11 Ways to Wreck Your Career
Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.co.uk editor
Finding the right job can take you all your waking hours for up to 15 months on end. You can sail through the interview, having convinced them not only of your skills but also of your ability to fit the culture of the organisation, only for it all to end in tears within weeks -- or days -- because, for one reason or another, you just didn't fit in.
UK life coach and personal development expert Joanne Mallon tells us the boo-boos that can blow out a career.
1. Poor people skills
Studies have shown that people prefer to work with likeable, less-skilled colleagues than highly talented prats. "Poor people skills can be a real career killer when your job involves dealing with people. Being flexible in your attitude to others will help you deal with anybody," Mallon says
2. Not a team player
Team players make their bosses look like heroes and show that they're focused on the company. If you're not sure of the importance of team values, just ask Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor -- recently kicked out of the Togo national team after rowing over bonus payments instead of focusing on the team's Nations Cup match. "Look to the bigger game and not always focus on yourself," she says.
3. Missing deadlines
If it was your company, and you'd spent upwards of £10k recruiting somebody, then found yourself spending £100k a year just to keep them, wouldn't you want them to be just a teensy bit reliable? "Failure to deliver what you've promised will severely undermine your reputation and make you appear unprofessional."
4. Conducting personal business on company time
"Everybody has to make personal phone calls sometimes," Mallon says. "Just be discreet about it. And don't spend all afternoon sorting out your online Tesco order."
5. Isolating yourself
Networking is the new rock n' roll. So, even if you're Howard Hughes' more-reticent twin, join in. Get yourself down to the pub at lunchtime; join the watercooler gang. You might hear something to your advantage. "If, however, there are good reasons why you aren't mixing, don't forget that it's OK to ask for help when you need it. That's what line managers and HR departments are there for," Mallon advises.
6. Office romance
Unless company rules strictly prohibit it, the office romance is OK as long as you're professional about it and it doesn't affect your work, says Joanne. "Once you start playing footsie under the table or having rows in reception, then it could be a career killer for both of you. And never have an affair with the boss!"
7. Negative attitudes
"Keep a positive attitude to work," she says. "If you can only ever see the reasons why something can't be done, you'll struggle to advance. Look for solutions rather than problems."
8. Being indiscreet
Life is less private than ever, thanks to e-mail, weblogs and texts. You're even a CCTV star. So don't reveal company secrets or badmouth the boss. Even worse, if you blog about work, keep it anonymous. Just ask 'Petite Anglaise', the British secretary allegedly sacked from her job in Paris over her Internet diary.
Mallon says, "Watch out for getting a reputation as the office gossip - people will start to question whether you can be trusted with anything."
9. Poor networking skills
"It's important to get yourself known within a company if you want to advance your career," she says. "This doesn't just mean sucking up to the bosses - it means making connections with people all over the company."
10. Drinking at work
If you can't trust yourself to behave at social functions, stay away. "Beware of letting loose too much at social occasions, like the office Christmas party," Mallon warns. "Drunken antics rarely go down well."
11. Being a chatterbox and a poor listener
"Sometimes people with low self-esteem feel the need to bolster themselves up," she says. "Remember, you don't need to always be making a noise to be heard. You have two ears and one mouth, so aim to listen twice as much as you speak."
Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.co.uk. She's an expert in job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Last Updated: 24/09/2007 - 3:50 PM
