Career suicide: How to avoid it

My first reaction to the scandal involving the former International Monetary Fund chief was "what career suicide!"

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was seen a challenger for the French presidency, can now bid farewell to his political ambitions after his outrageous mistake that led to his arrest in New York last week.

Regardless of the results of the investigation into allegations of sexual assault, the impact of this scandal is detrimental to his career. Needless to say, having a criminal record does not help anyone's career, particularly when it is coupled with a scandal of this magnitude.

However, career suicide in many cases can be the result of a much less dramatic error as long as it leads to questioning the integrity and judgment of the perpetrator. Here are a few examples of blunders that can get you fired and haunt your career:

Black and white

Bad mouthing co-workers, a boss or an employer is never a good idea. However, some comments can be more dangerous than others. For instance, making racist or sexist remarks is a fatal mistake — even if the conversation seems to be private. Most companies will draw a line here and fire you on the spot. The same goes for accusing others of being racist. Recently an executive at the US-radio news network NPR was caught on video camera describing the Tea Party as being racist. The incident led not only to his termination but also the resignation of NPR's chief executive.

In the UAE's multicultural society, sensitivity to subjects of race, religion, gender, amoung others, is even more critical. So it might be wise to completely avoid the subject and never utter a word that might be offensive to a group or a community.

Throwing a fit

One easy way to lose your job and ruin a reference is to go on a rant or throw a fit in a corporate gathering or on a chain email exchange. Regardless of the kinds of difficulties you might be going through or disagreements with supervisors or the management, once you take your grievances public, you're crossing the line. The damage goes beyond immediate trouble with your employer. Any future employer who becomes aware of your conduct has to question your judgment and reactions when things go wrong.

Matter of trust

Leaking confidential information intentionally points to a serious problem in the way you view commitment and loyalty to your employer. If you've signed non-disclosure agreements you can be fired instantly. Even if you survive such a breach of trust, expect to be totally marginalised and your advancement prospects are virtually zero.

Work or pleasure

Whenever it becomes clear to your supervisor that you cannot keep your private life and work separate, you're running the risk of being shown the door. From excessive use of company resources for personal use to emotional ups and downs, you're sending only one message: my performance is subject to personal circumstances. This isn't very reassuring to any employer and can easily be communicated to your future employers if they inquire about your reliability.

Best image

While an employer won't want to know about your private life, the way you manage your life still matters, especially if it impacts the corporate image of its staff. For instance, a financial adviser who cannot manage their own debts should not expect his employer's recognition of the problem as a private issue.

Additionally, with the rising popularity of social networking and the availability of personal information, employers become more conscious as to what extent their staff's personal conduct complies with or contradicts corporate views and principles. While it takes a serious violation to get fired, wild party photos on Facebook or tweets of extreme opinions in violation of the company's message might expedite your exit.

Fatal mistakes

The UAE labour law states 10 cases as grounds for firing a person without notice. In case you have not been informed of these points when you were hired, it is worth checking Article 120 of the law. From defaulting on basic duties despite being warned in writing to being caught in a state of drunkenness in the workplace, the law allows an employer to immediately terminate a work contract.

The damage from being fired for such a mistake goes beyond a mere job loss, it makes good material for gossip which means it cannot be masked or hidden from future employers.

A recipe for disaster

The writer, a former Business Features Editor at Gulf News, is a freelance journalist based in Salt Lake City, Utah