by Denise Natishan

Gone are the days when a person works for the same company for 25 years. In fact, many people consider someone “stale” who stays longer than 15 years for not having outside experiences to bring to the company. New ways of thinking, new ideas and creative solutions are what drives hiring decisions. 

Many business experts such as Tom Peters are calling for a new way of looking at work. In fact, in his book Talent, Peters says the following: "A workplace revolution is under way. No sensible person expects to spend a lifetime in a single corporation anymore.  Some call this shift the ‘end of corporate responsibility’. I call it . . .the Beginning of Renewed Individual Responsibility. An extraordinary opportunity to take charge of our own lives. Put me in charge!  Make me Chairman and CEO and President and COO of Tom, Inc.”

What you doing to take charge of your career?

• Are you being proactive and planning how you can make the most of your current position? 
• Are you taking classes to further your ability to stay current whether it is specific to your industry or with computer classes? 
• How can you brand yourself to become someone that a company sees as a valuable asset?
• Are you visible both inside and outside of your organization? Networking remains a huge way to share resources and keep yourself in front of the right people.

Peters offers some suggestions for “branding yourself” which include:

• Think like an entrepreneur.
• Always be a closer.
• Embrace marketing.
• Pursue mastery.
• Thrive on ambiguity.
• Relish technology.
• Cultivate your passion for renewal.
• Nurture your network.

We are living in a new economy, a global economy. What does that mean for you?