Yes, it does pour! And I’ve certainly got my share of work pouring in over the next couple of months. When it comes to your career, doesn’t it seem like just when you start to reach your comfort zone, new projects, staff shuffling, and outside forces collide to send you into overtime overload?

As I glanced over at my soggy cheerios unfinished from this morning, I realized I was so fixated on my laptop, I actually forgot to eat my whole breakfast. And I never forget to eat — trust me! Maybe it’s lack of sleep since I’ve been burning the 2 a.m. oil all week long. Who knows…

What I do realize, though, is that my current work influx is actually a very positive thing. In fact, much of it is the result of yesterday being my editor’s last day in the office — she’s gone off on maternity to have her beautiful baby boy (or at least that’s the gender I’m betting on in the baby pool). What can be more joyous than that?!

On the flipside, I also know that her absense will propel me to shine in the spotlight (when usually, I’m more of a sunglasses and visor kind of cube dweller). Sure, I’m a seasoned pro at editing, assigning writers, and blogging (don’tcha think?), but now I’ll have to show my face at corporate meetings, get in on conference calls, and answer directly to the powers that be. And that all means I’ll need a refresher course in corporate jargon, excel spreadsheets, and company culture — things we creative types usually don’t have to concern ourselves with much.

It’s when such challenges arise that I dig down deep and recall all of the lessons learned within the business courses I took in college (and thank goodness that I managed to stay awake through most of them!). Communications, marketing, finance, accounting, business administration — I knew I’d need those skills someday to succeed in an office setting. And that day has come.

My point here? When thinking about embarking on career training, it’s important to develop related skills beyond your craft, too, in order to be more marketable, stand out from your competition, and open yourself up to new opportunities.

So, aspiring massage therapists, be sure to learn about running a business and dealing with clients in between rubdown techniques. Prospective teachers, use your electives to develop a strong knowledge of technology (you just may be asked to teach online courses, create a class Web page, or broadcast podcasts for your students!). And future health care workers, think about learning a second language so you can deal with a variety of patients. Get my drift?

You never know when opportunity is going to rain down, so be prepared, otherwise your career might become as soaked and soggy as my cheerios.