Whether right out of college, graduate school or coming in from another company, managing personal success in any corporation is challenging. Globalization, downsizing and outsourcing all have made that challenge even greater. There are steps that anyone coming into a corporation can take that will guarantee a degree of success, if not the CEOs desk (or perhaps cubicle for some companies today).

1. Learn your new job inside out. Know more about your job than anyone in your company. And once you know everything about your job, learn all you can about the functional jobs that intersect with yours. Also learn all you can about your boss's job. But first, be the expert in your job, not just in your company, but in your industry.

2. Meet people. Meet people of all titles, functions, organizations and roles in your company. Build you network. But do not stop there. Join one local and one national professional organization. Get to know others outside of your company in your field. This is more important than most people realize. Your network outside of your company is even more valuable than that within your company although it takes more effort and