5 things that could end your career

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A lot has been written about in making a great first impression; you can read "what Hongkongers need to do to get ahead" here or "7 tips to impress your boss" here and "use these two words to be more successful" here. But what actions will have a detrimental effect and could ultimately lead to the end of your career as you know it?

The folks at career site Glassdoor spoke to Kate Kastenbaum, HR Director at Certain, Inc. for her list of absolute no-nos in the workplace.

1. Don't hold a grudge

When you have an issue with someone Kastenbaum suggests dealing with it and moving on. By avoiding someone and letting the problem get worse shows a lack of maturity and makes your job much more difficult.

2. Don't avoid your boss

It's one thing to avoid a co-worker you may have had a spat with but staying clear of your boss will really hurt in the long run. After all, the person supervising you is the one writing your performance review, deciding your salary, or reference letter once you move on. Having a strong relationship with your boss can be vital to your career.

3. "The customer is always right"

This may be an old adage and even if a customer, co-worker or manager is wrong it is never appropriate to say, "you are wrong." Try and mediate the situation and work through the problem and seeing it as a genuine mistake but starting with an accusation won't get you very far.

4. Keep your arrogance in check

It's a good thing to be confident and believe in yourself but another when that turns into arrogance and disrespect. You might be the best at what you do but if no one wants to work with you, you will likely find yourself out of a job. So don't make a habit of being short or egotistical with a coworker or your boss. Try and stay humble in your interactions with other people.

5. Your career development is up to you

Don't leave progressing your career to your boss, ask them what more you can be doing to grow your career but don't expect them to initiate that conversation. Your manager can help you grow, improve and advocate for your success but they don't own your career, your success ultimately depends on your own initiative.

ALSO READ: Stop making these 5 mistakes during your meetings