Being at the right place at the right time: Timely career planning

Given how dynamic and global today's job market and work environments are, it is more important than ever to be one step ahead of the curve when it comes to one's career. Timely career planning means not only evaluating your strengths and skills on a regular basis, but also noticing trends in your career and the world in general that are molding the workplace of tomorrow. Education and training are of course key towards maintaining one's knowledge base in their chosen industry or line of work. If you see a need to learn something new that would benefit your career path, short of going back to school to complete another degree, consider taking short courses or self-learning, or even working with a tutor. And then see if you can take an exam to gain certification in the new area or specialty within your line of work. Networking is also highly recommended as a way to keep tabs on new opportunities either within your own career, or in entirely new careers you may not have thought of. Often times, who you know is just as important as what you know, if not more so even. And finally, when it comes to being timely, never forget to periodically update your resume. It is surprising how often professional accomplishments or milestones are actually forgotten. And in addition, working on one's resume is a sure-fire morale booster!