Making Mistakes at Work

The good news is that it happens to everyone. The bad news is that it will almost definitely happen to you. We're talking about a nightmarish slip-up at the office. Don't let a mistake ruin your rep; find out how to make the best of a bad situation. Read on to see how these women survived embarrassing office moments.

What if I break down in tears at the office?

Career experts say that while crying isn't the best emotional display to showcase at the office, it certainly isn't a deal breaker. Jill Herzig, executive editor of Glamour magazine, says it's all about how you handle the aftermath: "If you come back and just move on, it's not such a big deal."

Catherine, 25, an associate at a private equity firm, says that although she has cried at work, it hasn't affected her career. "When guys I work with get upset, they slam down a phone or kick a wall," she explains. "Crying is my physical reaction to frustration."

If it happens to you:
• Preempt the meltdown: If you start to well up, excuse yourself and say you need a moment to collect yourself.
• Go out of mind: Distract yourself if you feel tears coming on. Think of a funny movie or the book you're reading, and trick your mind into focusing on something else.
• Own up to it: Don't deny your crying after the fact or try to blame it on "allergies."

What if I make a colossal error?

We all have a war story about an office slip-up that still makes us wince years later. For Soledad O'Brien, CNN anchor and special correspondent, it happened when she handed in a less-than-stellar script that disappointed her boss. "She reamed me out," O'Brien recalls. Instead of writing her future scripts on her own and hoping for the best, O'Brien decided to ask for feedback earlier on. "I didn't hide from the criticism," she says. "People want to hear that you get it."

In fact, O'Brien now appreciates that very quality in her own employees: "We have a young woman who just got promoted to producer because she always follows up and asks for feedback. Ninety percent of what I like about working with her is that she takes full responsibility. But that sometimes means having an unpleasant conversation."

If it happens to you:
• Admit you made the mistake: Don't outsource the blame to someone else or make excuses.
• Be proactive: Offer at least one solution to ameliorate the situation.
• Move on: No one likes a dweller, so don't keep referencing that time you made "the mistake."

What if I keep hearing "no" every time I ask for a promotion or a raise?

"I was advocating for a promotion to assistant editor," says 25-year-old Caroline, a former editor for a major publishing house. "My boss told me that people don't get that kind of promotion after a year."

Not one to be easily dissuaded, Caroline presented her case to another editor. Armed with a list of her accomplishments and examples of other employees who'd been promoted within that time frame, she eventually landed the promotion.

If it happens to you:
• Stay confident and determined: Don't let the initial "no" deter you.
• Present the evidence: Use numbers and facts to bolster your case.
• Go sideways or up: If you hit a wall with one person, find a higher-up or coworker who will advocate for you.