In the past, the employment situation was not as competitive as now. As long as one reported to work on time, do his/her job well, building good relationships with their boss and as one gets older, they will become like treasure and climb up the corporate ladder and stays there for some time. This is like one job for life that is long term and sought by many today.

Unfortunately this is not the same for today competitive environment anymore. Management style has change and there are no longer "jobs for life." Not only that, today, employees have to be flexible and keep adapting to new technology and environment. They are more likely to see more retrenchment as companies are restructuring itself to save costs due to increased global competition.

Employees of today are expected to change along with the company and its operating environment. Life long learning is very important and you must have positive thinking, never gave up attitude and independent. You should sharpen your skills you have and acquired new ones from time to time.

You should learn how to motivate yourself and not rely others to push you along. You must show the initiate to get things done without the boss telling you what you need to do and when you need to do it. Remember you are working for yourself and it is your responsibility to get things done efficiently and productively.

Do not be afraid of trying or learning new things and you must believe in yourself that you can do it. Telling yourself you can't is a doom to failure. It will make the task even cult if you do not fully believe in yourself.

Not only that, it will have an adverse effect in building your confidence and in turn, could affects your working. No matter which departments you are working in an organization, you must always keep a look out for potential candidates who have unique skills and they could someday be part of your team when you get promoted and help you achieve your desired goals. 

If their interests align with your own, you should keep in touch with them. Remember, your image and appearance are critical to your career advancement and credibility. You should look neat and smart. You should focus some time in making sure you look at your best. 

There will be times when work will get tough but you must be determined to succeed, never give up and be the one solely responsible for making it better again. Only those who get back on track after numerous set-backs will succeed! 

Finally, you need to realize that retirement is a thing of the past. Nowadays, human are living longer and find it harder to afford those additional years. As human beings, we have an intrinsic need to contribute, to add value, to be part of something. So they is not need to stop working at age 65. Maybe you should start planning what your career will be after your official retirement.