“There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, but one should always make new ones. Repeating mistakes is a hallmark of dim consciousness.” - Dave Sim

Whether you are an experienced professional or just starting your career, making mistakes is inevitable. Some blunders can have long term repercussions for you. Like choosing the wrong career option, the wrong project, or the wrong organization. Sometimes, things just don’t go as per your plan, and you may end up potentially damaging your future.

Many times people make mistakes that they don’t know about, which end up having a significant impact on their careers. To make you aware of some of the most common, and uncommon mistakes, and prevent them, we are writing this article. So, read till the end for more.

Lacking Career Goals

''Not having a clear goal leads to death by a thousand compromises.'' - Mark Pincus

Most people have a job, but what they lack is a clear vision of their career. Not having a bigger picture of our future, leads to personal disappointment, even if you are working hard. But you should be clear about your skills and strengths and have a clear definition of what you want from the future. You should have a clear roadmap of how you intend to achieve your goals. Because the decisions you make now impact your life for years to come.

So, have a clear vision for what you want ahead, and back it with your actions today. For instance, if you want to get into tech giants like Google, or Apple. Keep yourself aware of the prerequisites that they have, and prepare for the same.

The Grass Always Looks Greener

Another common mistake people usually make is to go continuously from company to company, role to role, without any reason. Joining a new company is not always the right option. Of course, the market has shifted in a way that professionals usually change jobs every three to five years. But if you are consistently making these changes without a clear objective, you are on the wrong path. Growth does not happen by pursuing new opportunities but instead happens when you pursue the right ones. So, don’t get into that race of switching companies, find something worthy, and give your everything into that for success.

Burning the Bridges

When it comes to your career, especially corporate, your reputation is everything. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to move on, ensure that you are managing your career well by managing your emotions. Corporate is all about connections, and you might end up running into the same people sooner or later. Some people leave their workplace in a way that can have lasting damage to their reputation and connection. So, it becomes indispensable to take a decent exit, and then look forward to the next venture.

The Bottom Line

In life, you learn by making mistakes. But smart people learn from mistakes that they have done, and from mistakes, other people make too. When it comes to a career, it is essential to be balanced, practical, and realistic. The mistakes that you make now, will influence you 5 years down the road. So, gear up, and work hard to get where you want.