By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
I heard from a professional I’d worked with several months earlier. She had withdrawn from a final interview to accept what she described as her dream opportunity. That dream had soured quickly. While the specific details aren’t important, her situation raises a universal question: what should you do when a job you worked hard to land turns out to be far different from what you anticipated?
Step One: Get Perspective From Peers
Before making any decisions, consult with colleagues who’ve been at the organization longer. Every position comes with unexpected challenges during the adjustment period. What feels overwhelming in month two might be completely routine by month six. Understanding whether your experience is typical or genuinely problematic will inform everything that follows. If this is standard adjustment turbulence, consider committing to push through it—these periods often lead to significant professional growth.
Step Two: Have a Direct Conversation With Your Manager
Schedule time with your supervisor to discuss what you’re experiencing. Frame the conversation around understanding expectations and timelines rather than lodging complaints. You might learn that current pressures are temporary—perhaps tied to a product launch, fiscal year-end, or staffing transition. Other times, you’ll discover these conditions are permanent features of the role. Either way, getting clarity beats speculation.
If the challenging aspects appear to be lasting features rather than temporary circumstances, resist the impulse to resign immediately. This is crucial: your negotiating position, financial stability, and professional options are all stronger when you’re currently employed.
Step Three: Quietly Begin Your Search
Update your resume and start exploring other opportunities, but approach this process strategically. Be truthful about your current employment status—attempting to hide it creates more problems than it solves. When discussing why you’re looking, keep your tone neutral and factual. Avoid emotional language or extensive criticism of your employer.
Present the situation straightforwardly: “The role evolved differently than initially described” or “The organizational priorities shifted after I joined” works far better than detailed complaints. This approach accomplishes two things: it screens out companies with similar issues (saving you from repeating the mistake), and it builds credibility with hiring managers who appreciate measured, professional communication.
One ironclad rule applies here: never disparage your current or previous employers during interviews. The moment you do, you’ve planted doubt about your judgment and professionalism in the interviewer’s mind.
Why Mismatches Happen
Organizations sometimes oversell opportunities, either intentionally or because the people doing the hiring don’t fully understand the day-to-day reality of the position. The result is a disconnect between expectations and experience that catches new employees off guard. These situations are more common than most people realize, and they’re not always anyone’s fault—sometimes circumstances simply change.
The Bottom Line
If you find yourself regretting a job change, don’t panic. Take time to assess the situation thoroughly through conversations with colleagues and your manager before initiating a job search. Hasty decisions made from frustration rarely improve your circumstances. A methodical approach gives you the best chance of landing somewhere better suited to your needs—and avoiding a similar situation in the future.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2025
How Much Are You Looking For? Defer and Deflect
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
My courses are available on my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us/courses
Connect with me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/thebiggamehunter
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