[Don't be long-winded]

Career consultant Marty Nemko says that gab isn't always a gift. "If you drone on and on, people will see you as self-absorbed and clueless – not how you want to be perceived," he says.

In business meetings, Nemko recommends speaking for no more than a minute before you stop or ask a question. If the other party or parties want to hear more, they'll say so.

[Selling at the office]

Daniel Armstrong, a career counselor with the National Board for Certified Counselors, says that employees who want to sell housewares or personal products at the office should check first to see if this is against company policy. "If someone is involved in a one-time fundraiser for a charitable organization or is selling candy or cookies for their children's school, that's fine as long as no one feels pressured to buy," he says.

He recommends that employees leave brochures or sign-up lists in employee lounges or kitchens. "If you're directly approaching co-workers, it could get awkward if someone doesn't want to buy what you're selling."

Employees who regularly sell products, such as Avon or Amway, should steer clear of doing this at the office because it can interfere with the business at hand, as well as lead to conflicts, particularly if supervisors and managers are selling to subordinates.

[Continual learning]

Jim Donovan, author of Handbook to a Happier Life II, says that the key to being a lifelong learner is to devote 10 to 15 minutes each day to reading or learning something new about your field or job.

One good way is to use your commute time to listen to educational CDs or cassettes. "If you make this one simple change, you will have spent more than 50 hours a year learning new information," he says. "In five or 10 years, you'll be a world-class expert."

[Lateral moves: Potential career enhancements]

Many employees balk at the chance to make a lateral move within the company, but career consultants say it makes sense to ditch the "move up or move out" mindset and consider these benefits of a sideways move:

• It broadens an individual's knowledge of other functions and departments within an organization.

• It prepares an individual for career advancement.

• It maximizes an individual's exposure to a new set of customers, clients, or co-workers.

• It motivates and challenges an individual who may have been doing the same job for years.

• It serves to cross-train members of a team.