2 weeks into new job and I want to quit

Baby01032012

I recently took an 18 month contract with a company. I had been offered a permanent contract with another company but felt this was the better option.

After 2 weeks completed I feel this is not for me. I've been working for similar companies in same industry for nearly 20 years but this feels so different.
Its a company of 65 people part of a larger European company. 60% of staff are from that other country which is fine but systems are partly in that other language which adds extra layer of difficulty.

Processes are so manual compared to similar companies. I'm having real difficulty bringing myself up to speed.

I'm replacing someone going on maternity leave in a few weeks but she doesn't care. She's been there 10 years and all knowledge will go with her. No proper procedures. She's the go to for everyone in the company. I haven't spent anytime with her despite my efforts. It's a small team of me and 2 others with a heavy work load for the next few months.

I'm making efforts but finding it difficult fitting in or geling with the others.

I'm also frustrated with my work. I'm trying to prepare for peak work load but I've been given 3 new clients and trying to set them up on the system is proving so difficult. I was told before I started there was no new business. Thinking of the amount of work come the new year makes me panic.

In addition the no. 2 in the company has asked me to cover a difficult client where nothing has been booked to the system for 6 months and they've agreed a deadline for delivery of our work to this client in the new year. No one wants to touch the client. It had been given to various people to do but never got done. I've also been told that the client shouts at them. I guess because they messed up everything so far with client.

The guy I report into I've hardly spoken to. He seems to avoid me. He has advised that there is a way to automate some of the difficult clients work and is to show me. I've nicely asked him 3 times this week and he keeps saying he will get to it tomorrow. If I don't get started on it next week I don't know how I'll be able to cover it come January.

I joined because of chance they told me about to start my own team as business is growing but I'm not sure it's worth it. I'm due to have lunch with the MD next week. Don't really want to based on how I'm feeling.

After 2 weeks I'm seriously considering handing in my notice. Apologies for long post. Any advise on the situation would be appreciated. Do I stick it out and try and make it work. Or how do i handle leaving given on there 2 weeks. I'm on 1 months notice up to month 3 then 2 months notice.

Reezer

Baby01032012 wrote: »

Wow your post is scarily exactly to my current situation, everything you are saying mirrors my current situation i mean almost word to word. Except I'm three months into the job. Well this your post WORD OF ADVICE:-

1). Grasslands aren't always greener on the other side just i learnt this myself right now. So keep your kool try not to lose it although its very tough given the circumstances, two weeks into the job is a short space of time to comfortably fit in any organization let alone 3 months. Its always very hard when you came from a comfortable place where systems and procedures functioned very well and you were well regarded from your previous job.

2). Start looking for another Job while you are holding on, start firing out those CVs eventually you will land something in the course of weeks or months.

3) In the mean time make another attempt again to speak next person in charge or someone maybe this will facilitate things for you one way or the other. Be careful don't say the negatives or mention their shortfalls, try keep the conversation positive and constructive while speaking to whoever you gonna chat to so that avoid being misinterpreted because with the small teams when **** hits the fan.. the ****s escalates quickly.

4). I wouldn't advice walking away from the place just yet, especially if you have rent/mortgage kids, a partner and monetary responsibilities. Keep working on point 2 ...start firing out those CVs and work on a contingent plan. In mean time get into smart survival mode and cover your work corner smartly and intelligently to minimize any blame until your exit.


All the best of luck to you, l hope for my luck to change and move on from my current dilemma.

TrustedApple

Happened to me as well.

Took a job sounded great on paper and from interviews and so on. Got in there day 1 I was told yah you are going to be doing Notting you where told in your interview and your Linux support role is patch and dispatch and you won't be doing any kind of tech work ....

Had another job offer something total out of my comfort zone in a more sr project based role took said job and to me it has been the best job I have ever had and I settled into it more or less on the spot love the people love what I do and a huge plus is I get to travel with this job. As the days grow in this role I an getting more and more of a understand of it and have started to make things better as well.

Fyi sorry for deslexa