As of: January 22, 2024, 5:15 p.m
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Everyone knows them: typical career wisdom on how to be successful in your career.
But these sayings are not always appropriate.
There is plenty of well-intentioned advice on the internet.
Young professionals in particular are bombarded with tips on how they can climb the career ladder as quickly as possible.
But even experienced workers often stumble over typical sentences like “Fake it till you make it”.
But what is actually behind these myths?
Are these statements that make sense or are they rather outdated sayings that have lost their validity?
Below we take a closer look at five career wisdoms.
1. “Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life”
Everyone probably dreams of having a job that is fulfilling and fun.
However, personnel consultant Katja Bauer from
“i-potentials.de”
considers this myth to be a dangerous illusion.
“Unfortunately, this career tip usually does more harm than good because it is based on completely unrealistic expectations - especially for people who are interested in many things and are good at more than one thing,” she criticizes, according to
“glassdoor.de”
.
“The pressure to find the ONE job you love so much and dearly leads to bitter disappointment sooner or later.”
Perfectly happy at work: does that even exist?
© Yuri Arcurs/IMAGO
After all, every job without exception has strenuous and challenging days.
Even the absolute dream job feels like work.
Bauer's tip: Reflect on what you naturally enjoy and what you can still work on.
This knowledge would result in more professional opportunities.
2. “Fake it till you make it”
Appear confidently and confidently despite insecurities: This is the idea behind this wisdom.
It starts with the correct posture.
Many people tend to let their shoulders slump forward and therefore appear smaller.
An upright, straight back and shoulders slightly pushed back radiate significantly more self-confidence.
Anyone who uses their body language to express that they feel comfortable taking up space will immediately be looked at with completely different eyes.
If you are more of an introvert, you can prepare accordingly before important appointments.
In an interview with
Zeit Campus
, TikToker and author Tobias Jost advises learning a role for difficult conversations.
Like an actor, you then slip into a more self-confident and extroverted version of yourself.
3. “Those who adapt move forward faster”
Bird of paradise or follower – which is better?
“Many people actually think that only those who behave like everyone else can get ahead in the company,” says HR consultant Marcus Schmidt, who published the book “The 40 Biggest Career Myths”, to
“karrierebibel.de”
.
However, only those employees who can convince people with specialist knowledge and good arguments will earn respect.
This also includes being able to defend points of view to the boss.
“If you just go along with it so you don’t make a mistake, you won’t be able to do anything outstanding and won’t draw attention to yourself in the long term.
Such career myths are very dangerous,” is Schmidt’s conclusion.
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4. “An MBA guarantees a great career”
Many people think that with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) they are laying the foundation for a successful management career.
In their minds they already see themselves in the executive chair - but that is exactly where the danger lies.
“The MBA – unlike the doctorate – is not an academic degree, the awarding of which would generally be regulated and controlled by the state,” explains Marcus Schmidt.
“And unlike the doctoral degree, it is only valuable in connection with the institution that awards it and with a close analysis of the content conveyed.”
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5. “Be your own brand”
Nowadays it's more important than ever to be able to market yourself.
By the way, this is absolutely possible even for a more introverted person.
When it comes to personal branding, the focus is not on a brand, but on yourself.
The aim is to convince companies with its unique selling point or its own USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
This helps you stand out against competitors when looking for a job.
The starting point are questions such as: What are my values?
What topics do others seek my advice on?
What am I passionate about?
It can be helpful to ask friends or colleagues how they perceive you.