Handling a Difficult Job?

You've landed that part-time, full-time or freelance virtual job. Good for you! You've started and you're a few days or weeks into it, and you realize that for whatever reason you can't handle it. Maybe you just don't like what you're doing at all; maybe you are having a really hard time juggling children, job, and other responsibilities. Maybe you've bit off more than you can chew, or maybe you simply don’t want to do it anymore - working from home just isn't for you. What should you do?

First off, you cannot just bail on the job. It's not fair to your employer, and it certainly doesn't make you look good. If it's a freelance, one time only project, see if you can power your way through it, produce good results, and make a note to yourself to be more careful about the projects you bid on. If it's an ongoing freelance job, you need to treat it the way someone would if they had an ongoing part or full- time position. In that case, you must communicate the problem to your employer as soon as possible. This might be uncomfortable, but it's better than letting things get worse and finding yourself in a real bind.

Before you quit, ask yourself if maybe you're just going through a short-lived phase. Perhaps you are not fond of the particular work you are doing at that time, but you like other aspects of the job, that make up for it. Maybe you need to schedule your day better so that you don't have so many job/family/other conflicts to deal with. If you know for certain that you want out of the job, treat it the same way you would a "real" job. Because, truly, your virtual job is just as real and important. 

Depending on how you normally communicate with your boss or supervisor, call or email him/her immediately. Explain that the position is not working for you and offer to stay at the job until a suitable replacement can be found or give as much advance notice as you possibly can. If you are staying on the job for a short time, treat the last few days with respect and finish on a positive note.

Not every job works out for everybody. If you find yourself in the position of having to quit a job, handle leaving in the best way possible.

Posted:Friday, September 07, 2007