3 critical things to do if you take a role and its not what it is cracked up to be?
I spoke to a senior leader/CEO this week who took a role and discovered that after getting into it that it wasn’t for him. He had done the due diligence prior, found out about the company, spoke to people, went through the interview process and it seemed like the right fit.
So, what to do when you land yourself a role and realise it’s not for you?
When I graduated from Massey University with my Masters degree I became a success statistic. I secured a marketing role with the University straight off the bat and excitedly embarked on my new career.
Six months into it I was not enjoying it. I was being bullied, the role was much more administrative than what I had imagined, and it was not fun.
I asked an older, wiser head what to do and his response was “stick at it for 2 years so it doesn’t look bad on your CV”.
So, I stuck it out. I turned up to work every day often with trepidation, low morale and trying to do my role. Eighteen months into it I could not do it anymore and I left the role to travel.
I sometimes think what I would have told myself back then knowing what I now know.
Here is what I came up with:
1/ Do what you can to make it fit – but if it is really the wrong thing hand it back
A new role is a bit like a pair of shoes. Ideally you will fit straight in and be made to feel welcome. What was advertised is what you will end up doing. You will get along with the people around you.
The short answer is that if you get into something that doesn’t fit, do what you can to make it fit but in the end your happiness (and mental health) should be your #1 priority.
I would have advised myself to address my concerns with my manager (which I did) and if things didn’t change, look for something new.
2/ Remove the guilt of making a mistake
I don’t think there is any shame in giving something a go and it not working out. “It is better to attempt something great and to fail than to attempt nothing and succeed” is a favourite quote by Robert Schuller that I like. In other words, it is better to give it a crack and not succeed than not even try.
We may think of us as a failure but there is only so much you can glean in an interview process before you need to make a decision. I am sure you made the best decision you could with the information you had
3/ Look after your mojo
Finding yourself in a role that doesn’t fit can be draining. Having to find something new takes energy. Look at the things that fill your bucket and make sure you put them into play. Perhaps its surround yourself with the right people, maybe it’s taking an extra long walk at lunch. Whatever it is acknowledge that you need to keep your mojo high during the process because nobody else will.
So whether you are a CEO, manager, aspiring professional or someone else do what you can to assess and secure the role, do what you can to make it work, but in the end if you are not turning up enjoying what you are doing think of something else and give the opportunity to someone else that it may suit better.
