can build a legacy in and start to thrive like never before.
Jasmine Ball is a wife, mom, award-winning journalist, and founder of BTM Writing Services, a writing firm helping companies all over the world get confidence over their content and grow their businesses. With God at the center, Jasmine’s life mission is to use her gift to connect people to resources that will help them live more informed, inspired, and overall better lives
