When it comes to your career, it’s easy to make mistakes. After all, there’s no particular guidebook that’s going to walk you through every decision, question and conundrum. As a result, you might hit some obstacles along the way. That’s normal; however, there are some steps you can take to avoid a few common mistakes and ensure they don’t sabotage your progress. Here’s a look at 4 of them:
Mistake #1: Accepting an offer without thinking it through.
If you’re in the midst of a job hunt and just go an offer, it’s certainly exciting. But take time to analyze it first and truly think it through. For instance, the salary might be highly competitive, but if the commute’s really long, will it impact your quality of life? These are the kinds of hard questions you need to ask yourself about the position, the company, the culture, and all the perks, benefits and challenges related to them.
Mistake #2: Getting comfortable in auto-pilot.
Once you get to a point in your career where you’re comfortable, you might simply want to coast for a while. That’s understandable. But don’t remain in auto-pilot for too long. If you do, you won’t learn and develop, growing stagnant in the process. So keep up on industry knowledge, work to gain new skills, challenge yourself with stretch assignments and put yourself out there so you can see if you have what it takes to achieve your career goals.
Mistake #3: Assuming it’s too late to make a change.
If you’ve been working for decades and have extensive experience under your belt, you might think it’s too late to do anything different. You’re too far down a particular pathway and need to just “stick it out.” But in reality, it’s never too late to make a change in your career. Whether it’s finding a new job, getting promoted or switching fields entirely, think about what will fulfill you professionally and then strategize how you can make it happen. You’ll only fail if you don’t try.
Mistake #4: Burning bridges when you have a negative experience.
If you’re leaving a job behind due to a boss you didn’t click with or toxic co-workers, don’t talk negatively about them in your future position. It’s a small world and you never know who might know the person you’re bashing. So be diplomatic and always keep bridges in tact. If you need to vent, talk to your family and friends instead.
Looking for help finding your next career step?
Turn to the Spokane, WA recruitment team at Provisional Recruiting. We’re experts when it comes to connecting talented professionals with rewarding jobs and can help you take that next important step in your career. Contact us today or search our jobs now!
