3 common career mistakes - how to avoid the comfort trap

You spend thousands of hours at work – but how much time do you dedicate to your career?

Most people have at some point had an idea of what they want to become when they grow up. But once they’ve landed a good job, they stop dreaming, stagnate, and stay on with the same company for years – even though they really might want to try something new. It’s daunting to take action, so the easiest choice is to just settle. Sure, it’s easy – but far from the most rewarding thing for your professional life.

 

Here are a few tips to help you avoid the most common mistakes in your career.

Isn’t your job and career the same thing?

If you follow the standard 40-hour workweek, you’ll spend an average of 1,800 hours per year at work. Now, compare that number to how many hours you spend planning your career per year. It might come down to only a few moments here and there, when you think about how nice it would be to get a higher salary so you could take that dream vacation.

 

If that’s the case, you spend hundreds of times more hours at your job than you do on your career. The difference is: your job is what you do for eight hours a day, while your career is the result of the work you do. Your career moves you forward, and it’s a mistake not to be intentional about it.

Mistake 1: the comfort trap, or “I can’t be bothered”

It’s in our nature to seek comfort. That’s why we rarely put in the effort to change our situation when we feel reasonably comfortable: if you have a salary that pays the bills, decent colleagues, and okay work assignments, there are no urgent problems to solve.

 

It’s not wrong to feel content where you are right now. But beware, as it might lead to feeling under-stimulated a few years down the line if there’s no variety and sense of newness from time to time. That’s why we call it the comfort trap: you get stuck in routine and eventually can’t escape. Getting stuck in your career can eventually make you feel tired, unmotivated, and as if you’re missing out on an exciting professional life.

 

When you start thinking about changing jobs, it might feel overwhelming: we tend to spend too little time looking at job opportunities before deciding to change jobs, and too much time applying to job ads once we’ve made the decision.

 

Instead, stay active in your career and keep yout network strong, so you’ve proactively decreased stress for when it’s time for a job change.

Mistake 2: “I don’t have the time”

In contrast to the hours you spend at work, it doesn’t take much time to make dramatic progress in your career. Dedicate a few minutes a month to looking the job market and checking out what positions are available.

 

When you find something interesting, get in contact and see if you can go for an interview, even if you’re not planning to change jobs just yet. It’s always a good idea to meet people in your industry and make connections – they may become useful to you in time.

 

Make sure you put in some time, even if it’s only 30 minutes every three months, and get into the habit of keeping an eye on the market. ”The bare minimum” can take you far.

Mistake 3: thinking you’ve already peaked and reached the top of your career

If you have a well-paid job, great colleagues, and get to do fun things at work, you might not be thinking about the future of your professional life at all. But failing to keep looking around you is doing yourself a disservice. Maybe it really is your dream job – but will it still be in five years?

 

Even if things feel great right now, there’s no guarantee it will stay that way, because you evolve and change every day. You’re not the same person now as you were when you were younger, and you’ll continue to change. As you do, you’ll most likely want to introduce new things into your life, and further develop your skills.

 

By staying active in your career, you build connections and remain top of mind with people you meet – your colleague today might become a hiring manager at an exciting new company in the future.

 

An active and proactive mindset may let you jump seamlessly into the next big opportunity, because you were already prepared for change.

What does it mean to work on your career?

Spending time on planning your career is what we call a proactive career. When you keep the door ajar for new opportunities, and accept that your current situation is temporary and therefore subject to change, you open yourself up to new and better offers – now or in the future.

 

Ask yourself: is the timing ever truly right or wrong to look at the next step?

How to create a proactive career

• Keep evolving & reaching new milestones

Follow up on your development plan with your current boss. Find out what you want to achieve in the future and work towards that goal. Taking one step in the right direction each month will take you 12 steps further in a year than if you don’t mind what you’re doing.

• Stop waiting for the “right time"

An interview gives you information that can be crucial in deciding if the timing is right. Maybe you’ll get a significant salary increase, which matters if you’re planning to buy a house in a year. Or maybe you’ll get to bring your dog to the office, which could be a big perk if you’re tired of making extra trips to doggie daycare. Such factors can tip the scale, making timing less relevant.

• Stay active on the job market

Even if you don’t want to change jobs tomorrow, an interview can give you connections that open unforeseen doors, months or years from now.

• Get help from Worko

Worko is your career expert & partner, keeping an eye on the market for you. Every month, we interact with thousands of people at different stages in their careers. By planning your career with us, you can focus on your current projects, and still be an active candidate, ready to make a change when it suits you. We help you take the next step – completely free of charge for candidates.

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