What are four major steps in good career planning?

1. Know what you want to do and set that as a goal.

2. Track down the best training and go through it. If you have to pay for it yourself, it's well worth it in the long run.

3. Once you have an entry-level job in the industry or company you want to be in, make yourself indispensable Know what everyone does and how to do it. Come in earlier than everyone else and stay later. The boss will notice. Put in the hard work to climb the ladder.

4. Make sure to plan your retirement. That's what a "career" is all about, right? Start from day one putting whatever amount of money you can afford (probably a small amount of $20 a month if you are paying off training loans) into a retirement account. I would suggest a Wroth IRA where you pay taxes on it up front and you're not taxed when you pull your money out.