The Confident Career

Why Being A Perfectionist Is Holding You Back in Your Career

It is the age of perfectionism.

This generation of workers has been developmentally bombarded with ideas of perfection, from being rewarded with gold stars for every achievement to images of photoshopped bodies on every street corner.  In this world, you need to be a hustler, a self-starter, a go-getter (and the best one) to be valued. 

It would make sense that perfectionism is increasing.  Society has become hyper-focused on being the best and then parading it around.

Perfectionism is subjective.  But, generally, it’s setting excessively high standards for yourself.

Perfectionism has shown to have some positive attributes.  People who consider themselves perfectionists are highly motivated, can work in fast-paced environments and are more engaged in their work. 

But, there’s a dark side to setting unrealistic expectations.  People who self-identify as perfectionists also experience feelings of inadequacy, poor work-life balance, stress and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Perfectionism is holding you back in your career.

3 Things You’re Doing That Are Holding Back Your Earning Potential

Let’s take a minute to think about your last paycheck. Picture it in your mind. Do you feel satisfied? Okay about it, but it could be better? Complete disappointment? No matter what you think about how much you make, I bet you have the potential to earn more. Even if you feel good about what you’re making, that doesn’t mean you are earning as much as you could be.

You are worth a lot more than you think you are, and you need to be maximizing that earning potential. You might even be the one getting in the way of your earning potential. Here are three things you’re doing that are holding you back:

10 Questions to Ask in the Job Interview When You’re Asked, “Do you have any questions?”

What is something that high school students and job interviewees have in common? When asked, “Do you have any questions?” they both stay silent. Don’t be a blank-faced high school student who definitely has questions—say something!

But don’t just say anything. Say something meaningful and concise. Something that screams, “I’m a qualified person who deserves this job.” Something like this:

How the Art of Small Talk Will Improve Your Career

The art of small talk, no matter how scary it may seem, could be your most useful skill when it comes to advancing in your career.

The Most In-Demand Skill of the Future

Every day technology is increasingly taking over every aspect of our lives. There almost isn’t a single instance in which technology has not made its presence known. Artificial Intelligence has allowed technology to take over even the most mundane of tasks, such as switching off the lights, as well as some of the most complicated ones, such as predicting what you might buy six months from now. Therefore, we may assume that the most in-demand skills of the future may be technology related. While technology is a must, in this day and age, it has now become a given. Second-nature.

What will really be in demand in the future are emotional and social skills, or what are often collectively called, soft skills. These skills make up what is left that make us human. According to many, we have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which technology is taking over simple and complex tasks, to the point that many existing jobs will soon become obsolete because robots and machines will be able to do the same tasks that we currently do, with more speed and precision. However, some skills of the human experience that technology has not been able to imitate and overtake are creativity, complex problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy and emotional intelligence. Because these skills cannot (just yet), be done better and faster by machines, these are the skills that will be in demand in coming years.

Interesting Perks: Helping Employees Pay Off Student Debt

You’ve worked super hard throughout college so that you could do your job well, so why aren’t more employers rewarding you for it by helping with your student loans? College educated workers possess the knowledge and skills that employers seek, so shouldn’t the employers be offering incentive for higher education with loan assistance?

3 Important Factors to Consider When Deciding If You Should Go Back to School

As fall quickly approaches, parents throughout the country work feverishly to get their kids ready for the new school year. This leads many parents and other adults to reflect on their own education and consider whether or not they should return to school.

There are many reasons why adults return to school later in life. They may be seeking a new career, a promotion, higher pay, or even to expand career options within their current field. Regardless of the reasons, each potential student must consider three important factors when deciding if they should go back to school now.

Why Switching Jobs Usually Means More Money

Looking to make more money? Before you go asking for that raise, consider abandoning ship. Switching jobs may very well result in a major salary increase.

Investopedia states that the average American employee will only receive a 3-5% raise per year, approximately. However, the average salary boost an employee receives when switching jobs is between 10% and 20%, according to Forbes. In other words, it’s pretty clear how loyalty may not always pay off.

What is Hustle Culture and How to Avoid Burnout

Popularized by sleep-deprived millennial college students, hustle culture is a societal trend that promotes intense and continuous hard work, suggesting that professional achievements are only awarded as a result of “the grind.” This involves balancing jobs, internships, and classes with other activities geared towards career advancement, leaving little time for a personal life and self-care.

How to Answer “What Do You Like Least About Your Job?” In The Job Interview

Interview questions are rarely what they seem. Many candidates have not gotten that fateful job offer because of not understanding an interview question and resorting to aimlessly talking to get through it. Recently, I was a victim of this. I practiced for days on what I would say. I researched the company and who would be interviewing me, but it didn’t matter. My mouth opened and nothing came out. My mind went totally blank. So, I decided to research what certain questions actually meant and what the recruiter was actually trying to get out of me. Out of all the questions I’ve heard over the years, this one usually floors me.

“What do you like least about your job?”