I Quit a Brand New 6-Figure Job After 1 Day. Here's What It Did to My Career

"Could I get a mulligan?"

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I quit my new job after one just day. This was a "real job," with a six-figure salary and a legitimate career path, and I'd beaten hundreds of other applicants to land it. 

I'm still not exactly proud of the experience. However, it was absolutely the right decision, and I'm sharing the story now, years later, because I imagine it might help someone else in a similar position.

Here's what happened, plus how quitting affected my career and the lessons I learned that I can share with you now. 

The background

The story starts in early 2009. I was finishing a book project and living in Washington, but it was also the height of the Great Recession, and I craved a steady paycheck.

I saw that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was hiring attorneys at its headquarter…