In the early months of 2012, we continue to witness a healthcare industry constantly changing and getting more sophisticated. In our discussions with “insiders,” the feedback we get consistently raises the question, “How do I strengthen my current position in my company and keep my career on the upswing in a down economy?”

Here are three key steps we have uncovered in maintaining the edge to get noticed, scoring a promotion, and staying on the right career track:

1. Be honest with yourself. Are you working strategically and smart? Take a minute and step back. Evaluate your own job performance. Break out a job description outlining your current role. Are you performing all that is required? Because if not, and if you are taking short-cuts, it will eventually show. You may look good in the short run, but it can and will come back to bite you. Be complete; be effective. Master the basics first and build lasting impressions.

2. Better understand company and department objectives. Working in a vacuum is dangerous. You may “feel” you are on-track, but are you? I was listening to a Sr. Product Manager last week who complained he wasn’t getting the visibility he deserved. Turns out he was partially working on ad agency tactics that were not his responsibility. Regroup and do the proactive assignments that get you noticed while maintaining your responsibilities and department objectives.

3. Appeal to your creative mind. (Oh yeah, right!) Yes, think out of the box. Everyone has creativity. We all offer different views and perspectives. A key ingredient is understanding the landscape – your environment, competitors. For example, when in the midst of a product launch, what factors are involved? Is it price, positioning, efficacy?. Lean on past projects and accomplishments to scope a new strategy. Invite your market research analyst/consultant to confirm/deny what you need to know. Recommend new, innovative way(s) to test a pre-launch or analyze quantitative results that stretches beyond an obvious result. Creativity will stir new opportunities. There’s risk in every reward. Tracking ahead and moving up…priceless!