Life is full of choices. One critical decision people make is in the area of their career. A wrong move can be detrimental to one’s career path. It is advisable to get mentors, those who have treaded in the area you are going. While mentors serve as a guide and helpers, one has to be wary of the advice gotten from mentors and other people. These are 5 career pieces of advice you need to ignore to set yourself up for a great career path:
1. Don’t quit your job even if you hate it
This advice is governed by the fear of the unknown and it comes in two ways. Sticking to your job because you find it convenient and secure could jeopardize your potential. Don’t let someone who does not know what you go through at work and how frustrating the job is to advise you to stay in a job you loathe.
2. Take any job you are offered
When unemployment shows its ugly head, it is possible to fall for this and take any job offered. Someone might tell you ‘there’s no job and you just have to take whatever you’re offered. If you are not absolutely broke, don’t take this kind of advice. It is pointless taking any job you are offered when you can still apply for better openings and get called for job interviews.
3. Don’t ask for a raise
If you think you deserve a pay rise, don’t ever sit back and wait till the management dims it fit to give you a pay raise. Ask for it. Remember if you don’t ask, you won’t get it.
4. Go with the biggest pay for your first job
The fact that a company is offering good pay doesn’t mean it’s a good company. You need to find out what job satisfaction and career growth look like in that organization. If these two are missing, going for the biggest pay doesn’t make any sense for whoever wants to grow career-wise.
5. Don’t try so hard
If you find yourself surrounded by people who think you are trying too hard or that you are doing too much, you need to surround yourself with more of “your people.” Find your network, whether it’s an affinity group or an informal group of people, and find those who are enthusiastic about you and what you are doing.