“[A good mentor] is someone who listens to what you’re experiencing and can then help you see what the next step might be.” Anastasia Economos told us. She has mentored numerous employees throughout her career and continues at Ernst and Young LLP. “The best way to get people talking and become your mentors is to ask them what their life experience has been, to just say, “Tell me about how you got here,” and often times we find big surprises.”

Pinpoint the arena in which you are in most dire need of guidance, and find the person whose best qualification is his or her example. There are no absolutes to finding the right mentor. Peers can be mentors as well as the company’s 25-year veterans, depending on what you need in a solution. Also, consider several mentors if your responsibilities span across departments or skill sets.

“You have to ask,” Jill Scalamandre advised with passion. “Don’t assume, always ask. Go after it if you feel that your thirst is not being quenched. Go to that person and say, ‘I want to learn more.’ It’s good to be honest and very direct and very transparent.”

Odds are there is someone in the office with a mile-high inbox pile waiting to be tackled who would relish your extra hands. Ask around.

Enrich your mind with skills courses. As Food Editor at The New York Times, Linda Wells expanded to the opposite side of the plate and took cooking classes, which ultimately helped her critique. If you work in print journalism, learning the design end can help you round out your knowledge of the production process. Start with an arena you already know and build on the details where you are less conversant. General categories include writing, public speaking and finance. Or, explore a new hobby, like cooking, art or theater. This will give you the chance to meet people as well.

Sometimes your work or your personal life just needs a breath of fresh air – a break from the norm. If you feel this way, maybe your colleagues do as well. Instead of griping, get innovative! Plan an office outing so that you can focus on something besides work.

If you’re still unsatisfied, maybe it is time for a change. If you have put out the extra effort to stave off boredom, you can feel confident you are making the right decision in changing positions. Refer back to the “Job Search” section for help getting started!

Be prepared that your boss may say “We don’t have anything now,” or “I’ll think about it.” If it’s a dead-end, consider looking for new opportunities elsewhere.

Don’t be afraid to change your mind,” Patricia Wexler told us in her Peek. “You have an entire life to be happy. You want to get up in the morning and love what you do. So, don’t be lazy … If it’s going to take starting at the bottom again, which it does, go back and start over again.”

Start attending CareerPeeks sessions, launch your job search and network. Once you land a job offer, consider whether it’s a lateral move or if you’re truly advancing. Unless your current job is unbearable or paying you below the going rate, it’s probably best to hold out for the next rung on the ladder.

To solve this situation, first determine what your core dilemmas are and organize your thoughts constructively. Start chronicling the work you’ve accomplished so that you can accurately assess the situation and relay it to your boss. Prior to taking any action, brainstorm solutions to your problems.

If you walk into your boss’ office, dump your issues out on her and fold your arms aggressively awaiting an immediate response, you have only succeeded in spreading the negative. We often hear from successful women that the concerns that truly receive focus are those that come attached to a few well-thought-out resolutions.

Be prepared for your boss to react negatively, to which you should respond calmly and clearly. Take her opinions into account without taking it personally and getting defensive.

Your boss is your boss. She is not your cheerleader or your shoulder to cry on, and she also has a boss to report to. If you are facing a true personality clash, you may need to accept that she has every right to be herself regardless of what you expect from her. Should you decide to leave your job, which is sometimes a reasonable move, you will have created a pattern of acceptance and self-respect that you can carry on to your next position.

If you don’t remember anything else in life, [remember] that everyone on the planet is the same,” Terrie Williams told us. “There is nobody any better than anybody else … what I have learned over and over and over again is to be nice to everyone because you never know who is going to be in a position to help you.”

“Understand influencers and decision makers,” Rena Delievie told us. “When you want to get a dentist appointment, the receptionist is the influencer. The doctor is the decision maker. Often you can’t get through to the decision maker without getting the influencer involved. Every day at your job, you are surrounded by influencers and decision makers.” It is good to start determining who these people are to save time later on.

Optimism is a powerful weapon against fear, being uncomfortable and feeling unappreciated. As your first few days pass, ask questions when you have them as soon as you have them. While people sometimes equate question marks with incompetence in their own minds, it has the opposite effect on those around you if you are timely. If you are unsure of something, ask. Otherwise, you could actually create a negative circumstance, according to Rena DeLevie, who told us, “People will be frustrated because they have to undo your work and redo your work.”

Every office has a grapevine of the latest gossip. Avoid it. If you are the recipient of gossip, eventually you may also be the subject. Simply remove yourself from such circumstances.

“You have to stay away from the water cooler. You have to just not pay attention to gossip and backstabbing,” Jill Scalamandre reiterated.

Finally, a crippling mistake many new employees make is expecting the “normalcy” of their previous job to exist in a new workplace. Do not draw comparisons. Adjust to differences.

If your new job is in an unfamiliar location, make the commute before you actually have to. Always give yourself an extra half hour initially so that you arrive early and not out of breath. Do more extensive research on your company than you did prior to your interview. What is the company mentality? What personality does it put forward? What can you know beyond the basics that will ease your transition?

“Smart questions are not found on the Internet,” Debra Shriver said in her Peek. “If you go to our Web site, hearst.com, it will tell you everything: how many magazines we publish around the world, how many businesses we’re in, how long we’ve been in business [and] who founded us. You should have already read that.” Do your best to represent that when you make choices, like outfits, for the first week. Don’t do this the morning of – it will get hectic. You will also sleep better knowing you have planned ahead and are organized.

“I wear pins that are crazy because I want you to ask me about it, support artists and network,” Caroline Gundeck said of her attire tactics. Educate yourself about the people or the company you are about to meet. Google has a wealth of information in articles or blurbs that will be helpful to you, but if you come up empty-handed, look into the industry instead of the company.

Q: Why do you want this job?
Well, why do you want it? Clearly all of us need the green stuff, so you don’t have to mention your financial interest. Think about what you hope to learn or improve, what appeals to you about the job and why you chose the company.
Caroline Gundeck advised, “Be thinking about what you want to do, and do something you love.” Honesty is key so you can both decide if you are the right fit for the position.

Q: Why did you leave your last job?
If you had a tumultuous exit from your last position, you might still be peeved about it. Do not be negative. If you complain and gripe during your interview, odds are you are a complainer or a griper on the job. A simple explanation of having outgrown the job or needing new challenges is always a safe bet. Mentioning finances or status, while often realistic, does not often work in your favor, as it can come off as egocentric. The ability to grow into a new role with enthusiasm, positive energy and a contributive, workable attitude is an extremely valuable quality in an employee.
“Lots of qualities contribute to success,” Linda Wells said on making a smooth job transition. “Sometimes it is the ability to lead and sometimes it is the ability to learn. There are way too many people who are title happy and money conscious and it’s not always going to serve you best.” If pressed about the personal environment at your previous job, you can always say the chemistry wasn’t quite right or you wanted more responsibility. Be prepared to offer specific reasons why you were unsatisfied and solutions that you will be bringing to the next situation.

Q: What are your weaknesses?
Many interviewees take this as a sign to say, “I’m a perfectionist!” While you don’t need to dish, “I habitually oversleep because I’m a workaholic!” you can translate that into, “I need to delegate more in managing my responsibilities to increase my efficiency.” Those two responses are significantly different, and the second shows initiative.

Weakness is a nasty word some people equate with “unqualified.” Weaknesses are just areas in need of growth that have not received enough focus. What are yours and what are you planning to do about them? The bottom line is that everyone will appreciate it if you are realistic and honest so that they can properly evaluate. The last thing you want is to start out over your head in a new job, and potential employers appreciate your consideration of their time and energy.

“BE YOU,” Terrie Williams said again and again. “Be unafraid to be you. A sense of humor is important. That person across from you is no better than you are. You could be the very first interview they ever had, did you ever think of that? It’s the game face that everybody wears. Show up as you. Talk about those things that you know are unmistakably you, that make you stand out.”

Try a few interview questions in the next sections to help you prepare.

The office staff is like an audience and they notice things like loud, obnoxious chatting on your cell phone, nervousness and fidgeting. These are the people you would see every day and work among.

“If you are rude to my assistant, that tells me who you really are,” said Terrie Williams. “What that says is that, if I lose whatever little bit I have today, you would treat me exactly the way that you have just treated my assistant. There is nobody too important to say hello to or acknowledge.”

Greet your interviewer confidently and respectfully. A firm handshake and eye contact are must-haves for an initial meeting. Be yourself, be warm and keep your responses conversational. This is the chance for you and the employer to get to know each other better. The employer will be put at ease by fresh, casual answers as opposed to those that feel rehearsed or robotic. Show off your interpersonal skills and ability to communicate.

What I look for when I interview someone, I look for people who have a life,” Debra Shriver said. “I ask them questions like ‘What are your hobbies? What are the last two books you have read?’ If I get an employee who’s just interested in work, they’re going to get stressed out faster, they’re probably going to burn out, they’re probably going to flip out more often in pressure situations. They’re not going to have that balance.”

View a particularly horrible interview (the one where you flub the boss’ name or reveal something embarrassing), as a chance to laugh at yourself and learn for the next time. Come away from it with a positive attitude and added confidence that you can handle tough situations.