We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Professionalism, even in a contract job, really matters. Your reliability and your commitment are what people will remember about you and your work. If you are not professional enough to work through challenges on a job, people will remember. And the truth is that you never know when you will need a reference or the good word of a past employer.  

That said, sometimes a job isn’t what you expected it to be. Perhaps it’s the wrong fit for your skillset. Or maybe it’s more demanding or out of scope than what it was presented in the interview process. Whatever may be the problem, you can do things to avoid ghosting an employer. You should never walk off a job if you decide you don’t like it. Here are three things you can do instead.  

Check-in With Your Recruiter 

Sometimes, a neutral third party can help you understand where the problems are. They can also help you communicate dispassionately with the contract employer to help make sure that both parties’ needs are met. If it’s not a good fit, then the recruiter can help offboard you and even place you on a more appropriate assignment. But abandoning your post will let the client down and put the staffing agency in a very difficult position. Communicating with your recruiter transparently about the unmet expectations will help them be prepared to make a change if there is a clear need.  

Have an Expectations Conversation 

If you are struggling with a job, sometimes it’s important to have a conversation around roles and expectations with the hiring manager themselves. It’s best to check in with the recruiter first to not raise any alarms. But with their support, you should be frank and honest about how a role is not working for you and why. There might be an opportunity to rescope the work, or maybe it’s clear that more than one contractor is required to meet the needs of the project. If a role is miss scoped, that’s information that a hiring manager needs to hear. They can work with you and the staffing agency to better understand the path to success for everyone involved.  

Give it time 

Sometimes, professionalism means following through on your commitments. If a job isn’t everything you expected, sometimes the answer is being patient. Give the work a little time to become something you want it to be. You may be surprised at how much influence you can have over a job. Your skills and your interests will help drive the work in ways that can make it more interesting to you in the long term. So if you get frustrated one day, take a break. Walk it off. But come back to it with fresh eyes the next day and see where you can make small improvements on your own. You never know what opportunities you can create for yourself if you give up on something too early.  

If you are looking for temporary jobs near me, connect with the team at All-Star Personnel today.