Mentor Advice — Fresher guy, dont quit your job yet
The other day, it was a Sunday. Considering my workaholic nature, I have forced myself not to look into business interactions of any kind from Friday to Sunday. No email, no work talk and such.
But, something pops up on one of my personal communication channels. One of my old travel contacts, is asking for a video call. This young man, a sharp guy I met at a tech conference from a few years ago. He knows I dont like to be interrupted on my off days, but if he is pinging today, it must be urgent. I fired up my Air, launched Zoom and we spoke. We spoke for hours.
Turns out, it was an urgent issue. The guy (he started his job a few weeks ago) was having conflicts with his boss. He was considering leaving the employment. We had a long discussion about what happened and I gave out some general advice. Going back 10 years ago, I had an exact identical situation, and I suffered the consequences of quitting early.
I thought, for my own future reference, and his, and others who are facing similar challenges, I will post my advice to him, here.
Consequences
Looking at my own experience, I was always been a hot head. Even more so, 10 years ago. While my work quality was always high, I would constantly disagree in meetings, walking out and generally just not being a team player. (Hopefully, over the years, I have worked out those issues) I had just finished my MBA, got placed very early with a decent salary. Got a very good job, and filled with endless optimism and dangerous naivety.
I was an idiot, is what I was.
My first job, from any angle, was a fantastic job. Great pay, extremely low working hours and super cool co-workers. Then, because I did not agree with my then boss’s logic (who was so nice to me in every possible way. Helping me with money, taking me for dinner, dropping me home, and generally being very genial and acting as my wingman, he he :P), I conflicted with him on a daily basis, and simply, quit.
Even on the last day, my manager was anything but nice. I was so rude to him.
I was the very definition of being an immature and ungrateful employee. I realized much later, what a fantastic job I had. My friends were working under far worse conditions and for far less money. Once I quit, I realized how bad the job market is (the economy was in recession, I told you I was stupid!), and how long the employment process takes when you dont have an entire placement office working day and night behind you.
I eventually landed on my feet, and a lot of people say, today, if I have any success as a small business man, it was because of my steel balls to quit my first job. May be. At the same time, a lot of things that worked my way over the years was pure luck. It could all have gone wrong. I could be homeless by now!
So yes, quitting the first job, was one of the dumbest things I did in my life.
Reason # 1 to stay — Experience Letter
It was only after I quit, I realized, how immature it made me look that I quit in less than six months. An endless collection of beautiful HR women interviewed me. Each of them were more than happy to acknowledge that I came across as an energetic, smart and sharp guy. At the same time, I was also an idiot and was a child, and I was constantly rejected in the final round.
The experience letter of your first job (2 years is standard, 1 year, the bare minimum) is proof that, you are not an idiot and not a child.
Reason # 2 to stay — The office owes you nothing, and you haven't earned it yet
This guy who called me said/discussed, and what I also went through 10 years ago…we both felt like we know more than our bosses. This guy and me, we may be smart and talented but we have no clue about the business side of things.
Just because we got placed/hired, does not mean the office owes us anything. We barely started working like 45 days ago. The office, the managers, the people running the show, they have been at it for years. We owe them, and not the other way around.
The office sure will give you an option to air to your thoughts, but it no way promised that they will simply take the advice of an untested dude, and build their business around it. You got to earn that right first. More importantly, why would anyone take the advice of a guy who is giving ‘leaving the job soon’ vibes so strongly? lol!
Sure, express your views and thoughts. As with anything else, be aware that your opinions might be rejected. Don’t make it a reason to quit your job.
Reason #3 to stay — its polite and professional
Lot of folks may not look at it that way. Perhaps they do and I have not discussed it. Employment with a company is like any other relationship. We have different kind of relationships in life. My life revolves around more than a dozen computing devices (multiple computers, tablets, laptops and phones) that I use everyday to keep my life going and earn a living. Although they are machines with no feelings, I feel connected to them.
Similarly, an employment is a relationship with a company. It could be a 5 person startup or a Fortune 5000 company with thousands of employees. This relationship was built/established on the assumption that both of you will be together for at least a year or two, living through happy and sad times.
It’s a promise. Breaking it (for ludicurous reasons) is not polite. Its definitely not professional.
Reason #4 to stay — Pay the Piper
Life sucks. Its not fair by any measure. You could get lucky sometimes but mostly it sucks. The smart thing to do is not try and by pass it. Work through it, and pay your dues.
Reason #5 to stay — Big boy pants
“You are such a child, Jay” is something I heard a lot when I was young. Friends, relatives and cousins. As I got older, an endless line of buxom HR women and managers have told that to me. Perhaps I have grown up a bit in the last few years because less people are telling it to me lately.
I suppose thats called maturity. Staying in a job, and leaving with proper experience letter after spending the stipulated amount of time is one sign of that.
Final Thoughts
The above advice is specifically for him, this guy who spoke to me last Sunday. It is also an advice to the younger Jay, almost 10 years ago. We were both trying to leave a job (I quit, and the jury is still pending with this guy) under similar, bafflingly stupid, self-inflicted circumstances.
If someone else is in similar boat, perhaps the advice will help.
