The JobSync Blog
The Worst "Good" Career Advice
November 17, 2011
Are you still conducting your job or job search based on some “oldies but goodies” of career advice? In today’s rapidly changing workplace and job market, the past rules of career advice cannot be applied unconditionally. In a recent blog at Forbes.com, the magazine listed 10 of the worst pieces of common career advice. A quick examination reveals why they are not as tried-and-true as they once were:
1. Life is short. Never stay in a job that isn’t personally rewarding. Sure, personal fulfillment and passion are important, but they often don’t pay the bills. In this environment, pick a field you will excel in. You may surprise yourself how personally fulfilled it leaves you.
2. They aren’t paying you enough to do that. Young or inexperienced workers need to check their egos at the door. Managers know if you can’t sweat the small stuff, you won’t be able to sweat the big stuff later.
3. It’s who you know. Network, network, network. When it comes to networks, it’s quality, not quantity. Besides, you know what we always say: “JobSync, JobSync, Jobsync.”
4. Bring up a new concern in your performance evaluation. Unloading an issue on your boss for the first time in a performance evaluation smacks of immaturity and poor-timing. Good communication is a daily requirement in any job.
5. Get an MBA. An MBA is useful but offers no guarantees. It may also prove fruitless if you don’t have a specific career goal in mind.
6. Multi-task to get more done. And multi-task if you want to spread yourself too thin and not succeed exceptionally at any one thing. Sound good? We didn’t think so…
7. You have to start from somewhere. Yes you do, but if you start way off your desired career path, you’ll be spending too much time clawing your way back and rebranding yourself.
8. You must stay in a job for at least a year. Nobody likes a job-hopper, but staying in a toxic job won’t help you either. If you need to bail, look for a new job while you keep your current one.
9. Apply for as many jobs as possible. We believe there is a better way: Apply for jobs for which you are truly a good match. Those who apply for anything will fail at almost everything.
10. Delete unrelated work experience from your resume. Attach a picture. As long as there is still a career thread uniting your primary work experience, unrelated jobs may not hurt you and may demonstrate flexibility. As for attaching pictures, even though employers can’t legally discriminate based on personal appearance, it can still get your resume discarded.
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