Project: You

"It's all about visibility," says change consultant Susan Campbell. "You don't want to play politics -- people see through that -- but you do want to be viewed as a person who likes to do a great job."

Campbell and her colleagues agree that the first step to greater visibility is greater clarity. The way to develop a reputation as a success is to make sure that people in the organization agree that your project was a success. And that means arriving at a clear definition of achievement -- before your project starts.

"Every project needs measurable outcomes," says HP's Lauren Martin. "You need a strategy at the beginning of your project to articulate and measure your results at the end. And you should be specific. If there's a way to measure how your project increased productivity, then you should measure it. Find ways to articulate how your project created value for the organization. Remember, people pay attention to metrics."

The second step is to find ways to share these results with the people in the organization who matter. Microsoft's Adam Rauch had it easy (or hard, depending on your point of view). After all, he tutored Bill Gates in Visual Basic soon after the product was released. Now that's visibility. ("It was pretty important," Rauch says modestly.) But all this interaction with the CEO didn't happen by accident. Although he's not a big believer in formal paper trails, Rauch carefully documents his progress every step of the way. "That's my job," he says. "The people who are watching -- the executives -- see that. You don't have to be political: 'I did this, I did that, I'm so great.' But you do have to communicate your team's goals and milestones, its missions and priorities, to the right people."

HP's Cyr is emphatic: he does believe in paper trails -- or at least in their intranet equivalent. After all, many of Cyr's projects are solo efforts. So he tends to worry that if he doesn't spread the word, it won't get out at all. "That's why I use my computer for all it's worth," he explains. "I create spreadsheets, letters, directories -- all kinds of documents and reports. They let people see the status of all my projects."

Author and consultant Kevin Cashman, the founder and president of LeaderSource, a consulting firm based in Minneapolis, likes Cyr's approach. He also urges people to go beyond it. "If you market what you've done, it can seem like self-promotion," he says. "But if you market what you can do, it feels more like a service." That's why Cashman recommends a two-step regimen: document your achievements as they happen, and record the skills you're developing on a regular basis.

Susan Campbell agrees. "You should create a new resume every month," she argues. "And I don't mean just writing up the plain-vanilla basics: where you went to school, what job titles you've had. I mean writing down what matters: the problems you've solved, how much money you've saved the company, the real results you've achieved. It's not something for you to send to prospective employers. But if you keep all your accomplishments fresh in your mind, it will be easier to sell yourself in conversations."

Where Are All These Projects Taking Me?

We said it at the outset: the traditional career path has disappeared. But what's taking its place? Are we on the road to nowhere? Or can you create direction from a series of projects?

Some people don't think so. "I don't have a seven-year plan in mind," says Microsoft's Rauch. "I just want to work on cool technology with great people."

That's a common attitude among young businesspeople, says Cashman, and it's fine as far as it goes. But he worries that it doesn't go far enough. "Most people map out their career by circumstance rather than by plan, and then label those circumstances their resume. Obviously, you need to react to circumstances. But you also need to step back and establish a core purpose."

The pursuit of core purpose, experts say, helps give shape to an often-confusing journey. Scott Dever says his core purpose at SmithKline Beecham is to be great at leading teams. An executive coach recently advised him to embrace a functional specialty -- but he believes that team-building skills are a more permanent source of value: "The ability to pull a team together is a skill whose value will endure."

Susan Campbell would say that team-building is Dever's "essential vocation" -- the defining capability that he brings to every project he works on. From her perspective, finding career consistency is a function less of what you do than of how you approach it. "Your essential vocation goes much deeper than your job title," she says. "It's what you're doing, no matter what else you're doing. Some people are advocates -- they always speak for the underdog. Others are entertainers -- they always make people laugh, and keep work light and fun. My essential vocation is to teach. Whether I'm consulting, speaking at a conference or talking with my niece, I'm always teaching. My project might change. My workplace might change. But trying to be a better teacher -- that doesn't change."

Eric Matson ematson@nwu.edu , a former member of the Fast Company editorial staff, recently began a new project -- business school.