How Excessive Absenteeism WILL Ruin Your Career
Nobody cares about career advice. Not even free, good advice. Fact.
We would much rather check our Facebook feed to look at other people’s stupid cats, than read an article giving us good advice.
Why is that? Why do people never listen to good advice? I think there are three main reasons. Firstly, we are naturally afraid of the unknown. Who isn’t? It’s scary. Secondly, we’re afraid to accept the fact that we’re responsible for our own success (because it’s easy to blame others) and the third, most important reason… we all think we’re special. We think we’re the exception. We say ‘It’ll be different for me.’
It reminds me of the first time someone gave me honest, truthful advice. It hurt. It hurt like hell because it sounded like I was being judged. It felt like what I was doing was wrong. Then I was given advice again, and once more after that. Then I realised I was being an idiot for thinking the way I did. Sometimes I wish I could hardwire myself to listen to advice the first time.
Now, how about some good advice?
Absenteeism WILL destroy your career, and I’ll tell you why:
- Forget about applying for your dream job.
This is not just my opinion, it’s been proven again and again and again. Every day, employers and recruiters receive several CVs from applicants who have been dismissed for excessive absenteeism and poor timekeeping. Now put yourself in an employer’s shoes. If you receive a hundred CVs from candidates with relatively stable careers and five CVs from people dismissed for poor timekeeping… you see where I’m going with this. And don’t think they won’t find out. In South Africa, 15% of people who apply for work have a criminal record. We’ve learnt to check our facts, and prospective employers WILL do their homework.
- Forget about that promotion.
Employers don’t care how badly you want to be promoted. They care about how much you show it. You’re not the only one with commitments outside of the workplace. Everyone’s children get sick and everyone has to go to the bank. The only difference is that some people manage it better. They take responsibility for their own success and find ways of making things happen without neglecting their work. Then they reap the benefits.
- Forget about others picking up your slack.
When your co-workers need to put in extra time to make up for the work you haven’t done, they won’t be happy about it. They have their own jobs to worry about. And what happens the next time you need someone to cover your back? You get what you give, and that’s science. You can’t argue with the logic of the universe.
- Forget about your employer backing you when you need it.
Employers don’t have time to value you for the person you are on the inside. Every excuse you make for not being able to take care of your work commitments is another time you’re letting your employer down. The respect, understanding and leniency will go to someone who deserves it, and rightfully so. If you don’t pull your own weight, your boss won’t step in to help you out when you need it most.
Whether you take good advice or not is entirely up to you. But let me tell you – it will make your life a LOT easier if you just avoid having to learn the lesson the hard way. A great percentage of unemployed South Africans can attest to that.
“Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.”
– Harper Lee
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