5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your Career

5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your Career5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your CareerAre you stuck in a career rut? Do you find yourself putting in the hours and effort with little to notlagehing to show for your efforts? Maybe youre tired, overworked, and underappreciated despite your best efforts on the job. Sure, its possible you might have made the wrong choice when it comes to your employer or career. Before you go pushing the panic button on that position or job field, however, maybe the fault lies in your approach and is much more fixable than you thought.Weve all heard the colloquialisms regarding hard work and advancement in our professional lives. Sometimes, however, simply rolling up your sleeves and putting in additional effort isnt the best way to approach a job-related problem. Youve probably heard the expression that repeating the same action multiple times and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Simply plugging along in y our job and expecting a better outcome is much the same.All hope is not lost, however. There are far better approaches to digging in that will help you overcome obstacles and see you making big-time career advancements. Interested in what we have to say? Then, read on for five reasons why hard work alone wont advance your career and our suggestions about alternative approaches sure to see you maximize your returns.1. Working Hard Does Not Enhance Your Circle of InfluencePutting in the extra hours at the sekretariat may allow you to increase the rough quantity of your work, but it doesnt leave much time for other career expanding activities. Making the move to management or otherwise climbing the corporate ladder will require you to navigate taking on additional responsibilities while still managing to deliver results. Simply put, youll never have enough hours in the day to accomplish all that youll need to get done in the upper level if you dont develop better solutions than simply applying greater force. Take the time to connect with other departments within your company, offer to expand your duties or chip in on a project. Utilize your current team members and capitalize on efficiencies to get more done without busting your labor bank.2. Working Hard Does Not Secure You the Right RelationshipsWhen you work harder the first inclination is often to put your head down and keep plugging away. This can lead to deleterious results via a lack of ability to network or make personal connections with others in your workplace. Its imperative that you get your daily tasks done, but dont sacrifice your ability to attend that after hours social function or engage in water cooler talk with coworkers. Its these kinds of soft communications that will often be necessary to big upward career moves more so than sheer quantity of milestones achieved.3. Hard Work is No Excuse for a Poor AttitudeOften times people that work hard assume that dedication is adequate compensation for other failures in personality. Lets correct that misconception with a solid NO Coupling hard work with a less than positive office personality only builds resentment among your co-workers and certainly wont win you that promotion. Companies value teamwork and a stable work environment. Dont assume that working hard gives you a free pass and instead spend some of that extra effort on being a great team player which will yield better results all around.4. Hard Work Doesnt Provide Extra InsightAnother misconception would-be Type As often have is that its only through hard work that you can learn what life at the top is truly like. Sure, executives and upper-level management certainly have accomplished quite a bit to get where theyre at, but much of that has come via an application of their intelligence as much as their sweat equity. Resources such as time and physical effort are limited. Those who truly succeed know that it takes ingenuity in equal parts with pure grit in order to get the most accomplished.5. Hard Work Doesnt Help Others SucceedOur last reason on our list of why hard work on its own wont advance your career may not be as intuitive as our other points. If youre worried about your own success it may not seem obvious as to why you need to ensure others work their way to the top as well. The truth is that stepping on others is never going to give you the leg up in life or in your career. There will often be times when youll need to assist a manager so that you clear the way for your own upward mobility. Similarly, you may need to promote a teammate so that your entire group can receive the recognition it deserves.Hard work in and of itself is not a guarantee of work-life success. While you definitely need to put in the effort, show up, and excel at your position, it will often be brains that win over brawns. Consider where your efforts are best spent and exercise your talents with a precision chisel, rather than coming off as a dull hammer. In the en d, youll accomplish far more, be happier, and will retain greater personal and professional relationships than simply applying additional effort for the pure sake of it.