Don't jump so fast for that promotion or raise you're about to win. Today's workplace is largely unstable — people get laid off and job hop constantly, and in general, staying anywhere more than five years is a career liability. Your learning curve flattens out so much that you're not gaining skills fast enough to stay competitive in the field.

In this environment, training is worth more than a promotion or a raise, and in fact, you'd do well to make a trade if someone offers you either. Training is the new currency of the workplace. Here are four reasons why:

1. Promotions are stressful.
When you get offered a promotion, it's supposed to be a reward for good work. But in fact, most promotions derail you.

Think about it: You're creating a career path that's customized to your skills, strengths, and personal goals. How could anyone else create a path that's right for you? Unfortunately, most companies structure a single corporate ladder and promote people upward whether it's good for them or not.

In fact, most people do good work and then get promoted into a position they've shown no aptitude for. This is most pronounced when, say, a creative person or technical person gets promoted into management. In fact, most promotions are so misguided they're more stressful than divorce.

2. Raises are negligible.
What do you get in exchange for taking the huge risk of leaving something you're good at to do something you're unproven at? What do you get in exchange for derailing your personal plans to follow someone else's path? A 3 percent raise (on average), or 10 percent if you're lucky.

Let's say you get a 10 percent raise. If you're earning $50,000, that's $5,000. After taxes it's around $3,500 — if you even stay in the job for another year. That amount of money won't change your life, and even if you think it will, consider all the extra hours you'll be working because you got promoted.

Read the rest at Yahoo Finance.