Yes, I understand this is difficult.

It’s so tough, in fact, that most people spend a lifetime searching for what they’re “about”, but never quite get it defined enough to take action. If this describes you, I can guarantee you one thing: You will never live up to your highest potential. Instead, your days will turn into weeks that turn into months with no real momentum in your career. Sure, you may move up. You may even be excellent at what you do. But the difference is that you will always be reacting to the events in your life. A clear vision statement, however, will put you in charge of your future – and trying to succeed without one is like aiming at no target.

If you need proof of the awesome power in concrete goals and vision, look no further than the winter Olympics. Everyone knows the mental conditioning of Olympians is legendary… but it’s not a mystery. In the words of Stephen Covey, champion athletes simply begin with the end in mind.

Every day, and sometimes multiple times a day, they picture themselves standing at the top of the podium bending over to receive their medal. They hear the thunderous applause. They see the faces of their proud parents. They can feel the gold in their hands. Then, they back up to their race itself. The focus before the buzzer goes off. The view from the track. The smell of the stadium, the ice rink, etc. Then, they back up to the training. The hours of practice required. The diet that will give them an edge, and so on. Olympic champions eat, sleep, and breathe the image of a gold medal – but – it’s not just any medal…it’s their medal.

Do you have this kind of focus?

If not, you’ll need to do some soul searching to discover your calling. To get started, it may help to read Chad Levitt’s post “49 Personal Branding Questions to Ask Yourself” on The Personal Branding Blog. If you can respond to even half of them, you’re well on your way to developing your personal vision. On the other hand, if you already know what you want – congratulations – you’re almost there. Now, you just need to hone in your statement. Here’s mine:

Bestselling college-to-career expert with a focus on advancing the leadership skills of young women in the workplace.

“Bestselling” summarizes the goal for my books, “college-to-career” is my field, and “advancing the leadership skills of young women” is my niche. Everything I do is measured against whether it improves my position in these areas. If it doesn’t, I don’t do it. Simple as that.

This is my finish line and, as you continue on your own personal branding journey, be sure you know where yours is as well…and exactly how it will feel when you get the gold medal.

If you want to get ahead … to accelerate your success … you can:

Work harder (we’ve all tried that);

Suck up to an influential (but that’s rather pathetic, isn’t it);

Get smarter (take a training seminar or get an advanced degree); or

Hope for a lucky break.

But there is also another way.

Find a mentor!

In the workplace, we’re surrounded by many types of people, from co-workers and team leaders to supervisors and managers. Some of them have an interest in your success, and others…not so much. After all, they have their own self-interests, problems, challenges and priorities too.

A mentor, on the other hand, is someone who has taken a direct, unselfish interest in your success. A mentor is an advisor, one who shares wisdom and teachings. They are critical partners in your development and, most importantly, they can help you unlock your true potential.

Few would dispute the fact that having a mentor is a great thing, a blessing indeed. But–alas–how to find one?

Obviously, it’s not easy. It is partly dependent upon good fortune and good timing. Since you can’t force someone to become your mentor, it has to occur somewhat organically. (Many well-intentioned companies have tried to create “mentor initiatives” that ultimately fail because, in short, people either click or they don’t.)

So what can you, as a young professional, do to create the right conditions to attract a mentor? Without question, this is a rich and deep topic, but here are two tangible pieces of advice:

Be Prepared. Arm yourself with the understanding that beginning a relationship with a mentor is an investment. You will need to devote the extra time and energy to become actively engaged with your mentor, and don’t expect them to always initiate the communication or the learning environment. Be ready to put forth questions and topics for exploration, and be ready to respond to information, questions and references sent your way. Most mentors want inquisitive, energetic mentees, so come in to the relationship demonstrating energy and a true desire to learn and improve.

Activate Your Sensors. Begin thinking about potential mentors and know what to look for. Seek out those who meet the following criteria:

• Helpful, giving nature and generous spirit
• Good communicator
• Demonstrated willingness to teach others
• Genuine interest in others
•  Authentic kindness  
• Easily approachable
• Possesses the experience, skills, and smarts you’re looking to develop

The book Emily and I wrote sprung directly from our shared experiences and learning as mentor (yours truly) and protégé – turned – successful young professional (Emily). Not all of you will be lucky enough to develop a relationship that spans more than a decade but, I think we’re proof of how rewarding it can be when you do.

Note: This is Part 13 in a series called the “2010 Career Challenge: Becoming a Rock Star from A to Z” by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this quote and what it means, both for me at this stage in my life, and for you as a young professional. The background here is that I’ve taken a big leap and hired a career coach.

It was quite an investment and one that I didn’t enter into lightly.

Why does a self-proclaimed “career expert” need a career coach? The answer is that I still have a lot of the other “l” to do, i.e. learning, and I don’t believe you can learn (all the time at least) in a vacuum.

Yes, you can read the books, the articles, the blogs – and you can follow the right people on Twitter in an effort to absorb what makes them tick in 140 characters or less. That said, you can also recognize your own limitations and – assuming they provide the service – hire the best minds in your industry to teach you.

I was inspired to make this leap myself while watching the winter Olympics. Night after night, I would observe athletes and their trainers prepare to compete and it made me wonder, “Who is my trainer?”

(((Silence.)))

In an ideal world, we would all have great mentors who help us craft the vision of our highest possible self –then hold us accountable to achieve it. But we all know that true mentors are endangered species these days so if you don’t have someone in your life right now filling that role, take a leap and seek them out – even if you have to pay for the privilege. This doesn’t have to be one-on-one coaching. It could be attending a conference, a trade show, a workshop, retreat, etc. – anything that gives you access to someone who’s been where you want to go and can show you the ropes. Note: Don’t pay for services from people who claim they can tell you how to accomplish your goals if they haven’t been there themselves. In other words, if you’re seeking advice on how to become a successful entrepreneur in your field, it’s a bad idea to hire someone you’ve never heard of.

However, if you’re truly stuck and looking for answers to big career questions, maybe it’s time to “find a trainer” too. To get started, simply read your industry’s trade magazines, websites, blogs and Twitter feeds. When you hone in on someone you think you can learn a lot from, sit back and follow them for a while. If you like what you see / read, again take a leap and reach out. 

Alternatively, you can stay in one place and get run over. Your choice.

Note: This is Part 12 in a series called the “2010 Career Challenge: Becoming a Rock Star from A to Z” by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

As a young professional, you may be called a Newbie or a Newb. And that’s okay.

A nOOb, however, is someone (often a rookie) who knows very little, but has no desire to learn more. nOObs often expect others to do the work for them, yet still want to claim the praise and the glory.

Being labeled a nOOb is bad, but a knob is worse. Knobs are cocky and off-putting, but lack the presence and perspective to identify their own gaps or weaknesses. In a knobshell, these folks don’t know what they don’t know, but operate as know-it-alls.

So if you want to become more successful as a Newb, don’t be a nOOb, but if you want to keep your job, definitely don’t be a knob.

Note: This is Part 11 in a series called the “2010 Career Challenge: Becoming a Rock Star from A to Z” by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

So now you’re on LinkedIn and you’re wondering what to do next.  Or maybe you’ve been on LinkedIn for a while and you’re wondering, “Why isn’t this working?”  Here are four great ideas to amp up your LinkedIn experience and make the most of your profile:

ADD A PICTURE

Networking is personal; you are making a personal connection with another human being.  Part of that is being able to “see” who you are connecting with.  With so many spammers, fake profiles, etc. on LinkedIn, show them who you are and make that personal networking connection.

GRAB YOUR OWN URL

Instead of having the standard URL that LinkedIn automatically assigns you, customize your URL to you!  My URL is http://www.linkedin/com/in/jessicaholbrook. If someone searches for my name they find me—right at the top.  Make sure you’re making the most of your profile and that you’re easy to locate.

BRAND YOUR HEADLINE

Give yourself a professional headline.  It’s there for a reason, and you should utilize it.  It maximizes search results and is one more way to make it easier for people to locate you.  If you’re an IT director be sure that’s in your headline.  Create a personal branding statement that paints a very clear picture for others about what you do and who you are.

BRAND YOUR PROFILE

Create a keyword-rich summary that showcases your accomplishments, expertise, and value.  Employers want to know how you can bring value to their organization, so give them the information they need in the career summary.  You can always expand on your responsibilities under each career you’ve listed, but front load the career summary with the important and persuasive information that will keep them reading.

CEO of Great Resumes Fast, Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. She has written more than 100 articles that are featured on some of the best career advice Web sites today. For a free resume analysis, please send your resume to info@greatresumesfast.com or visit online at http://www.greatresumesfast.com to view sample resumes and find information about professional resume writing services.

Fast forward to this morning when you received an email from your boss with a one-word response to a question. Rather than assume he’s busy, say, in a meeting sneaking a quick glance at his phone under the table – you think he must be angry with you.

So what do you do next? That’s right… you waste time stewing over your supposed offense, e.g.  “I know I’m behind on the research project. Maybe he’s peeved about that. Could he have seen me sneak in late this morning?”

We’ve all read too much into a situation that turned out to be nothing in the end. However, if it seems like you’re feeling jilted more often than not at work, it could be because…

You’re Too Insecure: Are you constantly wondering and worrying about what others think of you? Relax. Unless a colleague specifically brings up an issue, believe that everything they do is well-intentioned. In other words, if a coworker sees you walking down the hall and suddenly does a pivot turn in the other direction – don’t assume they hate you – assume they forgot something.

You’re Too Competitive: If you want to become a leader, you have to get out of superstar Lone Ranger mode. That means turning your attention away from petty competitions with colleagues and toward behaviors that allow the whole team to win. A rising tide lifts all boats.

You’re Too Negative: Our thoughts directly affect our attitude, which directly affect our actions. So make a decision – right now – to convert your negative thoughts into ones that empower and inspire you.  How much better and more positive would your office become if everyone focused on …

…strengths instead of weaknesses

…edifying each other

…opportunities instead of problems

…what is possible versus what “will never work?”

In photography (as in life), the wider the lens, the better the view. So the next time you’re feeling jilted at work, take a step back. And at the risk of triggering even more bad memories from sophomore year – remember – it’s probably not you. It’s them.

Note: This is Part 10 in a series called the “2010 Career Challenge: Becoming a Rock Star from A to Z” by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

The first thing you should know about is LaunchPad: Your Career Search Strategy Guide from Chris Perry. You may know Chris from his popular Career Rocketeer blog. In a crowded market of career / job search sites, Chris has managed to stand out, most notably as the keeper of a series of immensely helpful lists, e.g. 150+ Experts on Twitter Every Job Seeker Should Follow, 100+ Career Blogs All Professionals Must Read, Top 100+ Job Search Hashtags on Twitter, etc. In LaunchPad, Chris has brought together some heavy-hitters in the career field to offer advice on topics ranging from personal branding and networking, to resumes and entrepreneurship. The line-up is impressive. Jennifer Kushell, Liz Lynch, Tory Johnson, Meg Guiseppi… if you’re searching for a job or want to excel on the job, these are names you should know.

At only 145 pages, LaunchPad is a quick read, but it’s full of great, actionable information on how to cut through the clutter and rise above in a packed job market. To order your copy of LaunchPad from Amazon, click here. For around the price of two venti lattes, you can learn from the best… and save the calories.

The second thing you should know is that Dan Schawbel has recently released a new issue of Personal Branding Magazine featuring legendary marketer Seth Godin. Famous for must-read titles like Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, and Tribes, Godin’s new work Linchpin is about becoming indispensible in your career.

An interview with Godin alone is worth downloading the issue, but the magazine also includes profiles of Food Network superstar Guy Fieri and Wall Street Journal career columnist Alexandra Levit among other articles. Dan has a good eye for talent and he does a nice job of pulling together up-and-coming writers on the topic of personal branding and career success. It seems like each issue of the magazine gets better and better and – if I know Dan – he won’t stop until it’s the best.

For more information on Personal Branding Magazine or to download a free sample, click here.

Integrity is the scarcest resource in the world of business today. Yes, you read that correctly.

Integrity is so simple–yet we all tend to muck it up with excuses, compromises, and blame-shifting. Pair me with a person of integrity, and we’ll outperform a team of ten feckless, shifty folks every day of the week.

If you’re looking to ignite your career, build your integrity. Here’s how to get started:

Integrity is saying, “I don’t know.” Instead of BS-ing your way through some meaningless diatribe, why not simply say that you do not know the answer, follow it up with “But I’ll find out and get back to you”, then do it?

So simple. So underutilized.

Integrity is admitting that a mistake was your fault. Instead of trying to shift all or part of the blame onto someone or something else… simply fess up when you’ve screwed up. (Note: “The server crashed” sounds just as flimsy in the office as “The dog ate my homework” did in the classroom.)

Integrity is asking for help when you get stuck. We all get stuck. Top performers just recognize it sooner and seek help right away. The other 96% of the world procrastinate, ruminate and obfuscate.

Integrity is honoring your word. Did you say you would do something? Fine. Recognize that you made a promise – and now your name and your reputation are on the line. So, whatever it was … is it done? And I mean is it fully done…in a manner that reflects well of you and your organization? Forget grey areas. This is black and white: a yes or no question. If the answer is no, get back to it until it is done–and done well.

Many careers are wrecked by incremental violations of these rules…one tiny breach after another… that build over time, fostering negative perceptions that can eventually become insurmountable.  So the next time you’re tempted to break your word (or a deadline), remember that your integrity is at stake… and forge ahead until you complete what you’ve promised.

Note: This is Part 9 in a series called the “2010 Career Challenge: Becoming a Rock Star from A to Z” by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, co-authors of Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

Why would I devote a full quarter of the class to one subject when there are so many other “cool” things like Twitter and video resumes to cover? The answer is simple.

Aside from a few – ahem – Facebook photos and incomplete LinkedIn profiles, most of my students don’t have a strong online presence yet. In other words, they are blank slates…..bare billboards…….TV static.

While social media sites can give them a potentially powerful microphone, here’s the problem with just diving in and uploading content on day one. Bare billboard + powerful microphone = more white noise on the web.

I don’t know about you, but I think the Internet has more than enough white noise as it is. Moreover, these students are in the process of looking for employment … and with sites like CAREEREALISM stating that there are now six job seekers for every one job available, I owe it to them to do what I can to prevent a “Fire, Ready, Aim” approach.

So here we are in Step One of the personal branding process, otherwise known as the discovery phase. It’s fitting to invoke the billboard reference above because my marketing background tells me that, like brands, billboards should state a clear message in six words or less.Therefore, my challenge to students, and to you, is this: What is your message?

If you’re having a hard time figuring that out, creating a “vision board” will help. Here’s how it works:

1.) You purchase a piece of poster board or foamcore

2.) You cut out words or images from magazines, websites, etc. that reflect something you want for yourself in the future

3.) You glue or spray mount the clippings together on the poster board

At the end of this process, you’ll have a visual representation of where you want to go in the next year or beyond. And while you should always put your goals on paper and reflect on them often, there’s just something different and uniquely motivating about coming face-to-face with them on your wall every day.

So if you’re a blank slate currently and you’d like to hone in on your brand or discover your message, try crafting a vision board. Worst case scenario is that you’ll have a neat piece of quasi-art to impress your friends. Ideally, though, you’ll discover what truly inspires you along the path to career success. Good luck!

This post was originally written for Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Blog. Check it out here.