You’ve hopefully read my digest of Top Ten Mistakes Young People Make at Work – Part 1. Here we continue with mistakes 6 – 10. See what you think.
Any Foot Forward
The mistake is in not consciously stepping out with your best self every time. No one works for long without making some bad choices. The thing that matters most is that you approach each situation trying to do your best. Younger workers sometimes engage other workers in a haphazard, unpredictable way. This wastes a huge reputation building opportunity. When people don’t know you well they are forming their opinions based on whatever they see or hear. So make it a practice to stop, center yourself and then step into the interaction with professionalism and maturity.
Clustering
The mistake is developing professional friendships only with those in your immediate department or at your level. Obviously it is most comfortable not to stray outside your age or proximity comfort zone. After all, why hang with someone who is so different than you? Career mobility, that’s why. You never know who – or how – or when another person might be the key to your next move. Or – and this is just as likely – you’ll be the key to theirs. It’s all about give and take as you shape your career. Don’t put all your eggs in the “just like me” basket.
Change? Forget It!
The mistake is being unwilling to change. Business situations are like little islands of culture, complete with accepted and unaccepted practices. It won’t take long for you to observe how things work on your company island and, even if people won’t tell you so directly, a person who says, “That’s just the way I am. Everyone else can just get used to it!” will be limited to permanent outsider. This is not to say that employees can’t be unique; it just means that if you stray too far from standard behaviors, you’re likely to be booted off the island.
But You Owe Me
The mistake is thinking that your company owes you more than you owe the company. All of us have worked long hours, gone above and beyond the call of duty and felt – not that secretly – that the company “owed us one.” While that might be true for the moment, companies have notoriously bad memories and it’s very likely that a year from now, no one will remember what you did. Instead they will ask, “What have you done for me lately?” That may seem unfair but older workers will tell you that it is true. Remember, you work for a “company” and companies aren’t your family. So, keep doing a great job but do not get obsessed with keeping mental reciprocity records. That will just turn you into a bitter old guy no one wants to be around. (I know. You’ve already met that guy.)
“NOW” – Think
The mistake is in making decisions that might be good in the short-term but are the wrong decisions for your long-term career and future marketability. As a young person myself, I once decided between two job offers because one of them paid $200 more than the other. Two hundred dollars. Per year. (Yikes.) For your career to reward you as it should, you’ve got to be oriented toward the long-term potential as you make career choices. And long-term is probably longer than most young people think. It’s five years away, then ten years away, then retirement age. You cannot predict the future but you can seek out industries, technologies and locations that have not good but great future potential. Keep up with the changes and make your moves earlier rather than later. Use a logical method for choosing between your alternatives. (For a video about a tool I highly recommend, the Decision Making Matrix, see www.working-together-better.com.)
That’s It
That wraps up my summary of the top Ten Mistakes Young People Make at Work and How to Avoid Them. I hope this short investment of your time has given you some things to think about but more importantly some things to do differently. (If you have employees that should hear this information, we have an on-site training program based on this material. Ask for our catalog.)
Until next time, let’s keep on Working Together Better.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Jean Houston Shore works with organizations that want their people to work together better. She can be reached at 770-643-9724, by email at jean@thinkbusiness.com or through her website at www.working-together-better.com. Ask for your free copy of her book Working Together Better.
Copyright © 2010, Jean Houston Shore, Business Resource Group. All Rights Reserved Internationally. No portion may be reprinted or used without prior written permission.
