The 9 Worst Mistakes People Make in their Careers
Let’s get one thing straight: a job is not a career. A career has a path and a destination, while a job is a position that helps pay the bills. Nevertheless, far too many people confuse the two.
When I first started my career, I made quite a few mistakes. As a leader and mentor, I now see these same terrible mistakes pop up time and time again. The best way to combat these? Learn how to fix them quickly and take steps toward getting back on your desired career track quickly.
So, let’s jump in to what the worst mistakes are, and how to fix them…
(1) STAYING A DEAD END JOB
It’s far too easy to get sucked into the day-to-day of a job and fail to see how it’s holding you back. What are the tell-tale signs of a dead-end job? Ever sit down with your boss to ask about your career path, and his or her response is, ”We need you to do what you’re doing now…” It doesn’t exactly instill a great of excitement, does it?
Another sign? Any attempts to provide suggestions for ways of growing your position fall on deaf ears. In other words, your boss doesn’t want you to “think”, he or she wants you to do as you are told.
HOW TO FIX IT
Consider bringing it to your boss’s attention. Ask if your job has future growth opportunities. If it does, ask how you can achieve those and “what growth looks like” at your company. If there aren’t further growth opportunities, then I suggest identifying transferable skills. It’s time to find a new position that will grow with you.
(2) YOU ARE OKAY WITH BURNOUT
67% of employees say they are sometimes, very often or always burned out at work. This staggering statistic highlights the severity of the “always on” American workplace culture.
I often think back how ridiculous it was to be “always on call” with some of my previous employers. I would get phone calls and emails for requests for my help on major holidays, in the middle the night, and on my weekends. The result? I burned out quickly.
What are the signs you might be burning out? My signs looked like endless list making and an overwhelming feeling that finishing any task on the list was insurmountable. I would track every hour and minute of my day, trying to find opportunities to better optimize my time. I would sometimes find myself paralyzed with dread as I realized I would never manage to get it all done in a normal working day, much less a 10-12 hour day.
If you can relate, then I strongly consider evaluating if you may be suffering from burnout.
HOW TO FIX IT
The problem with burnout is it can be absolutely debilitating. For me, the option was clear: get out. Once I moved into a new job, I could feel the stress and the anxiety melt off me.
Even now, years later, I still carry pieces of that anxiety with me and I hold it close, to remind myself of how lucky I am that I found a way out of it quickly. I also learned a lot about myself in that experience. I found that no amount money is worth the emotional stress of burnout.
(3) WAITING FOR YOUR EMPLOYER TO INVEST IN YOU
How do you expect your company to write a hefty check for your professional development if you aren’t willing to write it yourself?
Luckily today, many employers provide on-the-job training and robust professional development programs. Nevertheless, there is nothing more frustrating than to see a talented employee give up on learning a new skill because their request for financial support was denied.
In my career, I have come to find that your growth potential should not be bound by the priorities of your boss, your HR department, or your company. You are as much in charge of your own career growth as your company is, if not more so. Embracing the opportunity to learn something new independent of your job can make you more valuable than you ever imagined.
HOW TO FIX IT
Build a budget for your own professional development into your personal goals. If your company pays for your next certification, a training class, or a consultant to come in and coach you, that’s excellent! But if not, setting a personal budget for professional development will ensure you don’t feel guilty when it’s time to invest in yourself. Plus, learning this new skillset will prove to your employer you’re serious about taking your skills to the next level.
(4) forgetting to track personal performance
Have you ever sat down to write out your self evaluation in preparation for your annual performance review and wondered what it was you did all year? I have been in your shoes and created a better way for tracking my performance. I have devoted an entire blog post to re-thinking how you approach personal performance.
Still, one of the biggest mistakes I see employees make is failing to track their own performance.
As I said before, and I’ll say again, it’s hard to argue with numbers. It’s hard to debate them, it’s hard to disqualify them, and it’s hard overlook them.
HOW TO FIX IT
Instead of staring back at a blank self-evaluation, consider tracking your projects and tasks as you go. You will be surprised how much you actually get done in one year’s time and have a much stronger argument for advancement later. Need more guidance? Try this article on writing a Brag Book for storing all your accomplishments.
(5) NOT USING YOUR VACATION TIME
Taking a break to actually unwind and officially unplug from work is important. Far too often our professional lives bleed into our private lives and the result is we have a skewed work-life balance. For our employer, this means we become less productive, motivated, and engaged employees.
The statistics on health and vacation time are clear. According to Inc.com women who took a vacation only once every six years were eight times more likely to develop heart related health issues. Those who took at least two vacations per year faired far better.
I realize not everyone can afford two vacations per year. But nobody said your vacation had to be to an exotic location or Europe. Staycations are vacations too. The point is to get some much needed rest and relaxation away from work.
But taking vacations isn’t just good for your health, it makes you more productive. The same Inc.com article cited data from Ernst & Young which found that for every 10 hours of additional vacation time an employees took, he or she performed 8% better on their annual performance reviews.
HOW TO FIX IT
Take vacations. Sounds pretty obvious, but taking the time to decompress and rejuvenate is important. So, embrace the idea of improved productivity through a much needed and well-earned vacation.
(6) BELIEVING YOUR TIME AT WORK = YOUR VALUE
When I first started in my career, I thought that being at work late meant I was “really important” and “valuable”. I believed my boss would think I was a hard worker if I stayed late and would thus be granted more favor come performance evaluations. Now as an executive, I realize how preposterous this idea is.
The truth is – working late into the wee hours of the morning does not make you valuable to your employer. In my experience, employers are more likely to appreciate an employee who can work well with others while accomplishing major goals and initiatives within working hours than one who gets very little done during the day and has to stay late to complete his or her role.
HOW TO FIX IT
Re-evaluate how you use your time each day. Are you being as productive and organized as you can be? Consider one of my planners to help you organize your day and better prioritize what’s truly important. I highly recommend trying to re-prioritize your daily self using the Eisenhower Matrix Method.
(7) LETTING SOMEONE ELSE DICTATE YOUR CAREER
This one resonates with me the most. I am a chronic people-pleaser. In the past, I have found myself unconsciously molding my career to fit the ambitions of others, instead of myself. This is a mistake I learned early and thankfully learned to correct quickly.
I find this mistake to be most common among those who have ambitious parents or partners. I was born to a single-parent who really championed her career. As a result, I have always felt the need to prove to the world that my mother raised a good, smart, successful daughter. This kind of thinking can be destructive to your future happiness. It’s living someone else’s dream instead of your own.
HOW TO FIX IT
Step back from your career and evaluate whether it is something that (1) brings you joy, (2) moves your inner spirit, or (3) fills your cup. If you’re not sure, that’s not a good sign. I would like to remind you that your career doesn’t have to be a ladder, it can be a jungle gym. You can jump from one rung to other and build upon skills and experiences that supports a career that truly moves you. You simply have to be willing to be open to change and to pursuing your own dreams.
(8) working for a crappy boss
In a Harvard Business Journal study, 58% of employed people would trust a stranger over their boss. This staggering statistic shows the true trust dynamic between employees and their bosses.
Far too many employees stick around with a terrible boss hoping things will improve.
There are many ways a boss can be terrible. But the most troubling to me are a lack of trust, micromanagement, no/poor communication with his or her team, and no desire to connect with employees. These signs make any attempts to fix issues difficult. The worst part is a terrible boss can make a good job miserable.
HOW TO FIX IT
Either try to level with your boss on the issue. If your boss and you can’t find common ground it’s time to start seeking out other opportunities. A terrible boss can be toxic.
(9) DOUBTING YOURSELF
I know, I know. It sounds like a cliche, but self doubt is the worst mistake most employees make. I have sat across from countless employees as they second guess themselves and their decision-making capabilities.
Part of being a good employee is providing your unique perspective. You can’t do that if you are second guessing your own inner voice. Even when you don’t quite hit the nail on the head, you can still learn so much from being willing to share your thoughts.
HOW TO FIX IT
Start small. You don’t have to provide your unique perspective at the next major meeting. Start within your 1×1’s with your manager or in smaller committee or group meetings. Get comfortable with hearing how others respond to you, and find your inner mantra.
So what are your next steps? I’d encourage you start thinking of your career differently and remember that jobs are small milestones that build upon a larger career. When your job path leads away from your career path, you need to stop and re-evaluate.
Have you made any of these mistakes? Did you take a different approach to fixing them? Let me know! I love hearing new strategies and approaches toward correcting common errors.
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Hi, I’m Jessica
As an internationally recognized legal marketer and law firm executive, Jessica has spent her career helping attorneys pitch their services and their resumes to some of the largest global companies and CEOs in the world. Her specialty: Helping smart professionals be unforgettably hire-able. Whether you are seeking your first job or a career change, Jessica empowers you step-by-step. Execute simple, yet practical and actionable tasks to get your resume past the stack and into the hands of your next manager.
