There comes a point in every young professional's career when, having mastered the basics, your thoughts focus on how to advance to the next level. This can be a critical time because your limited experience can make decision making feel overwhelming. Here are some ways to make professional connections and hone important skills to launch or further your communications career in the association world.

Get Some Help

The good news for young professionals is that you don't have to figure everything out on your own. Many senior-level professionals credit their early-career trajectory to the guidance that they received from a mentor. The benefits of a mentoring relationship are still worthwhile, even if the notion of the wise sage who takes a young apprentice under his or her wing may seem a bit dated. Your engagement with a mentor can be highly-structured with set objectives and regular meetings to evaluate progress, or it can be informal conversations that explore various career options.

A mentor can be your immediate supervisor, but you may also benefit from the guidance of an individual whom you do not report directly to. If you want to make contact with someone outside of your organization, you can let your friends and coworkers know that you're looking for an experienced professional who would be interested in mentoring a young prospect. ASAE's Association CareerHQ can provide resources and advice to get you started.

Solicit your supervisor's assessment of the skills that he or she thinks you need to focus on, and then create a tactical plan that charts the steps required to achieve those mutually agreed-upon goals.

For those who want a broader perspective, another option to consider is assembling your own personal board of advisors, composed of leaders from a variety of practice areas, including marketing, communications, finance, event planning, and program development. Like your association's board, you can structure interactions to occur on a periodic basis and use that time to develop a strategic plan for addressing career challenges and opportunities.

Regardless of which method you choose, be intentional about what you want to accomplish and establish clear goals to evaluate your progress. Senior-level managers want to share their experience with young professionals who show potential, but understand that they are busy with their own workloads.

As you seek to connect with potential mentors, consider how they can also benefit from this collaboration. Find ways to make the relationship reciprocal—even if it's simply sharing an article you think might be of interest to them.

Develop Your Skills

If you are more of a self-starter and prefer project-based feedback, use an existing work assignment to structure a plan for self-development. Solicit your supervisor's assessment of the skills that he or she thinks you need to focus on, then create a tactical plan that charts the steps required to achieve those mutually agreed-upon goals.

In larger associations, there may be opportunities for you to develop new skills by volunteering for a project in another department. With your boss's approval, approach the project lead and express your interest in contributing. Be clear about your intent, and communicate how the team will benefit by bringing you on board.

If you work in a smaller association where this option is not available, consider getting involved with an outside organization, such as a professional association or a local nonprofit. Identify skills that you'd like to develop, and then volunteer to serve on a council or ad hoc committee that presents those opportunities for growth.

This is the approach I chose to develop new leadership skills early in my career. I was interested in exploring projects outside of my organization and volunteered to serve on a local nonprofit's education committee. Within a relatively short time, I was offered the chance to chair the committee, supervise the volunteer network, and organize a regional student career-day event.

The experience I gained far exceeded my expectations, and the guidance I received from board members was put to good use, building my professional competencies while working to fulfill the organization's mission. The best part was that my efforts eventually led to a job offer from one of the organization's board members, which afforded an opportunity to grow my newly acquired skills in a position of greater responsibility than was possible at my current job. It was exactly what I had been preparing myself for, and so I happily accepted.

How you choose to manage your career is largely up to you, but you can elicit help from many others. Be proactive and garner good will from those whose expertise you value. It's a great way to position yourself for future opportunities.