How to improve short term and longer term employment prospects?

[arulk pillai]

-- If you had to list 3 things that will increase a job seeker's immediate goal of securing a job, what will that list entail?

-- If you had to list 3 things that will improve a software engineer's longer term prospects, what will that be?

[Vyas Sanzgiri]

Skill set
certifications
degree

Experience
Skill Set
Past projects and impact