HBR Work Smart Series

"Where do you see yourself in five years?" If this question makes you nauseous, you're not alone. Starting out in the working world is hard enough, but thinking long-term about our career—and whether we even want a capital-C "career"—can be daunting and exhausting. Fortunately, there are concrete steps you can take to build a career that fits your interests, needs, and passions.

Managers, peers, work friends, mentors, frenemies, annoying people, romantic interests, people with awful politics, your boss's boss, and so on . . . we probably spend more hours with our coworkers than with anyone else. So even if they're not all perfect, it's worth it to build connections that will provide you with support, help you network and learn, and keep your career moving forward.

Authenticity, Identity, and Being Yourself at Work is filled with practical advice from HBR experts that can help you answer this and other questions like: What does authenticity really mean at work? What values do I want to live into? How do I take control of my professional identity? How should I disclose personal information without oversharing? In what ways can I overcome feelings of impostor syndrome? When should I conform to my company's culture—and when should I stand out?