Ask Aunt Katie: Is it okay to quit a new job if something better comes up?

It always happens when you least expect it. You spend months looking for a new job and applying around, with no luck. Then finally, you get an offer that you’re happy to take. You pat yourself on the back, you give yourself a round of applause, but then the universe decides to clap back. Just as you’ve started your new role, another offer comes your way – an offer that you would have preferred in the first place.

What do you do? Do you simply let out a sigh of “oh well, that’s unlucky” and give up on chasing your dream job? Or do you accept the new position, despite uneasy feelings or concern that you may be seen to be unscrupulous or even disloyal at your new workplace?

It sounds like it’s time to start drawing up that age-old pros and cons list, to help you decide whether to take a leap of faith. Here’s a few simple things to think about in making that decision.

Why you should consider taking the leap

1. Are your roots safely established? Money doesn’t grow on trees and one of the first key considerations you need to make is whether you can afford to leave, or not. If you have the financial leeway to make a shift, go for gold! If you’re more dependent on job financial security, you may need to think a little bit harder about whether it’s worth embarking on the risky journey that inevitably comes with starting a new job, (on both a social and HR probationary period level).
2. It’s still early days in your new job. Think about it this way, your job probably hasn’t invested too much into your training and unless you are a social prodigy, you likely haven’t had the time or capacity to form lifelong relationships with anyone in your current workplace… While it may feel a little uncomfortable moving on at this early stage, you can at least take comfort in the fact that you aren’t at a stage where you can be labeled as being ‘disloyal’.
3. Location. Location. Location. When it comes to making a move to a new workplace, we often forget about practical factors like how we’re going to move ourselves to the new office on a day-to-day basis. Is the new role closer to your home? Is it in a more central area? Is public transport or parking more accessible? Without realising it, minor details like the amount of time or stress it takes to get yourself to work can play a significant part in how your new job can contribute to your overall work-life balance. Basically, if it’s easier or more convenient to get there, consider going there.
4. Is this your dream job? Although staying in a role for a year or two might seem like the standard or even ethical thing to do, ensure the impact of staying or leaving on your career path. If you only view your current role as a ‘stepping-stone’ and this new role helps you jump further down your dream career path, you should really consider changing. Although it’s important to be as courteous as possible in any job-change situation, you shouldn’t feel as though you have to delay opportunities for yourself in order to preserve other’s feelings or to conform to expected norms.

Why you should consider staying put

1. The grass isn’t always greener. This new job may align with your ‘dream’ career path more, it may offer more money, or it may have a more attractive job title. At first glance, your immediate reaction may be– “Hey, of course I want that!” But there may be other factors under the surface which you have not considered. If they’re frequently hiring for the same role. This may be indicative of a poor work-place culture (i.e. high turnover rate), or issues like stressful workloads or unexpectedly extended hours. Trust your gut, if it feels too good to be true it probably is. Do your research and ask around. It’s important that you don’t blindly make a jump that’s going to throw you back to square one.
2. Be conscious of bridge burning. If you choose to change to this new role and leave your current role, you need to be aware that there’s a 99% chance that the bridge will be burnt, and your original employer won’t be willing to take you back. If you’ve had a hard chance getting your original post in the first place, it may not be worth the risk.
3. Jumping ship may make you look like you often ‘skip out’. Ensure you take your employment history into account when making this decision. Do you have a history of moving from job-to-job quickly? If not, it’s likely that your CV will have your back despite this small timeline skip. But if you’ve had several jobs in recent years, this may implicate your resume and perceived reliability, by contributing to a historical trend of quick job changes.

At the end of the day, each job you are offered represents a different opportunity, none of which should be taken for granted. Whatever your end decision is, you need to accept that you aren’t going to please everyone. You need to do what’s best for you and your career, in both the immediate and long-term future. For advice on how to best approach the next step in your career path, chat to one of our friendly team members today.