1. Failing to make long-term goals/create a long-term plan
One of the biggest mistakes I have seen others make when building their careers is failing to think about the future. One coworker of mine so badly wants to succeed in his career, but he’s not willing to make it happen, he’s simply willing to let it happen. This lack of planning and forethought has affected the education he has received, his choice of employment, and even how he performs his current job duties on a daily basis. He has the desire to succeed but hasn’t created a plan for doing so. He is stuck in his position and will face a lot harder of a time moving upward because he does not have a plan.
When you create a long- term goal/plan for your career it shifts your focus so that every day and every action you take flows into you eventually reaching that goal. What education you get, the jobs you apply for, the skills you choose to develop along the way, and the even the type of projects you choose to take on are all affected by having your long-term goal in mind. For a successful career this is one of the most essential shifts of mindset you could have.
2. Being complacent
Another pitfall that I have seen others fall into when building a career is becoming complacent. Now, before I continue I need to say that comfortable and complacent are two different things. Getting good at a position and staying for a few years to build experience is a good thing. Loving the job you do and sticking with it is not being complacent. Complacency happens when you stop progressing. It happens when you mentally limit how far you can go. It often comes from feelings of fear, laziness, or lack of confidence. If you are not happy with where you are at then change it. It may take time, it may take effort, but it is worth it. One of the biggest things we do stop our own success is to convince ourselves we can’t achieve it even before we try. Like the age old saying goes “He who says he can and he who says he can’t are both usually right”.
3. Not doing your homework
The final thing that people often fail at in building their careers is failing to do their homework. This encompasses knowing what qualifications are necessary to enter into a field, what educational routes can set you up for the best success, knowing about potential employers within your field, and researching technical aspects of your career such as the average pay for your positions, the growth of your market, etc. Taking time to learn these things not only helps you make better decisions in education and employment, but it also sets you up to better negotiate and apply for jobs and promotions by showing that you have a knowledge about the field.
Your Journey to Success 