Q: I took a job that has turned out to be wrong, wrong, wrong for me. It was supposed to involve supervising people, but instead I'm stuck with menial crap. Should I stick it out because it will look bad on my résumé if I quit after only three months?
A: How about confronting the bosses about the change in game plan? Perhaps they don't think you're up to the challenges after observing your initial three months, and you should give them a chance to tell you that—and yourself a chance to prove them wrong. Work your tail off on those "menial" duties—don't just go through the motions. And if after six months nothing changes, move on. As to your permanent record: A résumé should tell a story. It's a narrative, not a mere accretion of dates, names, and action verbs. One three-month blip is not a catastrophe. Four of them in a row and you have some 'splaining to do, Lucy.
