The Two Month Gig

I don't even think I had this job for 2 months, maybe 7 weeks?  Back in the mid 90s, I got bored with my job at Old Line and went to a bank called M&I.  I was offered better money and I thought well I'll be in the heart of downtown.  The job was working in the mortgage department.

I did not know what I was doing and I hated it.  I had horrible training and I felt lost every day that I went in. I so regretted leaving Old Line.  The woman who trained me was just crabby and didn't want to be bothered so I was left alone to figure things out.  I couldn't.

What made it worse is that they gave all the employees some type of review maybe a couple of weeks before I left and they told me I needed to ask more questions. I thought well don't put me with someone who is a crabby bitch.  I had gotten a call from one of the jobs that I had applied for and they wanted to talk to me again. 

It was a farther drive but when I interviewed, the atmosphere felt more comfortable.  It was a smaller office and I asked about training.  I felt more reassured when he said that he would work with me on the training part so when I got offered the job, I took it.

Here's the bad part. I didn't give 2 weeks notice.  I lied to the place that hired me and said I'll give them 2 weeks but I was afraid if I told them that I was leaving, they would let me go on the spot.  It happened at my first job and it just stuck with me ever since.

I called the night before I started my new job and let them know that I wasn't coming back. I didn't give an explanation why.  I did mention that I didn't get trained properly and I'm done.  

For two days, they tried calling me and when I called back, the human resources person laid into me and asked me if I had another job.  I told her I did.  She told me that I should have talked to them if I felt that way.

Did I handle the situation badly?  Yeah. I did.  I need a paycheck and was afraid of getting fired on the spot.  I felt unqualified and just overwhelmed for the position.  Changing jobs is hard and if you feel like you're not cut out for it, what do you do?  No, I shouldn't have gotten yelled at by human resources.  She was a little too much and they should have talked to the managers about the training.  It's been many years ago.  I had gotten asked on interviews after that about why I stayed two months and I said I had gotten an offer from the next company that fit my needs better.  In other words, they actually took the time to train you properly and were nice about it.

I'm always amazed when I hear someone that just started is leaving and their last day will be on a certain date.  You mean people don't bolt?  I guess that's what grown ups do.  Or people not afraid of missing a paycheck.


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