by Linda M. Lopeke, The SMARTSTART Coach

It would be great if we could get through life without making mistakes but that is how many of us learn. On the other hand, by reading thislist you can stop yourself from making these top 10 career-killing mistakes today.

MISTAKE #1: Not knowing the real purpose of your resume.

Of all the things critical to landing a job, having a great resume isn't on the list because that's not its purpose! And you cannot create a killer resume if you don't know what the purpose of a resume actually is.

Your resume is a marketing tool. Its only job is to get you on the short list of people to be interviewed, not to get you the job! It must make you look like someone who would be a really interesting person to meet!

This decision to put you on the shortlist is not made by the hiring manager. It's usually made by an assistant in <10 seconds! The first 3 seconds are needed to read your name; your fate is sealed in the remaining 7 seconds. Make them count.

MISTAKE #2: Going to a job interview and not getting the answer to the most important question of all before you start talking or answering the interviewer's questions.

The hiring decision is made in the first four minutes of an interview. You HAVE to get the answer to this question. You have to do it before time is up. If you don't get the answer, you risk blowing the interview.

At SmartStart, we teach you the question and explain how to respond once you know the answer to it.

What you must find out is "do they want to hire MORE people like they have on staff now OR are they looking to hire people who are DIFFERENT to inject new blood and fresh thinking into the organization?"

MISTAKE #3: Believing the key to success is working hard and putting in long hours then making sure your boss knows about it.

Actually, this is one of the fastest ways to hold yourself back in your career! It's not very good for your health either!

You get ahead much faster when it appears that completing your assigned tasks has been near effortless for you. (Regardless of how it really is/was, that's how you want it to look!)

Do not discuss how hard/long you had to work to do something. It makes you seem inefficient and perhaps even look incompetent. You don't want that!

Two simple changes in your workday can boost productivity by up to 300%! Make them and you will feel much less stress. You will feel more on-the-job satisfaction every day too!

First, don't spend your best hours on email. Also, do not check your email all day long; it just wastes time. And it greatly interferes with your productivity. Second, know when you are at your best and do your critical thinking tasks then. Save mindless tasks for when you are fading.

MISTAKE #4: Volunteering to help with all the wrong corporate and/or employee events on a regular basis.

Many events you'll want to volunteer to help with are not safe. And a couple of these are guaranteed career killers! We teach you where to safely put your volunteer efforts for the greatest long-term impact. For example, planning the annual Christmas party is not for you if you are at all serious about your career. Same goes for bridal showers and the like.

What IS good for you is working on fund-raising campaigns for causes your company supports and for organizations where it makes them look good in the media. (Examples: United Way, industry trade shows, Young Presidents organization etc.)

Always remember, industry networking and media-worthy events, yes; social only events, no or very infrequently.

MISTAKE #5: Failing the secret test hidden in all expense reporting. (Or worse, not knowing there was one to begin with!)

This is one of the first tests your boss will give you. And most people fail! The company wants to know if you are trustworthy. You prove it to them by treating their money as carefully as you would your own. Remember, they are always watching you regarding this.

MISTAKE #6: Not knowing how to keep from committing career suicide

1) via email
2) at the water cooler or coffee station
3) at your desk
4) at lunch
5) after hours
6) at company functions
7) at work

You are ALWAYS on stage. Always being evaluated. Always being judged.

Not knowing what to say and do (or what to never say or do) is a problem for most people. It only takes one misstep in each of these situations to mess up! We'll tell you what you need to know so you don't fall into these traps.

High on the list are gossiping, complaining about the company, eating and drinking to excess and overstepping the "hierarchy" in what looks like a social situation but isn't (even when presented as such).

MISTAKE #7: Not knowing the one thing anyone can do that renders all on-the-job competition irrelevant.

It takes no special intelligence but 98% of your co-workers will NOT be doing it. Guaranteed! So, if you are not doing it today (or don't know what it is you should be doing) you are automatically keeping yourself from quickly getting ahead).

This one is easy. TAKE ACTION! It's that simple. 98% of your competition is all talk no action. This means you can easily distinguish yourself just by doing what you say you will, and completing it when you said you would.

(It’s a given you are going to do so to the highest standards of excellence possible give the time and resources you have available to work with!)

MISTAKE #8: Believing the annual performance review is the best time to discuss a salary increase.

There are three times in your work life when you have the most power negotiating for more money. Your performance review is not even on the list because it's the absolute worst time to have this discussion.

The best times are when you are about to be hired, when you've contributed value to the organization by going “above and beyond” a minimum of 3 times in the last 6 months, and when you are being let go and it isn't for "just cause".

MISTAKE #9: Not knowing how to interact with your boss effectively.

Each boss you will ever have shows you the best way to interact with him or her on a daily basis. But most people aren't paying attention to the easy-to-read clues. So they keep getting it wrong. Over time, that becomes a fatal career-killing mistake!

Every person (even you) prefers one of 4 communication modes: seeing (V), hearing (A), reading (R), or doing (K). (V=visual, A=aural, R=read/write, K=kinesthetic)

Always interact with your boss in the way s/he is most comfortable RECEIVING information. Not in the way you are most comfortable delivering it.

MISTAKE #10: Not setting up a personal employment file you keep at home and not checking what the employer has in your personnel file kept by Human Resources once a year.

You do this to ensure you can have the information you require at hand when needed. And you must check your records so you can correct any inaccuracies that may be on file and can make sure all the good stuff that should be there actually is.

No one will care about your career more than you. You are working in the age of job insecurity. It's a fact. You could be asked to leave at any time. Without warning. Maybe you will even have to leave that very day (which means you won't be able to take anything with you). Anticipate this and prepare in advance for it!


Download more free career tips and advice at http://www.smartstartcoach.com

Career success expert and mentor Linda M. Lopeke is a leading authority on how to succeed in the 21st century workplace and the creator of SMARTSTART Virtual Mentoring Programs : Success-to-go for people working @ the speed of life.