What is one career mistake or decision you’re glad you avoided?

One of the best decisions I made was dodging my ex-manager when she moved to CTS as an SD. She pulled her entire previous team under her, tried her best to convince me too, but I’d had enough from the last program and stayed clear, dint go. Now, all those who followed her are struggling, except her little favorites. She joined as a Director and fast-tracked to SD by setting up a COE in just one year. Meanwhile, the others are stuck in a mess, listening to her “I gave you life, be grateful” speech like modern-day slaves, caught between a rock and a “please worship me” wall. that’s one circus I’m glad I skipped!🤣🤣🤣 From that point on, I decided no more chasing after previous managers. You’ll just end up stuck forever, hearing the classic “I gave you life, I brought you here, and now you’ve betrayed me” drama. Not falling for that trap🤩!

Around the start of 2022, I got an offer from Dunzo. To me, it felt like the interview was just too easy, so much that they are so desperate to hire me. I didn't join because of that and HR even kept calling me for a month despite me saying I'm not interested and I joined my previous company. It's not that I disliked their idea or something, but this feeling of the interview being too easy made me think that I might not be learning anything new there. But last year after getting to know that employees weren't paid for months because of what Reliance did, I definitely felt glad that I didn't join Dunzo. I did get laid off from my previous company, but I was able to negotiate 3 months of salary as severance and I'm still in touch with my previous team. Although there was stress, looking back, I feel as if I had joined Dunzo, the stress would've been a lot more.

I made a huge mistake of not focusing on campus placements thinking I could crack it outside of college. I had different aims and had no clarity. I didn't have anyone to advise me either. Out of desperation I verbally agreed to join a firm as a customer support executive (internship) for 5000 rupees. I was so desperate to get out of my parents home. But when I reached the office it was shitty with shitty times and the guy who hired me gave me a huge list of responsibilities which did not match what I was being paid. So I bailed. I told the asshole I won't join with some family bs excuse. He called and threatened like a bitch but I knew he can't do shit as i didn't sign anything. He gave up. I later cracked some interviews and entered IT as a software engineer. Had I accepted that shitty ass position my career would have detracked and I would have been stuck in some weird place hung out to dry.

I decided I would never join any company even remotely connected to the shitfaced OLAn Musk. Glad I stayed true to that

My previous employer was inconsiderate with long working hours. Silly me, had he increased my salary by 5%, I would have continued. Glad I quit, got 150% hike.