Your career is a series of life, work, and learning experiences which you undertake throughout your life. It is that one journey that enables you to achieve your important goals in life. However, we all tend to make career decisions that are short-term and according to what our emotions dictate. What you may not realize is that the small or trivial decision you make right now can have huge effects on your career path in the long run.
The following are common career mistakes you should avoid so that you won't regret in the future:
1. Using money instead of job satisfaction as basis for choosing a career.
It's a huge mistake to measure your success based on how much money you can make, because money isn't everything. You spend a lot of time at work, so it's necessary that you love and enjoy what you do. You should choose a career that matches your passions and skills. It's vital that you look at the bigger picture and not just focus on how you are compensated at your job right now.
2. Avoiding career challenges and being afraid to make mistakes.
Another thing you should not do is avoid challenges. Of course challenges are not easy to deal with. They make you nervous and even lose your self confidence. But it is only through overcoming challenges that you can actually grow professionally and even personally. Making mistakes is also not something you can avoid. We all make mistakes, and you should learn from those mistakes.
3. Choosing not to invest in yourself.
At the end of the day, you are the one who controls your career. You are the only one who's accountable for your success or failure in your career. Thus, you must make it a point to enhance your knowledge and skills even it means spending your money for training. You shouldn't think of this as a waste of your time and money because self development is one of the most important investments you will ever make in your life.
4. Waiting for opportunities to come to you.
The workplace we have today is too competitive, and so you need to be proactive in getting what you want. You can't just sit there and wait for opportunities to come knocking at your door. If you want to get something, then you have to do something to get it. You need to be assertive so you can be in total control of your career.
5. Refusing to have a mentor.
Mentors and coaches are everywhere. They can help you learn things that you may not otherwise learn from your job itself. A personal coach , for example, is an expert who can guide you in the right career direction. Your coach can also give you tips on how you can maintain the balance between your personal life and your career, which is very important for everyone's success.