Everybody wants to know what they can do to boost their career and put themselves on the fast track to success.

Well, the good news is that there’s plenty that you can do – and you can do it right now! In fact, below is a list of four things you can start doing today:

  1. Invest in yourself. If you invest in yourself, you’ll become a hot commodity. Training encompasses technical training, industry training, a certification program, or maybe even going back to campus for an advanced degree. One type of training that you should definitely check into is leadership training. This will help you down the road because there are going to be more career opportunities available, whether they’re at your present employer or somewhere else. Your primary goal with training is to become as educated, knowledgeable, and well rounded as you can be. Remember: you’re only as strong as your weakest link.
  2. Find a mentor. You need to do this for a couple of different reasons, so you may need more than one mentor. First, you need a mentor for the technical aspects of the job. Second, you need a mentor who will guide you with career questions and concerns. Perhaps your company has a formal mentoring program. If not, there are plenty of books and resources about mentoring that you can consult. Or, you can go to your boss and ask them who can provide some leadership training for you. It might be him or her, or it might be someone else. Express to them that you wish to be the best employee that you can be. If they can’t provide you with the training you desire, I would refer you to the next point on this list.
  3. See if your company is preparing for the future. If your company isn’t preparing for it, perhaps you should prepare to find a new employer. Employees are rarely happy working for companies that don’t have vision.
  4. Check out the job market. Regardless of whether or not you’re actively looking for a new position, see what’s out there. Make sure you’re with a company that’s going to be around 10, 15, or even 20 years from now. If you think it will, decide whether or not you want to be there with them.

This is an exciting time in the employment marketplace. There are many opportunities for employees who have taken the steps necessary to make them the most sought-after candidates by companies in their industries.

Don’t miss your chance to take your career to the next level and beyond. You’ll thank yourself later.