5 Seemingly Minor Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Job

5 Seemingly Minor Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Job5 Seemingly Minor Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Job We all make mistakes on the job, whether its botching a presentation or showing up late more often than not. But while certain blunders are clearly bad news, what you may not realize is that minor on-the-job errors can hurt your career just as well. Here are just a few seemingly trivial mistakes that can come back to bite you.Lifting office supplies is something fruchtwein of us are familiar with, and its something most companies have come to expect to a certain degree. The problem, however, is when you take the concept too far. Rest assured that if you happen to bring home the occasional pen or notepad, your manager probably wont bat an eyelid. But if you make a habit of sneaking supplies for your personal use, someone in charge is bound to take notice. And if that happens, your job could end up on the line.Most of us complain about work at some point in tim e or another. And theres nothing wrong with airing your grievances when you sit down with your friends and confidantes. But be careful about bashing your company on a public forum, because if word gets back, you could easily find yourself out of a job. Youll need to be particularly careful if you know you have coworkers following you on social media.Now this isnt to say you cant ever seek sympathy for a long day or tough project. But keep your commentary employer-neutral. Its OK to say something along the lines of, Its 900 p.m. and Im still at the office. But stay away from posts like, Stupid boss made me work late again. This company bites.Its nice to be social during the workday. Not only can it help reisepass the time, but it can also help strengthen your relationship with your colleagues . That said, there is such a thing as being too social, so if you come to find that youre spending more than 30 minutes a day outside of your lunch break shooting the breeze with your coworker s, its time to start cutting back on that chitchat. You dont want to get a reputation as that person who distracts others and is too busy talking to get things done.Weve all been known to make a personal phone call on our office landline, or use the copier on occasion. And theres certainly no reason to rethink that activity if its indeed infrequent. But if you abuse the privilege of using office resources for your own needs, it could come back to haunt you. So resist the urge to print out 100 copies of your sons soccer teams flyer without asking. Youre better off spending a little money at your local print shop than risking your job.Whether its a department-wide happy hour or your company holiday party , youre likely to encounter a work situation where alcohol is being served and youre tempted to enjoy it. But while theres nothing wrong with having a few drinks, dont let things reach the point where youre obviously intoxicated. Not only will this make you look irresponsible, but wi th your inhibitions dangerously lowered, you could end up saying something out loud that you come to regret. Youre better off taking it nice and slow, and indulging in moderation.You never know when a series of small mistakes might end up derailing your career. Avoid these blunders, and youre more likely to remain an employee in good standing.This article was originally published on The Motley Fool . It is reprinted with permission.