Making the transition from college to career is a big step and often a daunting one. As you enter the early stages of your career, it’s important to keep up the focus you had while achieving your degree and apply that to reaching your full professional potential.

Here are some tips for improving your potential:

Know yourself. Reflect upon the skills you have and what you have to offer. People tend to underestimate themselves. Take an honest look at what you have accomplished and where you excel and use that to your advantage. Use your talents and strengths to develop a brand for yourself.

Get involved. Volunteer for projects and offer help to others. Taking on more work will allow you to show off your talents and gain more experience. You’ll begin to develop professional relationships and develop a reputation for being dependable. The more involved you become, the more you’ll stand out, making employers more likely to offer you opportunities to grow in the future.

Find a mentor. Seek out an established professional who has already been where you are now and is in a position you aspire to achieve. A mentor will help guide you throughout the course of your professional life will help you build the relationships you will need to be successful.

These tips are a good starting point as you begin to grow within your career. For more professional advice take Next Step Academy’s “Realizing Your Professional Potential” course.