You’ve been receiving career advice from everyone since you were young, yet embarking on a career path is never an easy decision as it involves a lot of planning, research, and speculation. Being exposed to plenty of information and career advice through various social media channels also adds to the existing confusion. And learning to differentiate between good and bad career advice is the only way to resolve confusion and chalk out a clear career path.

So, here are 5 Pieces of Bad Career Advice that you must ignore without a second thought. 

Companies are looking for candidates who’ll solve problems, and they want more than theoretical experience and mark sheets to achieve their goals. So, having an impeccable grade sheet without practical experience doesn’t guarantee a job.

Does this mean you should drop out of college or school?

No. We wouldn’t recommend that extreme either.

Students have been fed the media craze of fat salary packages from Silicon Valley and the stories of entrepreneurs who dropped out of university to become successful. So, they have a warped perception of reality.

We have our strengths and weaknesses. We’re unique, and although all of us can become entrepreneurs, we must understand that not everyone can excel at it.

 2. Talent Trumps Hard Work

This terrible piece of advice will set you back from progress as talent is a limited resource, and “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”

People who solely rely on talent tend to get disappointed and give up if things don’t work in their favour immediately.

People who rely on hard work are aware that their talent has limitations, and working hard can hone the latter and produce favourable results.

Yes, it takes longer to reach our career goals, but does it matter as long as we reach our destination?

3. Don’t change jobs too early

“An employee must stay in a company for at least 2-3 years before making a switch despite hating their jobs.

Otherwise, it won’t create a great impression on potential employers in the future, and they’d reject candidates as it shows that they can’t be entrusted with responsibilities.”

This is the common advice we receive from loved ones when we confide that we’d like to switch jobs because of a toxic environment.

Companies understand that candidates expect more than monetary compensation for their work. They want to feel respected and valued in an organisation. So if the current workplace doesn’t offer the same, they start looking for better opportunities.

So, switching jobs before the accepted tenure is no longer a matter of concern. And your future self will thank you if you switch to a company that’ll help you thrive instead of inhibiting your growth and mental peace. 

 4. Don’t take a career break

A career break is a deliberate time out taken from employment for personal or professional development.

You might have been advised against taking a career break as it ruins future employment possibilities.

“Companies have access to candidates who have up-skilled and updated themselves while you were on a break. Why would they hire you? It’s best to continue working or quit altogether.”

Life happens to everyone, and sometimes, we need to take a break to settle down and come back stronger.

Hiring managers understand this and give deserving candidates a chance to re-enter the workforce. So, a career break is not the end of your career.

5. Follow Your Passion

This advice is terrible for the following reasons:

●      You might not be good at what you’re passionate about, and you might hinder yourself from growing in the field if you can’t learn quickly.

●      You might discover multiple passions as you progress further in life. We’re bound to go through many experiences that will change our perceptions and the things we’re passionate about. So, relying solely on passion as fuel for career growth is not the best idea.

●      What if you don’t have a passion? Most people need plenty of exposure and experiences before they can zero in on their passion. But most of us don’t get that chance as we’re driven by the responsibilities of providing for a household.

 ●      So, you may not find the time and space required to discover your passion and make it your mainstream career.

 You’ll reach greater heights of success if you discover what you’re good at and work on it instead of trying to discover your passion. DMIT counselling helps you do exactly that.

 Conclusion

You’ll come across good and bad career advice during your lifetime, and learning to distinguish between the two will save you from confusion. So, here are 5 bad pieces of career advice you must ignore in 2021.

 ●      Good Grades are the Ticket To a High-Paying Job

●      Talent Trumps Hard Work

●      Don’t Change Jobs Too Early

●      Don’t Take a Career Break

●      Follow Your Passion

 Found these insights useful? Share the article with loved ones who might benefit from it!

Wishing you Luck .

Prabha Rajan.