Making your mark in your career is undoubtedly something we all aspire to, but there are several mistakes you should avoid that could shatter your dream in the long term. To lead a stellar career, here are ten mistakes you should never make:

1. Limiting Your Networking to Inside the Company

Networking is often considered to be just about being friendly and helpful inside the company. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Neglecting networking can lead to missed opportunities and valuable feedback, support, and knowledge of market trends and innovation. A lot of networking needs to be done offline, allowing real social contact and human interaction. This gives you a chance to seize an opportunity while keeping your ear to the ground. Remember to engage in networking outside of your company as well, as this could provide critical perspectives.

2. Placing Too Much Importance on Salary and Benefits

The experience offers more significant benefits in the long term than a salary or perks. The new job can be a challenge that will help broaden your skills, give you new responsibilities, and enable you to lead teams. Job satisfaction is a key factor that reflects positively on your resume and career growth. Don’t limit yourself to the lure of monetary benefits; the experience should always be prioritized.

3. Being Afraid of Failure

Every project undertaken will come with risks, and failure must be factored in. Identify possible obstacles and problems that could arise before the project becomes operational, and ask your team to make a list of things that could go wrong. This is an excellent way of identifying possible issues and making adjustments as necessary. Always remember that success doesn’t teach you, failure does. Learn from your mistakes, get feedback from your team, and take steps to adjust and try again.

4. Buying Property Early On

Owning property may be tempting early on in your career, but it can also be restrictive. When you buy property early on, you tie yourself to one location and reduce mobility, making it more challenging for you to move up the career ladder. Plus, many companies are reluctant to pay for the expensive costs associated with moving.

5. Avoiding Challenges

Taking the easy way out is often not a good option, as it provides few opportunities for growth or skill development. Aim for challenges where you can grow and utilize your skills, passions, and interests. You’ll only understand your strengths and weaknesses and react better to stress as you encounter difficulties along the way.

6. Ignoring Customer Feedback

Failing to consider your customer’s needs or wishes when launching a product or service is a foolish mistake. One example of this is Hiten Shah, founder of KISSMetrics, who spent $1m developing a hosting company that never launched. The company realized too late that customer satisfaction should be a top priority. Robin Chase, co-founder of Zipcar, made a similar mistake of building the website first and then seeking customer feedback later.

7. Being Too Self-Absorbed

Success can rarely be achieved alone, and networking is essential. Always strive to help colleagues and build a broad base of support that can pay off in the long run. According to James Citrin and Richard Smith, successful entrepreneurs were four times more likely to help their peers than those who had not made it to the top. Remember that opportunities often present themselves through connections and extending goodwill.

8. Avoiding Hard Work

The secret to success involves self-discipline, hard work, and self-confidence. Several successful entrepreneurs firmly believe that hard work was the key to their success. Vince Lombardi wisely stated that the price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.

9. Being Afraid to Make a Job Change

The lack of training or low scope of skill-building in the current job can prevent a leap on the ladder of growth. It is essential to examine how a job change could potentially aid in furthering the career. Remaining in a restrictive or boring environment paves the way for stagnation. The courage to make a change could lead to tremendous opportunities for growth and career expansion.

10. Undervaluing Emotional Intelligence

Over time, emotional intelligence has emerged to be crucial in management as it leads teams to success. Studies suggest that a person’s success depends only 25% on qualifications and intelligence. The other 75% comprises people skills and empathy, which make the core of emotional intelligence. Understanding, relating to and empathizing with peers and team members increases the chances of successfully managing them. Regardless of your role in the team or managerial hierarchy, developing emotional intelligence can prove to be immensely beneficial.

In conclusion, avoiding career mistakes is essential to chart a path that leads to a successful, fulfilling, and rewarding career. By avoiding common pitfalls, fostering relationships, learning from your mistakes, and enhancing emotional intelligence, you can achieve great professional growth and advancement.