Add to this number those identified in a recent Society of Human Resource Development (SHRM) job satisfaction study as the 81 percent of Americans reporting overall dissatisfaction with their present employment. That means that 1 in 5 working Americans state openly they don’t like what they’re doing and could be suffering from what I call chronic career disorder (CCD).
CCD is manifested in two ways: the things we “do wrong” and the things we “don’t do,” which are both likely to have a significant impact on our career achievement and emotional well-being. Either can produce harmful results.
In my new book, I address 25 common career errors people make across their lifespan, from their career choice to entry and progression in the workforce to slowdown and retirement.
Practicing good career behaviors will not guarantee positive results, but at least the individual will have done the things that she or he can control. The things one can’t control, however, cannot be minimized as they are likely to result in career roadblocks.
Diversity and inclusion practices have opened countless doors to initial employment, but the absence of those practices in addressing growth and mobility has resulted in career stagnation for far too many. Most affected are women, people of color, the differently able and seniors.
It’s important to recognize that career errors can be traced to identifiable and controllable behaviors—things you need to monitor and manage to ensure your personal career development needs are met. The following are the most common controllable errors:
