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John is seated at his work desk while burying his head in his hands.
He reflects on his career and wonders, “What am I doing wrong? Why isn't my career going in the direction I want? Even after implementing career advice I’ve heard and read, why does it feel like nothing is getting better?”
He exhales a sigh!
But how come? You ask.
Well, there is lots of advice out there, and telling good advice from bad advice isn’t always easy. Some career advice may sound good, but they end up causing damage rather than fast-tracking your career success. And whether they are clichéd or not, they should be thrown out the window.
Here are five of the worst career advice that top our list.
Are you ready?
1. Follow your passion.
Relax. Don’t cast a stone at me just yet.
Let me explain…
I’m pretty sure you've heard it all, “do what you love,” “do what you are passionate about,” “follow your bliss,” and whatnot. It's a piece of advice that encourages you to pursue the things that will make your life more fulfilling. In a perfect world, we would all be doing jobs we love. Unfortunately, for most people, the reality is more along the lines of:
Source: Someecards
Most conditions don't lend themselves to the idea of following one's passion because it shows no strategy on how to achieve them. For example, is it a skill that will align with the market's needs? Are you sure that your passion will not change over time? Can you earn a living doing it? Would you still love doing it if you had to do it every day as work?
You may not have clear answers to all these questions, but Fuzu is here to help you piece everything together. Sounds good? Great. Now here’s...
What you should do
Disclaimer, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but here goes nothing.
You have to let go of the debate over whether your job is your calling or if you should pursue your passion, even if you are just starting out in your career. Instead, focus on becoming so good at what you are currently doing that others can't help but notice you. Passion is a natural byproduct of mastery. Therefore:
- Learn what people are ready to pay for and what valuable skills you need to obtain.
- Pick a career path that makes the most of your strengths, and you'll be on your way to a long and prosperous career.
- Alternatively, you can treat your passion as a part-time job/side hustle while you figure out what works in the market and what doesn’t without the pressure of trying to make money right away.
- Take some inspiration from someone who has achieved great success in the field you're interested in.
2. Fake it till you make it.
Let’s face it. No one likes the feeling of being out of place or unqualified in their industry, so we often give in to the advice “Fake it till you make it.” Furthermore, with rising pressure to succeed, job competitiveness, and a world that constantly presents only our best images on social platforms, it's logical that so many people resort to faking it to feel more confident and competitive.
Source: Medium
The question is, how successful can you genuinely be by exaggerating your abilities while, in fact, you have none?
Eventually, your lack of talent, experience, and ability to back up claims about yourself as a professional will become evident to the people around you. They will view you as a hypocrite and a con artist, a reputation that may haunt you for the rest of your days. Just ask Anna Delvey.
If you don't want to wind up like Anna, read on to find out...
What you should do
- To overcome a lack of self-confidence, the first step should be to recognize your strengths.
- Be true to who you are, trustworthy, dependable, and honest. Rather than comparing yourself to others, focus on being the best version of yourself.
- Maintain a steady pace on the road to success. Take baby steps that lead to small victories. You'll have a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going.
- Aim higher than you believe is possible, but only if you do it from the heart. Do everything it takes to attain your goal, no matter how impossible it may seem at first.
- Keep an eye out for negative self-talk and work on replacing it with more optimistic words. You'll be unstoppable if you make being positive a habit.
Instead of attempting to rise through the ranks using pretense, you should focus on being honest and congruent. The truth inspires people, so avoid the pressure and let them see your genuine abilities as they grow along with your personality.
3. Success comes through hard work alone.
Ideally, we'd all like to believe that hard work pays off in the form of a promotion, a raise, or some form of acknowledgment. It's a common mantra from people who have achieved financial prosperity. Sadly, it has qualified as one of the worst pieces of career advice on our list.
Why?
This strategy is doomed to failure because it instills a false sense of security by promising that good fortune will magically appear if you just work hard enough. Listen. Hard work is not a guarantee of success in one's professional or personal life. Yes, you must put in the time and effort, be committed, and perform well in your role, but in the end, brains always triumph over muscles.
Besides, how many people do you know who work incredibly hard but are not successful? If you want to break that trend, then here's:
What you should do
- Have a clear vision of what you want, and know what you're aiming for.
- Target markets with high potential for growth and rapid expansion.
- Find and cultivate skills that are in high demand in those markets.
- Test your market value regularly. Try to get a new job or a better client who will pay a better salary.
- Work on refining your skills to stand out from the crowd.
- Ensure you are up-to-date on all the latest predictions and trends in your industry.
- Set up a framework for spotting red signals in the market and responding quickly.
- Connect with colleagues and potential employers by staying active on social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Always be on the lookout for new opportunities to advance your career.
Implementing these steps will put you in a better position to make consistent growth in your career and emerge as an industry leader. Don’t just work hard; know what you’re working hard for.
4. Accept the job even if you don't want it.
At some point, you'll find yourself in need of a job. A chance comes your way, but you're not particularly interested or excited about it. You may not know what you're looking for, but this one is certainly not it. Consequently, you find yourself in a dilemma over whether to accept the offer. All this in light of the fact that you don't have a ton of time to decide.
Source: giphy
Nevertheless, here are some reasons why choosing a career path you don't want can be problematic.
- It leads to a sense of discontent with your current position and responsibilities.
- It worsens the already tense ties between management and leadership.
- You may experience a lack of growth in the organization.
- You'll be overcome by a deep sense of sorrow and thoughts over how things may have been different.
- You'll end up changing jobs a short while later and be labeled a job-hopper.
To avoid all this here’s…
What you should do
- Be clear about what you want.
- Take the time to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of accepting the position.
- Ask the hiring manager if there is room for career growth during the interview.
- Evaluate if the position allows for a good work-life balance before accepting it.
- Consider whether the compensation is enough to support your lifestyle before taking the job.
- If a company wants you, they'll usually go above and beyond what's reasonable and budgeted to convince you to sign on the dotted line. This means they’ll allow room for negotiation, such as a bonus scheme or a boost in salary. Take that chance and stage your demands.
- There are always alternative job opportunities to look into if you feel like the job is not your cup of tea.
In most cases, unless you are desperate and need an immediate source of income, it's best not to settle for something you don't want. There are only two outcomes: either you'll be stuck in a job you despise and do poorly, or you'll be forced to look for a new one just as quickly.
5. Go for the highest salary.
Last on our list of the worst career advice is aiming for the big bucks. Chasing positions solely because they offer competitive pay does not imply that the company is an excellent employer to work for or that the job is a good one. It also doesn't guarantee that the role will be fulfilling on its own accord.
Source: giphy
By choosing the highest starting salary, you can expect to be under pressure from the start and put in long hours to complete a challenging workload. While this may be appealing to some professionals, it may not be ideal for everyone. As such, before you consider going in it for the money, here's…
What you should do
- Establish how much you should be earning according to the current industry average.
- Know your worth as a professional. You don't want to get stuck in a job for less money than your colleagues.
- Carefully consider other factors such as job duties, corporate culture, work-life balance, and career growth opportunities.
In conclusion
Of the greatest concern is the frequency and casualness with which some of these ideas are being shared. When it comes to taking career advice, it's important to tell the good advice from the bad and trust your gut instincts when in doubt. Carefully consider the source of the advice you're receiving and apply your judgment while making decisions.