DestiNation 4

Get the most from your current job by being a valuable, positive employee and making sure the job gets done.

Skills alone won't get you there if you don't look the part. Make sure you look professional.

Know what you want and set goals. Long term planning helps you keep on track with career objectives.

Be a team player - demonstrate your skills without making your colleagues look bad.

Take on more responsibilities when given the opportunity. This will demonstrate your talents to your company.

Find a mentor. Experienced co-workers have a wealth of knowledge to share that you won't find online or in a textbook.

Feedback rules. Act on performance appraisal recommendations to up your game at work.

Don't stop learning. Attend seminars and workshops to help improve your skills. What about courses and furthering studies? Most companies welcome this and will sometimes even help pay if it's relevant to your field.

Don't skip after-hours homework. Keeping up to date with industry news and developments shows your enthusiasm for your career and gives you a work-place advantage.

Know your worth. Having a sense of your skills and value helps you justify a raise when the time comes. Keep in mind that you can't just demand a raise, you need to earn it. Whatever increase you ask for needs to be in line with what you were recruited to do. You aren't entitled to a raise- you need to earn it.

Avoid office politics. Gossiping spreads negativity and is a bad form of bonding with your colleagues.

Network, network, network. Build good relationship with clients, colleagues and mentors. Remember that trust and respect is earned – you have to work hard to get it, but it’s always worth the effort.

Avoid looking like a job-hopper. Holding a job for at least a year (18 months is ideal) makes for a better track record and will give you enough time to get decent experience out of the time you've invested.

Know when to move on to a new job. If your company does not offer room for growth, it might be time to move on. Try to be realistic about your expectations - you may need to study further or even apply for a different job at the same company. Remember, respect and trust is earned- you have to work hard to get it.

Aim to lead a balanced life. Devoting enough time to family, hobbies and fitness is good for mind and body and healthy employees are more valuable to companies.

Always carry your business card with you. You never know who you might run into at the checkout queue.

Work hard at your career, but never do anything that compromises your personal code of ethics.

Practice influence. Effective influencers have good rapport with others and build ever stronger interpersonal relationships.

Poor personal hygiene is a career limiting move which few colleagues will be willing to point out to you.

Know your workplace rights as well as your responsibilities and aim for a fair balance of the two.