10 Fatal Career Moves
It takes anywhere from three to 15 months to find the right job -- yet just days or weeks to lose it. Here are 10 traits that are career poison:
1. Possessing Poor People Skills
A little likeability can go a long way. Studies by both the Harvard Business Review and Fast Company magazine show that people consistently and overwhelmingly prefer to work with likeable, less-skilled co-workers than with highly competent jerks. Researchers found that if employees are disliked, it's almost irrelevant whether they're good at what they do, because other workers will avoid them.
2. Not Being a Team Player
No one feels comfortable around a prima donna. And organizations have ways of dealing with employees who subvert the team. Just ask Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, who was suspended for the 2005 season after repeatedly clashing and taking public shots at his teammates and management. Show you're a team player by making your boss look like a star and demonstrating that you've got the greater good of the organization at heart.
3. Missing Deadlines
If the deadline is Wednesday, first thing Thursday won't cut it. Organizations need people they can depend on. Missing deadlines is not only unprofessional; it can play havoc with others' schedules and make your boss look bad. When making commitments, it's best to under-promise and over-deliver. Then, pull an all-nighter if you have to. It's that important.
4. Conducting Personal Business on Company Time
The company e-mail and phone systems are for company business. Keep personal phone calls brief and few -- and never take a call that will require a box of tissues to get through. Also, never type anything in an e-mail that you don't want read by your boss; many systems save deleted messages to a master file. And we can't tell you how many poor souls have gotten fired for hitting the "Reply All" button and disseminating off-color jokes -- or worse yet -- rants about their boss for all to see.
5. Isolating Yourself
Don't isolate yourself. Develop and use relationships with others in your company and profession. Those who network effectively have an inside track on resources and information and can more quickly cut through organizational politics. Research shows effective networkers tend to serve on more successful teams, get better performance reviews, receive more promotions and be more highly compensated.
6. Starting an Office Romance
Unless you're in separate locations, office romances are a bad idea. If you become involved with your boss, your accomplishments and promotions will be suspect; if you date a subordinate, you leave yourself open to charges of sexual harassment. And if it ends badly, you're at risk of everyone knowing about it and witnessing the unpleasantness.
7. Fearing Risk or Failure
If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will. Have a can-do attitude and take risks. Instead of saying, "I've never done that," say, "I'll learn how." Don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes. If you do mess up, admit it and move on. Above all, find the learning opportunities in every situation. Remember, over time, risk-aversion can be more hazardous to your career than error.
8. Having No Goals
Failure doesn't lie in not reaching your goal, but in not having a goal to reach. Set objectives and plan your daily activities around achieving them. Eighty percent of your effectiveness comes from 20 percent of your activities. Manage your priorities and focus on those tasks that support your goals.
9. Neglecting Your Image
Fair or not, appearance counts. People draw all kinds of conclusions from the way you present yourself. So don't come to work poorly groomed or in inappropriate attire. Be honest, use proper grammar and avoid slang and expletives. You want to project an image of competence, character and commitment.
10. Being Indiscreet
Cubicles, hallways, elevators, bathrooms -- even commuter trains -- are not your private domain. Be careful where you hold conversations and what you say to whom. Don't tell off-color jokes, reveal company secrets, gossip about co-workers or espouse your views on race, religion or the boss' personality. Because while there is such a thing as free speech, it's not so free if it costs you your job!
By Kate Lorenz, Editor
Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for . She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
找個合適的工作需要3到15個月——然而丟掉飯碗只需要幾天或幾周。這兒是10個職場毒藥的特質：
1. 糟糕的人際技巧
一點兒可愛會大有幫助。《哈佛商業評論》和《快速公司》雜誌的研究均表明和那些能力強而呆板的人相比，人們一致而且不可遏制地更喜歡和那些可愛的、不那麼熟練的同事工作。研究發現如果員工不被喜歡，那麼他們是否擅長自己的工作顯得無關緊要了，因爲其他員工會迴避他們。
2. 缺乏團隊精神
沒有人在驕傲的女主角周圍感覺舒服。而且公司有辦法對付那些破壞團隊的員工。只要問問費城鷹隊的外接員特雷爾·歐文斯（Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver Terrell Owens）就知道了。在反覆抨擊和公開對其隊友和管理層發表攻擊性言辭後，他被停賽2005賽季。表現得你是一個好的團隊成員，讓你老闆看起來像個明星並表明你心裏想着公司更大的利益。
3. 錯過最後期限
如果最後期限是週三，把它作爲週四首要的事毫無意義。公司需要他們可以依賴的人。錯過最後期限不僅不專業；也會嚴重破壞別人的日程安排並讓你老闆臉色難看。當做出承諾的時候，最好保守一點兒答應並呈交好點兒的。那麼，如果不得已，只好開夜車。那真的很重要。
4. 在上班時間處理私人事務
公司的.郵件和電話系統是爲了公司業務。使私人電話少而簡短——並且永遠不要打那種用掉一盒紙巾才能打完的電話。同樣，永遠不要在郵件裏鍵入任何你不想被你的老闆看到的東西；許多系統將刪除的消息儲存到一個管理員檔案夾。並且我們無法告訴你多少可憐的傢伙已經因爲點擊“回覆所有”按鈕或傳播低俗笑話——或更糟——怒罵老闆被所有人看到而被炒魷魚的。
5. 孤立自己
不要孤立你自己。發展並利用你與公司和行業的其他人的關係。那些有效溝通的人對於資源和資訊佔據更有利地位，能更快地越過機構政治藩籬。研究表明有效溝通的人往往供職於更成功的團隊，得到更好的績效評價，受到更多的提升和更高的報酬。
6. 開始辦公室戀情
除非你們在不同的地方，辦公室戀情是個糟糕的主意。如果你已經和你老闆有染，你的成就和晉升機會就值得懷疑了；如果你和下屬談戀愛，你會把自己暴露給性騷擾的指控。並且如果事情不愉快地結束，你有風險得對付每個知道的人和對此不悅的人。
7. 害怕風險或失敗
如果你自己都不相信自己，就沒有別人會相信你。保持一個“能行”的態度，敢於冒險。不要說，“我從沒做過那個，”要說，“我會學着做。”不要害怕失敗或犯錯。如果你真的把事情弄糟了，承認之，然後繼續。總之，在每個工作中找到學習機會。記住，隨着時間，規避風險比錯誤對你的職業生涯會更有害。
8. 沒有目標
失敗並不在於沒達到你的目標，而在於沒有目標去努力。設定目標併爲實現它計劃你每日的活動。百分之八十你的效益來自20的工作。管理好你的重點，集中於那些支援你目標的任務上。
9. 忽視個人形象
不管公平不公平，外表很重要。人們從你的展現自己的方式中產生各種看法。因此，不要不梳洗或穿不適合的衣服來上班。坦誠，用正確的語法並避免俗話和咒罵。你應該突出一種能力、個性和承擔。
10. 不慎重
小隔間、走廊、電梯、浴室——甚至市郊火車——不是你的私人領地。小心你進行交談的位置和你說的話。不要講低俗的笑話、泄露公司機密、講同事的閒話或宣揚你關於種族、宗教的觀點或你老闆的人格。因爲儘管有言論自由這回事，但如果以失去你的工作爲代價那它就不這麼自由了。
作者Kate Lorenz, 編輯
Kate Lorenz是的文章和報道編輯.。她研究和寫作求職策略、職業管理、招聘趨勢和工作場所問題。