What to do when your new job isn’t what you expected

Have you found yourself unhappy in a new role? Here are the steps you can take to tackle the unfortunate situation if your job doesn’t meet your expectations.

You put in the work, did the research and sailed through the hiring process. Before you knew it, you landed a job which, on paper, perfectly matched your skills, aspirations, and the type of company you wanted to work for.

However, the role you’re working now is unrecognisable from the one you interviewed for. Perhaps you’re not getting the training you were promised or your day-to-day tasks aren’t close to what was advertised. Maybe the work environment doesn’t live up to expectations, or you’re just not happy in your new job.

Whether things were wrong from day one, or your role has gradually changed over time, you may be starting to feel unhappy with what your job has become. You may even feel a little panicked that you’re on a path you didn’t want. So, what do you do now? Take a look at our guide below to get your career back on track.

Unmet job expectations at a glance

You understandably might feel disappointed or frustrated that your new role hasn’t worked out as you had imagined. But not all hope is lost. By communicating your feelings to management you might find that there are solutions to your concerns.

Keep reading to find out more about the three things you can do if you’re unhappy at your new job.

If you wish to talk to career experts about finding a new role, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of our recruitment consultants.

1. Talk to your manager about your job expectations

The first course of action you should take is to raise the issue with your manager. Or, if you’re not completely comfortable doing so, speak to the hiring manager or recruiter. You never know, this may be a short-term issue which will soon be fixed by a restructure or an upcoming project.

Explain your concerns  to your manager and try to define concrete solutions to fix the problems you’re experiencing. For example: if you’ve not yet received the training that was promised at the start of your role, find out when you can expect this to take place. Communication can go a long way, so keep channels of dialogue open and try to steer your role back to its original course.

2. Make a sideways move - find a role that’s a good fit

If it doesn’t seem like the job you originally applied for is going to rematerialise, it is worth considering whether there are any alternative roles you could take on within the organisation. If you like the company culture but you’re unhappy in your new job, consider a career move within the same business. After all, the organisation clearly sees something in you if they hired you. 

Do some research and see what jobs are on offer. You never know, you may find something even better than your original role.

3. Search for something new 

If neither of the above options are getting results, the best thing you can consider is looking for a new job that is better suited to your skillset and aspirations. While it can be disappointing when a job does not work out as you hoped, chances are your next role will be more in line with expectations and offer you more opportunities to make an impact. 

Revise your CV and talk to a recruitment consultant to help speed up your search.

What you need to remember about unmet job expectations

If you find yourself unhappy in a role that doesn’t match your expectations, speak to your team. Leaving a job isn’t necessarily the best course of action. Whether you’re unhappy due to changes to the job description or for any other reason, it’s important to talk about it. 

Approach a conversation with your manager gently and with an open mind. In case your managers are not open to rethinking your role, at least you can start to consider whether it’s best to start your job search over again.

We’ve got plenty of tips to help you update your CV, prepare for interviews and make an impression in your new job on our career advice page.