Are you satisfied with the direction that your career is heading? At this point, are you where you thought you'd be? If your answer is no, don't despair — you're not alone.

Thousands of employees lament everyday over feeling stuck in their present positions and admit that they have no clue as to how to better their position. If you're "sick and tired of being sick and tired" read on and get ready to advance your career:

* Stay current in your field: Take an honest evaluation of your present skills and attitude. Ask yourself "what do I need to improve? What skills do I need to acquire to take my career to the next level?" Then progressively take the necessary steps to upgrade yourself. Attend seminars and workshops, complete your degree or certification. Read books relating to your industry and join a professional organization.

I hate to be the one to tell you, but If you have not been able to add anything new to your resume in the past three to six months, this is a red flag that you are not developing yourself as you should.

* Look at your boss's needs: Take classes to help fulfill these needs and become an even greater asset to your boss. If your boss hates proposal writing and proposal writing is something that he/she has to do on a regular basis, make sure you know how to write a winning proposal. Strengthen the areas in which you feel your boss may be a bit weak. This will help to establish trust and loyalty. He/she will love you for it, and it also gives him added confidence in your abilities. Always remember you receive a salary for "just doing your job". Raises, promotions and job security come from exceeding your boss's expectations.

* Be Resourceful: Capitalize on your strengths. When entrusted to assignments, leave no stone unturned. Do your research, be creative, supply your boss with additional information. Answer every question that you think your boss would probably ask. Don't let him have to come back to you for anything. If you do this, your boss will see you as an independent thinker who he/she can depend on to get the job done. Ultimately you will be entrusted with more responsibilities.

* Increase your vocabulary and pay attention to your verbal and non-verbal communication: Employers have cited l ack of proper communication skills as one of the main reasons employees do not progress on their jobs, so pay special attention to your grammar, and your word enunciation.

This is the second thing that people notice about you. Using improper grammar, or failing to properly enunciate your words make you appear uneducated. In the workplace, if you appear uneducated you lose the power to influence. You receive no respect from your peers and the question at the back of their minds is always "how did he/she get this position?"

* For more great tips or comments contact Stacia Williams at 325-5992 or email Stacia@totalimagemanagement.com