Four ways you could be holding yourself back at work

Do you ever feel like you’re not advancing in your company as fast as you’d like to? Or that you’re not being selected for plum assignments? Here are some things you could be doing at work that can make it difficult for you to achieve your goals:

Waiting for your boss to offer you what you want. It’s not always easy to ask for guidance, honest feedback or for a promotion. But those who don’t ask for what they want — and push for what they need — are less likely to succeed in their careers. Many of us are uncomfortable asking for things when it isn’t clear if we’ll get it. Learning to deal with uncertainty and to advocate for yourself are important life skills.

Not developing your writing skills. Having the ability to effectively write a blog, email, article, memo, tweet or anything else is something that can quickly set you apart from the competition. Likewise, poor writing skills and spelling errors can have a detrimental effect on your ability to succeed in your career. Speaking of skills, do you take advantage of opportunities — or ask for them — to develop valuable work skills and to further your education? Do you join and participate in professional and industry organizations, taking advantage of opportunities to network and learn? Doing so can signal to your company that you’re serious about your job — and career advancement.

Avoiding public speaking. Public speaking is an important skill in the business world. Being an engaging and convincing presenter will take you far in life. Make an effort to learn how to speak in public settings and find ways to practice those skills.

Neglecting to focus on what’s most important. It’s easy to spend a lot of time on things that do little to help you develop your career. Take a hard look at your daily and weekly activities to make sure you aren’t spending a lot of time on things that don’t matter in the big picture. Doing your job well and looking for ways to develop your skills, advance your education and better serve your company and its mission can go a long ways toward helping you achieve career success.