That first day on the new job is exciting, and that honeymoon feeling can carry on for weeks or months. After a couple of weeks on the job though, there may be aspects of the job that make you question your decision to join the firm due to aspects like the responsibilities of your position or the culture of the firm. You should know whether it is a good fit within the first 30 days. If you start questioning the fit of your new position, here are some tips on the next steps you should take.
Have you given your job a fair shot?
This is an important question to ask yourself when you find yourself unhappy with where you are. A new job is not always sunshine and rainbows, there are ups and downs with difficult clients, high expectations from supervisors, and changing markets. Take some time to assess if you have given the role your best effort and that your mindset towards the position is in the right place. Sometimes it may take a little patience.
Do you have open communication with your team and supervisor?
Have you communicated with your fellow colleagues any questions or concerns you may be having in your current role? Your colleagues may have found themselves in similar situations in the past. As uncomfortable as it may be, asking probing questions about how things have worked previously can give you a better understanding of what’s going on and how things may need to improve. If you never ask, you may never know.
This is true with your boss as well. Do you have regular and open communication with your boss to know how things are going from their perspective, and how what you're currently doing is helping the company? When you have open communication with your boss, you are also able to ask to take on different responsibilities to keep you engaged in your position. Job crafting exists for a reason, if you feel like you are missing something in your position that can be changed, communicate it!
If you have found that you have exhausted your options, then it might be time to seek out something else. Here are a couple of approaches you can take when you are in this position.
Go back to networking
It may be time to take a step back and revisit some of those fellow colleagues or coworkers you used to work with or know from other outlets in the workforce. Consider going back to any other firms you were considering before you accepted the current position. There is nothing wrong with putting your feelers out and gaining an understanding of the current job market and what else is out there. In this case, if you don’t ask you will never know and it might be worth a shot connecting with people in different areas, etc.
Consider the facts
When you find yourself unsatisfied with where you are, it’s beneficial to investigate why that is. Make a list of things that you are unhappy about and note why. It might be helpful to make a pros and cons list that allows you to understand what is important to you versus what you may not. You can use this list to narrow down what you might want in your next position and be more cognizant of these things in the new job hunt.
Job Hunting
There are several places you can look for new jobs if you do find yourself in that predicament:
Entering a job that may not be for you can be difficult, but it’s important to remember that you do have options.
If you are entering the financial planning profession or seeking the perfect fit with a top-tier financial planning firm, submit your resume or browse our openings for entry-level planners. We are here to help you in any way we can so you can secure your dream job!
