Being a fresh graduate makes most young people make career mistakes they don’t realize until they are much older. In as much as one is exposed to diverse opportunities from the professional world, danger and threats exist too. Your lecturer may give you the knowledge, but it only takes experience for you to learn.
Most people wish they could go back to their early twenties and right the wrongs they made in their careers. Allow us to guide you so that you don’t make the same career mistakes by outlining things people overlook and ways you can avoid them.
Choosing a career based on people’s opinions
Your career path starts the minute you select what you want to pursue in college. Your parents and friends may want the best for you but choosing a course should be a personal decision. Do not take up medicine because your father is a doctor if you don’t have the passion for it. Taking up a course that is inclined to what you love, will save you lots of frustrations in future.
Self-centered resume
In school, we may be given the format of how to make a professional resume, but the words to use are left for us to decide. A company may judge your character before you go for an interview based on your resume. The professional world is looking for people who can add value to their companies. Ensure that your curriculum vitae portrays what you are bringing to a dream company to benefit them and not what you wish to gain from them.
Rushing
We all want to start building a career and living the life we have always dreamed of. The pressure from family makes people settle for jobs that they don’t deserve. Teach yourself to decline jobs that don’t go in line with your goals. It is okay to be patient because by not taking up a stressful task, you won’t miss a better opportunity. Evaluating your options saves you from the confusion of all the job opportunities in the world.
Taking your first job for granted
Being young makes people assume that they have all the time in the world to fulfill their dreams. One may not consider their first job too seriously probably because they are not yet earning as expected or are feeling underwhelmed. Some people do not give their best at the first job and may use most of their time idling in drugs. This affects their productivity at work and may lead to consequences such as being fired or getting addicted to drugs. Help such an individual be referring them to GA Drug Rehab Centers to get their life back on track.
You may not be earning much from your first employer, but this opportunity forms a basis of how you will handle yourself in your next job. Start implementing time management skills to avoid getting late to work due to hangovers and remain focused. You can learn a lot from the small tasks at your first job.
Lack of creating a good network
People who have several connections started building a network from their twenties. This is the time to come out of your cocoon and interact with those that can help you in your career path. Do not delete
your lecturers’ contacts the minute you graduate from college. They may connect you with people who can help you build a career. Keep in touch with friends from similar courses that cleared before you. You can also use social media platforms such as linked in to network as you interact with people in line with what you studied.
Giving up quickly
Every job comes with its own challenges. Do not be a quitter with the first challenge you encounter. Before letting go, learn how to exercise patience as you look for other opportunities while still at work. Lay down the benefits of your current employment against the challenges. This helps you gauge if your job is worth keeping because you look at it from all angles. Instead of quitting, look for ways to find a solution to job difficulties like an adult. Challenges at work mold us to be strong in preparation for better opportunities.
Lack of looking at the bigger picture
The job that you are in at the moment may be a short-term contract. Even if you are earning well, find other outlets to make income. You may not need it at the moment but saving these funds for tomorrow can help you with an emergency. Stay open-minded as you build your career and do everything you can to boost your skills. If you feel the need to take up CPA classes to be a better assistant at your job, do not hold back. Extra skills and knowledge you gain while young give you a better advantage than a person who only has a degree.
Arrogance
Beware that everybody is bound to make mistakes. You may have a first class but be inexperienced at work. Do not let arrogance prevent you from learning from your colleagues and supervisor. Own up to your mistakes whenever you do wrong and take criticism with gratitude. This will prevent you from colliding with others so that you can form a healthy relationship with your boss. Accept the things you don’t know and enquire to learn from the gurus. Learn to respect and give your colleagues time to air out their opinions without being the know-it-all.
Competition
There is nothing wrong with admiring how much your friend has achieved from their career. The main aim of a job should be your satisfaction. If you keep on comparing how much others are earning, jealousy can bring dissatisfaction of a position and stress. Understand that every person has their own path and the fact that they may be ahead of you, does not mean you are a failure. Set your goals and work hard to achieve them without being pressured by the competition.
Final thoughts
Knowing the career mistakes above will help you not take the same path. Start implementing this from the time you choose your profession so that you can find peace at work. Remember that the minor decisions you make may affect the rest of your career. All the best!
