5 Deadly Career Sins Of The Web Professional

You know it’s great getting to know new people because they can 1) Make you remember something that you should never have forgotten 2) Get you to think about things in a new way. Yesterday Bryan Veloso posted his latest Live from the 101 podcast that focused on the urge many people feel to try new things and making the decision to go for it without burning bridges. Bryan said that his podcast was outside of the web arena. I disagree slightly because the topic is one that many people in the web business face every day. Here is my list of 5 sins that people can make.

Burning Bridges That Bridge The Gaps

Bryan stated it well. Don’t burn bridges, for a couple of reasons. 1) Despite the number of companies out there, the technology and web community is small. To this day it still amazes me how many people I run into over and over again. You will run into people again, and God forbid they are in a position to make you pay for what may have a decision made in the while you were angry or burned out. 2) You never know how people will react to you leaving them with short notice. In some cases they may take it in stride, and in other cases you may work for the most vindictive people on the face of the planet. It might not seem fair that an employer can lay you off with no notice but expects two weeks from you, but hey that’s just how the world works. Fortunately for Bryan this has worked out well, but maybe the next sin applies a little?

Staying Until You Forget Why You Came

Haven’t we all been guilty of this one? You go into a situation with high hopes and guns blazing. Then after a year, maybe two you start to get that sinking feeling that maybe you are not in the right place. You try to make it work, only to become bitter, resentful toward your employer or boss. It is at this point where many people make the shift from career to job. In other words they elect to take the “stay and quit” option. They stay in a position that’s not improving and they really don’t do anything to fix it. Doing this for too long will kill your creativity and passion for what you do.  Avoid the stay and quit option. Be fair to yourself and your employer, if its time to go its time to go… however if you haven’t done anything to improve the situation maybe the next sin is your problem.

Not remembering that a great job is a partnership

Remember the last time you worked really well with someone? It probably required a lot of communication and cooperation. If you have a problem you owe it to yourself to address it before the “stay and quit” demon grabs you. A lot of times simply communicating a problem or feeling that you are having can make a world of difference. If you don’t address it sometimes it will lead you down a path that you otherwise would have avoided. Remember to avoid  seeing the world as a collection of “Victims, Vilains and Helpless Bystanders”. It’s never as bad as you make it in your head.

Note For Managers: There are also some distinct responsibilities that you have must honor as a manager and a leader if you want your employees to honor this partnership.

Doing Your Job But Not Managing Your Career

I am dumbfounded by the number of people who are Web professionals that 1) Don’t keep their resumes up to date and more importantly  2) Don’t have an online portfolio or web site of some type.  3) Don’t give any thought to their long-term aspirations, goals or dreams.  Holy career negligence batman! It’s like a doctor who doesn’t get a physical or a mechanic who can’t change his own oil. Teechies/Designers are notoriously bad at selling their value and managing their careers. You have to be able to communicate what you have to offer outside of three letter acronyms and the latest technology, but the reality is the average non-techie doesn’t understand those things. You shouldn’t expect them to be able to understand the value of those things on their own. Here is something that a good sales person can tell you but most techies don’t get “know your benefits, ignore your features”. Knowing PHP, Ruby or Photoshop needs to be coupled with some serious brand value. Brand yourself and make sure that you aren’t just going through the motions when you are working. Have a plan for yourself.

Addendum: The argument that you aren’t going to be doing what you are doing forever is a cop out. If you don’t manage the career you have, how will you manage the career you want?

Losing Your Creativity and Passion

This topic is near and dear to me, because I believe that creativity and passion drives most web professionals – at least in the beginning. Like every other skill you have to take time to exercise it, and you can’t be so burned out that you don’t have the energy to be creative. Do not allow anything to zap your creativity or passion. It you feel it slipping away do everything you can to get it back.

How many of these sins are you committing?