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People will say them behind your back. They may even say them to your face. Either way, these 5 words could spell the end of your chances for promotions, raises and good relationships with your peers.

Selfish

If this is said about you it could mean several things: you've taken the credit for work that was done by the whole team; refused to help out when a team member was overloaded; or even hogged the office supplies.

Lazy

Do you habitually come in late and/or sneak out early? Take a lot of sick days? Spend your slow times making personal phone calls instead of finding something work-related to do? Have the lowest productivity rating of your group?

Rude

This generally boils down to being inconsiderate of people's needs and feelings. Forgetting to always say "please" and "thank you" might not be a deal breaker, but constantly interrupting and not letting others talk definitely is.

Angry

Yeah, sometimes you have to stick up for what you believe is right. But that's not the same as throwing a tantrum every time some little thing doesn't go exactly your way, or being obstructive, badgering or belittling just for fun.

Dishonest

This one is the worst. It could range from getting caught in a lie (say, on your resume) to trying to cover up a mistake, to stealing intellectual or physical property. It's often a one-way ticket out the door.

When people say any or all of these things about you, there's probably something else they say as well: that you are your own worst enemy. If a bad image is blocking your road to career success, maybe it's time to change a few behaviors ... and put yourself in the fast lane.