Whether you are just out of college or have been with your company for years starting a new job brings both optimism, excitement, and anxiety. I've started 19 jobs over 34 years and below are my top 10 pieces of advice. I'd love to hear what advice you have based on your experience.

1. Work hard at your job and it will differentiate you. First things first. Take your career seriously and make sure you do great work at whatever you are paid to do. Don't be one of those who is always looking for the next job or the one who signs up for everything in the company except doing their job well.
2. Don’t worry about who gets the credit. Bring so much value that no one will ever question your contributions. Focus on creating value, together, with everyone, and don't focus on what your contribution is. There is a time to reflect and assess during performance review, but that should be a derivative activity, not a primary obsession.
3. Network as much as you can to learn about different parts of the organization, formal and informal.  Your life experience will be richer, you will enjoy the journey more, and you will be more effective and efficient in getting things done. Be careful not to over-do it. Remember tip #1 above. Pro-Tip: networking at it's core is based on generosity - you getting to know others and others getting to know you. People want to know you and their life will be better for it.
4. Be curious – seek to learn about other parts of the organization – keep the mind open, think broadly. Learn how the company creates value, how it operates in different market conditions, what works and what doesn't generally work in the culture, and how changes occur best. Think about how you can help drive positive changes in organizations and your co-workers.
5. If you have the opportunity, be open to moving to a new geography to get different experiences. Your career will grow faster, you will learn more about the business, and you will know more people. The more diverse your experiences the better decisions you will be capable of making in the future. Peter Drucker suggests spending half your career switching careers to learn what you love, and the 2nd half doing what you love. I'm not sure about this ratio of half your life, but his point is pretty good I think. Try some things out, take some risks in your career, and learn what you love by doing a few different things.
6. Go back to school when the time is right. This may be an advanced degree or MBA, it may be a specialized course on coding python, or it may be a course on Coursera or LinkedIn learning. The key is to advance your mastery, in combination with work experience. Pro-Tip: If you know exactly what you think you want to do in life and it requires an advanced degree you most likely need to get this immediately out of college. If you don't know, I would encourage you to wait a few years to get your advanced degree. If you wait and get some real world experience to go back to school, chances are you will ask better questions, understand the answers better, and I believe obtain a much better education than completing an MBA a year or two into your career.
7. Seek formal communication training – presentation, writing, etc. Practice it (these skills are perishable). Learn how to communicate and organize your thoughts in 1 on 1 as well as group presentations. Join Toastmasters, get practice giving presentations, learn what makes effective communications. I received formal training early in my career from Dardis Communications (www.dardiscommunications.com) and I benefitted greatly from this training. Find something that works for you to help you speak and write professionally. Pro-Tip: Having butterflies before a big presentation is not a sign of weakness, it's actually a sign of strength. It means you care and want to do a good job, and coming from a place of caring means you have strong character. Butterflies before a presentation bring out the "A" game - recognize this as a sign of strength and you will be fine.
8. Seek mentors – who do you admire, who has been through some things you are interested in, and who can you learn from? Ask if they would spend 30 or 45 minutes sharing their experience. Come prepared with serious questions and don't waste their time. Think through this and use the Career Discussion Guide to prepare. Pro-Tip: Be grateful and always remember to say thank you. It's a basic courtesy to never forget - always say thanks to the people who have helped you.
9. Invest in coaching as your career matures. Your challenges will get more complex, your responsibilities will increase, and if you are doing it right, your stress level will also increase. More stress is not necessarily a bad thing - it actually helps you focus and bring out your "A" game. My advice is to get help as your career grows, and if you can afford it or the company offers it, a coach can contribute substantially to your personal development.
10. Give back to the community somehow and get to know others not in your company. Be generous.  Make it a habit. You will lead a more fulfilling life and you will enjoy the journey more. Not only is it good for the community, but it's good for the soul to be generous and help others.

Bonus Tip: Have a plan for your first 100 days, and make the first item on your list to listen and learn the context of what you are being asked to do. Learn from others experience, ask your boss what they want, ask co-workers. When you think you are ready to set some objectives and get to work, use a framework to build a 100 day plan. There is a ton of tools on the web to do this, and many books as well. A good one is "Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role" by Dan Ciampa.

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Please help spread the word by sharing The River with your network with an encouraging word asking others to check it out. A special thank you to those of you who have posted comments to share your experience and advice. I'm grateful as these interactions inspire me.