These days, people are no longer promoted on the basis of seniority or loyalty. Today, if you are looking for a promotion to further your career, it is not the boss who will do it for you but you, yourself.

You need to be able to take charge of your own career.

Work Smarter

To make your career a successful one, you’ll need to work smarter, not harder. Employers value skilled workers, so it is important that you update your skills continually to realize your full potential.

Before you enter any career, do research to find out whether or not that industry is growing. Choose a career that suits your skills and gives you room for growth and advancement.

Accept Change

Always be open to change and take the initiative to acquire new skills. Try to be the first person to accept change – that way, you show your employer that you are flexible and adaptable. Technology changes every day, and you must be able to handle it.

An organization will progress only if it has productive individuals to lead it. Be a leader and develop innovative solutions that will bring success to you and your company.

You will be able to produce good results only if you are interested in challenges. Challenges can be overcome only if you are determined to resolve them. Success doesn’t come easily; you have to work for it.

Help Yourself

Make no mistake about it – employers reward people that take the initiative.

Do not be dependent on others. It is better to make mistakes initially than to be dependent on others for help every time. Constant dependency will only hamper your productivity. You have to create your own opportunities.

Be A Team Player

Always take part in work-related meetings and try to give suggestions that will help resolve problems. Develop leadership qualities, and extend your help to coworkers whenever possible.

If you want your career to progress, you have to take charge of it. Follow the tips above, and you will be well on your way.

More and more individuals are deciding to take a year, or even more, off from the work force. A recent college graduate may want a year between her studies and her first job, or a parent may be expecting the birth of a child. Before making this decision, however, there are some factors to consider, even beyond the obvious question of planning how to pay living expenses.

A key question is what do you plan to do with that time? In some cases, it might be a fairly easy answer, like caring for children or an ailing relative. In others, though, you may have only decided that you need a break. Traveling and volunteering are options, but, whatever you might be interested in, you need to have some sort of plan beyond sitting on the couch and watching TV, if only to make a later transition back into the work force easier.

Another issue to consider is how you plan to keep your skills sharp. Even if you are contemplating a career change along with your time off, you will still want to be able to show future employers that you are still able to work well. You might consider volunteering your services on an occasional basis, or freelancing in your field.

Consider how your time off will affect your career path. You may lose touch with contacts that you need for promotion, or may be ‘mommy-tracked’ (a label given to women who have children distracting them from their careers). However, with effort, you can keep yourself in the loop throughout a sabbatical. You can find networking opportunities and be ready to dive back into advancing your career after your time off.

In most cases, employers welcome applicants with a break in their work history, as long as they can demonstrate that time was beneficial. For instance, taking a year to travel around the world can be hugely useful to an employer — you can point out your awareness of global issues, self-sufficiency and even expanded language skills. While not all employers will appreciate these abilities, many will consider it a boost to your value as an employee.