Hopefully, your “getting trashed with the Boss” hangover has now subsided and we can wrap up the final bunch of CLM’s. I’ve kept the best / worst for last, so let’s ease in this week with vacations.

9. TAKING VACATIONS TOO SOON

If you haven’t worked six months yet and are already asking for a two-week vacation you are potentially kissing your career goodbye. The first year or two of work should be intensely focused on establishing yourself in this new organisation and role. Taking vacations too soon sends the message that you don’t care as much as you should about your future at the firm. Vacation days almost always carry over up to a certain point, and If you ever leave the firm, they are required to pay your vacation days in the form of income, so don’t worry about losing them.

For a bunch of very good reasons, you must take your vacations, but in the early years try and spread them out in two or three day chunks through the year, AFTER completing your first year. Also, try not to take more vacations during the second half of the year because that is usually when bonuses and promotions are decided.

10. NOT TAKING ON EXTRA WORK VOLUNTARILY

Despite what you learned from watching all those war movies, it’s important to raise your hand when your boss asks for volunteers. See it as a privilege that you get to do more work, and your bosses will quickly recognize you as one of those who go above and beyond their day-to-day jobs. Bosses love employees who put in the extra mile to make sure all the work is done on time, and don't forget to volunteer for your boss’s charity Fun Day.

11. OVERESTIMATING YOUR ABILITIES

You may have gotten straight A’s at UNSW, but you know diddlysquat when you first start working, or start in a new role, or Company. If you carry your superiority complex into the work environment without putting in the hard yards, you will fail spectacularly. It is much better to start with the attitude that you know nothing, and build from there.

Which lets us segue quite smoothly into the biggest CLM of them all – drum roll please….

12. KNOW YOUR PLACE

 Seniors beat up juniors. First year analysts listen to Supervisors and Team Leaders. Supervisors and Team Leaders listen to Directors. Directors listen to Managing Directors. That is just the way it works! If you choose to work for a company instead of becoming an entrepreneur it is vital that you know your place. The last thing anybody wants is some cocky kid who thinks he or she knows it all. You must suffer like they have suffered when they first started. Anything less will seem like insubordination. Do what you are told until the new incoming class arrives, and then the scrutiny will shift to them.

One of the reasons why I think most Asian cultures do so well in the workplace is because filial piety, or compliance, is an integral part of their upbringing. It almost doesn’t’t even matter whether an older person is right or wrong. What matters is that you show the older person some respect through listening and following directions. Through respect comes mentorship, and through mentorship you create a much greater chance of being successful in your career.

Out of all the CLMs, knowing your place is the most important thing to help grow your career. Start out spending most of your time listening, studying, and volunteering for work. Soon you will no longer be the “new guy” in your office, and your patience will be rewarded.

A lot of people just don’t want to play the game, and that is often born out of laziness and ignorance. Taking the time to read this blog deals with both of those! Unfortunately, you are being naive if you think doing great work alone will move you ahead. Selling yourself internally is just as important as selling yourself externally, and even though most of us would prefer to not have to do it, it is an essential part of moving your career forward.

So there we have the 12 most critical CLM’s, and how to avoid them. Feel free to comment below, and share this with everyone you know who is out there doing their best to get ahead.

The amazing response to my Career Path Tune Up offer continues, so I’ve decided to repeat it! If you need some help with career planning, or would just like an objective look at your existing plans, I’m offering 5 FREE 45 minute Career Path Tune Ups to the first 5 people who use our Contact Form on our website to ask for one of them. These will help you assess where you are now, where you want to get to, and how to go about getting there as smoothly as possible. The sessions normally cost AU$ 150.00 each, so grab a free one while it is available.