Power-hitting recruiter (and frequent guest of Dr. Phil's TV show) Tony Beshara is the myth-buster of the career world. Give him a popular career myth, and if it doesn't hold up to the test of his 36 years in the career business, he'll emphatically smash it to pieces.
"I bust career myths because folks are misled by them," says Beshara, president of Babich & Associates and the author of "The Job Search Solution" and "Acing the Interview." "They read what somebody wrote who found a career once, they think it's true, they 'apply it,' and they are very disappointed."
Here are five popular career myths that Beshara was all too happy to bust:
Myth #1: I can't get a job without experience.
Busted: "Oh, stop it! We all start somewhere. The key is to start somewhere," says Beshara. "It may not be where you think you deserve after spending all that money and time on an education, but if you have to start sweeping floors, start there. More doors are opened from the inside than from the outside." Last year, employers filled 51 percent of vacancies from within, according to a large study by CareerXroads (a recruiting consulting and strategy firm). That's a lot higher than in previous years--so now's the time to get your foot in the door.
Myth #2: All that most workers care about is their salary.
Busted: "If that were true, we'd all rob banks," says Beshara. Sure money is important, but workers usually care about more than just money. According to the 2009 employee job-satisfaction survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, employees identified job security as the most important contributor to their job satisfaction. Benefits were in second place, with salary coming in at number three.
Myth #3: It's too late to change careers.
Busted: "If you have the energy and the attitude, it's never too late," Beshara says. According to an AARP Public Policy Report, 27 percent of older workers who change jobs actually switch occupations. That's a lot of career changing--a.k.a. "recareering."
Myth #4: Multitasking is the most efficient way to work.
Busted: "Multitasking is the poorest way to work," Beshara says. Studies show that performing two mental tasks at the same time significantly decreases brainpower for either task and makes them take longer than they would if done separately. Chronic multitasking can even lead do short-term memory loss, according to research by neuroscientists.
Myth #5: Without close supervision, most workers will try to get away with whatever they can.
Busted: "That went out with the 1950s, at least on the professional level," Beshara says. "There may be a few workers who need to be 'pushed' by someone else to get a job done. But most workers do their best without any coercion." In fact, worker performance may suffer from supervision that's too close. Many studies, including a recent one by the National Contract Management Association, support the idea that micromanagement actually discourages workers. Micromanaging has been found to negatively impact supervisor-employee communication, productivity, problem-solving, and goal attainment.
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