You’re typically excited and nervous about your new workplace when you start a new job. You’re eager to learn more about the company and your coworkers, so it’s easy to make mistakes that reflect poorly on you as well as the company. The following list of seven mistakes is a great starting point for avoiding blunders that can jeopardize your career.
1. Wearing Things Outside of the Uniform or Dress Code
If you wear clothing that isn’t in line with the dress code, you might look unprofessional. When this happens, your coworkers may perceive you as someone who doesn’t care about their opinion, and they might talk badly about you to others. You might also be directly reprimanded or face disciplinary action, which could end up hurting your career. You can still express yourself through your clothing, but it’s important to do so within the rules. For example, if you work in a medical profession, you could wear a surgical cap with a fun design.
2. Showing Up Late
There’s a fine line between being a few minutes late and late. You might be seen as someone who doesn’t value the time of your coworkers, and it can leave a negative impression on them. Also, if you’re always late, people may think that you don’t care about the job or that your priorities need to be adjusted if you’re regularly late for work.
3. Poor Posture and Appearance
If your posture is poor and you look unkempt, your coworkers may think that the same level of effort isn’t being put into the job. You’ll also look unappealing, which can be a turnoff when making an impression on other people. Your appearance can also cause health problems, so if you’re aware of this and choose to neglect it, you may suffer from missed opportunities for treating yourself or benefiting from preventive healthcare as well as work-related injuries.
4. Being Too Nice
It’s okay to be friendly and approachable, but you don’t want to come off as too nice. If your coworker’s boss sees you being overly positive and friendly with them, they might see you as someone who can’t do their job or constantly seeks to suck up to people for personal gain. It can result in excessive criticism and make your coworkers question your motives when working on official company projects.
5. Blaming the Company
It would help if you always were willing to be held accountable for your actions. If you hint that you’re the one to blame for anything, even if there’s some truth in this, it can make you seem as though you’re unwilling to accept responsibility. Many employees will pick up on this and will believe that you don’t care about the job and that you’re looking for ways to sabotage yourself.
6. Don’t Take Too Many Personal Calls at Work
Professional appearance is important, but some people are too focused on this and forget how dangerous it can be to play office politics. If you don’t want others gossiping about you, don’t take calls or chat with coworkers while at work. It will make them question whether you care about the job or not, and they might feel like they can say anything they want about you.
7. Don’t Ask for More Money or Perks Without A Good Reason
Asking for more money or perks can be seen as being greedy or unprofessional; if you want a raise, ask for it when your company is doing well. If you’re not satisfied with your job, you shouldn’t worry about what others think of you. Just be sure that you know everything there is to know about the job before applying and that it’s something you want to do and are qualified to do.
Suppose you’re aware of the seven mistakes that can make you look unprofessional and therefore jeopardize your career. In that case, you’ll be well on your way to making a good impression with your coworkers and your company.
