While it is crucial for you to learn more on your job in the first three years, do not shut yourself from the opportunities that can offer you growth. Check if there are some new skills that you could acquire to upgrade yourself and move up the value chain. These need not be necessarily something that takes you away from your job full time. But try and look at the recognition offered for such courses in your organisation.

Once in a management class, one of the participants said that he is from Indian Railways and there are many exams that are held within the system to promote their employees and it is possible for a clerk to become an officer and move up in his career. He did Railway signalling and he is a rare commodity within Railways and outside. In a private organisation that may not be the case. Yet it would be useful if you could study and get yourself more qualified. If you are in the US or anywhere abroad, these courses are a bit expensive. But they make a difference in your career.

You could join an organisation as a Marketing Executive with your basic MBA. Do not forget that your organisation would be recruiting another set of MBAs next year. There are some more MBAs who had been added the years before you joined. Now, your growth depends on the extra skill that you could bring into the organisation. If it is an export oriented organisation, you could do a certificate course in Foreign Trade with a specialisation in managing Foreign Exchange. If it is a service oriented organisation, you could get yourself qualified with a course in CRM - Customer Relationship Management. If you are in a sales position with a requirement to travel abroad frequently to different countries, learn the language of the country where your products sell most. Very simple. Just identify the opportunities around you.

If you plan today, you could get yourself equipped with atleast three more qualifications in a span of five years. This could help you move faster up the corporate ladder. There are some excellent combinations available - If you get recruited as a Production Engineer and if your company is in Infrastructure, explore the possibilities of qualifying yourself in Project Management. These days, there are plenty of opportunities and as the education scene opens up, you will have plethora of courses at affordable costs.

If you are a cynic and you turn around and ask me, 'what if I don't grow after all this', well, buddy, you have not done a crime in learning more and your learning never goes waste. Bare minimum, you would not have managed your time better.