5 Deadly Career Mistakes You're Making as an Employee (+ How to Fix Them)

Last year, I resigned from my full-time role as Lead Content Writer for a SaaS company. After working there for a year and three months, I had begun to feel dissatisfied. I wanted to do something more challenging, more impactful.

With hope and gusto, I updated my resume and sent out job applications. But a few rejection emails later, I realized I had made several mistakes that made it harder for me to stand out in a competitive pool.?

I have found that these mistakes are not unique to me—other people are making them too. As a full-time employee with a fixed schedule, stable source of income, and access to juicy benefits, it is easy to fall into passive patterns that can impede your career progress.

Thankfully, if you become aware of these mistakes early enough, you can take proactive steps to correct them, as I am now.

Based on my experience, here are five major career mistakes you may be making and how to fix them:

1) Neglecting to document your accomplishments

It is no secret that outstanding resumes emphasize measurable results rather than responsibilities. Unfortunately, many full-time employees don’t keep a clear record of their achievements.?

At my previous job, I filled in an OKR sheet and reported the results I achieved every week, such as the number of free trials my articles generated, open and click-through rates for emails, and so on. But I didn't think to have a separate document where I noted these metrics. So, when it was time to update my resume, I couldn’t remember much, which plunged me into a fit of panic.

Eventually, I was able to access some stats by scouring through Basecamp chats, screenshots, and official spreadsheets. But the process was taxing. Imagine how much easier it would have been if I had been writing them down somewhere.

If you’re asked, "how have you contributed to the growth and success of your company in the last quarter?", you are unlikely to remember every detail. But if you’ve been documenting your work, you can give a satisfactory answer.

How to fix it

1) Keep a brag document

A brag document is a list of all your big and small achievements at work. This document isn’t limited to only quantifiable results; feel free to include any task or project that has some impact on the company’s bottom line. You can even add something as simple as mentoring an intern.?

A brag document makes it easier for you to update your resume. But it’s not only useful when you want to change jobs. You can also use it to advocate for yourself during a performance review or to negotiate a promotion or pay raise.

Andy Budd, a design lead and coach, explains that the listings in your brag documents should contain “a date, a brief title and a short description of what you did, why you think it’s important and what effect you had.”

'Lade Tawak , a senior UX researcher and career coach, says:

Your brag doc doesn't have to be super complicated. It is as easy as a few lines stating what happened. You can use any known framework such as STAR; also, note down positive feedback from your colleagues or manager. Make it easy for yourself by noting things down immediately in, for example, your Notes app or Google Keep. Then, schedule some time weekly, fortnightly, or monthly to update a master doc and give it more structure.

You can use this template by Julia Evans to create your brag document.

2) Update your resume and LinkedIn profile regularly?

Don’t wait until you’re ready to start job-hunting before you refresh your resume and LinkedIn profile. I’ve seen cases where people get a message from a recruiter or information about an opening in a friend’s company. Suddenly, they are scrambling to update their resume and profile. Always be prepared.

You may be wondering, “how often should I update my resume?” Answer: there is no fixed rule. In a CNBC article, Jeff Hyman, CEO of Recruit Rockstars, recommends updating your resume “at the end of each fiscal quarter, or once every three months, and after each performance review you have with your manager.” You can also update your resume immediately after any professional milestone, such as completing a big project, getting an award, or getting a new certification.

The same rule applies to your LinkedIn profile. Ensure that you don't leave any section of your profile blank and that the info there is up to date.

2) Not showcasing your work in a portfolio

Do you have a portfolio or personal website that displays the projects you've worked on and presents a clear picture of your skills and experience? For a while, I didn’t have a personal website, so I would leave the "Website" field blank while filling out applications on recruiting platforms (I did have a portfolio on Google Drive). Eventually, I created a simple one; however, I won’t be surprised if I missed some opportunities because of that omission.?

Because freelancers' chances of getting clients depend on having an updated portfolio of work, they tend to take this element seriously. And as a full-time employee, you should too. According to research by Zippia, 61% of hiring managers state that including a link to your online portfolio, blog, or website boosts your chances of landing a job.

So, one of the most effective ways to distinguish yourself in a competitive market is to have a portfolio that displays your track record, convincing recruiters that you can get the work done and are worth hiring. Having a portfolio is especially important if you work within creative fields like marketing or design.

?How to fix it

1) Create a clear and well-organized portfolio

Good news—you don't need to know how to code or design to create a portfolio or simple website. With no-code tools like Notion or Curious Page, you can create a winning portfolio and website. If you are a digital writer, you can also host your portfolio on third-party websites like Contently, Content Estate, or Clippings.me. And if you want to keep things simple, Google Docs or Slides will do fine.

2) Add your best work

You don't need to display all the projects you have worked on in your career. Simply highlight 3-4 projects that best demonstrate your skills and expertise.

3) Show the big picture

There's more to building a portfolio than adding links, screenshots, or visuals. Adopt a storytelling approach by highlighting:

• The problem you aimed to solve
• The goals you were trying to accomplish?
• The process you used to solve the problem. This includes research, strategy, ideation, creative decisions, iterations, etc.
• The outcomes you achieved, such as quantifiable results; you can talk about failures and challenges too.?

4) Be specific

If you worked with other people, avoid taking credit for the team’s work in your portfolio. But don't be too general as well. Emphasize the unique role you played in the completion of the project and how you collaborated with other team members.

5) Borrow a second pair of eyes

Have a friend or colleague review your portfolio so that they can offer helpful feedback on layout, style, grammar, and the overall effectiveness of your portfolio.

You may be restricted from sharing the work you produce for your employer in your portfolio due to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) or a contract clause. In that case, consider volunteering for a non-profit organization or carrying out a side project. You could also ask your employer for permission to share your work—they just might surprise you with a Yes.

Lastly, your portfolio doesn't need to be perfect. Mine surely isn't, but at least I have one. Just get started now and improve it as you go.

3) Not Upskilling and Reskilling Constantly

Whenever people want to pivot to another career or boost their chances of landing a new job, they invest in professional courses. Then when they are settled in a new job, they ditch Udemy/Udacity/HubSpot Academy like a partner they no longer have feelings for.

Freelancers update their skills more frequently than full-time employees—50% more, according to this Deloitte study. The reason is simple: freelancers work with new clients on an ongoing basis, and if they want to land high-paying gigs, they must improve their skills. Full-time employees, however, get a constant stream of work from their employers, which makes them complacent.

But complacency can be dangerous. In this current economic climate where layoffs happen every other day, having new or improved skills can be the difference between being retained or let go.?

I got my previous job without any formal experience in content writing—I had not even taken a course. Within a few months, I learned a lot about SEO content writing and email copywriting on the job. But it wasn’t until I took a HubSpot content marketing course that I realized I still had knowledge and skill gaps.

Learning on the job is great but taking professional courses and training will expose you to unique insights from experts and evolving trends in your industry.

How to fix it?

1) Take responsibility for your professional growth

Ideally, employers should provide employees with training to enable them to develop their existing skills and acquire new ones. But we don’t live in an ideal world, so not every employer does this. In that case, set aside a budget for professional courses and workshops. And if your employer provides training, maximize the opportunity and stay committed to continuous learning.

2) Consider peer-to-peer mentoring

Again, employers ought to create P2P mentoring programs within their organizations. However, you can initiate this yourself by reaching out to a colleague with a similar experience level within your organization or industry (social media can help with this). Both of you can agree to teach each other, share your perspectives, and offer guidance.

4) Not building a personal brand

I’ll be honest with you: as an introvert, I don't like the idea of personal branding. I’m fine with sharing a personal anecdote or helpful tip every now and then. But posting on LinkedIn every day? Making Twitter threads every week about how to be a badass writer??

But I can't deny that building a personal brand is highly beneficial. It increases your visibility and establishes you as a problem solver or thought leader in your industry, opening the doors to great opportunities. It can also give you an edge during the hiring process.

'Lade Tawak says career progress is not just about doing great work, it's also about who knows you know what you know.

Besides, recruiters always screen applicants online. Zippia’s research indicates that 54% of employers have rejected candidates based on their social media profiles. So, it only makes sense that you should be careful and strategic about your online reputation.

How to fix it

1) Don’t overthink it—just share

Many people don’t like personal branding because it sounds like selling yourself, which carries an undertone of insincerity. But personal branding is simply painting a true picture of your values, skills, experience, and personality. And the cornerstone of personal branding is demonstrating the value you bring to the table.

You can create authentic and valuable content on social channels, blogs, email newsletters, and podcasts. You can also create templates, workbooks, courses, or an eBook.

Here’s what you can share:

• Accomplishments at work and the process that led to them?
• Challenges you faced at work and how you overcame them
• Failures you experienced and the lessons you took away
• Insights or perspectives on emerging trends or news in your field
• Learning points from the content you consume (courses, books, podcasts)

Be careful not to divulge sensitive or confidential information about your employer or colleagues, however.

Sharing doesn’t only have to be on online channels. Tawak says you can raise your hand to speak at industry events or offer to be part of a panel on a topic you are knowledgeable about.

2) Choose what works for you

The options for personal branding are many but don’t make the mistake of trying to succeed at all of them. Choose a medium you're comfortable with, one that won't overwhelm you.

Tawak advises,

Personal branding doesn’t mean you have to be on all the platforms and do TikToks if you don't want to. It means you can make the internet your portfolio. Write articles on LinkedIn or Medium, post about your learnings on Instagram or Twitter, even your WhatsApp status.

Also, choose a routine and stick to it. You can decide to publish a newsletter once a month or create a Twitter thread once a week. Just make sure you have a content strategy in place.

3) Engage others

Connect with other people in your industry—your peers especially, not just seniors or thought leaders many years ahead of you. Spark conversations with them, read their content and share your opinions, and support their work.

5) Being passive about networking

From my observation, full-time employees don't network as much as freelancers. They make connections on LinkedIn (especially when they’re job-hunting) and spark conversations at events—but that's usually where it ends.?

Freelancers, on the other hand, engage with each other's content, celebrate each other's wins, and point each other to opportunities.

Freelancers understand the need for networking because personal recommendations are key to getting new clients. But networking is equally important for full-time employees. 85% of jobs are filled through networking, according to a LinkedIn survey.

Wouldn’t it be great to get recommended for a job instead of going through a lengthy and rigorous recruitment process?

How to fix it

1) Build rapport

You may have been meeting people at virtual and in-person events, and on social networking sites. But don't stop at the initial meeting. Send follow-up messages and check in from time to time. If they're in your city, ask them if you can meet up for coffee or brunch. Networking is about building solid long-lasting connections, not short-lived ones.

2) Show genuine interest in people

Like branding, networking also has a negative connotation. Some people view it as pretentiously trying to get to know people so that you can "use" them to get something you want.?

But it doesn't have to be that way. As my friend, Emmanuel, Faith. GPHR, ACIPM , writes in Lustre: Shining through the teeming crowd, “The key to networking is being genuinely interested in people and being interesting.”

Take the time to learn who people really are. Ask about their background, goals, interests, and hobbies.

Chances are they'll reciprocate the interest. So, be ready to talk about yourself too.

This way, you will find common ground and establish an emotional connection with them. And if any opportunity arises or you need their help in the future, they'll gladly help you out.

3) Be active in professional associations and online communities

Every industry usually has one or more professional associations. And in this digital age, there's a rise in niche online communities. Subreddits, Twitter Communities, Facebook Groups, Telegram groups—the list goes on.

Join anyone that pertains to your industry. For example, content marketers can join the Superpath community on Slack. Then, connect with your peers and actively participate in discussions and events.

Does this all sound like a lot? It surely is. Implementing these strategies while working a full-time job won’t be a walk in the park. But the benefits outweigh the costs. And in the future, when your career is progressing nicely because you made more effort to network or build a personal brand, you will be glad you went the extra mile.

Which of these mistakes will you correct going forward? Do let me know in the comments.