Workplace etiquette: can you leave a job too soon?

Ask Kate Column: This week an Ask Kate reader shares her experience of leaving a job she had barely begun.

“I was misled into thinking the job was more challenging than it really was. I did so much research and even spoke with the colleague I would be working with before taking the job but that colleague lied about so many things.

After, I felt really let down. The good thing was that in my one month review, I told my manager about the lack of challenges and indicated that I wanted more from the role. He didn’t do anything about it and then when it was time for my three-month review, I said the same thing.

In my forth month, I resigned. I think it’s important to be honest from the start because although I felt bad about resigning, I already spoke to them about my reservations. I actually knew on my first day that the job wasn’t right for me but I stuck it out for four months. When I was interviewed for my next job, I told them why I had resigned from my previous role and it all worked out.

Although I didn’t like my colleagues and manager at my other job, I would never let a potential employer know that. Your reasons for leaving have to be about the job and not about the people. I didn’t think it was appropriate to tell my manager about the lies my colleague told me.

In the end, I was leaving and she was staying and I didn’t want to make it a bigger issue. I didn’t want to burn any bridges because it’s a small world out there. Thanks Kate.”