Five Terrible Life Choices That Could Ruin Your Career

A quick look at how poor lifestyle choices can hurt your professional life.

While it’s easy to think of your work life and your home life in two different categories, employers view your more personal life as reflective of their company.

While you may be getting away with some risky business, there may still be enough to put you out of employment.

Alcoholism, Drug Use

In the United States, drug use is criminalized. A criminal record will typically disqualify or at least lessen your chances of being hired. Regardless, there's another aspect of these things that can hurt your career: lack of self control, specifically with addiction (that is, not just the use of substances, but the utter dependence on them). Being a slave to these things can actually make you bad at your job and unsuitable for hiring or continued employment. Employers know that, so stay healthy and aware. If you're struggling with addiction, please get help.

Irresponsible driving

If you're an irresponsible driver, which includes more than drunk driving, the results can be staggering. If you aren't careful with someone else's life, what makes you capable of taking care of someone else's services, business, or money? Remember, driving records may be part of your background check and could be taken into account. So be careful out there!

Fraud

Responsibility and crime once again name the game here. Frauds don't just hurt the big guy, but practically serve to deliver huge blows to small businesses, hard working people, and our economy. It isn't just irresponsible but it shows you can't be trusted. If you have unhonorable ways of obtaining money in your life, be aware of how that could stop you from being successful in the future due to the disrespect employers have for it. They will not trust you with their money if you've stolen it before.

Prejudice

Fun fact: If you decide to act like a garbage person and spew hateful opinions against entire groups of people, this could cost you a job! Equally fun fact: if your boss is a garbage person and likes to spew hateful opinions against entire groups of people, and you openly disagree with him, this could also cost you your job! It's tricky and I am not the kind of person to tell you where to work or where not to - I realize that making ends meet is no easy task. At the most, follow your convictions and be aware of who's listening to the things you say.

Carelessness on the Internet

I talk about this a lot because it's such a simple concept. I'm not one to censor myself too much, and to be fair I don't really partake in any illegal activities (does going 5-10 over the speed limit count?). That said, I'm smart enough to not say certain things online, or to go on extreme emotion-driven rants about things I know little about. And I especially will not badmouth the company I work for or with, and will try to be fairly respectful to everyone I can. There are a lot of places carelessness can get you in this case - don't put yourself in that situation.

There are things I didn't cover (sexual abuse being the most obvious), but if you have anything to add or criticize me on, feel free to let me know through Twitter @robolitious.