Your career is your responsibility. That said, it’s not something you can just passively let happen as you stumble through life. You have to work hard and make intelligent decisions to grow your career. You also have to make sure that you’re picking the right career at the right time. This post will go over a few of the most common mistakes many people make when growing their careers.
Not Reaching Out to People in the Field
This is probably the most common mistake people make when growing their careers. It’s a major mistake because it’s an action you can take now, with no downside. Don’t just read and try to learn on your own. Talk to people in your field, even if they are outside of your current company or industry. The worst they can say is “no,” but you’ll most likely walk away with some incredible new connections and knowledge that could change your entire career.
Doing Generic Job Searches
If you’re job-hunting, you’ve likely been making a bunch of generic job searches and applications. Don’t just fill out the same cookie-cutter job application for every company in your industry. Find specific jobs to apply to and make sure you fit the description as closely as possible. Tailoring your resume and cover letter to each particular position is a lot of work, but it’s worth it when you land the gig.
Accepting Promotions without Personal Growth
Taking a promotion can be an excellent way to grow your career. Companies hire people at higher levels because they see them as more capable of leading an organization or other team members.
The organization also knows that when they promote someone, the person will bring valuable experience and knowledge that will help grow the rest of the team.
But that doesn’t mean that you should accept a promotion without asking for some personal growth in return. You should ask for a goal in your new role and have it based on something you want to accomplish over the next six months. Then, set to work on achieving that goal.
Not Volunteering
If you’re looking to grow your career, you need to volunteer. If you wait until a new opportunity arises or your boss offers you a chance, it’s going to be much more difficult for you to get it. Instead, volunteer for opportunities that interest you, even if they aren’t precisely in the field that you want to be in.
You never know what great things might come out of those opportunities. The skills you gain and the networks you build may lead you to the job of your dreams. And don’t forget about all of the new knowledge you’ll earn that can be applied to other areas of your career, as well.
Not Having a Plan
It’s tempting to think that if you “do your best,” everything will work out in the end. But it would help if you had a plan and set goals for yourself. And it would be best if you were realistic about your goals. If you want to grow your career, don’t just aim for higher-level positions and enormous responsibilities. Instead, take it one step at a time, setting smaller goals along the way.
It’s also important not to get too caught up in the process. Focus on the end goal and set short-term goals that make sense while letting your long-term goals evolve.
Not Working on your Brand
Your brand is a lot more than your resume and cover letter. And it should be something that you work on every single day. A powerful personal brand will help you stand out from the crowd and make it easier for you to grow your career.
Ensure that you’re all about providing value to the people around you and other people in your industry. Then, let them know about it by making sure they see everything you do on social media and wherever else they can find details about you. A personal branding blog or page can do a great job showcasing your accomplishments.
Not Having Goals
What’s the point in having goals if you don’t reflect on them and make changes? You need to set realistic, attainable goals that are challenging enough to keep you on track.
If you don’t think big and set yourself up for failure, your dreams will not be easy to achieve, which will prevent you from growing your career in the long run. But don’t just set one goal and call it done. Make sure you set many goals that you can accomplish over time. Then, check-in on those goals to see how they’re going.
Summing Up
These are just a few of the mistakes you can make when trying to grow your career. Remember, it’s always better to avoid something than try to fix it afterward. If you want to boost your career, avoid these common mistakes.
Instead, focus on positive action. Reach out and talk to people who know more about what you want to do, take steps to learn about new opportunities, and make sure you’re working on your brand every day.
