Few people talk about lifetime employment anymore. In fact, lifetime employability is the new goal to aim for, where employers provide learning resources and leave it up to self-motivated employees to pick up the knowledge, skills and tools that will increase their employability -- that is, their capacity to contribute more to the company's success.

One elegant framework that can help you engage in effective learning and self-training is captured by the acronym F.I.R.S.T.:

• Focus on one skill to acquire, and take the required course or seminar to get it
• Implement your new skill in a real-world situation
• Reflect on the results you get
• Seek feedback from others (peers, boss, coworkers, clients)
• Transfer your newly acquired skill to your permanent set of skills to call  upon (this can be done by consciously using that skill at every opportunity you get).

Repeat the above process continuously in order to gain new skills and increase your professional capabilities. By repeating this simple learning method consistently, you will increase your capacity to contribute to your employer's success and will inevitably boost your market value and bargaining power.