Employment advice and work tips: I just got my dream job
I applied for a job that seemed like a fundamental fit for me. I was delighted to be offered this role a few weeks ago. I didn’t start, but I was informed that many people who played an important role in hiring me had resigned. There was no hint of this during the hiring process.
This worries me. It almost feels like there’s a secret I’m not being told. I’m also worried that these are people who decided to give me a chance and now they’re all about to leave. Am I fussing over anything?
This would be a shock, and I don’t blame you for suddenly feeling like you’re on unstable ground. A resignation would be surprising enough. More than one is quite unusual.
I think you have a good chance of arriving on day one and getting your desired briefing within a few hours. But it seems strange that no one calls you or sends you an email with even the beginning of an explanation.
For now, let’s assume that you pick up on a strong feeling very early on that no explanation is forthcoming. If that’s the case, there are probably two main ways to approach this.
The first is to demand an explanation; Ask questions to get the answers you deserve. And you deserve these. Most of your experiences with this organization involve people who are currently about to leave. This isn’t something you or your employer can brush off as unimportant.
Unless this is a sensitive topic, I hope you will discover that the lack of information is just an oversight.
The problem with this approach is that there are many different reasons why someone might leave a job. Some of these are personal and can be painful; They may contain details that we all have the right to keep private.
So coming in with all guns blazing is risky. This may get you deeper into this mystery more quickly, but if the reasons turn out to be complex or sensitive (if the HR team is reasonably restrained) you may be perceived as inconsiderate.
The second option is to use the next few days to observe. Do you keep your eyes and ears open to see how others engage with or talk about said colleagues? Is it all sympathetic whispering and careful tiptoeing? Or is the atmosphere airier than that?
If it’s the former, you may need to be patient. Those responsible for internal communications may need more time to make sure the proverbial Is and Ts are dotted and crossed. If it’s the latter, perhaps you can move on to a gentle investigation.
Unless this is a sensitive topic, I hope you will discover that the lack of information is just an oversight. That you weren’t left in the dark for some sinister reason, but because you escaped through an administrative crack. This is really frustrating and you should expect better, but this alone is not a major employer mistake.
I know this may sound overly optimistic as you anxiously await your first day.
Unless there is a very specific reason, any resignation raises questions about an organization’s desirability, its culture, its ability to meet the expectations of its employees. And if there are no clear and satisfying answers to these questions, it can become worrying to watch others give up. Multiple events in a short period of time naturally exacerbate this anxiety.
So no, you’re not getting unnecessarily alarmed. You have every reason to doubt where there once was enthusiasm. And if (as you alluded to in your email) you were expecting one or more of these people to act as your advocate or mentor during the critical first few months of your study, I can understand how you might feel abandoned.
But my final advice is, don’t despair just yet.
There may be an explanation for these departures that has nothing to do with the quality of your new workplace. It may even include a plan to make sure you’re not left stranded. And even if the logic behind these resignations is a little disturbing, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being deceived.
Try to keep the worst-case scenarios out of your mind for now. Please let us know when you learn more.
Jonathan Rivett is a writer living in Melbourne. He’s been writing about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.
