It is a fact that quitting a job is not easier. You must be mentally prepared to quit and put forth a professional resignation letter, and you must consider your financial position before quitting a job. You will not be getting your salary until you find a new job, and this must be taken into consideration before submitting the resignation letter. Also, most companies do not allow immediate resignation, and the employee must provide a notice period of a minimum of two weeks before they quit. Now, quitting a normal job is fine, but quitting a job you just started and in which you are undergoing orientation is difficult and can have consequences. In this article, we will see what consequences quitting a job early has and quitting during orientation.
What is orientation, and can you quit a job during it?
Think of orientation for a job like a trailer to a movie. You will get to know how the job functions, what work you are supposed to do, what the company expects from you, and what you can expect from your company. This is the getting-to-know event between the office and recruits, and it can serve as a measure of how prepared you must be before attending this job. It also serves as a means for the company to get to know the potential of the recruits and help them design tasks that suit the employees better. So, orientation is an important step in a joining process, but is it okay to quit a job during orientation, and can you quit during the process?
While it is not recommended to quit a job you just started, sometimes the situation is such. For example, you may be in a position not to afford to attend the job any further. The orientation is specifically designed for that purpose. It gives you an insight into the job before you begin the work. So, it only makes sense that if you decide not to go for the job after attending the orientation and feel unimpressed or feel this job would not suit your interests. This is the time which makes you decide whether this job is the one or not. Hence, it is completely ok not to feel the same way you felt about a job after orientation.
So, you decide you are going to quit the job. You can quit, and it is okay to quit a job during orientation too. However, maybe you have had a better offer elsewhere, or you lost interest in the job after attending the orientation, or you do not want to work and might want to take a break or study further. Whatever the reason is, there is no right time to quit a job. It depends on how you feel and if you want to resign. That said, quitting a job this early can have some consequences that you must be ready to face.
What are the consequences?
- You may be required to pay a bond. If the company and you enter a training agreement when you join it, then if you leave before the period ends, it may result in you paying a defined amount to break the bond. This may affect you financially. The reason companies do this is to stop people from quitting a job they just started, as the company has invested time and money in recruiting them.
- The company may provide a black mark to your name. If you quit during orientation, then the company has the right to provide you with a black mark. This may stop you from getting selected in the same company again, or their partner companies as well.
- Quitting a job early does not look good on your resume. One of the mandatory questions that an interviewer asks is the reason you quit your previous job. And since you have resigned from the job so early, this might not be a good impression on the interviewers.
Is it worth it to quit a job during orientation?
Quitting a job can inevitably have consequences, but the reason for the resignation is what matters the most. If you genuinely feel this job isn’t for you, it is okay to quit a job or feel you need some more time before getting into the work phase of life or changing your mind to study further. It comes down to you and your reason to quit a job, and it is completely okay to do so. If you have decided to quit the job, then the process is simple.
- Draft a resignation letter.
- The letter must be a professional one, but also can include to an extent the reasons for your resignation.
- Unless you cannot help it, try to hand over the letter in person. This will help your reputation as being professional. You can also explain your reasons more clearly in person than in the letter.
- If the company insists on a notice period, then you must continue working till that notice period ends, after you submit your resignation letter.
Some of the things you must make sure of are, as discussed earlier, your financial situation. Quitting this job should not leave you struggling for money, and you should reconsider the decision if you do not have another source of income or another job-ready. The most important thing is you should make sure you do not feel regret after quitting the job. It is quite easy to have regret and guilt since you quit the job so early, but in fact, it is a decision you made after careful consideration. Finally, learn from this experience, and in the future, try not to repeat it, as it can leave many more blackmarks. Know everything about a job even before you accept it and accept only after you think more than twice about all the consequences of going for a job. Good luck and all the best in your future endeavors!
Here are some FAQs and doubts you may have.
- Is it legal to quit a job during an orientation?
It is always legal to quit a job whenever you want to, especially if you have a valid reason. The only consequence is that you may have to pay money to quit or may have to face a black mark once you quit.
- How do I say I want to quit a job during orientation?
Draft a resignation letter. It must be professional, but also cite the reasons you want to quit. Then, hand over the letter in person to your manager and explain the reasons to them personally. Make it seem that you have tried your absolute best, and this is the final decision you have come to.
- Can I quit the job as soon as I hand in my resignation letter?
That depends on the company. Since this is an orientation, the company may let you go early. But in some cases, you might have to provide a notice letter of a minimum of two weeks after you submit your resignation letter.
- Is it professionally ok to quit a job during orientation?
While it is not common, orientation tells you what a job is and whether you will fit in for the job. It is not professionally ok to quit a job during orientation, as it does not look impressive when you go for your next job. Personally, if you feel you have no other way, then it is completely fine to quit the job.
- What are the things that I must consider before resigning?
Make sure that the consequences are accounted for before making the decision. You must also be aware of your financial stability before quitting, as you will be without income till you find your next job. It is always advised to quit a job only after you have a backup job-ready. Finally, ask yourself whether you have thought this through and you have done everything from your side, and this decision was an inevitable one. These are the things that must be considered before you officially resign.
