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Resume Q&A: I Got the Job and Quit. Am I in Trouble?

Q. I have quit only one job in my entire career—but I quit in the first 3 weeks. What will employers think of me? Do I have to mention this job on my resume?

If it makes any difference, the reason I quit was because no one paid any attention to me. I asked my boss for work and my boss seemed surprised to see me there! I asked a coworker if I could help with their work and they bristled, as if I had said they were incompetent. After 7 workdays like this, I went job hunting. I called Human Resources as soon as I had another offer in hand to say I was quitting. They basically shrugged. What kind of company does that?

A. What you experienced was a horrific onboarding process. Research by Sapling last year revealed that 88% of organizations do not onboard well, are focused on completing paperwork, and stop even rudimentary onboarding after the first week. So it seems that a lot of companies are like the one you suffered in.

Poor onboarding—no training, guidance, organization, or communication from day one—makes employees twice as likely to quit and seek a new job. Research by isolved Connect states that 51% of employees consider leaving a job immediately if the onboarding goes haywire.

You are not alone in your solution to this problem. Kudos to you for waiting until you had a job in hand before walking away.

I usually advise people to mention every job on their resume but in this case I somehow doubt the company would even remember you worked there if a future employer calls. To be perfectly open, mention the company at the very end of your resume under “Other Experience” or “Early Experience” and just give the company name and your position, without any details.

You should avoid bad-mouthing this company. Since you have a long work history and this is the only job you ever quit, it is unlikely anyone will ask about it. If it is mentioned during an interview, you can always refer to it briefly, without going into details, and then change the subject back to happier work experiences.

Robin’s Resumes® comes across many types of iffy work situations, and we are confident in our ability to write resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters that address any issues that need addressing.

Want to Quit before Finding a Job? You May be Right!

Keeping your current job is the ideal until you have another job lined up—but life often falls short of the ideal. Following are some circumstances when you might be wise to quit before finding a job.

Should you quit before you have another job if you are unsafe or burned out at work? Yes. Burnout—or chronic stress, which leads to major health issues—is cited by 28% of employees who leave their jobs without another job in view, according to a survey by Limeade.

Should you quit if you need to help with an emergency? Maybe. COVID was one such emergency when working parents and guardians were left without childcare options and many felt their health at risk. However, consider all your options before compounding an emergency with loss of income.

Should you quit before getting fired? Probably not. If you wait, you may gain time to find another job while you are still working. However, if you are given a choice between resigning or being fired, then resign—it carries less of a stigma.

Should you quit if you are so miserable at a job that it is affecting your physical and mental health? Maybe. First see if you can negotiate shorter hours, a less stressful job in the same company, or even temporary leave. But if you are heading toward burnout, quitting might allow you to recover and free you to concentrate on your job search.

Should you quit if you want to move to a different geographic location? Maybe. Because so many jobs are remote these days, a continuous work history might count more than your physical location to your next employer. In earlier blog posts, you can find advice on applying for jobs while you are outside your preferred location. However, if the move is time-critical (for example, you must be closer to a family member who needs care), you might have to move before you begin your job search.

Should you quit if you want to start a business? Again, the answer depends on your circumstances. If you can develop your business while working—so that you have a few customers lined up and can build a nest egg—then it makes sense to continue working. If you have enough financial and personal support, a clear business plan, and skills or products that are already in demand, it makes sense to quit and concentrate on your new business.

There is one important task you can definitely begin at any time, whether before or after you quit: calling Robin’s Resumes® for advice on how to frame your resume. We will help you present your situation in the best light for your next employer.