What Should You Do When You are in a Wrong Job Role? | Digital Asia

Let's say that finding a job is just like pouring milk into a glass. Sometimes it fills in perfectly, but sometimes you might spill it so you have to clean up the mess. It is just the same when you go to a job interview and the hiring manager says that you get the job, but duh! Only later, you realise that you have been placed in the wrong position. Or worse, it is your own error that you mistakenly apply for the wrong role.

You find the job is stressing you out and giving you an involuntary panic attack on Mondays. Staying in the job for any longer won't be easy, as this might affect your mental and physical health as well. Working in the wrong position can be a real pain in the neck as you have to wake up every morning and spend 5 days a week dealing with things that will take your happiness away.

Nonetheless, you know that finding a new job can be tough nowadays. Therefore, you still need to take a responsibility because you have engaged yourself with the job for quite some time. Upon finding that you might have been working in the wrong career path, the best thing you can do is stay positive while looking for a way out and better option. Here's what you can do when stuck in similar condition:

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When you realise that the recruiter might have put you in the wrong place, you can take back your application by calling the HR manager who proceeds your application and tell him the problem.

However, you can only do this when you have not signed the deal and engaged yourself in the job. If you already sign the contract and involve yourself in the job, you can read the next points.

• Talk politely to the recruiter

As soon as realising that you have applied for the wrong position while you have been set up for an interview, you can either talk to the recruiter politely about the mistake you made by giving him a call or dropping an email. You can also choose not to come to the interview session altogether.

However, the first option is preferable and more ethical. Telling the recruiter honestly that you have been mistakenly applying for the wrong position is much better because it will show that you are a responsible and professional person.

• Self-examine your situation

The truth is, it will not be good to put your 2 or 3 months working experience in your CV as the recruiter will see you as a job-hopper. They will ask you bunch of question such as “Why did you work in X company for only 3 months?”, “What happened?”, or “What made you quit your last job?”

So sit down and take a step back for a moment. Before getting rush to quit or change your current job, you should take a moment to puzzle out whether it is the career that you don't like or just its working environment.

Discover the exact reason of your discontent. If it is the environment or the coworker that you don't like, maybe there is a way to change them or adapt with them. But if it is the nature of the job that truly makes you unhappy, then it is time to start a job search because there is no use of wasting your time for jobs you don't like.

• Try to “like” the work

If unexpected turn of events happen but you don't want to leave your job yet, you can ask yourself questions proposed by Whitney Johnson to help you feel motivated:

• What skills have helped you thrive?
• What makes you feel strong?
• What made you stand out as a child?
• What compliments do you tend to ignore?

Yet, if the questions above still cannot help reduce your anxiety about the job, you can proceed to the next step.

People will always need an advice and here you are, in the position when you need some proper advices. By asking advice, it will either thrive your happiness and productivity or open up your mind to a new idea that you really need.

It is good if your workplace has a career advisor so it will be easy for you to share your problems. However, if your workplace does not provide an advisor, you might need to see a private advisor. However, if you don't want to spend your money for such professional advisor, you can always ask your colleague's opinion regarding your dilemma.

If you think that the points above cannot help you, then doing a career switch can be the best option to take. As Paul F. Davis said, “If you don't feel it, flee from it. Go where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated.”

When you do want to conduct a career change, you should do it step by step. Do not quit from your current job immediately because you still need the paycheck to suppport your life. Instead, you can do online search and take a day leave from your current job when you need to go for an interview. Only when you are sure that you get the new job, you can resign from your current job.

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