If you have lost your job, seen your friends lose their job, or are frantically holding on to your seat the two words "now what" may be staring you right in the face. Furthermore with each day of economic data you may be asking yourself who am I without a paycheck? What will I become without a paycheck? Or how do I protect the paycheck I have been accustomed to seeing monthly.

Want to move up in your company? It's not easy climbing the corporate ladder, but with the proper guidance it's possible to move up quickly. Here are some tips that can help you advance in your career:

1. Find a mentor. A mentor can guide you on your professional development and is also there to answer any questions you may have.

2. Explore your options. Learn about the different openings that are available in your company.

In times of economic uncertainty we often seek to shed items that have lost their value or are considered a non-essential expense. Product brands that become less relevant, behaviors and processes that yield no return and people resources all become subject to a higher level of scrutiny when times get tough. Sometimes we call this a "cut back", a" reduction", a "tightening", or a "downturn". When uncertainty hits however, what we strive for, is to be a "cut out", "an addition", "a fastening", and an "upswing".

With the state of the economy and the bailout plan, everyone is concerned about the stability of jobs and 401Ks. As an entrepreneur, I understand and appreciate the concern over being able to maintain revenue. Regardless of whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or recent grad, the marketplace has everyone uncertain about what tomorrow will hold, but there are a few things that we as women (this applies for guys as well!) can keep in mind to be sure that we are equipped and protected in spite of these uncertain times:

Author and motivational speaker Kaplan Mobray has a question for you, "What is your personal brand?" Mobray teaches professionals, with his new book entitled "The 10K's of Personal Branding," how to market themselves in a unique way in order to create opportunities that will place them in position to accomplish their dreams.

Did you know that by not being a confident speaker you could be losing money? For professionals who are in sales, management, executive positions, etc. speaking is an important part of the business. One of the most important steps is having a confident tone of voice. Here are some tips on projecting a confident tone of voice:

Does your voice cost you money? Or, does it contribute to your success?

Do people resonate with the sound of your voice as well as the message you share?

It's an important question to know the answer to...