Is it too soon to quit this hellish job?

Q: I accepted what seemed to be a great job. Nine weeks later, the smoke and mirrors are gone, and I see that I'm working for a CEO who won't trust people enough to let them do their jobs. My direct boss has such dramatic mood swings that I don't know if the day will be a good or bad one. I now understand why the company's turnover rate is 80 percent. Almost everyone has been here less than a year.

I want to leave, but I'm worried about how it will look that I'm job hunting again so soon. What's your advice?

NICK'S REPLY: During your interviews, did you meet with any of the people you would be working with as opposed to just the bosses? That's one way to avoid surprises from a new job. It's very important to get to know other members of the team and to use your meetings to find out the truth about what a place is like to work in. But that's advice for next time ...

I'd give this at least six months, but I'd start a low-level job search now. Kick it into higher gear if things continue to deteriorate. Sometimes it takes awhile to establish credibility with management. As this situation develops, and as you are also creating backup job opportunities, you may find yourself ready to push back at the CEO and your boss to see whether they take you seriously. If you can gain concessions, you may find reasons to stay. If you can't, well, then you'll be ready to make a move out the door.

Don't worry about explaining this short stay. Just tell the truth. Keep it brief and to the point. Don't complain, don't explain. In today's rough-and-tumble business world, people know that some companies aren't great to work for. Not everyone will be surprised you left this company so soon, if that's what happens.

It's not unusual to get disillusioned about a new job. Give this a chance, because your position may improve with a little time.

THE HEADHUNTER TIP: You have to say it.

Too often, a candidate leaves a job interview convinced he did well. He wants the job and thinks the interviewer knows it. But he has not explicitly told the interviewer he wants the job.

The interviewer knows you want the job only if you tell him you want the job. It doesn't matter what comments you successfully "slipped into the conversation" to make him think you want the job. You have to say it.

Look the interviewer in the eye and make the commitment. Say it.

Keep in mind that until a company makes you an offer, the ball is not in your court. You have no real decision to make until an offer is presented to you. Completing an interview without letting the interviewer know you want an offer is like playing basketball without ever trying to make a basket. You can't just dribble and pass. You have to shoot.

THE HEADHUNTER CHALLENGE

Should you take a promotion without a raise?

In this down economy, your employer has put all salary increases on hold. But the company is still giving promotions, though without pay increases. Should you push for a promotion without the pay increase, or should you wait until the company returns to its normal policy so you can get both a promotion and a raise?

POLL

1. Wait it out. Why work harder without more pay?

2. Apply for a promotion but insist on a raise.

3. Try for a promotion anyway and use it to improve your skills.

4. Find a better employer and move on.

Cast your vote for The Headhunter Challenge poll and read The Headhunter's expert opinion online at www.appealdemocrat.com.

Write to Nick at P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833; or www.asktheheadhunter.com.

COMMENTARY

This is a choice you must make for yourself, but I don't see any reason to either decline or avoid pursuing a promotion during a downturn.

If your concern is that you might have to work harder without more pay, consider who is most likely to be rewarded when business goes up again.

But your hesitation is understandable. I know it's discouraging to miss out on a promotion over things you can't control, to take a pay cut, to take on more work or to lose a bonus. Business is not good right now. There just isn't as much money to go around. But remember that compensation is more than money. Assuming your company wants to keep you in these hard times, you have an opportunity to get paid in other ways.

Why take on more responsibility without getting paid for it? Pay comes in different forms — and at different times. A higher title is a form of compensation because it can translate into more money when you change employers. This is also a good time to ask for a new assignment you've always wanted. New responsibilities usually entail more education, whether it's formal or on-the-job. A promotion can result in the development of new skills. There's stored value in all of that. While it's not clear when you'll be able to trade on that newfound value, it's certain that you'll be more valuable for taking on new challenges.

A good company will promote good workers even when it can't pay them more money, and it will make it up to them when business gets better. If the cash payoff doesn't ultimately come, aren't you better off with a higher-level title and new skills when you go looking for a better company?

Your employer is telling you one of two things. It's taking advantage of the bad economy to get you to work harder without paying you what you deserve. Or it's maintaining its integrity and yours by paying you the one way it can: by recognizing your value with a promotion until it can give you more cash.

You could just quit and go to another company, but remember that all companies face this economy.

I think the two questions you need to ask are: "Do I trust the people who run this company?" and "How much can I increase my value by taking on a new challenge, even if I don't get paid for it right now?"