This article is part of POLITICO's MEP Survival Guide, an introduction to the Brussels bubble and the European Parliament.

The European Parliament can be a minefield. MEPs compete with hundreds of other representatives for a slice of the action. Not everyone has a lasting impact — at least not in the eyes of voters or other MEPs. For every moment in the political spotlight, there are 10 in the shadows.

So what's a new MEP to do? Rookie mistakes include trying to make your mark on too many policy issues, when you are likely to be remembered for only one theme or reform. Sticking to what you know is another pitfall. Becoming a player in the wider Parliament means steering clear of the magnetic pull of your national delegation's power struggles and worn-out habits.

To help you navigate, POLITICO outlines eight paths to power.

Pick the right committee

If name recognition is what you're after, focus on one policy committee rather than spreading yourself thin across several committees. Top issues to watch in the new Parliament are tax, defense and climate. Parliament’s role on these issues is not automatically decisive. A raft of others, from NATO to the OECD, the United Nations and the European Commission, are already involved. But these are the areas where Parliament's influence is likely to grow the most over the next five years. Of the existing committees, MEP power players are usually found in the committees for economic and financial affairs, the single market, energy, and civil liberties. Several traditional committees that oversee the majority of EU spending are agriculture, regional development, and budget control.

Who did it well? German MEPs Ingeborg Gräßle on budget control and Bernd Lange on trade, and British MEP Vicky Ford, who used the single market committee to end mobile roaming charges.

Cross the aisle

Because MEPs can’t directly propose legislation, the Parliament tends to form coalitions reactively rather than proactively on key EU issues. It doesn't have to be that way. For MEPs willing to build support in the political center, crossing the aisle is a major opportunity to move the needle. How? Create a shortlist of issues that aren't necessarily ideological: air quality and infrastructure, for example. Consider ways you can form cross-party pressure on the Commission and national governments to take action. One existing mechanism is the "Intergroup" system, but don't let the fact that many issues don't get their own intergroup keep you silent.

Who did it well? Dutch MEP Judith Sargentini built a super-majority to condemn rule of law abuses in Hungary. A cautionary tale: Anna Maria Corazza Bildt worked across the aisle so often that her Swedish center-right colleagues dumped her.

Be your prime minister's proxy

The most common criticism of the Parliament is that it’s a toy institution that is unable to propose legislation, only to amend proposals or veto trade deals. One way around those limitations is to become a confidante to people who unquestionably do hold power: national leaders. To be known as Angela Merkel’s or Emmanuel Macron’s person in Brussels is a definite advantage to getting things done and making yourself known.

Who did it well? David McAllister, known to many as the German chancellor's man in Brussels, and Sylvie Goulard, the original Macronista.

Market your expertise

Proving yourself to be an expert on a specific area — say agriculture or digital issues — is a great way to leverage yourself into an influential position. This is especially true for members of minor parties who face more roadblocks to gaining power. If you have more knowledge and are more committed than anyone else on a particular dossier, even your ideological opponents will begrudgingly be forced to respect you.

Who did it well? Paolo de Castro, an Italian agricultural economic expert who became chair of the agriculture committee soon after he entered Parliament. Green MEPs Bas Eickhout (Netherlands) and Claude Turmes (Luxembourg) both made names for themselves as energy experts in recent Parliaments.

Master social media

Many politicians tend to prioritize prime-time television appearances because of the large audiences. The problem for you is that, most of the time, TV networks aren't interested in hearing from MEPs. While a tweet won't do much on its own, a serious social media presence is a great way to build your network with journalists (including TV producers), lobbyists (some are useful) and NGOs in a crowded political market.

Who did it well? Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake ran a tweet-driven election campaign in 2009, and kept up the pace after she took up her seat, becoming a globally recognized voice on digital and trade issues.

Hire a team of champions

As an MEP you have near total control over who works for you. Some MEPs hire an army of junior staff, others focus on employees back home who will help keep up their national profile. The MEP who wants to have a major impact in Brussels and Strasbourg isn't afraid to shell out serious money for senior advisers — or maybe even a former rival who knows how to play top-level legislative and party politics.

Who did it well? Parliament President Antonio Tajani hired staff from across the political spectrum.

Leak to journalists

We would say that, wouldn't we? In a Parliament of more than 700 MEPs, journalists can't speak to everyone, but they have to speak to someone. The more you're willing to help them understand what is really going on inside committee and party room discussions, the more space you're likely to find for your ideas in EU media debates. If you want to help set the agenda of the day or week in Brussels, it helps to have the ear of the journalists who frame the discussion.

Who did it well? That would be telling! German MEPs Julia Reda and Sven Giegold did, however, lead the way on transparency issues, drowning us in information about their efforts to open up the EU's institutions.

Become prime minister or president instead

Why treat the Parliament as a final destination when you can use it as a launching pad? In the last term, five MEPs went on to win a national election or be appointed prime minister. That's perhaps the clearest "path to power."

Who did it well? Poland's Andrzej Duda, Romanian politician Viorica Dăncilă, Croatian leader Andrej Plenković, Latvian PM Krišjānis Kariņš and Kaja Kallas from Estonia all went on to win a national election or be appointed prime minister. Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini and Sweden's Isabella Lövin became deputy prime ministers.