Personal mistakes and life experiences can be one heck of a teacher. However, there is a lot to be said about learning valuable lessons from the mistakes that other people make. Someone else’s bad decision can point you away from what they did and into the “right” direction.
If you are hoping to make some major career moves in the new year, here are seven (7) of the biggest mistakes that others have made when trying to advance their careers. Each is more than a cautionary tale, but rather a specific example of what NOT to do moving forward.
- Telling others everything that you are thinking: A prospective employee once told me during an interview that, “she was going to have to talk with her husband to see if he thought the job was a good fit for her.” I’m still amazed that she verbalized that thought! Truth is, you should reach out to friends and family for advice. And, you also need to discuss major work moves with your spouse or partner. However, there is no reason on earth to tell your would-be boss everything you do or think. FYI: Although she was a lovely person, I never hired that candidate in large part because of that one comment. I am sure her intent was not to appear as someone who would need constant direction from me and others, and perhaps, it was unfair of me to judge her by one statement. However, it proves that you only have one chance to make a first impression.
- Having a resume that does not represent your total work experience: When looking for a new job, you should always take time to update your resume to better fit the job description or specific opportunity. You should also make sure that your resume highlights your total work experience (i.e., the number of years since you received your bachelor’s degree or high school diploma).
Even if you are like most people and have a degree or experience that is completely unrelated to your current field or what you want to do in the future – you need to include it and let others see this accomplishment or expertise.
Finally, ensure that your resume includes: a strong profile statement or core competencies at the top; and any recent training, certification and/or education at the end.
- Appearing indecisive: People who succeed in career, business, and even life often do so because they are confident and decisive. Decision making is a skill that you must cultivate by making big and small choices every day. One of the biggest professional (and sometimes personal) mistakes that you can make is being indecisive and constantly second guessing yourself in front of others. Yes, you should always give thought to what you do. However, you also need to be a person who can think quickly, make a decision, and then stick with it.
- Getting “lazy:” Making career moves is a draining and sometimes daunting process. Over time, it is very easy to stop giving 110%, get a little lazy and stop giving your best. People don’t get hired simply by posting their resume to a job board site or creating a LinkedIn profile. Trying to advance your career, switch fields, or find a new opportunity is not the time to slow down. Remember, it’s in the final stretch of the race that you need to bring your A game and give your best effort.
- Telling potential employers that you want to “change” careers: People don’t want to hire someone who “wants to be an event planner” they want to hire an event planner. No matter how experienced you are or aren’t, your job is to act as if you already do that thing that you want to do moving forward.
- Failing to network enough: You have to be in the game to win. Many people fail to make successful career moves because they surround themselves with the same people, places and things. If you want to create something new you have to do and interact with new people.
- Refusing to work as a consultant: It is far easier to break into a new field or industry by working as a freelancer or consultant than it is to find a full-time position in a new field. You have to be open and flexible to work on freelance projects, part-time opportunities and volunteer efforts in order to land something bigger and brighter.
This week take a minute to review these common mistakes that others have made in the hopes that they will steer you towards the direction you need to travel.