The roaring 20’s are here and in full force. What can you do to make the best of this new decade in terms of your career growth? Glassdoor’s Jessica Theifels talks about 8 career missteps to leave in 2019! And if you find yourself wanting to grow into your career at a new company, reach out to IGNW and Make the Switch to a results driven company!
There’s plenty that most of us want to leave behind in 2019—and these career missteps should be high on your list. Whether you’re trying to grow in your current position or take on a new role in another company, don’t make these totally avoidable mistakes.
1. Failing to Negotiate a Salary
Salary negotiation may be one of the most uncomfortable parts of being promoted or getting a new job. That may be why just 38 percent of men and 27 percent of women negotiate their salary, according to Jobvite’s 2019 Job Seeker Survey. Here’s the kicker: 83 percent who asked for more money did receive higher pay. If you’re not asking for more, you’re undoubtedly missing out.
If you hate this part as much as the rest of us, check out the Glassdoor guide, How to Negotiate Salary, to get better at this often awkward process.
2. Skipping Networking Events in Favor of a Date
Networking sucks—standing on the side of the room, or worse, trying to enter an on-going conversation is the opposite of fun. That makes it easy to skip when you have something else fun planned, like a date night. Networking, however painful as it can be, is one of the most important things you can do when growing your career. It gives you a chance to connect with people outside your immediate circle of friends and co-workers, which represents untapped potential for your career.
Networking is especially important if you’re thinking about making a career move—you never know who you’ll meet or what connections you’ll make that can help you get where you want to go. Plus, dinner can always be rescheduled, right?
3. Not Asking the Right Questions
Don’t let your career get off track between happy hours and long weekend getaways. It’s easy to get complacent in a job and before you know it, you’re nowhere near where you want to be. Instead, be vigilant with yourself about regularly checking in on whether your career is moving in the right direction. If you’re not sure where to begin, start by asking yourself these five important questions:
Where do I want to be in five years?
Does my work get me excited?
Am I engaged in my work?
Am I upskilling?
What role does work play in the life I want to live?
Use the answers as your guide. If your current job isn’t going to get you where you want to be in five years or isn’t allowing you to have the life you want, it’s time to get real with yourself and figure out the next best move.
4. Trying to Force Your Career Into a Straight Line
The bottom line is: very few careers follow a straight and narrow path to where the person wants to go. Even the most Type A person can’t always control the trajectory of their career. In most cases, there are detours, roadblocks and flat tires that give you a chance to learn new skills, meet new people, and challenge what you thought you could do.
While it’s important to make sure your career is on the right track, it’s important to let go of that control and consider what opportunities are right in front of you. If you’re struggling to enjoy your job, what can you do to change that before walking away? This may be a sign that you’re ready to be promoted or want to step into a new role. Instead of trying to find the perfect next gig, lean into the detour and see what happens.
5. Being Too Nervous to Reach Out to Mentors
Mentors are priceless as you build your career, yet asking someone to mentor you is like asking your crush to the school dance. The thought of being rejected or ignored is scary! In 2020, make amends with those middle school nightmares and find a mentor that will help you take your career to the next level.
When reaching out, set yourself up for success using the following steps:
Plan to ask 3 to 5 people, increasing your chances of connecting with someone who’s interested.
Be specific about your mentorship needs and requests. Do you want to do weekly calls? Do you want to be able to check-in once each month via email?
Know that a “no” has more to do with them than you. In many cases, people are too busy to commit to a mentorship relationship.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Mentor Someone Else
Being a mentor to someone else adds just as much value to your career as theirs. It keeps you in the growth mindset and allows you to continually reflect back on what’s worked for you and what hasn’t—something that’s easy to forget to do in the hubbub of work and life.
The thing is, in 2019, 60 percent of men say they’re uncomfortable mentoring women, an increase of 46 percent since 2018. Don’t follow the crowd and instead, take the opportunity to grow your career, and the career of someone else, in 2020 and beyond.
7. Saying No to New Projects
One of the most important steps you can take for your career is saying yes to projects that make you shake in your boots—the ones where you’re like, “I have no idea how I’ll actually do this—but I think I can…”
Not only does this initiative show your boss and superiors that you’re challenging yourself, but it gives you a chance to learn new skills that will benefit your career, no matter what company you work for. Start saying YES more often and see where it leads you.
8. Thinking Small
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of your job and forget to share your big ideas or think outside the box when new projects stack up at your desk. As Emma Gilroy, an AdRoll employee, says:
“I think people can fall into the trap of only looking at problems from a very narrow scope, in terms of their specific situation, team, department, or region, but if you can look beyond and have a broader understanding of some of the business challenges, it can give you access to the next level, the next step up.”
Remember: you can add value in many ways. Don’t forget to think big when solving problems or working on projects and show that you’re continually growing while still taking care of the daily tasks that you’ve been doing all along.
Leave These Career Missteps Behind
Reschedule that date. Send that scary mentor email. Say yes to the project that makes you want to run in the other direction. Whatever you do, don’t make these career missteps in 2020. Leave them behind as you step into a new decade!