Worst Career Advice

While there are plenty of books, blogs, and podcasts about how to have a great career, most of us get advice from people in our daily lives. Sometimes this advice is excellent, and sometimes it's terrible. 

The top 10 worst pieces of career advice from across the internet are as follows: 

'Fake It Till You Make It’

Many notable forums, including Insider.com, listed ‘Fake it till you make it’ as one of the worst pieces of career advice out there. 

This mindset prevents you from improving, as you’re spending your time and energy pretending to be someone you're not. You sabotage yourself by not taking the time to learn the skills you need to succeed.

Vulnerability is powerful and helps you succeed in the workplace. 

‘Don’t Rock the Boat’

Sometimes, people will tell you to withhold how you feel about a particular situation to keep from “rocking the boat.”

You’re not supposed to question people with authority or make waves. But many people believe that this is the worst career advice. It is possible to question authority without challenging authority, and if you want to get anywhere, you must make those waves.

In reality, if something is wrong or you think an idea won't work, speak up. Contrary views ARE part of teamwork.

‘Follow Your Passion’

When asked: "what is the worst piece of career advice you've gotten," Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said: “Follow your passion? No. Follow your effort. No one quits anything they're good at.” 

If we’re all realists—no job or workplace is perfect. You will always have many different passions you want to pursue, but most of those passions are not viable career paths. Therefore, you must choose a career path that accentuates your strengths, and a successful career will follow.

‘You Aren’t Ready’

There will be many jobs that you won’t be quite ready or qualified for, especially after college. But only you can be the one to make that decision for yourself.

You can’t let other people instill uncertainty or fear in you about a specific position or career path. Don’t let someone tell you “you aren’t ready.” 

If others see potential and are willing to invest in you, maybe they see something you don’t notice yourself. If you get an opportunity to move up, you can choose to get out of your comfort zone, take risks, and not be afraid to fail.

‘It’s All About the Money’

Everyone wants to have money and be rich. Money is essential to modern society, as we need it to pay our bills, buy food, and splurge every now and then.

But anyone who tells you to go for a job simply because of the salary is setting you up for failure. Money can get you started down a career path or toward a goal, but it isn’t likely to keep you focused. 

You should rarely say “no” to job opportunities based on income rather than the importance of professional growth.

‘Majors Matter’

Certain jobs require skills affiliated with specified degrees, such as engineering, architecture, and computer science. But by and large, your college major is unlikely to affect your career success.

Here's a statistic that may give some pause: More than half of college graduates over the age of 25 don't work in their field of study, according to Bloomberg.com.

All in all, it rarely matters what your major is. Just get a degree. 

‘Pick a Lane’

For some people, “pick a lane” can be great advice. But for people who can't make up their minds, have 25 career paths they’re interested in, or are easily bored/terrified by the idea of one single path, this can be some of the worst advice. 

Picking a lane simply doesn't make sense for those who don't have to be somewhere by a specific time; it speaks to a different set of priorities that only fit a few people.

‘That’s Just How it is’

There are times when you need to accept that company policy is policy and deal with it or move on. But companies, leadership, managers, and employees are obligated to improve the workplace.

So, anyone telling you “that’s just how it is” regarding your position, the company, the workplace, etc., is not giving you good career advice. 

‘Don’t Ask for Help’

Asking for help is one of the most challenging things, especially at work. Most people fear looking weak or incompetent to their co-workers and bosses. But never listen when someone tells you not to ask for help in your career, as this can hurt you rather than help you in the long run. 

Socially, you may alienate others and come across as antisocial. But you also miss vital opportunities for growth and learning from others who may be more experienced, educated, and skilled than you are. 

‘Bring Baked Goods’

There is an ongoing debate about bringing baked goods for your co-workers and bosses. Are you just being nice, or are you doing yourself a terrible disservice?

Unfortunately, most experts believe baked goods won't help you rise in the workplace, as it's better to be known for your work than your goodies.

"If the boss talks about your great cookies instead of your great ideas, then your raises and promotions can take a hit," warns career expert Katie Donovan, founder of Equal Pay Negotiations LLC.