Make goals for a new professional you. (An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal: Corporate Education).

It's never too late to focus on your professional development.

Establishing career goals now can help you advance in your field and increase your marketability. Your objective can be as simple as learning a new skill or as complex as trying to earn a significant promotion. The key is to make your objective realistic and establish action items that enable you to achieve your goal. Here are some suggestions that can help you get ahead:

Stretch your expertise. Are your skills up to date? Keeping pace with evolving technology and industry trends can pose a challenge, so make sure you're taking the necessary steps to keep up. And don't overlook your social savvy when targeting improvement areas. The ability to communicate effectively and manage people becomes even more important as you move up the ladder.

Get your resume ready. Nervous about layoffs? Do something about it. Even if you feel secure in your position, it's wise to have the materials ready to launch an instant job search. If you haven't done so already, polish your resume. Then resolve to keep it current.

Join a professional organization. A strong network helps you in good times and bad, so consider joining an industry organization. Although some groups may require an initial fee, the people and information you'll be exposed to can make it a worthy investment.

Find a mentor. Advice from an experienced professional can help you weather a professional setback or wade through a sticky political situation at work. Mentoring doesn't have to be a formal process. Simply find someone whose professional judgment you respect, and ask that person if you can approach him or her for career guidance. Chances are the person you select will be flattered. And remember - mentoring is a two-way street. If you know someone who could benefit from your assistance, reach out a helping hand.

Steer clear of gossip. Nothing can sink your career faster than becoming known as the office gossip. Even if you're not running your company's rumor mill, being associated with it can be damaging. Vow to avoid any negative gab sessions.

Once you've identified your goals, hold yourself accountable for attaining your objectives. Break each goal into specific action items, and establish a timeline for achieving them. As you hit milestones, reward yourself with a nice meal out or some other incentive. You've earned it!

Laura Kovach is die Los Angeles-based division director of The Creative Group, a specialized staffing firm placing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals. The Creative Group has offices in major markets across the United States and in Canada and offers online job search services at www.creativegroup.com.