5 Reasons Why Only Hard Work Will Not Advance Your Career

We have all heard the cliché that hard work will help you advance your career. However, simply working hard and putting in extra effort is not the only factor that will help you to become successful at your job. There are far better strategies that will help you to overcome obstacles at your workplace and help you make long term growth in your career. In this article, we will provide you five reasons why only hard work will not advance your career. This article will also provide suggestions regarding alternative approaches that will help you to be successful in your career. 1. Working hard does not guarantee you a promotion The fact can’t be denied that putting in extra hours at the office could allow you to increase the quantity of your work. However, it doesn’t leave significant time for various other activities for career progression. Making the individual move towards management or otherwise for climbing the corporate ladder would need you to navigate taking on extra responsibilities while also managing for delivering results. You will never have sufficient hours in the day for the accomplishment of all that you’ll require to get done at the upper level if you are unable to improve better solutions than just applying greater force. You can take the time for the purpose of connecting with other departments in your company for the purpose of expanding your duties or contributing to a project. You can utilize the capabilities of your current team members for capitalizing on their efficiencies for getting more done without exhausting your labor force.

2. Working hard does not result in good work relations

When you work hard, you may think that you should put your head down and keep plugging away.  This could lead to disastrous results through a lack of ability for networking or making individual connections with their fellow employees in their workplace. It is also imperative that you may get your regular tasks done. However, you shouldn’t sacrifice your individual ability for socializing with your coworkers.  It’s often such communications that would be essential for significant career moves to achieve their individual milestones.

3. Working hard is not an excuse for poor work-related attitude

People that work hard often assume that their individual dedication is sufficient compensation for the failure of others.  Integrating hard work with a positive office personality helps to build resentment among your individual co-workers. That won’t help you to gain that promotion.  Companies prefer teamwork and a stable work environment as it helps them to attain growth and development. You should not just merely assume that working hard can provide you a free pass. On the contrary, you should put some of the extra effort into being a team player. This will help you to attain better results all around.

4. Working hard doesn’t provide extra insight

Another misconception among a few employees is that it’s only through hard work that you can learn what being at the top of the hierarchy is truly like. The fact can’t be denied that executives and upper-level management certainly have accomplished quite a bit to an advanced career. However, they have achieved much of that through an application of their personal intelligence as well as their individual hard work. It is essential to note that time and physical effort are finite resources. Individuals that have truly succeeded know that it takes ingenuity in several parts with pure grit for attainment of their objectives.

5. Working hard doesn’t help others succeed

Another important reason why hard work alone won’t advance your career is because it doesn’t help others to succeed. If you are just concerned about your individual success, it would not be evident as to why you need to make sure others become successful as well. There would often be times when you would be required to assist a manager as it will help them to become successful in their future career. In a similar context, you would be also required to promote a teammate so that your entire group could receive the recognition it deserves.

Conclusion

It is evident that hard work itself is never a guarantee of success and prosperity in life. Even though you are always required to put in the effort and advance your career, you also need to be smart at your work. It is essential to consider where you have invested your efforts. You will certainly be able to accomplish far more, be happier and will also retain better personal as well as professional relationships rather than just applying additional effort.