Looking for A New Job or Promotion? These 3 Things Could Be Blocking Your Way

Everyone knows that if you are looking for a promotion or a new job, you need to have the skills, knowledge, training and experience to support your job application and give you a shot at getting that promotion or moving into a new job entirely.

Job hunting isn’t easy, and even though the job market looks to be cooling right now and returning to pre-pandemic levels, more and more people are struggling to find their perfect role and pursue the career they want.

But this aside, did you know other influencing factors can affect your ability to secure gainful employment? These days, potential employers have access to more information than ever, which is often just as easy as or easier than ordering a coffee. They will know more about you before you even apply; if you are on their radar, this isn’t always a good thing.

Social Media

What goes online status online forever. We’ve all seen people lose their jobs because of what they said on social media, and this trend doesn’t stop anytime soon. Employers can and will check your social media accounts and online activity to ensure that you match their values and won’t bring the company’s reputation into disrepute. Even if you delete it, there will be an archive somewhere or someone willing to find it if they look hard enough. So pay attention to what you share and how you engage with others and keep it clean to avoid it impacting your employability.

Outstanding Debt

For some careers, it is vital that you keep your finances in good working order as you want to be allowed to work in specific industries if you have a bad credit score or struggle with credit card debt. This is important for roles where you might need security clearance, or you are working with money, such as in a bank, credit control services, a layer and so on. While a security clearance lawyer can assist if you need security clearance for your job role, if debt is a factor in you losing your clearance, avoiding getting into this situation as much as possible will be a better course of action altogether.

Past Interactions

Sure, your CV might be impressive, and you’ve carved out a successful career and are at the top of your game, but if you’ve treated people in your current employment or those in the industry badly, work will get around. If you have been working in the same industry for a while and haven’t always been the best at forging relationships or keeping them professional, people will know.

Loose lips sink ships, as they say, and if you’re giving them the ammunition to fire, then your ship will sink really fast, and you won’t be able to defend yourself. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but not owning them and learning from them or improving how you talk and act around others in a professional capacity can impact your promotional prospects and limit your ability to advance in your career.

There are many things that can impact your ability to make waves in your industry and climb the ladder. Still, these three issues are often overlooked, and many people don’t understand their importance in relation to their career when they can be just as important as your qualifications and experience.