Sometimes the best advice comes from learning what not to do; accordingly, Chrissy Scivicque has compiled these five ways to kill your career. The mistakes below are sure to take your professional future nowhere fast.
- Make impulsive decisions. You may fantasize about the moment you quit, tell your boss off in a fiery rage and make the kind of dramatic exit that former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater would envy, but resist your urge to follow through with this foolhardy plan. Instead, compose yourself and take the time to think through any important decision thoroughly.
- React rather than act. Plan ahead and stay sharp so you won’t be caught off-guard by factors like layoffs or cutbacks. It’s far better to have an updated resume and the same job than to be unemployed and have to scramble to cull together references and CV additions.
- Ignore your shortcomings. No one’s perfect, and that’s okay. By taking responsibility for mistakes and opportunities for self-development, you can work towards improving yourself, which will ultimately help your career.
- Blindly pursue success. If your goal is to “get rich” or “be successful,” you’re finished before you even start. As Scivicque writes, “If you don’t know where you’re going and you don’t have a map to get there, chances are good that you’ll end up in a bad part of town. The same is true for your career.”
- Rest on your laurels. Push yourself to learn new skills and constantly improve yourself. Your competition will be working tirelessly to crank up their own efforts; doing the same will ensure that you don’t get outpaced.
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