15 People Shared Why They Quit Their Jobs On The First Day
Have you ever started a job that wasn't what you expected? In an online discussion, people who quit their jobs on the first day were asked to share their experiences. For the following fifteen people, their first day was their last.
1. The Company Was Unregistered
Companies usually vet their applicants, but we hardly ever consider that we need to verify how legitimate a business is before accepting the job. One person said, “Turned out the ‘company' was not a registered business and had no license to operate.”
2. They Lied About Their Shifts
When a company assigns you working hours, you'd expect those to be the actual hours you'd be expected to work. One woman shared, “On my first day, I learned that they lied about which shifts I'd have in the interview. I'd be expected to basically run the restaurant alone on graveyard shift after only a week of training.”
3. Having to Buy Water From The Kitchen
You'd imagine that after working hours in a hot kitchen, you'd have the freedom to have a drink of water, but that isn't the case for everyone. One man said, “Sweating like crazy in the kitchen on a hot summer day. Asked for a glass of water, and the owner made me pay for it. Finished my shift and never went back.”
4. Getting Hit By a Customer
We all want to feel safe and comfortable wherever we work. If you're assaulted on the first day of work, then your first day should definitely be your last. One woman said, “On the first day, an old lady slapped me for cutting her fabric too slowly. I was like, this isn't the job for me.”
5. Extremely Hostile Manager
Respect is a two-way street, and that includes with your managers. You shouldn't work somewhere if you aren't respected and valued. One man said, “I showed up to work the first day and heard the manager screaming at a couple of 16-year-old cashiers. Said nope, not for me. Told the girls they should quit too.”
6. Staff Were Mean to Kids
If the staff at the company you're hired at are creating a toxic work environment, you should get out as soon as you can. One woman shared, “I worked at a daycare for one day. They put me in the 3-year-old room with two other staff members. The staff members were so mean to the kids.”
7. Questionable Working Environment
If you find red flags at the company you work for on the first day, there's seriously no reason to continue working there. One woman commented, “Worked for a pain management clinic. They didn't let me take a lunch or any type of break, told me I couldn't wear protection in the x-ray room because that was “only for patients and the doctor,” and then told me that a lot of the time the doctor is out so I could write out the scripts and forge his signature. Obviously, I didn't go back.”
8. Unfair Working Hours
If a company keeps you back for hours after your shift ends on the first day, it's fair to assume they won't respect your working hours. One woman said, “I was told I would be working basically a 9-5, which I was perfectly happy with. That day, I didn't get off until 10 PM. I texted my boss as I got off and said they wouldn't be seeing me again.”
9. Not Physically Capable
If you're taking a job as a caretaker, you must ensure you're physically capable of caring for the patients. One woman shared, “I was on my last day of training as a caretaker for individuals with special needs. I am a 110-pound woman. After training, when I was due to start the next day, they informed me my patient would be a 200-pound man who sometimes “acts out and gets physical.” Blocked their number and never came back.”
10. Unhealthy Working Environment
Every organization should provide employees with safety gear. If they don't do the bare minimum to look out for you on the first day, they probably never will. One man said, “Was sorting at a recycling center. They had no dust masks, and I could not breathe. I left to go to the hospital when they would not call for medical help. Never came back.”
11. It Was a Scam
Imagine finding out that the company you work for is actually a scam. That's enough to make anyone head back out the door on the first day. One man commented, “I got a job at a call center, which I thought was 411. When they had us answer the phone, we had to say, ‘Hello, this is 411 directory assistance'. Turned out the Direct Assistance part was included in their company name and had nothing to do with the 411 we all know. Got gaslighted into working for a literal scam.”
12. Left Alone on The First Day
Everyone expects to be trained and supported on their first day. If you're left to handle the business on the first day, that should tell you everything you need to know about that company. One woman said, “The first day, the manager ran me quickly through morning duties.. then handed me the keys to the safe, the front doors, etc, and just left ( he was meeting a girl for a lunch date). I was not trained on cash or anything.”
13. Exploited The Elderly
Your job should never force you to compromise your ethics. If you're employed somewhere that makes you question the ethics of the staff, you shouldn't continue to work there. One woman said, “Worked at a nursing home where they charged the elderly residents extra on their bill to have a bath as opposed to a shower. Quit on the spot.”
14. Tips Were Being Pooled
For service workers, tips are essential to supplement their income. If you're hired at a service job and find out your tips aren't yours to keep, no one would blame you for walking out on the first day. One man shared, “They told me (after the shift started) that the tips were pooled with all staff, including the manager. So I never showed up for the dinner service.”
15. Misrepresented Job Expectations
You should clearly know what to expect on your first work day. If you get there and they've entirely misrepresented what they expect from you, no one would blame you for leaving. One woman said, “I was told one weekend a month for on-call, arrived on the first day, and it was one weekend a month of actually working (not just on-call) plus on-call two other weekends. I told my supervisor that this wasn't what I signed up for and that I wouldn't be back for day 2.”
This post was inspired by this thread.
She started her blog, The Money Dreamer, when she realized the 9-5 job was not the lifestyle she wanted anymore. After designing for a while, she wanted a more meaningful life, which was freedom, so she decided to venture out. She took action so that she can live her dream life and decided to help people to live theirs by helping them how to save, budget, and invest.