7 Workplace Blunders And How To Avoid Them
By Hannah Seligson
4. Trying to be perfect - Career experts concur. Being a perfectionist is not the quality that will get you ahead at work. It extinguishes any inclination toward risk-taking and overshadows the real priorities of your job, which probably don't consist of spell-checking that document for the eighteenth time.
5. Accepting an employer's first offer - The statistics speak for themselves. By not negotiating on even your first job offer you stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your career for what shouldn't amount to more than a few seconds outside of your comfort zone. Also, don't think you are coming across as collegial by accepting their first offer. Employers expect you to negotiate. And by handling the negotiations with firmness and poise, you'll probably end up reinforcing your organization's decision to hire you.
6. Taking on all the administrative tasks - Are you the one answering the phones? Doing all the filing? Grabbing lunch for everyone? If you are, you've fallen into the common trap of being assistant-tized. Now it's time to make a concerted effort to take on some bigger-picture projects and assignments.
7. Managing up and not laterally - While it's critical to spend time "managing up" - a fancy way of saying "impressing your boss" - don't forget about the people at your level. These are the people that will put in a good word for you when you're looking for a new job, provide that necessary daily workplace alliance, and act as that crucial sounding board.
New Girl on the Job: Advice from the Trenches (Kensington's Citadel Press) by Hannah Seligson is in bookstores now.
Check out a synopsis of the book here.
Click here for more information about Hannah Seligson.
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