Why Having a Work Nemesis Can Make Or Break Your Career

Ever noticed someone in your workplace who works a similar job and seems to have everything going for them—faster promotions, more recognition, the opportunities you wish you had? That person might just be your career nemesis. Not an outright enemy, but a professional counterpart who lingers in your peripheral vision, always a few steps ahead. 

Is that a bad thing? Well, as much as this rival may rile you up, there’s a fair chance they may spur you on to greater things. It really depends on how you handle the situation: it’s you, not them.

The Upsides of Having a Work Nemesis

While ‘work nemesis’ may sound like the title of a bad office sitcom, it’s more common to have a work enemy than a work friend. A survey of 7,000 British workers by employment site Total Jobs found that only 2 in 10 workers have a close workplace friendship, but 6 in 10 admitted to having at least one ‘work enemy’. 

This person is likely to be the same gender, and the behavior of a work nemesis has brought many women to tears, the survey found.

The majority of complaints involve criticism of their work, gossiping behind their back and taking credit for the fruits of their labor. So how exactly can this person be good for you?

They motivate you through healthy rivalry

Having a career nemesis is like having a gym buddy who is fitter or stronger than you. It stings a little, maybe making you feel envious, but it can also motivate you to want to level up. 

When you see your career nemesis excel—perhaps snag a promotion or close a high-ticket deal, it can jolt you out of autopilot and make you think to yourself, “If they can do it, why not me?” The key is to keep it inspiring, not bitter or petty. 

They can be your unsolicited mentor

Sometimes, your career nemesis isn’t excelling because of pure talent—it’s their strategy that sets them apart. So why not take notes? 

For example, they may have a knack for snagging new clients. Are they rocking industry conferences or networking events? Is their LinkedIn game on point? Observe what they do to get those results and then fine-tune your own strategy. 

Do the things they do—but put your own spin on it. 

They can push you to realize your strengths 

Having a career nemesis naturally forces you to compare yourself to them. When you see them getting ahead, you’ll likely start analyzing: Why are they getting those results but you aren’t? Is it their communication skills, self-promotion or relationships with higher ups? This self-reflection can help identify areas where you can improve or differentiate yourself. 

For example, they might be climbing up the company’s hierarchy through their charisma and communication skills—because that’s their edge. But that doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing to become as successful as they are—because your edge might lie elsewhere. The goal isn’t to copy them, but to use their success as inspiration to carve out your own path. 

The Downsides of Having a Career Nemesis

Of course, having a career nemesis isn’t always a good thing. But, honestly, it really depends on how you approach it. If you are not careful or mature enough, it may backfire in several ways. 

The rivalry can turn into an unhealthy obsession 

It’s one thing to study your career nemesis for inspiration. It’s another to start getting obsessed with them—perhaps by stalking their LinkedIn profile, or getting so locked into ‘comparisonitis’ that your thoughts are more about them than you. 

If you get obsessed about what your nemesis is doing, you may get distracted from your own career goals and start pursuing things just because they are. This is the point where you need to step back and refocus on yourself. Align your efforts with your own goals—not theirs.

It can trigger an inferiority complex

If your career nemesis seems to be great at everything—winning every award, closing every deal and constantly getting recognition—it can be easy to slip into “I’m just not good enough” territory.” This type of thinking can crash your self-esteem and prevent you from even trying to improve. Because what’s the point? You’ll never measure up to them anyway.

If you catch yourself thinking like this, remind yourself that your nemesis’ success doesn’t cancel out your potential. You’re playing a long game, and just because you’re not at their level yet doesn’t mean you can’t get there. And make sure to celebrate your own wins—even if they seem miniscule compared to your nemesis’s achievements. 

You risk burning out

If you’re a competitive personality, having a peer in your periphery who is way ahead of you can send your drive into overdrive. You may become hyper focused on catching up with them (or beating them) to the point where you overwork yourself  and burn out as a result. 

Boundaries are key to keeping your competitive streak in check. Maybe that means setting a goal for yourself when it comes to how many extra hours you’re willing to put in each week, or limiting how often you check up on your nemesis’ progress, so you can focus on your own growth without constantly comparing yourself to your rival. Your nemesis probably doesn't even know you have an obsession about them, so put your energy back into advancing your own career.

So, Are Career Nemeses Good or Bad? 

Having a career nemesis can be both good or bad, depending on how you handle it. If you approach it in a healthy and constructive way, they can motivate you to aim higher and push harder. You can also learn from their strategies, and they may even help lean in to your own strengths. 

However, things could easily go off track if you get too focused on what they are doing, spiral into feelings of inferiority because of their success, or let your competitive streak get the better of you. The bottom line is: keep the focus on your own growth, and use your nemesis as fuel, not as a source of stress, envy, or a sense of inadequacy.