1. Get the education and training. And keep getting it.

2. Get the experience.

3. Keep moving ahead. When employers want a shooting star, they look for the steady progression of responsibility and accomplishment. Once you're pegged, been in a slot too long, your star begins to fall.

4. Know thyself. Go with your strengths, but strengthen your weaknesses.

5. Keep your options open. If a recruiter or another employer wants to talk or interview, do it. The experience and exposure is worth it even if you're not actively in the job market. The more you talk business, and the more you talk business with a variety of people, the stronger a businessperson you become.