Landing that “dream job” is what makes all of us feel successful. However, the road to success only begins when you get the job; succeeding at work takes initiative and hard work. Showing investment and dedication to improve your professional growth and job performance can help lead to a promotion. Most importantly, with our current economic situation, it can help you keep your job.

You can do many things to succeed in your career. Here are some tips to improve your chances of achieving workplace success, in spite of any economic ups and downs.

1. Get educated.
Most employers prefer hiring and promoting employees who have college degrees. If you know that you have a better chance of getting promoted by having a degree, it would be worth your time and financial investment to obtain a college degree. If you have a degree, consider what skills you can learn in order to improve your job performance.

Large corporations frequently offer free software, communication or management training. If your company does not offer courses, do some research to find classes being taught in your area; your company might subsidize the cost if you make a case for it!