I grew up in the traditional Indian town of Patna, where I was the first woman to attend IIT (the Indian equivalent of MIT). Despite the significance of this accomplishment, being the first also meant mapping out my entire career on my own. This was extremely difficult considering I had no role model or mentor to turn to for advice. Luckily, after a lot of painful mistakes, I finally found my calling five years ago when I founded Piazza, a social collaboration and recruiting platform. I often hire junior employees, usually right out of college or graduate school; fortunately, my company is able to provide the kind of mentorship and guidance that I never had. Here are some of my best tips for those just beginning their careers:

Seek out professional mentors. I realized early in my career that feedback at large companies was infrequent and often based on project outcomes, not on career aspirations. So, when I started Piazza, I sought out my own mentors to help me establish a long-term vision for my company, rather than short-term objectives. I recruited the smartest engineers, salespeople, and entrepreneurs I could find and I enlisted their expertise. I was astounded by how many successful people took the time to get to know me and to understand my vision. Their advice was always specific to my unique situation and priorities; this helped me develop a more sophisticated thought process and long-term career plan. Five years later, I still refer to many of them when I encounter new problems I don’t know how to solve.

Work in an entrepreneurial environment. If you know your desired career path in your twenties, congratulations! You’re definitely in the minority. For the rest of you, this should be an exciting time of discovery. You’ll want to find an organization where you’re not pigeonholed into one type of role and where you get to work on many different projects to help find what you enjoy most. It doesn’t have to be a startup – it should just be an organization where you can identify your strengths and passion.

Focus on your strengths. In my opinion, too many millennials just beginning their careers focus on trying to overcome their weaknesses, instead of discovering where they can leverage their strengths. For example, one of my product managers is an expert at bringing new products to market. And she does it incredibly quickly, which is critical when you work in a small company. Rather than putting her in a position that didn’t play to her strengths, she works in an area where she’s stronger than almost anyone else at the company and has become an invaluable team member.

Accept feedback. I get tough feedback every day as CEO. Admittedly, I’m doing many things for the first time and can make mistakes. I think of feedback as a gift; if I didn’t accept it, then I would never grow as a leader. Early in your career, it’s tempting to refuse to admit when you need help because you think it makes you look weak or incompetent. Instead, I encourage you to embrace your vulnerability and to proactively seek out as much feedback as you can from your peers and network. But be judicious about the advice you take; don’t be afraid to follow your own path.

Read all answers to the MPW Insider question: What is one piece of advice all millennials should take before entering the workforce?

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How to build your personal brand at work by Debbie Messemer, managing partner at KPMG San Francisco.

3 human skills that robots can’t replace by Stacia Pierce, CEO of Ultimate Lifestyle Enterprises.

3 ways to be a team player at work by Julie Larson-Green, CXO of applications and services group at Microsoft.

Recent graduates: Why it’s okay to be unemployed after college by Maren Kate Donovan, CEO of Zirtual.

The downsides of technology in a hyper-connected world by Cheryl Cook, vice president of global channels and alliances at Dell.

The perfect job doesn’t exist, so focus on this instead by Erin Ganju, co-Founder and CEO of Room to Read.

Barbara Bush: How to find a mentor by Barbara Bush, co-founder of Global Health Corps.

What you can actually learn from getting fired by Gay Gaddis, CEO and founder of T3.

Why social media is a blessing (and a curse) by Pam Wickham, vice president of corporate affairs and communications at Raytheon Company.

The most important thing to consider when accepting a job offer by Lisa Donohue, CEO of Starcom USA.

6 key benefits of having a mentor by Carolyn Rodz, CEO of Market Mentor.

The myth behind climbing the corporate ladder by Shiza Shahid, co-founder and ambassador of Malala Fund.

The one word that will boost your career by Jennifer Steinmann, Chief Talent Officer of Deloitte.

6 ways to determine if you’re in the right career by Debby Hopkins, CEO at Citi Ventures.

There’s no such thing as a linear career path by Trish Lukasik, Senior Vice President of Sales at PepsiCo.

Want to succeed in your career? Get uncomfortable by Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn.

Listen to your gut — it could make you CEO one day by Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water.

Why millennials have the power to change the workplace — for good by Lauren Stiller Rikleen, President of Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership.

Why passion may not be enough to build a successful career by Sarah Leary, co-founder and vice president of marketing and operations at Nextdoor.

How to build a career, not just a job by Alyse Nelson, president and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Best lesson from your first job: discovering your weaknesses by Ann Marie Petach, Senior Managing Director of Solutions Group at BlackRock.

3 ways to get noticed at work by Liz Wiseman, President of Wiseman Group.

Can millennials revolutionize business? by Erica Dhawan, co-author of “Get Big Things Done” and CEO of Cotential.

Girl Scouts CEO Anna Maria Chavez: My best career advice for millennials by Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of America.