Some people are more successful in their careers. While they make mistakes like everyone else, they still managed to make a comeback. But then, not everyone built such resiliency and managed to get back on their feet after making honest but costly career moves. If you plan on climbing the career ladder, your best bet is learning from other professionals’ mistakes. But did you know that there are four unusual career busters we don’t often hear about?
Divorce
You might have a rough idea of what can happen if you end a marriage. You most probably require a divorce attorney, go to court, split the assets, fight for kids’ custody, and learn to co-parent if possible while trying to live separate lives. But since every situation is unique, one can never tell what divorce is like until you experience it firsthand.
But did you know that divorce, to some degree, can cripple your career? Most people go through a divorce not knowing how big of an impact can make on their jobs. Since a divorce can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally, it can harm your ability to concentrate at work, stay productive, disrupt your habits, and change your perspective in life.
For best results, open up to your employer and let them know what you can commit to during these challenging times. Tell them you know they still expect you to function as an employee and that you only need a bit of time to work out the divorce. The only way to check if your boss will be understanding during these times or not is to try opening up with them.
Bad Credit History
A poor credit score can stop you from getting approved for a car loan or mortgage with favorable terms. It can hinder your ability to find a good rental home, end up having to pay higher insurance costs, and force you to pay a deposit just to set up an account for your utilities. But what many people fail to realize is that this can also hurt their chances of landing their dream job.
These days, some employers do a credit check as part of their background checks. This is especially true if you’re applying for a managerial position or one that requires you to handle money. If the recent and modified version of your credit history shows you have a poor way of handling your finances, this can turn them off and want to hire another qualified candidate with better credit history.
The good news is, employers usually require your permission before checking your credit history. You can use this chance to tell them why you have missed payments, had to file for bankruptcy, why loans are often rejected, and other signs that show a bad credit. Work on paying off your debts and refinance your debt if possible so you can start building a better credit history.
Negativity
Your negativity affects other people’s moods, your productivity level, and the ability to maintain a healthy relationship with others. If you’re one of those pessimists at work, your negativity could be one of the reasons why your colleagues are more stressed at work. Your negative outlook could be the reason why you fail to meet deadlines or why your boss picked another co-worker for that promotion you’ve been eyeing for a while now.
Studies show that kids who have a positive attitude have a more active hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that responds to your emotions, memory, and learning. The better your hippocampus works, the easier it will be for you to function well, work better, and achieve greater things.
The problem with negativity is that even if you don’t intend to affect other people, your mood can influence other people’s emotions. Remember that not everyone will adjust to your attitude. Everyone has their bad days, but some can handle their emotions well because they know that they need to stay professional at all times at work.
Playing Office Politics
Some people have this habit of choosing sides, spreading baseless rumors, starting a conflict, or even sabotaging colleagues. Any habit considered as playing politics can sabotage your own career. The last thing you need is to dig your own grave for spreading false rumors, making wrong accusations, and damaging your reputation.
Office politics can hurt your productivity. You need to improve your skills, hone your talents, and earn the trust and respect of colleagues and your bosses to gain a career advantage. Learn how to proceed with caution and, as much as possible, keep yourself out of office gutter politics.
Negativity, getting tangled in office politics, letting your divorce take over your work, and nursing a bad credit can ruin your career. Learning how to sidestep all these things can help you build a more satisfying career. Avoid these career regret triggers to boost your chances of succeeding in your chosen field.
