20 Career Mistakes That Are OK to Make in Your 20s

Whether you don't have a lot of experience to fill it or it simply doesn't look professional enough, that's OK. "You may land your first job without it," says Jennifer Boyd-Pugh, vice president for human resources at Barry University. "But you will need it as your career progresses."

This is a tough one, especially if you're fresh out of school or have limited experience. If you do drum up the courage to ask for a lot, "recruiters and employers will chalk this up to inexperience," says Michael A. Klein, PsyD, an organizational psychologist and former HR director. "Better to ask for too much early ... you may be surprised at what you hear back."

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Because of that lack of experience, it's easy to just take whatever salary is offered. You may even be interviewing for a job that pays way less than you ever thought. Just know that as the years go by, you gain valuable skills and become more seasoned, so you're worth more and more. The next opportunity you get to discuss your pay, take it.

It's easy to take the first job offered without fully grasping where one is going from a career perspective. Boyd-Pugh believes every young professional should be able to answer these questions: What is important to me in a career? What type of work do I like/don't like? What are some of my strengths? What are some areas I need to develop or improve in? If I take this first position, will I gain knowledge, skills and experience that are in line with my future career goals? And the dreaded question: Where do I see myself in five years, 10 years or my ultimate career path?

Klein believes there is no wrong job. "Every job moves you forward" and any "missteps" can lead to eventual success.

You wouldn't be offered the job if the prospective employer didn't think you could handle it. Maybe they see potential that you don't see in yourself, says Klein, adding that, if anything, "you will gain experience" from it, which you can always take elsewhere.

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Some young professionals are anxious and eager to please; others think they know everything, even without practical experience. Don't be the latter, advises Boyd-Pugh.

"It's important for those just starting out their career to learn about the organization, its culture and to establish strong professional relationships with co-workers," says Boyd-Pugh. "Young professionals should be inquisitive and ask many fact finding questions when trying to problem solve or find organizational solutions. It's also extremely important to learn and practice active listening skills early." Hell, it's never to early to know how to listen — and listen well.

"Being present and on-time are always important regardless of where you are on your career path," says Boyd-Pugh. "If you are frequently late or absent as young professional, this will stifle your career progression within an organization until you can prove that you can be relied on." Why risk your reputation? Make it a goal to come in on time, and if you have trouble with that, aim for early.

It's easy to want to jump right in and be a total go-getter but eventually you'll learn it's all about balance. More is better than less, in this case, however. "You're learning how you want to manage your day, time, and career," advises Klein. "It's better to spread [yourself] too thin than limit yourself."

But Boyd-Pugh also suggests not to take on too much as that "could lead to overpromising and under-delivering."

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That being said, don't be lazy. "Those early in their career need to be sure they are soaking in as much organizational knowledge and trying to take on an appropriate amount of work to gain experience," says Boyd-Pugh. How else are you going to acquire more skills?

You might notice your co-workers doing their job quicker and better than you. And while it's easy to compare and get down on yourself, know that effort comes with more hours put in. Don't take shortcuts to seemingly match what someone else is doing, otherwise your work will result in mediocrity. Also, newbies don't necessarily fully understand an established organizational process.

"It's important for a young professional to follow the established process first and then make suggestions to improve or streamline a process once there is a complete understanding and knowledge of current organizational operations," suggests Boyd-Pugh.

This is never a good idea but when starting out, it can be overlooked. Still, be better. "Sometimes there is a perception that supervisors play favourites amongst employees, however, before you think favoritism is occurring, ask yourself, 'Does the supervisor just tend to assign work or projects to people who get things done?' asks Boyd-Pugh. If so, she suggests being the "go-to person that makes things happen. This will pay off and jumpstart your career."

"This will likely be written off as someone who doesn't know the rules or understand corporate politics," but Klein thinks it's OK to give it a shot. Just don't go overboard.

Boyd-Pugh believes that by establishing and fostering business relationships early, even while still pursuing an education, it can "open up career doors."

"It's extremely important to take advantage of professional development and training opportunities early and often," insists Boyd-Pugh. "Life-long learning should be a goal of all professionals regardless of what phase they may be in their career path." Why wouldn't you use all the services provided for you?

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Learn the dos and don'ts of your new workplace. If something not-so-great does happen, however, you should "immediately learn from this mistake and ensure it doesn't happen again or become a pattern," says Boyd-Pugh.

In this day and age, common career mistakes can come fast and furiously, particularly with those who are just starting out in the workforce who don't know what it's like NOT having access to social media. Boyd-Pugh acknowledges that while there are some mistakes you can recover from, there are career mistakes you must avoid such as posts that are unethical, break confidentiality, violate employment policies, or quite simply, make you or your employer look stupid.

Boyd-Pugh suggests asking yourself this: Will this "be a part of my permanent digital footprint and follow me for life?" And if the answer is yes, don't do it.

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While not every young professional has a sense of entitlement, many do and it's a trait they need to shake. "They need to develop self-awareness skills and have the ability to hold themselves accountable," says Boyd-Pugh. "During my professional career, I have seen many employees who get defensive or make excuses when receiving constructive criticism. Accountability is imperative in all workplaces and applies to everyone."

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"Young professionals think they have plenty of time to save for retirement, therefore they delay contribution to a retirement or savings plan. This is a big career mistake," insists Boyd-Pugh. "Many employers even have matching programs up to a specific percentage or dollar amount so take advantage of retirement savings and, if offered, 'free money' from your employer." Start saving early. Trust.

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