13 Career Mistakes You CANNOT Afford To Make

It requires years of effort, focus, and determination to build a career. Yet, it only takes a simple mistake or two to make your entire career crumble in front of your eyes. No one wants to lose years of work due to one silly mistake.

Here are 13 career mistakes that you cannot afford to make:

1. Stop Networking – Even if you’re happy in your job, you still need to get out and network. Meeting people will help you feel energized and open doors that you never even knew existed.
2. Don’t Push Yourself – Complacency is boring. Push your limits at work to see what you are truly capable of. It can lead to failure, but don’t fear it. More likely, it will lead to huge opportunities.
3. Stay Put – Feeling stuck is a terrible situation. Don’t let mortgage payments or fear keep you in one place. Take a leap of faith and see what happens, but be sure to plan ahead though.
4. Burn Your Bridges – If you move from one job to another or one company to the next, always leave on a positive note. Don’t leave under bad terms. You never know when you might need to reach out to the individuals that you left behind.
5. Only Being Money Focused – Money isn’t the only thing in life. Remember to seek out a healthy work-life balance. Don’t overwork yourself for a big paycheck. You might turn around and wonder what you did with your life.
6. Ignore Feedback – Seek out and embrace professional feedback. It will help you grow and excel as a professional in the workplace. It might even lead to a raise or a promotion.
7. Avoid Creativity – Be creative in life and at work. One wacky idea could lead to a new product line, a groundbreaking marketing campaign, or a entrepreneurial opportunity.
8. Not Having Goals Or A Plan – Never approach anything in life without a plan. Make a goal and write it down. Hang it up where you can see it and always strive to achieve it. Goals and plans keep you driven toward success. Lacking these things is the fastest way to fall into a stagnant, complacent routine that you’ll hate.
9. Becoming Obsolete – It’s important to seek out further career education, training, and skill building. Jobs change faster than you realize. Today there are jobs that didn’t even exist 10 years ago. Keep your skill set up, learn the newest trends, and stay up to date on industry news. Becoming obsolete is the fastest way to ruin a career.
10. Taking The First Job You’re Offered – There is no doubt that the job search is tough. Sometimes desperation causes you to take the first job you are offered without considering the pros and cons. Turning down a job offer may be the best thing you’ll ever do. Wait for the right job.
11. Not Having An Online Presence – If you’re not online, you’re doing something wrong. Google yourself and see what happens. Creating, maintaining, and promoting yourself online takes minimal effort and it will make a massive, positive impact on your career. Create your web presence today.
12. Choosing The Wrong Employer – The company you work for makes a world of difference in your day-to-day happiness. A positive, supportive workplace with an employer who cares about you is essential if you want to look forward to going to work.
13. Doing What Someone Else Want You To Do – Don’t succumb to outside pressure. You need to pursue the right job or career for you. Don’t get suckered into a lifestyle you hate because it’s what someone else wants you to do. You won’t be happy.

All of the career mistakes are common problems in today’s work force. Learn from this list and do your best not to make the same career mistakes that others do. Yes, you can learn from your mistakes, but it’s better to not make any mistakes at all.

If you have made a career mistake, don’t sweat it. Brush yourself off and get back on the job search train. JobMonkey is here for you with extensive Industry Guides and a constantly updated Job Board featuring cool jobs all over the world.