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Unless you are very wealthy or extremely good at winning lotteries, you can expect to be working for 40 years of your life or more. And while not everyone has what it takes to become a top executive, you do have complete control over how far you go and how much you earn in your career. You can crack the corporate success code! But only if you stop making career-killing mistakes like these:

MISTAKE #1: Not knowing the real purpose of your resume.

Of all the things critical to landing a great job, having a great resume isn't on the list because that's not its real purpose! And you cannot create a killer resume if you don't know what that purpose actually isgetting short-listed for an interview.

MISTAKE #2: Going for a job interview and not getting the answer to the most important question of all before you start answering the interviewer's questions.

The hiring decision is made in the first four minutes of a job interview. Everything that happens after this only serves to reinforce the interviewers decision. You HAVE to get the answer to this question. Before time is up. If you don't, odds are youll just be wasting their time and yours. (Hint: employers are only ever looking to hire one of two kinds of people.)

MISTAKE #3: Believing the key to success is working hard and putting in long hours then making sure your boss knows about it.

Most people believe ensuring people know how hard you are working is the #1 key to getting ahead. No. No. A thousand times no! This is actually one of the fastest ways to hold yourself back in your career! And its not very good for your health either. (Only 3% of people working hard ever experience success.)

MISTAKE #4: Volunteering to help with the wrong corporate events.

Many events you'll be attracted to volunteer for are dangerous. And a couple of them are guaranteed career killers! Apply your volunteer efforts only where theyll do no harm and where theyll have the greatest long-term impact.

MISTAKE #5: Failing the secret test hidden in all expense reporting. Or worse, not knowing there is one to begin with! This is one of the first tests your boss will give you. Most people fail.

MISTAKE #6: Not knowing how to keep from committing career suicide at the computer, the water cooler or coffee station, your desk, lunch, after hours, at company functions and at the office!

These are the most popular venues for making fatal career-killing mistakes. Not knowing what to say and do (or what to never say or do) is a problem for most people. And it only takes one misstep in each of these situations to mess up!

MISTAKE #7: Not doing the one thing anyone can that renders all on-the-job competition irrelevant.

It requires no special tools or intelligence. And 98% of your co-workers will NOT be doing it. Guaranteed! So, if youre not doing it (or don't know what it is you should be doing) you are automatically keeping yourself from getting ahead and wont be taking home the paycheck you deserve.

MISTAKE #8: Believing the annual performance review is the best time to discuss a raise.

There are 3 times you have the most power when asking for more money. Your performance review is not one of themin fact, its the worst time to have this discussion.

MISTAKE #9: Not knowing how to interact effectively with your boss.

Each boss youll ever have shows you the best way to interact with him or her on a daily basis. But most people aren't paying attention to the easy-to-read clues. So they keep getting it wrong. Its the kiss of death for many career hopefuls.

MISTAKE #10: Not setting up an employment file to keep at home and not checking what the employer has in your personnel file once a year.

No one will ever care more about your career than you do. Create your own employment file and keep it at home. Once a year, make an appointment with Human Resources to review your personnel file. Mistakes happen. Only you can make sure all the good things that should be in your file are actually there. Opinions (strong ones) of your worth to the employer are formed on the basis of what is found in that file. Dont let the wrong ones be made about you.

These are not the only career-killing mistakes people still make at work. And the one thing they have in common is all are easily preventable. The best way to do that is to get a good mentor. Someone more experienced, who can guide your way and keep you from making these mistakes in the first place!

The mentor-protg relationship is a concept that originated in Homer's Odyssey. It was even discussed in an episode of Seinfeld. Everyone should partake in it. That is anyone who hopes to have a successful career. Its one investment guaranteed to be a win/win! And not having a mentor is perhaps the greatest mistake of all!

AUTHOR'S BIO: Internationally renowned business strategist, uber - mentor and MBA Professor Linda M. Lopeke is the creator of SmartStart virtual mentoring programs - the fastest, easiest way to super-size your career success.

Visit http://smartstartcoach.com/ to take the $1,000 cash-for-college challenge and test your office smarts.

(c) 2007 Linda M. Lopeke. All rights reserved

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