I finally found a job I was excited about and announced it proudly to family and friends. But the job turned out to be a major disappointment, and I quit six weeks later. I haven’t told anyone because I’m embarrassed that it fizzled so quickly. Now people are asking about the exciting new job that I left weeks ago. It’s getting uncomfortable. What should I say? —Embarrassed

Go with the truth: “It didn’t work out.” And stop beating yourself up. You are hardly the first person to be disappointed by the realities of a shiny new job. Now, I don’t know the nature of your disappointment, but no job is perfect, and six weeks is an awfully short period. So keep in mind—for next time—that patience and negotiation can sometimes work better for us than heading out the door at the first sign of trouble.

—Adapted from “Social Q’s” in The New York Times Magazine