15 ways to slowly destroy your career

Pabak Sarkar/flickr

There are big mistakes that can instantly ruin your reputation at work or even get you fired. But more commonly, it's the gradual accumulation of smaller offenses that keeps employees from getting ahead in their careers.

Here are 15 bad behaviors that will slowly erode your credibility and cost you in the end:

1. You don't adapt to the company culture

Every workplace operates under its own set of social customs. Not making an effort to assimilate into this culture can make you seem disapproving or judgmental. This holier-than-thou attitude is alienating to coworkers and makes it seem like you don't care about forming positive relationships in the office.

2. You make excuses

Not taking responsibility for your mistakes and failures will catch up with you. Waiting until the day a project is due to explain why you're behind, for example, tells your boss that you can't manage your time well.

3. You do the bare minimum

Even if you always meet deadlines and consistently turn in quality work, doing only the bare minimum makes you seem complacent. On the other hand, looking for opportunities instead of waiting for them to fall into your lap shows your boss that you're driven and care about your future at the company.