How long to stay at a job you don't like?

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2011

yes. plus, thank god you do not have to show up to work there often. if you have to work more then one day a week and the position is dangerous, then quitting now (while on probation) is a good time. you do not have to wait 6 months.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Feb 11, 2011

Why wait?

PAERRN20 · Feb 11, 2011

yes. plus, thank god you do not have to show up to work there often. if you have to work more then one day a week and the position is dangerous, then quitting now (while on probation) is a good time. you do not have to wait 6 months.

i don't recall there being a probation period for casual positions. i feel like i at least owe them 6 months since they did give me 3 days paid training. i suppose when i quit there will be no surprise with all the staff leaving.

PAERRN20 · Feb 11, 2011

Why wait?

I'm waiting because this position is a supervisor position and I would like to have that on my resume, so I think 6 months is the minimum I should stick it out.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2011

i'm waiting because this position is a supervisor position and i would like to have that on my resume, so i think 6 months is the minimum i should stick it out.

i was thinking that you are working bedside. in any case, 6 months is ok... a year would be better if you want to add this to experience. otherwise you can leave now.

my understanding is that all positions have a probationary period. talk to hr to see what that is for per diem employees. casual or not, an employer usually has a set time frame to get rid of an employee without a lot of drama and employees have a small window to quit without a lot of problems as well.

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 11, 2011

I'm waiting because this position is a supervisor position and I would like to have that on my resume, so I think 6 months is the minimum I should stick it out.

Your plan sounds very reasonable to me. It would be good experience to have on your resume.

Zaphod, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2011

6 months is reasonable. I have hated my new job since day one but I feel I do owe them for training but as soon as 6 mo mark is here, Ill write that letter with a smile.

badphish · Feb 11, 2011

90 days to one year

steelydanfan · Feb 11, 2011

I would say that the length of stay is TOTALLY predicated on whether or not you feel you are effective at your job. The day that question answers "no"; put in your 2 weeks notice. At that point, you are doing yourself and no one else ANY service at all.

Your short-timers syndrome kicks in once you think "this is no longer for me"; and you will make enemies, hand out flawed evaluations and look at EVERYTHING in a skewed perspective.

Just go. Your mind-set will be apparent in ways that you could not have imagined; and could come back to haunt you.

slackula · Feb 11, 2011

I think you should just go also. That place sounds like trouble. It is always better to quit while you are ahead.

ocean waves · Feb 11, 2011

Hello. Good luck on your decision on if or when you will resign from your current PRN job. "Old School" of thought about how long to stay at a professional job one does not like was to stay one year (in order to establish a good job reference.). There was only one time when I did not stick with a job for at least a year. The exception was when I resigned from a nursing job after working only two months because the employer had not told me the truth about my expected weekly work hours. My understanding in my interview was that I had agreed to work in a part-time, patient education, salaried position with a requirement to work 24 hours per week. During my first week of employment, my supervisor stated that "...as a part-time, salaried employee I was expected to work 40 hours per week because she was a full time salaried employee and she worked 60 hours every week...". Best wishes to you.