Five common office blunders

According to Cynthia Shapiro, author of the book "Corporate Confidential," it doesn't matter how adept you are at your job because if you make these five common mistakes, you'll never be a star:
Following your personal agenda. Many of us assume we know how best to approach our jobs, but letting your own judgment dictate your actions is unlikely to get you noticed or rewarded. If you're not working on what your company or your boss thinks is important, you are never going to be seen as a valued asset, warns Shapiro. If your goal is to move up the ranks, drop your own agenda and do what you can to further theirs, no matter how misguided you think it is.
Voicing negative thoughts. Are you the office kvetch, always ready to badmouth your boss or ridicule the company's latest venture? Watch out: You may be ruining your career. "When it comes to business, being positive is more important than being skilled," says Shapiro. The next time you notice yourself griping, ask yourself: Is it more important to say what's on mind, or to get that next promotion?
Complaining to HR. Companies tend to portray HR as a service for employees, but that isn't strictly true. "The HR people are really there to protect the company from you and they do that by keeping you close," says Shapiro. If you bring an issue to HR, they will only work to address your concerns if it is in the best interest of the company to do so. If your problem threatens the company or your job performance, the "help" they offer may, in fact, be an attempt to minimize the company's liability or to collect the evidence they need to push you out of your job, cautions Shapiro.
Being too smart. You may believe that the smarter you are, the more likely you are to gain recognition, but that's not always the case. Showcasing your smarts can make you appear like more of a threat than an asset if it isn't done with finesse. "If you want to be promoted then use your smarts in support of your boss and your peers," Shapiro counsels. Word to the wise: Never point out what could be done better unless your supervisor specifically asks for your opinion, and even then you should tread carefully.
Not knowing when to jump. There are a number of ways to gauge whether you're in danger of being fired: You have a contentious relationship with your boss; you haven't gotten a raise in a long time; you're consistently given the clients or projects no one else wants. If any of this sounds familiar, start looking for a job as soon as possible, warns Shapiro. It always better to jump to a new position than to get terminated. "You are 10 times more appealing to an employer if you're still employed," Shapiro says, "And if you get a job while you still have a job, it prevents your new firm from calling your current employer, and creates a seamless jump on your resume."


Source: Marshall Loeb