Leaving early isn't unprofessional in of itself. There are unprofessional ways to leave though, regardless of tenure, so don't do that. Make sure you're polite, don't focus too much on the negatives, hand things over properly, serve out your notice period if you have one contractually or legally.
Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
11–20 of 288 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#12From your description it looks like a most unprofessionally operating company.
So leaving is your best means of maintaining your professionalism.
Since you did make several attempts at improving things, its not as if you gave up on them without trying.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#13It's not at all unprofessional. Do, however, consider that chaos and bad practices are the normal operation procedures for most companies in the world.
What you can choose is how you react to it. Expending energy trying to fight the chaos of an organisation is wasted energy. Waste to the org and you. Why give them free stuff?
Leaving is a valid and good choice and I've chosen this in the past a few times. Beware the grass is greener effect and be prepared to encounter similar distinction elsewhere!
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#14No but you need to figure out how you could have found out about this disfunction in the interview process and apply it to your new job search, else you risk ending up in a similar situation again
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#15If the environment doesn't work for you just leave. Your employer would have no problem letting you go if you weren't a "culture fit".
Maybe try to find ways to screen future employers better during the interview process. For each place you leave, you learn something about where you don't want to work.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#16It's not at all unprofessional. Do, however, consider that chaos and bad practices are the normal operation procedures for most companies in the world. What you can choose is how you react to it. Expending energy trying to fight the chaos of an organisation is wasted energy. Waste to the org and you. Why give them free stuff? Leaving is a valid and good choice and I've chosen this in the past a few times. Beware the…
Yeah, that -together with going through all the interviews/take homes/etc again- is the biggest inhibitor. Dunno, maybe it's time to start considering a total career change. I'm fed up with the actual reality of doing SW engineering for a living.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#17Not unprofessional at all. From your description there is an issue with your current workplace culture.
Bad work culture affects mental health and personal life. It's important to take care of yourself.
If your workplace is not willing to fix that it's perfectly fine to look for a change.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#18No, it's your life.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#19No. Thinking of doing similar myself. Just biding my time while I line up another job.
Re: Ask HN: Is it unprofessional to leave a new job where everything is a mess?
#20Professionalism doesn't even come into it. You're under no obligation whatsoever to even tell them why you're leaving but if you do, you're doing them a favour. If they know what's good for them they'll have exit interviews but I doubt that's a thing they do if they're not willing to hear you out or fix things when you're actively working for them.