Quit first full-time job after 4 days

[Double J]

I knew that pursuing a job in an industry that was totally unrelated to my field of study would be a risky venture. I also knew that pursuing a job solely on the basis of advertised pay would probably be unwise.

 

I graduated from college in December with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. I commenced my job search in December and really broadened my options by looking in all kinds of industries - finance, non-profit, etc. My main goal was to find something marketing-oriented that involved writing since that is what I enjoy doing the most.

 

I've gone to more interviews than I can count with my fingers. From late November until the present, I've received a total of 4 offers. The first offer I got just seemed to come at the wrong time. It was related to my field somewhat, but I deemed the starting salary to be a bit low and decided against jumping at the first offer that came my way. Besides, I was getting calls from various places and felt I was in a good spot to test out the market.

 

The second offer was a good one as well. Before signing the offer, I decided to ask if any travel was required. It turns out that they wanted me to be traveling every 6 weeks and neglected to mention this during THREE interviews I had with them. I thought it was inconsiderate of them and chose to pass on this offer as well. The salary was higher than the first offer but only by 1k; the excessive travel wasn't justified, especially for someone entry-level like myself.

 

The other two offers came within the past two weeks. The first offer was extended by a company my sister happened to work for several years ago. She cautioned me against working there because the head hancho is known to be toxic and overbearing. The turnover rate at the company has historically been high.

 

Before proceeding to accept or reject this offer, I received a call from a non-profit that had turned me down for a Grant Writer position just two weeks earlier. I had finished runner-up for the position, as another candidate who had more work experience and an MBA edged me out slightly.

 

However, this call was to inform me that the chosen candidate reneged on the agreement and chose to pursue another offer. She lived in another state and would have had to relocate for the position. The woman who interviewed me said she should have listened to her better instincts because the girl seemed unsure about making such a huge decision from the get-go.

 

Naturally, I was offered the position and accepted it in a flash. (By the way, the company my sister worked for offered me the same salary that the first company proposed. I told them I had found a better opportunity.)

 

This Grant Writer position has been the highest-paying offer I've gotten yet - 7k higher than the first and third offers and 6k higher than the second. I always wondered why the salary was so good given that I have no experience in the field. I would soon find out.

 

I started at the new job on Tuesday, and boy, was I nervous. This job had several qualities to it that truly strayed from past part-time jobs: it was a non-profit job in a field I know nothing about, it dealt with education and children, and it was a female-dominated environment (2 guys, 23 girls). On my first day I was already asking myself why I had applied for this job but I tried to relax and see if the job would grow on me.

 

Unfortunately, it never did, and I found myself bored most of the week. As I found out more about what the job entailed, I started having regrets about having applied for this job. The girl who I was supposed to replace sat down with me on Friday to give me an orientation on how everything worked, the ins and outs of the job, etc.

 

I was expecting to come in and just write. But it turns out that grant writing is far more intricate than that. This job was going to involve far more strategy and research than I cared to be involved in. The position was essentially the sales function of the organization - you're seeking out funds by "selling" the organization itself. In addition, the job was going to require that I work with budgets, which is something I dislike doing very much. I wish the director had told me this would be a part of the job, but I guess she didn't give me a job description for her own convenience.

 

The girl who I'd be replacing had the title of Grants Manager. Now, how do you coincide the title of Grant Writer given to me with that of the person whose position I was assuming? It seems to me like I was going to work in a managerial capacity, which is why I was going to get paid so well. I was recently put off by my would be boss telling me that due to the nature of the business (a grant-funded organization), layoffs were always possible.

 

Needless to say, I could barely stand being there a week. I miss working in the areas I'm truly passionate about - marketing, advertising, consumer behavior, etc. I took a stab at something different, but it just isn't my cup of tea. These people misled me by telling me the job would involve marketing-related tasks, when in reality it's only about fundraising. Grant writing seems like a monotonous job that prevents one from being creative and dynamic. The female environment also did not work for me. I like being around guys once in a while as well. To make matters worse, the building has an electrical problem that prevents air circulation. For someone like myself who can't stand the heat, it was something that would probably drive me crazy pretty quickly.

 

You might be asking, "Why did you leave so quickly? Couldn't you have waited to see if the job would grow on you?"

 

Aside from the fact that my gut instinct about these things is usually dead-on, I was conscious of the fact that my would be boss is already in the thick of deadlines for projects I would have had chief roles in. I wanted to do this as quickly as possible out of respect for her and the adjustments this will warrant over the next few weeks.

 

I can honestly say I'm a pro at interviews, having gone to several over the past few months. I have such great credentials that I know I'll be getting more offers. Although I might not find a job that pays as good as the Grant Writer position, I'd rather sacrifice the money for the chance to work every day in a job I truly love. This Grant Writer position just wasn't it.

 

I'd like you guys to weigh in on this. Any comments welcome. Thanks.

[CaptainPlanet]

I understand you leaving because of the heat, the main reason I left my job was because the heat was unbearable.

[Aleadragonhawk]

My only input is to insist on a detailed job description in the future before accepting a job offer. It sounds like this was a simple case of not knowing what the job really was. You might have to take less money in a position related to your field, but that will help you get the experience necessary for the higher paying jobs.

[greensleeves]

This is so typical of the non-profit sector. I've been in it for years and it can suck the life out of you, they are typically underfunded and understaffed which results in a very heavy workload. On top of that, you often have to deal with transient board members who have no idea how to run a business and are there for the sole purpose of grandstanding or to add to their resumes.

 

You were wise to get out as soon as you found out that they were not completely forthcoming with the job description that they provided in the interview stage. I personally left a job of ten years as administrator at a non-profit childcare and community centre due to the addition of two board members who were absolute nightmares. In the past I had dealt with abusive, ignorant and incompetent board members, but these two were more than I could take. I went on the manage another non-profit in the area of healthcare; on my first day I found out the the branch had been closed for the past few months because the previous person in the position had suffered a nervouse breakdown and that the place was in an absolute shambles. I lasted ten months of working my ass off and left when I was offered a management position at yet another non-profit at a childcare and social services building where I had opened a satellite office for the healthcare non-profit. I asked very specific questions at the interview stage regarding the job description, overtime expectations etc. and I was blatantly lied to. When I asked about overtime, I explained to them that I was not interested if it involved overtime as my family was my priority. There answer was that they finish at 5:00 every day and overtime would only be expected a couple of times a year. Repeat of the previous situation...they had only recently moved into this new facility and had expanded their operations dramatically. They had been advised by an accountant and the region funders that this job couldn't possibly be performed by one person and that it would take at least 3 people; they chose to ignore that. So, for ten months I brought work home every night of the week and put in a minimum of 3 or 4 extra hours per day and worked until 3 or 4 in the morning at least 2 nights per week, usually more. I ended up on anti-anxiety drugs and nearly had a nervous breakdown...it was brutal. As a single parent it was difficult to leave, but I chose to get out in November even though I hadn't found another job yet...I'd rather live on my savings, deal blackjack part-time and keep my sanity intact. I haven't even looked for anything fulltime yet; the past 3 or 4 years have mentally and physically drained me.

 

Sorry for the vent, but I just wanted to let you know that giving incomplete job descriptions and out and out lying are, in my experience, common practice in the non-profit sector. You did the right thing and you were smart to get out immediately.