How long to give a new job?

[Quattr04.]

I changed roles from a mobile engineer to a work from home based design engineer in October

I enjoy the actual design work but it’s probably 30% of my role with the rest filled with admin, pointless meetings and cooperate speak

It’s really getting me down, I am majorly missing being out and about and meeting customers and clients.

How long should I be giving it to bed in? Hard to believe I will get used to it, maybe I will but will I still hate all the politics?

I left the old role that I still enjoyed but felt a bit stagnant in

[Time4another]

Just leave. It will only grind you down. Unless you think a chat with a superior will free you up to do more of the stuff you prefer.

[zedx19]

I've always worked on 6 months to settle into any role, but if the role isn't what you were expecting and doesn't suit you, then that isn't going to change with time, it'll only change with a chat to superiors. Surely you're coming up to your 3 month review, which is the ideal time to discuss your concerns?

[softtop]

zedx19 said:

I've always worked on 6 months to settle into any role, but if the role isn't what you were expecting and doesn't suit you, then that isn't going to change with time, it'll only change with a chat to superiors. Surely you're coming up to your 3 month review, which is the ideal time to discuss your concerns?

They took the decision to do a different job and from the description, I would not be expecting a sympathetic response from the manager. They have invested time in someone that knew they were moving from a mobile role to a desk based role. What were they expecting?

[spikeyhead]

softtop said:

They took the decision to do a different job and from the description, I would not be expecting a sympathetic response from the manager. They have invested time in someone that knew they were moving from a mobile role to a desk based role. What were they expecting?

Something other than 70% of their time on admin, pointless meetings and corporate speak?

[Dbag101]

I’d normally say give it a year. I haven’t moved around jobs very much at all, but when I have, it’s been because the organisation I’ve joined, has either been about to expand it’s operations, or there has been a massive overhaul / adjustment going on. Taking a blinkered view, on too narrow a timescale, would not give much of an idea on how it’s actually going to pan out.

[wombleh]

I left last job (senior ish IT role) after 6 months as decided I’d had enough of it. Even had to pay back the starting bonus.

[Jasandjules]

Do you hate getting up for work? Sunday night you are getting annoyed? If so, bin it.

Though there is also the point that regardless of the above if you enjoy your work it is not work sooo might as well go do the role you actually enjoy... Because if corporate bull**t is not for you, then it will wear you down (hence why I am now self employed)....

[Sporky]

Start rejecting meetings.

Leave unproductive meetings partway through.

Manage your time and work to prioritise the good stuff.

[snuffy]

A few weeks.

I left a staff job once in under 3 months, because it was quite clear they were a shower of ste and no company will change for you. The only person that will change a job is you.

[Quattr04.]

Thanks, I thought 6 months would be about right

Although I don’t dread getting up in the mornings as I sit at my desk everyday I think, god is this it?

I have a qualification exam in a couple of months so I will at least stick it out for that then see I think.

It’s very different as on a sunny day I used to love being mobile, meeting customers and did actually really enjoy the job

Now it’s total opposite, inside with no site visits, endless teams calls and cooperate speak

[ALPandy90]

Quattr04. said:

I changed roles from a mobile engineer to a work from home based design engineer in October

I enjoy the actual design work but it’s probably 30% of my role with the rest filled with admin, pointless meetings and cooperate speak

It’s really getting me down, I am majorly missing being out and about and meeting customers and clients.

How long should I be giving it to bed in? Hard to believe I will get used to it, maybe I will but will I still hate all the politics?

I left the old role that I still enjoyed but felt a bit stagnant in

Without knowing more about the detail, that sounds broadly similar to my experience of design roles. Unfortunately, its unlikely to change massively. However, as noted by others, you can make adjustments by rejecting meetings (my personal rule is no agenda = no attendance) and speaking up if meetings are dragging on and becoming unproductive.

Is there an option for holding any of your meetings face to face instead of via Teams say, one or two days a week? Perhaps travel to client site(s) or offices to do this?

[Sporky]

If you do move on, it sounds like presales might work for you - a mix of technical design work and customer-facing time. Also if you're good at it and with a good employer they'll leave you alone a fair bit.

[shirt]

Corporate speak in an engineering company?

I don’t see how giving it more time will change the nature of the role. If you don’t like being in an office environment, it just won’t suit you. Sounds like a plodders role to me.

[Quattr04.]

Sporky said:

If you do move on, it sounds like presales might work for you - a mix of technical design work and customer-facing time. Also if you're good at it and with a good employer they'll leave you alone a fair bit.

Interesting I’m technically “pre sales” design but I have zero interaction with the actual customer, it’s all though the salesman.

I am considering account management as a different route, they get to do their own designs and actually spend time with the customer on site

[Sporky]

Ah - in my world that's "technical design" but I'm splitting hairs somewhat.

Best of luck!

[crofty1984]

snuffy said:

A few weeks.

I left a staff job once in under 3 months, because it was quite clear they were a shower of ste and no company will change for you. The only person that will change a job is you.

The winner at a previous job was until first break (of those that showed up). Guy started, worked until first break. Went for a walk to chat to a friend of his at a different company on our industrial estate, started working there and didn't come back.

[snuffy]

crofty1984 said:

The winner at a previous job was until first break (of those that showed up). Guy started, worked until first break. Went for a walk to chat to a friend of his at a different company on our industrial estate, started working there and didn't come back.

Had the same thing happen at a company years ago. I came back after a week off and asked where the new person was. Turned out they started on the Monday morning, went for lunch and never returned !

[Dbag101]

snuffy said:

Had the same thing happen at a company years ago. I came back after a week off and asked where the new person was. Turned out they started on the Monday morning, went for lunch and never returned !

I work in an ISO 6 environment. That’s basically a special adult romper suit, face mask, special boots and 2 pairs of nitrile gloves. It’s a bit of a palava to get in and out of the kit, as you go to breaks etc. we had a new starter, who got into the changing area, couldn’t get his head around the palava, turned around and quit. I reckon he was there for about 2 minutes. The interview process includes a trial of the gowning / de gowning routine now, whereas it didn’t previously.

[bergclimber34]

I think it depends on the role.

I have quite garbage jobs very quickly within hours several times, but usually contract stuff, poor management, awful hours, petty rules etc.

But with a "normal" job I would hope I had done enough research and gleaned enough from an interview. I have also given fairly average jobs a little time, and it rarely leads to anything better. But occasionally does.

But the best decision I made was fairly recent. Got a role at a fairly secretive defence supplier, was never able to see the role at interview or even during questions.

Turned out it was little more than basic assembly work literally wrapping tape around stuff, utterly skill less nothing whatsoever linked to decades of my experience etc. So I quit after 2 days. The lesson learned there was if you are not allowed to see what you will be doing, the environment etc don't EVER take the job. A first for me even in my 50's!

Annoyingly I missed out several other roles during the waiting process, which is the part that really ticked me off.