Not every move we make in our career is a good move. In fact, not every move we make before we even enter our careers is a good move. Mistakes happen, but here at Ploymint we try and help you limit these mistakes. Here are the top 10 worst career choices you can make – before your career, during, and after.
BEFORE
Inappropriate Social Media
Social Media can be both your best friend and your worst enemy. Instagramming that picture of yourself doing a kegstand during Beer Olympics in college can actually cost you your job before you’re even hired. It may seem like a great idea when you’re three tequila shots in, but you’ll regret it in the long run; think before you post.
Grammatically Incorrect Resumes
All it takes is one spelling error on your resume for a hiring manager to toss it in the trash. Don’t make that mistake, and be sure to check out these 25 resume tips to ensure that your resume is no longer one of your worst career choices.
Not Following Up
Hiring managers usually receive hundreds of applications for the same position. By not following up, you’re simply falling in with the rest of the crowd rather than standing out. A follow up e-mail can set you apart from other applicants. Unsure of where to start? Here’s a template for you.
Awkward Silences In A Job Interview
#ThatAwkwardMomentWhen you have nothing to say in your job interview. No one wants to hire someone who can’t hold a conversation. Avoid making this career mistake with these tips on how to keep a conversation going.
DURING
Getting Involved In Workplace Conflict
Did you think that drama ended back in high school? Unfortunately it hasn’t. Big office or small office, there will be office politics. Getting involved in the drama will just make things more difficult for you. Worried? Don’t be, these 5 tips for managing conflict in the workplace will help you leave the drama on television.
Speaking Without Thinking
In the heat of the moment, people say things they don’t mean. All it takes is one bad day, one failure, or one annoying coworker to set you off into saying something that you’ll never be able to take back. Take a deep breath, count to ten, and really internalize what you’re about to say before you say it.
Arguing With Your Boss
Even if you have the best boss in the entire world, there will come a time when you may not agree with her. Letting your emotions get the best of you and getting into a stubborn screaming match with your boss is not the way to handle it. No matter how close of a relationship you may have, arguing with her is never the answer. Try to have a calm, mature conversation explaining your point of view.
Staying Quiet
The worst career advice I ever got was to stay quiet. Yes, I just spent over 150 words telling you to think before you speak and to not argue with your boss, but if something’s bothering you, you can’t stay quiet. Calmly and respectfully speak to someone, whether it be HR or your boss, in a polite, thought-out way. If you stay quiet, nothing will ever change.
Getting Distracted
Here you are texting your significant other about where to go to dinner after work, and your boss walks by. Three hours later you go to check the notification you got that someone tweeted at you, and your boss walks by again. Doesn’t look too good, right? Office distractions are everywhere, but try and combat them as much as you can; you don’t want your boss to think that you spend more time on personal aspects of your life.
AFTER
Burning Bridges
In life, you never know when you may need help from someone, an old boss included. Burning bridges upon leaving a current position can hurt you in the long run; think about it – a position you’re applying for may call up your prior job to get the low-down on you. Avoid burning bridges by always giving two weeks’ notice and following these steps.
Bad career choices not only can happen while you’re in the midst of your career, they can happen both before and after your career as well which many people don’t realize. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to learn from these mistakes. These ten bad career choices along with advice to overcome them are meant to help you be as close to the perfect employee as you can be.
Do you have any other bad career choices you’d like to share? Tweet us @PloymintHQ
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