5 Career Mistakes You Need To Avoid Making In Order To Succeed

In order for you to achieve career success you need to have some sort of strategy. There are other young professionals just like you some even more qualified than you. Therefore, you need avoid making mistakes if you are going to succeed.

In this article see some of the common mistakes young professionals make when it comes to their careers.

Career mistakes young people need to avoid making

1. Failing To Pushing yourself

This is the time to invest in yourself in terms of your career. Learn new skills and find ways you can develop in a professional sense. For example you can learn a new language, programming etc. No matter what you choose this is the time to do it and it will also ensure you climb the career ladder faster.

2. Doing the minimum

Yes you have a job description and it has specified what your daily tasks are. However, you should not just be content with doing that.

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Do not complain when you are given extra work as long as it is within reason; strive to do more than what is expected of you. This will ensure that you do not miss out on opportunities.

Take up tasks that align with where you want to be 3 years down the line and don’t just focus on the now.

3. Choosing A career For the Wrong Reasons

Why are you doing what you do? Is it because you love it and are passionate about your job? Or is it because it was the easiest option, the best paying job, or everyone else was doing it?

If you go into a career that you are not really passionate about you will not do very well. This means, that you will end up frustrated and unhappy.

Loving what you do can help you grow faster in your career and it will give you a sense of fulfillment.

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4. Avoiding risks and challenges

Because you are young you still have time to make mistakes and learn from them. This is the time to take risks and challenge yourself. Take the project that you are not really confident about and try your best to do it well.

You are not doing your career any favors by playing it safe all the time. Without risk there can be no reward. Push yourself to be better all the time by taking on new tasks, roles and assignments.

5. Being Unprofessional

Most young people fail to realize that how you act and present yourself could eventually affect your career.

You need to dress the part, go into meetings prepared, always be on time, be organised and clean up your social media platforms.

When it comes to promotions, your boss won’t just look at your performance but will take into account such things. You need to have a good record if you are to succeed.

Your career is very important and it affects every other aspect of your life. Without a good career or source of income your financial life will suffer, without a good career life your personal life will also suffer because you will have no time to spend with your family if you are always working.

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That is why you need to get things right as you start out this will ensure that when you do have a family, things will be going well and you won’t need to struggle as much.

By: Michelle Wanjiku

Michelle is a Communications Officer and Digital Marketer at Career Point Kenya.