When you accepted your new job, it seemed like the perfect fit. But after a few months, you realize it’s just not for you. Even though you just started, you’re already thinking about jumping ship — but you don’t want it to look bad on your resume.

It’s a question many professionals have asked: how soon can you leave a job?

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer.

Depends on your industry

It varies greatly from industry-to-industry. For example, the average tenure for an IT professional at Google is 1.9 years. For Facebook, it’s 2.2 years — and that’s considered a long retention rate in Silicon Valley. Conversely, other industries, like human resources or accounting, may view anything less than 1-2 years as too short.

Depends on the company you want to leave

If that organization has a bad reputation in the industry, other employers may forgive your early departure. The same can be said for organizational leadership — if your boss is known for their volatile management style, other hiring managers will be more understanding if you’re exploring other opportunities.

Try to tough it out

Of course, there are many acceptable reasons for leaving a job early, like a hostile working environment or harassment. But in general, try to give it six months to one year before you decide to bail.

Things could seem rough in the beginning of a job, but most of the time it gets better. You learn how to work with your new coworkers, get used to the management style of your new boss, and eventually, things start to come together.

Sometimes, you just HAVE to leave

Ultimately, life’s too short to be unhappy at work. You spend more time at work than with your family, so it doesn’t make sense to be miserable at your job.

If you decide that you must leave your new job early, here are a few guidelines to follow:

Don’t make it a habit

One short job on your resume isn’t a big deal. But, if there’s a pattern of early exits, it will raise big red flags for potential employers.

Have an acceptable excuse

“I hate it there” isn’t a good reason to tell a hiring manager why you want to leave your job. Better reasons to leave your new job early would be:

• No growth opportunities
• Hostile working environment
• Job wasn’t as described in the job description

Work with a recruiter

Most hiring managers will be understanding of your reasons for leaving a job early. But, you may not get a chance to explain yourself. The hiring manager will only have your resume to go from in the beginning. If they see that you’ve only been there six months, there’s a good chance you won’t be brought in for an interview — unless you have someone on your side to explain your situation.

A recruiter can be your biggest advocate. When we present candidates with short stints on their resumes, we can easily explain away any concerns they may have about my candidates’ desire to move on so soon. Sometimes, having that extra help with your job search can make all the difference.

Contact us today to speak with a recruiter, or search our available jobs.