5 Stupid Career Mistakes That Even Smart People Make

Let's face it - we all make mistakes, both in our personal lives and in our careers. Making a really big mistake can have severe consequences in either area, but even the smartest people keep making them. Especially when it comes to career mistakes;almost everyone has done something really dumb at least once in their professional lives. If you're lucky, the mistake earned you a reprimand or got you demoted. For the unlucky ones, the mistake can cost them their jobs and seriously damage their professional reputations. However, the super unlucky people end up on the news, their humiliation made public, which can cost them not only their jobs but their entire career.



With stakes this high, you have to wonder why people keep making the same couple of mistakes over and over. It's not because people are stupid - mostly it's because the actions seemed harmless at the time.



Here is a list of the 5 most common career mistakes that even the smartest people have made:



Posting unprofessional pictures on the internet - There is so much controversy about privacy rights and social media and people who adamantly insist that information posted online should be protected. No matter how you feel about the issue, the truth is that anything you publish is free game. Knowing that, you have to behave as though everyone in your office will see your photo or blog post. This means that if you wouldn't put the picture up on your desk, you shouldn't post it online.



Writing angry blog posts (or status updates) about your company - When you talk bad about your employer in public, it makes you look bad and can cost you a job. Most companies monitor their online image and are quick to notice when their name is being run through the mud. Many people who have made this mistake have insisted that they were just venting and were writing it for therapy and their intention wasn't to make the company look bad. The problem is that therapy and venting with friends are things that should be private. A blog post or a Facebook status message are things that are public and meant to be shared.



Thinking your boss (HR rep, headhunter or recruiter) is your friend - This has tripped up even the smartest of people - time and time again. No matter how nice, understanding and friendly your boss is, they aren't your friend. Even if they were your friend before they became your boss, (in the office at least) they are no longer your friend. In general, their best friend is the person who is paying their salary. If it's not you, then don't get too cozy. Often people forget this and lower their guard along with their job performance and expect a free pass because the boss is their "buddy".



Sharing too much personal information - At work, it's easy to build friendships with your co-workers. After all, you see them everyday and probably spend more time each week with them than you do with your actual friends. You might become tempted to share information about your personal life with them, hoping to build a deeper friendship or at least let them get to know "the real you". This is almost always a mistake. They aren't your friends and any information you share will be subject to the office gossip mill and can even ruin your professional reputation. To avoid this, keep your work and personal lives very separate.



Staying at a job you hate too long - Admitting that I made a mistake and leaving a job was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. It's so much easier to live in denial by going to work everyday and hating it. Instead of accepting the situation as it is and looking for ways to make it better or ways to find another job, most people will just be miserable. This means that their productivity is low and they often do things that can sabotage their job and their careers.



Have you ever made any of these mistakes or know someone who has? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.