How soon would you quit a job after horrible working conditions?

[baydude]

Started an engineering job 4 months ago but realize the people are horrible, it’s way too much work and is causing me stress. Should I just quit or tough it out for 1-2 years? Last engineering job lasted me 16 months.

 

[rh71]

Stick it out for close to a year, then bail. It will look better on your resume. Unless you have something else lined up, but start looking soon.

 

[DaveSimmons]

One day, but I have enough in savings and investments that I wouldn't worry about the job search.

 

[Cyco]

It depends on how long you can afford to be unemployed and how long it would be until you got your next job. In the end though, it's how long you can go on doing what you're doing and accept it as acceptable.

 

[Mai72]

When does it start to affect your health? High stress events like a job will soon start to take its toll on your health.

 

[DigDog]

1 year minimum, you can always say it was on contract. If the stress is getting to you ... well actually i dont have any good advice.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd start looking, no sense in putting yourself through a stressful job and dreading work every day. My dream job out of college was to be an IT server tech, I just liked working with servers, routers, switches and that kind of stuff, basically managing an IT environment. So got in to such a job, but the environment was just really stressful, and it was not all that great. So much politics and red tape about everything, it was just not what I expected. Got to a point where I was dreading going in every day so I realized I could not keep going that way. A job opening for NOC came up so I jumped ship and it's the best decision I ever made.

If you think this is going to be a temp job anyway, then may as well tough it for the term if it pays well, but if this is a permanent job then no point in staying, time to start job hunting.

 

[Jeeebus]

I would never leave a job without something else lined up.

 

[purbeast0]

Quit as soon as you have another job offer lined up and offer letter signed. You only live once, so why be miserable any longer than you have to?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Start interviewing now -

Explain to interviewers you made a terrible choice and your current employer bait and switched you and its a poor cultural fit. Once you have a new job, just dont list this job on your resume.

 

[Exterous]

I don't see any issue with looking now unless your resume is filled with short term jobs

 

[Mayne]

Life is too short.

 

[WelshBloke]

Couple of hours, but then I'm in nursing and you can get another one in 5 minutes as no ah heck wants to do it!

 

[PowerEngineer]

I generally agree with the advice already given that stints of less than a couple years do not look particularly good on your resume (especially back-to-back). However, if you already have enough job experience to impress your next prospective employer then perhaps you can just never mention this job on your resume (although interviewers are bound to ask about your current job). No harm in testing the waters to see if you can find another job. Any chance that your current job will seem better as you become more used to the work and the people?

 

[Carson Dyle]

One day. I've done it.

 

[snoopy7548]

Since you're new your choices are either to find a new job or suck it up. Maybe it will get better (are they hiring more staff?) but it's likely you replaced a guy who was fed up with all the stuff that's bothering you. Sounds like this is a crappy company to work for and you'll never "fit in."

I vote to keep on going but start looking for a new job. Don't burn yourself out - do what needs to get done, and if some of it doesn't it doesn't - at the end of the day you'll still get a paycheck.

 

[JEDI]

Started an engineering job 4 months ago but realize the people are horrible, it’s way too much work and is causing me stress. Should I just quit or tough it out for 1-2 years? Last engineering job lasted me 16 months.

4months?
quit immediately.
don't list them on resume

 

[zinfamous]

why are the people horrible? Is it all of them but you? ....I mean, it might be possible that you are the horrible person. I am saying this because finding another job won't do you any good if you are always surrounded by "horrible people."

 

[Zorba]

I worked a job as an engineer for 10 months that I fucking hated. I knew within a few hours that it was a terrible choice, it didn't take long to realize they had strongly mislead me in my interview. I had other offers and still getting calls for interviews and I should've bailed at that point. I didn't because I didn't think those jobs would be long term and I selected the one I did because I thought it would be.

Since I knew I wasn't going to stay long term, I basically refused to work OT. I did manage to learn a decent amount while I was there because it was drastically different than my previous experience and some parts of it were fun.

I'm glad I got out when I did, but I am also glad I waited until I got a job I actually wanted and have been at for over 5 years now.

 

[thebestMAX]

I stayed less than a week on one job where they wanted me to come into the office everyday and the smoke was so thick it looked like Cheech and Chongs Chebby only it was just tobacco.

Left another job that I had interviewed for for over a year in less than a week when I found out from insiders how I had been lied to.

 

[mdram]

too much work? high stress?
your not cut out for engineering

 

[Midwayman]

1 job short term is a bad fit. If you have a lot of shorter term jobs on your resume, I'd worry that you're some princess job-hopper. 16 months is a little light for the previous job, but I'm not sure you gain a lot by sticking it out a year vs just leaving now.

 

[PottedMeat]

can't you just have your mom tell your boss to ease up on you?

 

[rh71]

It depends on how long you can afford to be unemployed and how long it would be until you got your next job. In the end though, it's how long you can go on doing what you're doing and accept it as acceptable.

My opinion is that you shouldn't go any amount of time unemployed even if you can afford it. Your earning days are numbered so in effect you are losing money. My wife is in a similar situation but she's had the job for 18 years. High earnings, but hates it now due to changing of the guard. She just started actively looking but in no way would it make sense for her to give up any of that money she's making while hunting.

 

[Brovane]

Start interviewing now -

Explain to interviewers you made a terrible choice and your current employer bait and switched you and its a poor cultural fit. Once you have a new job, just dont list this job on your resume.

The only thing I would change is I wouldn't bad mouth your current employer to another employer. Just explain that you got into the new job and found it was a poor fit. If they press the issue just explain the issues but don't pass along your judgement on your current employer. It can be seen negatively by a potential future employer if you bad-mouth your current employer. Just stick to the facts. In this current job market I wouldn't sweat much the short time in the current position. You can be picky when employers are begging for talent.