We believe that there is a job for everyone. Somewhere, there is a job where the employee can do her very best work and an employer who needs that employee and will value their contribution. As deeply as we hold this belief, we don’t think that it’s very easy for employees to find their dream job or for employers to find their dream employee (although we spend all of our time, effort, and energy doing just that!).
Sometimes a job is a bad match for you, the employee. And sometimes you are a bad match for the job. There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with a temporary assignment that isn’t right for you. Start here:
Don’t Quit or Walk Off the Job!
If you aren’t happy in your temporary assignment, don’t quit or walk off the job. By quitting or walking off the job, you damage your relationship with your staffing firm. They sent you in good faith to the position, and you need to treat them fairly. By not walking off the job you preserve that relationship and you greatly increase the odds that you can be employed on other assignments.
By quitting without notice or walking off an assignment, you might leave the company in a bad spot—especially if they need you there to complete the work you were hired to perform. Be polite. Be professional. Be courteous. And stick it out—at least until the staffing firm can find another position for you and another employee for the position.
But while you are sticking it out, call your staffing office.
Call Your Staffing Office!
Call your staffing office and explain to them why you are unhappy on your current assignment. Tell them that even though you are unhappy, that you are committed to completing the day, and that you will give them reasonable notice to find another employee to fill the position you have now. By giving your staffing firm notice, you give them time to find a replacement. You also give them time to find another assignment that may better fit your needs.
Remember, until you are hired full time, you work for the staffing firm. By making this call, you demonstrate the professionalism and courtesy that ensures that you are considered for future assignments.
Share Your Feedback
Share your feedback as to what you liked about the assignment, what you didn’t like, and what kind of an assignment might be a better fit for you. Your feedback will help your staffing firm find an assignment that may better fit you, and it will also help them know who might be better fit for the assignment that you are leaving.
This is the best formula for effectively dealing with an assignment that isn’t right for you. It protects your relationship with your staffing firm. It protects their relationship with their client. And it gives you both a way to work together more effectively in the future.
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