( CNN ) -- Whenever I trade my smart phone in for a smarter model , I feel good that I 'm back on the leading edge of mobile technology . And I may well be , but never for long . It seems that just as I pry the gadget 's box open , an even faster , sleeker version is being touted in the tech blogs and showing up on the store shelves . Inevitably buyer 's remorse sets in as I chastise myself : `` if only I had waited . '' Innovation cycles have surely accelerated , with each offering more customization and a promise of being better . Perhaps you 've noticed that something similar is happening in the workplace . A career , even for well-educated , seasoned professionals , seems harder to sustain in this challenging economy . You may feel like the shelf life of your skills is getting shorter . Even as unemployment rates remain persistently high , it 's expected that in the United States only 20 % of workers will have the skills needed for 60 % of the jobs in the coming years . That 's daunting for employers and employees alike . While companies are struggling to find the skilled talent they need , many individuals are struggling to stay relevant in the briskly changing talent marketplace . These twin tensions can leave top management and managers scratching their heads about how to cultivate and keep a stable , aptly skilled and engaged workforce . Individuals wonder if they should abandon current career paths to pursue high-demand opportunities where they must start from scratch . Luckily we can take a page from a fast-growing innovation in the worlds of product and increasingly services , that can provide a release valve : mass customization . Yep , you can customize your phone with apps , you can customize coffee drinks and even some of the clothes on your back ( and shoes on your feet ) . Imagine , as well , that you can customize your career to better match the needs of your company and your own career-life fit . How employee freedom delivers better business . With this so-called mass customization of careers , individuals can co-design with their managers a zigzag sequence of jobs that are skill-developing opportunities . Rather than climb straight up a traditional corporate ladder , think of making strategic , lateral moves - on a corporate lattice - that are advantageous for you and your organization . You can hone your strongest skills in more varied circumstances . That way you can have more control over your career-life fit with the flexibility to move in various directions in a customized career trajectory . This approach is n't just good for the individual . Companies gain a more versatile , collaborative -- and engaged -- talent base by moving employees up , down and across the business in strategic ways . It also affects financial performance since holding onto experienced employees drives corporate talent acquisition costs down , positively impacting the bottom line . Career customization is about enabling workers , not simply entitling them . Employees and employers share the responsibility and the opportunity of openly discussing choices and trade-offs -- for the individual and the firm . Done well , this gives organizations powerful collateral to retain employees , and attract new ones , as it becomes known as a place where a high performance culture and a sustainable career-life fit are inextricably linked . Freedom key to workplace of the future . For employees , it means building a sustainable career with varied skillsets , more future career options , and an ability to build and enhance their personal brand . Consider the following as you develop and manage your own customized career : . 1 . Mark yourself to market by taking inventory of your skills , experiences and capabilities , valuing their market relevance , and positioning them all as a portfolio to create a consistent and compelling impression . Ask yourself the tough question : `` How well am I doing at acquiring sought-after skills and competencies ? '' Take action when you do n't like the answer . Also , assess how well you are building your personal brand and what it says and means to others . 2 . Maximize option value by actively seeking out those opportunities to build new skills -- either in your current role or by taking on a new role at your organization . Ask yourself what actions you can take to create alternative futures for yourself â€ ” and greater value for your company . The more valuable you are to your organization , the more options you will have both inside and outside its walls . 3 . Optimize your career-life fit by asking yourself what you most need -- and what trade-offs you are willing to accept -- to be fulfilled in your profession , family , community and other pursuits at any point in time , and over time . Career customization may be one viable solution to help fill the gap between the growing talent shortage and the need to build sustainable , adaptive careers . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Cathy Benko .
You can tailor your career to better match your needs , says Cathy Benko . It can feel like the shelf life for professional skills is getting shorter , she says . Rather than climb straight up the corporate ladder , think of strategic , lateral moves . It can help companies gain a more versatile and engaged talent base .