6 Common Early Career Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
We all know that making a mistake is not a big deal, because it is part of being human. Someday you will have to mess things up no matter what you do. Although it is an inescapable truth that even in one’s work, it is indeed true that there are certain blunders which are common in the initial stages of one’s career and they can be avoided.
Most mistakes made by their young and inexperienced peers are obvious. Well, as many people have walked that path before and have made such mistakes, participating is hard to resist. Now, there is no need to tread the same tracks. One can simply learn from the failings of others and begin with a more favorable outlook.
Therefore, for those who want their professional career to start on a positive note and move forward with almost no setbacks, the points mentioned below list mistakes which should instead be shunned.
Common Early Career Mistakes: 6 Mistakes to Avoid
1 – Not establishing a career plan
When thinking of achieving your long-term career goals, there is a need to prepare a plan, irrespective of how ambitious someone is. Also, one should start making such plans right from the beginning of their career.
Due to the circumstances people may be in, many may neglect to create a career plan on the assumption that it is not their problem or concern. However, that depends on the company, and if there is no such company plan, their career documents remain. This approach is misguided – if you have not set yourself this vision, how do you intend to guide yourself through decision-making at work?
It does not matter what your current occupation is or what stage your career is at; forecasting is the first gauge to success. This way, an individual appreciates the breadth of their field, sees their targets and goals, and aligns them with support systems to achieve them, and has a clear direction of what to take next.
Final suggestions; it is worth remembering that updates are also necessary and not dangerous; there is no ban on changing your thoughts or reading directions in the middle of the route. In the end, what’s more crucial is the target and the seriousness one portrays towards their career.
2 – Ignoring the importance of networking
Many young professionals treat networking, which is the cultivation of professional relationships, as something outdated, artificial and inefficient. However, none of this is true.
In a country as socially connected as US, having good contacts is essential to achieving your professional goals. By getting close to people in the same field, who inspire and instigate you, you will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge, participate in debates, learn about selection processes, be recommended and vice versa. And this exchange is valuable, especially when we think long term.
Today’s interns are tomorrow’s leaders, aren’t they?
3 – Neglecting the development of soft skills
When starting a career, improving your technical skills is essential for your growth. However, many young people forget that these skills are not enough to guarantee a successful career. In addition to technical skills, you also need behavioral skills.
We are talking about the famous soft skills, which are skills that reflect the way you approach work. They complement hard skills and are highly valued by companies, which have already understood that good employees need emotional qualities to perform excellent work.
Some examples of soft skills are:
- Curiosity;
- Organization;
- Objective communication;
- Flexibility;
- Leadership;
- Critical sense;
- Resilience;
- Proactivity;
- Empathy;
- Teamwork.
4 – Not understanding the difference between personal and professional relationships
Leaving college and entering the job market can be a shock in many ways, and one of them is relationships.
As we’ve already mentioned, having good professional relationships is an essential part of career development. However, professional relationships are not the same as the personal relationships in our lives.
So, be professional. No matter how close you become to your colleagues, maintain an appropriate posture, use common sense when sharing details about your professional life, be careful about assuming that everyone is your friend, avoid gossip in the workplace and remember that everything you do is being watched.
5 – Entering meetings unprepared
Being in lower-level positions, such as interns and junior analysts, can make many professionals not understand their role and importance in a team. You may believe that, because you are just starting out on your journey, you don’t need to prepare for meetings where you will just observe the conversations, for example.
However, this is a big mistake. The more you prepare, understand the situation, and get to know the company culture, the sector, and the area, the more you will be able to absorb and learn in all scenarios, even without actively participating in the debates.
6 – Being arrogant and believing that you already know everything you need to know
Similarly, it is also common for many young professionals to have a certain arrogance. They believe they already know everything they need to know, ignore boundaries, let valuable learning opportunities pass them by, and forget that there is a reason they are still in lower positions.
Therefore, be humble in your professional life. This will give you new eyes to observe your surroundings and open many doors for your career. For example, when you understand that you still need to learn more and delve deeper, you can invest in a specialization and take a big step.
