In the past things were a lot simpler. All you had to do was head to a decent college and you were guaranteed a decent job. And once you started working, all you had to do was to keep working hard and you would eventually be promoted. Unfortunately, things have changed.

A degree and a decent work ethic are no longer enough. You need to be strategic, you need to network and you need to make the right decisions if you want to really progress in any career. And more than anything else, you need to avoid making any of the following surprisingly common mistakes.

Sticking with a Floundering Company

If the current economic climate has proven anything, it’s that it doesn’t matter how hard you work if your company is on the way out. Should you have the choice, you should always aim to work for companies that are growing. The more successful your company gets, the more room there will be for you to rise up the ranks. Unfortunately, there are no prizes for company loyalty anymore, if your working for a floundering company, it’s time to jump ship.

Staying too Long in a Dead End Job

Occasionally, talented people get boxed in. Talented people, that for any other company would be going somewhere, are left banging their head against a brick wall waiting for a promotion. The simple fact is that there are significantly more opportunities at some companies than at others. Perhaps your boss doesn’t believe in you, perhaps there are very few positions opening up, perhaps there is intense competition for any positions that do. Whatever the reason, don’t waste years of your life in a company that does not reward your hard work.

Thinking that Hard Work is Enough

Unfortunately, a large part of moving up the career ladder is getting noticed by those above you. Getting noticed requires more than simply working hard, it also requires that you work hard on projects that are actually being monitored by those above you. When there’s a high profile project up for grabs, you should always be the first volunteer. Unfortunately, even if you are an excellent worker, if the projects you are doing aren’t all that important, your hard work can easily go unnoticed.

Expecting Your Employer to Care About Your Career

More and more companies are attempting to cut costs by reducing the amount that they invest in education and training programs. This means that if you are expecting your employer to help you up the career ladder with a bit of in house training, you are likely to be waiting quite a while. Although you might have a right to expect a promotion, you no longer have any right to expect your employer to help make you more suitable for one.

Not Demanding a Promotion When It’s Owed

It always surprises me how many people moan about the lack of recognition that they get for their hard work just because a promotion hasn’t been delivered on a platter. Unfortunately, there are many bosses out that are only prepared to give somebody a promotion in one situation, when that employee actually asks for one. Expecting a promotion to simply be handed to you is like standing next a pretty girl and waiting for her to introduce yourself. If you want a promotion, you need to be willing to ask for one.

Irritating Your Boss on a Regular Basis

You don’t need to bring your boss a coffee every morning, unless that’s actually your job, but resisting the urge to insult him is just common sense. Unfortunately, your boss is going to have quite a bit of influence when it comes to deciding when your next promotion is, therefore it’s worth making a bit of effort to be liked.

Failing to Network

For many, a cocktail party full of networking opportunities sounds about as fun as a trip to the dentist. Unfortunately however, networking is just as important for your career as a trip to the dentist is for your teeth. Those who have been in the same position for a number of years are especially prone to giving up on making new contacts, but do so at your peril. The old phrase, it’s not what you know, but who you know, is still as true as ever. If you want to move up, you’ve got to get yourself out there.

Overly Rigid Career Plans

Having career goals and a plan for achieving them is of course incredibly important but some people get far too caught up in how their career is supposed to be. Occasionally road blocks are encountered and if you want to be successful, you need to be willing to turn around and try another route. If you are too rigid about how you want to find success, you may never find it at all. You need to adopt a certain level of flexibility when it comes to where you work and even what you do.

Blaming other People

Finally, when it comes to failure, it’s simply human nature to try to find somebody else to blame. And when it comes to career failure, there are usually a number of possible candidates. Perhaps your boss is a tyrant or your co workers are plotting against you. Or maybe it’s office politics that are killing your chances of advancement. Unfortunately, however, unless you are literally chained to your desk every morning, you are free to quit your job and go elsewhere any time you want. And if that’s the case, a lack of career advancement can only be blamed on one person.

About the Author: Sebastian offers london charity jobs along with tips on how to kill your career which can be very beneficial to alot of people.

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