Career Advice: 20 Sure-Fire Ways
To Sabotage Your Career
by
Ramon Greenwood

Sad to say, there are many ways to sabotage a career. Here's a list of 20 of the most "popular" timebombs identified by career counselors. How many of them have you seen at play in your workplace? Are you endangering your chances for job success by engaging in any of them?

1. Never stand out from the crowd. Adjust your pace to stay in the middle of the pack, not quite the slowest or the fastest, so you won't attract attention.

2. Believe you are entitled to success and job security. Think that all you have to do is show up.

3. Don't have a career plan. Wing it. Just believe it will all work out.

4. Never volunteer for extra duty. Never seek greater responsibility.

5. Always resist change and new ideas. Consistently find fault with every new idea before giving due consideration to what's good about it. Make "We tried that before and it didn't work" be your mantra.

6. Have no respect for the hierarchy of the organization that employs you. Believe you can have it your way because you are stronger and smarter than the organization. Violate the chain of command.

7. Criticize your associates, especially your boss, Constantly complain about your job and your employer. Be a member of "Ain't it awful" crowd that gathers around the water cooler. Be sure to tell others all about your personal problems.



8. Gossip. Spread rumors. Especially if they're negative. Waste your time with idle chatter.

9. Hang out with losers. Put down the winners. Assume their advancement is because they are a favorite of the boss.

10. Don't update your knowledge and skills. Keep on doing your job as you always have and the person who came before you did it.

11. Be a loner. Believe you don't need help and support from others. Don't build and maintain contacts. Don't seek out a mentor and take advice.

12. Insist on always being right. Have your way or no way.

13. Reject out of hand all criticism. Hold grudges.

14. Never have options in case you lose your job.

15. Never share credit with others for goals achieved. Claim credit for the achievements of others.

16. Arrive late to work and leave early. Never come in on Saturday.

17. Never take risks with new ideas and new opportunities.

18. Try to please everyone and win the trophy as the "most popular kid on the block".

19. Be the first to second-guess. When things don't work out as planned, declare "I told you so".

20. Think everyone is against you.

The career advice is loud and clear: Take a close look at your career. If you are nursing ticking landmines that can wreck your ambitions run, don't walk, away from them as soon as possible, that is if you want to achieve success.

To subscribe to Ramon Greenwood's free semi-monthly newsletter and blog please go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com> His advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.