10 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Career Unintentionally

Career

You want to get ahead at work and you think you are doing fine and in control of your career. Deadlines are met and work is carried out smoothly. However, there are things that you have overlooked or because it is your daily habits you do not notice that are obstructing you to grow your career. Find out if the following bad habits are sabotaging your career: 

1.      Confine to your own department: You run your own department in tip-top condition and you don’t care about what’s happening in other departments. If you aim to play a bigger role in an establishment you need to expose yourself to the whole setup. Find out how all the departments are interconnected in order to function as an operating unit. According to an article, 5 Ways You're Sabotaging Your Career Success, if you’re not actively networking outside of your own team, you could be seriously hurting your success.

  

2.      Not to upgrade yourself: Do not rest on your laurels, your ways of doing things and your thinking may be outdated. You need to update yourself and learn the latest technology in order to work productively.  You need to contribute more and provide more value, as an example, in order to be the last one to be considered in case of a retrenchment exercise.  

  

3.      Not accepting offers to take up new challenges: Your boss spotted your potential, but you denied yourself to catch hold of an opportunity. To take new challenges is to make progress in your career. Nothing in life comes easy, you have to face difficulties but with determination, you will be able to overcome obstacles.

4.      Low profile: Do not just bury yourself in your work. You need to promote yourself to get noticed.  Do not think that people will recognize and reward you even if you don’t let them know what you’ve accomplished on a regular basis. Your boss is a busy person and you need to keep him posted about your progress so that he or she can keep you in mind. 

5.      In your comfort zone: You are comfortable at work. You do not want to make changes. One day you may be the victim of changes that are taking place in the company. Your job may be redundant.   

6.      You are all by yourself: Getting to know the right people and get connected is more than just for your survival but it is crucial for you to move up your career. You need the help of other people in your circle to move up the ladder or move to a greener pasture.

7.      Appearance: It is not enough to be able to perform. You need to take care of your packaging to impress others that you are smart, neat, and meticulous. It will enhance your confidence and complement your image.     

8.      Your think you are irreplaceable: Nobody is irreplaceable. There are people who are just as good if not better willing to take your post at a lower remuneration.  If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.  You can’t grow, move on, and expand your horizons. Being irreplaceable is actually a hindrance in your career.

9.      Wrong attitude: Examine yourself closely. Do not think that you are not the problem, the others are. Find out from someone who can relate to you about your attitude. Listen and make positive changes.  

10.  Procrastinate: You are smart; you know what to do but you never t take the first step. When you are not prepared, as an opportunity presents itself, you are going to miss the boat.   

Conclusion

You can make changes in your life, if you find some points which are relevant in your situation. The most important thing is to move with the time, embrace new ideas, get to know more people, keep fit, be healthy and never stop learning. Updating and upgrading yourself is crucial to survive and sustain your career.