What To Do When Your Job Does Not Match Your Expectation

Shaved ice is a very popular dessert in Hawaii. It is cold, sweet, comes with many different flavors and colors. As much as I enjoy sweet treats, I would choose other cold desserts before shaved ice.

That was until I was introduced to another kind of shaved ice. See, I only knew about the traditional Hawaiian shaved ice. It is usually made from a regular block of ice, shaved and carved into small pieces, piled up in a mound, and different flavored syrup is added to your desired palate. Taiwanese shaved ice, on the other hand, mixes the flavoring with the ice block before the whole thing freezes. The resulted shaved ice is fluffy and rich in flavor.

Once I had a taste of the Taiwanese-style shaved ice, I knew that was what I preferred. Before I venture out to a new shaved ice place, I do my research to see what kind of shaved ice they serve, otherwise I may get Hawaiian instead of Taiwanese shaved ice.

What if it is your job that we are talking about? As attending physicians, you are envisioning your job to be a certain way. You expected to work within certain hours. You expected what the scope of your work entailed. You expected how you would interact with your patients. What if some of those expectations turn out not to be your reality? How would you feel?

Before going any further, realize that it is not your fault. Sometimes, no matter how much research you do, how many questions you ask, there are going to be unexpected things related to your job, or things you have not thought of.

At this point, some of you may feel trapped in a job you do not desire and think there is no way to get out. Some of you may feel disgusted and want to leave your position right away. Some of you may think the current situation is somewhat acceptable. Before drowning in the world of despair, explore your options. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is the unexpected situation acceptable to you?

Let me use myself as an example. The biggest discrepancy between my expectation and the realistic situation was my work hours. While my job description included a typical outpatient clinic day to be 8 hours of seeing patients, I anticipated two extra hours for phone calls, results review and other administrative duties. It turned out that I was working way more than that, on average, four to five hours after hours a day. The actual situation was not acceptable to me, but I thought there were no other options for me. Jobs in the area would be similar, and I was not ready to relocate.

2. Is there anything you can do to change your job situation (before changing your job)?

For years, I just passively accepted the fact that I was working more hours than I expected. That resentment far outweighed my love for taking care of my patients. I did not do anything to change my situation, partly because I did not think there was anything I could do. I also did not think I had the luxury or the time to do something about it – although I knew clearly that I would enjoy caring for patients again if only I could go home at a decent hour.

Identify the main problem of the unexpected outcome of your job, and explore the possibilities of solving the problem. It may involve you doing things differently, or it may be a discussion with the administrative team to alter the terms and conditions.

3. By solving or at least ameliorating the main problem, aka the unexpected factor, will you be able to at least feel neutral about your job, or even enjoy it?

I enjoyed the doctor-patient relationship. I actually enjoyed many things about my job – except for the work hours. That alone was enough to make me think about quitting my job many times. By being more efficient in charting, I was able to cut down on my work hours. Being able to consistently go home at most 1.5 hours after clinic hours are done is transformational. I started to feel alive, to live in the present, and to have time with my family. Long story short, I am enjoying work and life outside of work.

The above three questions will help you consider if you are staying at your current job or finding another position. No matter what your decision will be, it will be a learning experience. You will have a better idea of what you want in a job. Who knows, you may want to create your own job – be your own boss – some day…or now!