Leaving college and entering the work force is a big step that requires one undeniable element: personal accountability--the drive to be responsible for yourself. Your parents, your friends, your professors can all advise you, but YOU need to make it happen. As you prepare to enter the work force, here are six things our experts tell us you must do now to make sure your career gets off to the right start. Click here to read "What Should You Wear to a Job Interview? Should You Hide Your Hair?"Click here to read "Want to Work There? 5 Ways to Make Sure That Company Cares About Diversity."Click here to read "5 Dress-for-Success Tips."

1. Understand yourself
The job-application process is all about self-marketing, and fortunately, no one knows you better than you know yourself. Landing that ideal first job requires understanding who you are, both your strengths and your weaknesses--and exploiting them. For example, Alan Muir, executive director of Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD), says that students with disabilities must clearly assess what they will be able to contribute and what limitations they have. And they should emphasize the real strengths they may have developed to compensate for their disabilities. "Have a full understanding of your abilities and disabilities," advises Muir. "Being clear on who you are--and what you can and cannot do--not only makes your job search more effective and makes the interview go more smoothly, it also makes penetrating the office culture easier."

2. Protect your brand
These days, anyone can find out about you with a simple Google search or by looking at Facebook and MySpace, where many young people like to discuss their "extracurricular" activities. Take note of how you are represented on social-networking sites. While you are entitled to present yourself any way you'd like, future or current employers may be less inclined to hire or promote you if there are damaging images of you on the Internet. "Your reputation is very important and that reputation starts on day one," says Pipier Bewlay, senior vice president of HR, training and development for INROADS, which recruits, trains and places college students from traditionally underrepresented groups in paid internships with large companies.Building a positive reputation is a very important part of good self-marketing and in forging lasting professional relationships.

3. Be a team player
Once you have the job, don't get caught up in differences, warns Bewlay. Instead, focus on what commonalities you share with your team, especially if you are the "only" person from a traditionally underrepresented group on the team. "When you are entering an organization and you are seen as the 'only one,' you have to take a little responsibility to look at the people around you and focus on your similarities," she says. Instead, know your peer group and your organization and focus on the best ways to work within them. "Understand teamwork, and know how your team interacts with the rest of the organization. That is when you begin to develop leadership qualities and begin to understand what a leader is," says Charles H. Cornelius, president and CEO for INROADS. It's also important to remember that working with different groups of people is a part of experiencing different workplaces, and not everyone will understand who you are, warns Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. "You can't assume going in that everyone gets it, and you can't assume that everyone won't get it. Be prepared and don't be offended when people ask inappropriate things," says Jennings.

4. Watch your e-mails
While sending business e-mails can be tricky in a work force that encompasses diversity of race/ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability and other cultural influences, one thing is clear: Your ability to effectively communicate will directly affect how high on the corporate ladder you go. "It's common in most cultures to use language that is not clear outside that culture; it creates a crypt culture that is not acceptable for the workplace," says Muir. And while you may love to text message, don't use that style of text for work. Substituting numbers for letters or eliminating vowels from words to shorten them can be confusing, especially for older bosses. How well you communicate also says a lot about you as an employee, warns Sophia Bogues, strategic accounts manager with INROADS. "Business e-mails are a tool and that tool represents you," she says. Remember to adhere to the communication culture of the organization you are joining. Also remember that while religion has a place in the workplace--if it is structured with specific and well-thought-out values--an e-mail or general discussion may not be the best time to put your religious ideologies forth. Instead of "Have a blessed day," use a simple "Thank you" or "Be well."

5. Dress appropriately
To get the part, you have to look the part. First impressions count. Corporate-recruiting experts agree you shouldn't wear anything distracting, too flashy or too casual. After getting a job, don't be afraid to ask about the dress code. It's always better to err on the side of caution and be overdressed. While tattoos and piercings are forms of expression, not every work environment is welcoming to them. They can keep you from landing that ideal job because they are not protected by equal-employment laws. "Employers do have the right to make hiring decisions that take appearance into account that don't include race and gender," Melanie Holmes, vice president, World of Work Solutions at Manpower, told DiversityInc.

6. Network, find a mentor
Taking the initiative to forge relationships with seasoned professionals in and out or your profession will prove to be an excellent resource as you launch your career. But you need to find mentors and convince them you are worth helping. They won't just come to you. "Building that network of people who know and understand you is important," says Cornelius. "This network will not only serve as a resource but will also become a powerful tool for networking purposes for the future." It's also important to leverage professional organizations and community organizations, as doing this will make you more marketable to employers.