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Keywords: promotion, job tips, career advice, job markets, marketable, branding, skills, lateral, employee, new job

A tight job market has many people rethinking how they can be more marketable to future employers. Nowadays, people are picking up extra skills, both within and outside of their respective organizations, to make themselves more marketable. But is it worth it?

It depends, says Maury A. Mann, a career-center consultant for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA).

"A lot of times it isn't which skills you need but [whether] you have the skills that people will look at," he says. 

While it will ultimately be a combination of things that help you best the competition to land that promotion or new job, here are some things you can do now to better your chances:

Pick Up Practical Skills

Picking up practical skills may be the fastest way to get ahead. Learning a new language, new technology or a different part of the business all make you a more attractive candidate.

But for many people from traditionally underrepresented groups, self-marketing can be one of the most important skills to learn, says Rose Marie Bombela-Tobias, also a career-center consultant with NSHMBA.

"It's very difficult when you are raised in a culture that talks about not sticking out. In the workplace, you have to toot your own horn," she says. "You become more marketable by being more visible."

Join Professional Organizations

"Right now, companies, even in this economy, are reaching out to untapped markets, which are usually ethnic and disability markets. They want employees who can tap into that market, so joining an organization and showing activity in that organization looks particularly good," says Mann. "You are trying to distinguish yourself from someone who has a similar skill set. Being a member of organizations gives you creditability and provides a leg up."

That's exactly what happened to Luz Canino-Baker, former vice president of commercial cards with JPMorgan Chase, No. 13 on The 2008 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® list.

"I was the president of what was the Latino Employee Network [LEN] group. I was considered a top leader in the company because of my work with LEN, and through that work I had more access to more senior leaders within the company," she says.

Assess & Claim Your Value

Once you've made an impression with your prospective employer and the time comes to negotiate your salary, be aware of what you're worth. Negotiation is not the time to be shy, warns Stephanie Chick, professional coach of Deliver the Package, a professional coaching firm. Chick says not having a clear understanding of your value can cost you big.

"Know your worth before you enter into any salary negotiations," says Chick. "That can be your industry knowledge; that can be your experience; it can be your client relationships that you can bring to an organization. These things give your employer a total view of your worth."

It's important to reassess your value regularly, particularly if you are thinking about asking for a raise. Being able to clearly outline your contributions is the best way to show employers why you deserve that promotion.

Don't Be Afraid of Lateral Moves

The road to the top isn't always straight; often it involves lateral moves.

While there are instances in which lateral moves are unavoidable (to defuse conflict with a boss or coworker or if your job is being eradicated, for example), lateral moves can be helpful if you are trying to learn a different part of the business or pick up new skills. Remember, the more you know, the more you grow.

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